In a market where bling may be power, Merida recognises that the cycling industry still isn't in the best of places. It reckons that there's a prime spot for an affordable bike, and with big value in mind, the brand has introduced the Big.Nine, and Big.Seven TFS, alloy-framed hardtail mountain bikes that are designed to balance performance and price where 1x drivetrains and 120mm travel forks are the order of the day.

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'Ready for anything. Made for everyone' is the strap that Merida has given to its new Big.Nine and Big.Seven TFS hardtails, as the brand rightfully states that mountain biking needs to start somewhere. As their names hint, there's a 29in wheeled bike, and a 27.5in (or 650b) bike now on offer, expanding the size range.

2025 merida big nine seat stay.jpg, by Liam Mercer

Standing for Techno Forming System, TFS refers to the bike's frame and a manufacturing method that mechanically forms each tube on the bike. While it helps the brand create complex shapes from alloy tubes, it also allows the designers to play with the thickness of the tubes without having to turn to hydroforming.

Although the Big.Nine and Big.Seven TFS is built with a newer rider in mind, it should also suit those with more experience under their belts, but who are on a budget. That's thanks to a more progressive geometry. As such, the frame welcomes a 67-degree head tube angle, which is three degrees slacker than before, and the seat tube angle has been steepened to 78 degrees for better climbing performance. The reach has been lengthened throughout the size range, too, with a 'long' size getting a 430mm measurement.

2025 merida big nine riding.jpg, by Liam Mercer

With long travel dropper posts becoming super popular, Merida has made the decision to remove any bottle bosses on the seat tube that would otherwise limit seat post insertion.

The bike also features a bump up in suspension travel, as each model is kitted with 120mm of suspension travel.

As a modern bike, it's ripe with all of the mod-cons. It's fitted with a water bottle mount on the downtube as well as an accessory mount under the top tube. And in a bid to promote the bike's all-round usability, there's a mount for a kickstand, too. Additionally, while there's internal cable routing, it doesn't run through the headset for easy maintenance.

Small wheels, smaller sizes

Merida is bringing two bikes into the mix with a big focus on sizing and fitting a wide range of riders. As such, there's the Big.Nine that comes in sizes S to XXL, and it rolls on 29in hoops. But for smaller riders, there's the Big.Seven, which comes in XXS, XS, and S sizes, all of which roll on 650b, or 27.5 wheels.

2025 merida big nine hero 2.jpg, by Liam Mercer

Better suited to fit smaller riders, the Big.Seven gets shorter reach figures, ranging from 350mm up to 390mm, as well as a shorter chainstay length that measures in at 442mm.

It's not all about the Big.Seven's geometry, however, as Merida has given the smaller bikes appropriately sized componentry. That means that the smaller bikes benefit from narrower handlebars, shorter stems, and shorter cranks, all to help the bikes fit a wider range of riders better.

As for pricing, Merida's aiming to hit the budget nail right on the head as they start at £575 for the Big.Nine15, and go up to £1,250 for the Big.Nine400.

• www.merida-bikes.com

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