The rear mech now uses the direct-mount standard, which improves shifting accuracy and helps to make wheel changes faster, according to Merida. Merida has also looked to make improvements in the Reacto’s general usability and performance, with various updates to some of the small details across the bike. The reshaped front-end, with its cockpit and fork integration does, however, mean the V4 has a significantly shorter head tube, size-for-size. The introduction of an XXS means there’s no longer intermediate sizes like S/M and M/L, which should go some way to making size choice simpler. The Reacto is now available in six sizes from XXS up to XL.
Tyre clearance is up to 30mm without compromising the overall aerodynamics of the Reacto.This allows the post to flex vertically and the elastomer helps dampen road vibrations, according to Merida The S-Flex seatpost combines a deep airfoil shape with a cutaway section and elastomer.The rear mech is held in position using a Shimano-specification ‘direct mount’, making for accurate shifts, improved reliability and a lower profile to better protect the mech in the event of a crash.These are designed to help regulate brake temperature in the ‘heat’ of competition Like the previous Reacto, Merida has integrated disc-cooling fins into the fork legs and rear stays.Vision’s Metron 5D bar/stem system is designed with the Italian company’s ACR system, which fully integrates the cable routing through the unit and channels it down into the head tube, making for a cable-free front end.Six smart features from the Merida Reacto V4 The combined effect is another 2-watt gain. The oversized head tube also allows better integration with the fork crown, while enlarging the tyre clearance to 30mm also allows for a much smoother transition. This provides a 2-watt improvement over the previous design, according to Merida. This one-piece bar/stem combo uses Vision’s ACR cable routing design to thread cables and hydraulic hoses through the bar, into the stem and then down into a reshaped head tube. The Reacto V4’s aero improvements come in the form of better integration using Vision’s Metron 5D ACR cockpit. The new Reacto’s goal was to improve both aerodynamics and comfort, while also dropping weight. Merida tells us it would have been easy to make aerodynamic improvements over the previous model, and it explored designs such as combining the deep aero-shaped seatpost and seat tube of the Warp TT bike to make immediate gains, but that became detrimental to the ride quality.
The CF4 had no internal cable routing, though (the brake cable routed through exterior guides), so this is a much cleaner design. The new CF5 fork weighs in at a claimed 457g, whereas the old CF4 came in lighter at 398g. The CF3 has the same stiffness and compliance qualities as the range-topping CF5, according to Merida, but with a little more weight.
The CF5 frame features on the Team-E, 9000-E, and 8000-E models, while the CF3 frameset features on the 4000, 5000, 6000, 7000-E and Force bikes. The new V4 machine’s flagship CF5 frame drops significantly down under a kilo to 965g. Weight-wise, the previous top-level Reacto CF4 frame tipped the scales at 1,150g for a M/L bike (the equivalent of the V4’s Medium). Merida says the new Reacto is more of an all-rounder than ever before. There are two versions of the new Reacto frame and eight bikes in total across the range, ranging in price from the £2,250 Reacto 4000 model with Shimano 105, all the way up to the Bahrain-McLaren replica Team-E at £9,000 with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2. While Merida’s rivals in the peloton – Cannondale (with the SuperSix EVO), Specialized (with the new Tarmac SL7) and Trek (with the Emonda SLR) – have all looked to add aero properties to their all-round race bikes, Merida has flipped this around as it’s looked to lighten and add all-round abilities to its pure aero-race machine. Meridaįor this fourth version of the Reacto, Merida has looked to tip the balance away from pure aerodynamics to create a bike that has all of the DNA of a pure-bred aero machine, but is an “all-rounder with class-leading aerodynamic performance”. With the new Reacto, Merida has sought to reduce the weight and improve the comfort of its race-focused aero road bike.
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