Merida REACTO Team-COM (2012)
A pure speed machine and doubles up as a fast TT bike
Pros
Fast Fast Fast (did I mention it's fast?)
Cons
Stiff ride
Review
Merida is one of the top three largest bike manufacturers in the world. The company has been around since 1972 starting it empire as a small contract shop under a Japanese bicycle parts brand, by current chairman D.H. Ike, Tseng.
Merida has expanded to the US and Europe and in 2001 purchased a 19% share of Specialized bicycle company. Though looking at the two ranges from both companies there are little if any similarities.
The Merida Reacto. I want to be the person who sits in a little room and comes up with the names of bike models and the colors! What is in the name Reacto you might ask? Well Merida is on a quest to produce a bike with perfect reactions.
Accordingly to Merida this means a no-compromise reaction to even the slightest sprint impulses and the characteristics of a real power plant.
So there are manufacturer’s claims and then there are real time tests. So let’s ride!
The Reacto is stiff, very stiff to the point that you can feel everything coming up through the rear end of this bike. It is always going to be a compromise between compliance and stiffness. It’s the same as the question that is asked “what is a good tire for wet and dry”, or the other one, “which tire gives me a fast ride but will not get puncture”. Horses for courses people. There is no one piece of equipment that will be suitable for every situation. Unless you ride for a pro-team where you will have access to numerous styles of equipment depending on the course and terrain you are racing in. So us plebs just have to make do with what we have.
The Reacto is a race bike and will suit cyclists who race. You want a super stiff fast responsive race machine then put this one on your list. If you want a nice comfortable all day cruiser then look elsewhere.
Another benefit of the Reacto is the dual setting seatpost design. It allows you to run both standard and zero layback ideal for doing a weekend Triathlon and then switching back for your road training program during the week.
The Sram Red was flawless as you would expect. Though I am still not a fan. It’s not that it is bad it is just a personal thing, I like the smooth quiet feel of Shimano where the Sram is very mechanical and industrial. The Sram S40 wheels roll well but if you are serious about your racing then an upgrade here would make a big difference.
FSA round out the control area and the saddle is supplied by Selle Italia.
The Reacto from Merida is a pure speed machine and doubles up as a fast TT bike. If you can look past the green this could be the next bike for you.
With the Merida Reacto Team bike, you can’t ask for anything more! This is the bike for you if you love the idea of having a ride that can conquer pretty much anything.
It comes with a Nano Matrix carbon frame which carries a new and improved hit-resistance. Each portion of the frame is bonded to withstand huge impact as well as wear and tear. It also comes with a Double Chamber system where the tube gets a reinforcing rib strengthening it further. Wrapping the package neatly is the SRAM RED groupset along with a $40 wheel set.
