My not-at-all-new Merida thing.

angrymeerkat
angrymeerkat Posts: 134
edited October 2009 in Your mountain bikes
An unflattering shot of my unflattering ride! My first really 'capable' MTB, bear this in mind.

Taken after one lap of FtD at Cannock Chase. In the rain.

library3072f.jpg

Spec:
'08 Merida Matts TFS-550-D Trail - what a bloody mouthful.
Tora 302 Coil U-Turn
M485 "Poor excuse for" brakes
M440 octalink crankset
Deore shifters, Deore front mech, XT rear mech.
Alex DP17 rims on Deore (both).
Conti speedking 2.3 (both).
Charge spoon
Wellgo fake-8s
Titec El Norte 50mm stem
Various own brand finishing kit of questionable quality.

...and a really old Halfords mudguard...

Well, what's to say? The angles are a little... severe, especially when wound out to 130mm. Had to swap out the stem because of this; the original 100mm made it feel like I was taking QM2 around the cape. Had to upgrade various contact points because stock items were terrible. I'm not sure it's worthwhile going further; saving my pennies for the replacement!

She's an interesting ride. We have a love/hate thing going on.
Everytrail, Flickr.

Comments

  • ilovedirt
    ilovedirt Posts: 5,798
    cool bike :) nothing wrong with that!
    Production Privee Shan

    B'Twin Triban 5
  • Whytepeak
    Whytepeak Posts: 2,616
    Nice trail bike :D

    Very good frame.
    Now that we are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please ourselves. ROMANS 15:1
  • fourcrossjohn
    fourcrossjohn Posts: 2,500
    all merida's break on me :)

    and theyre a bith to take apart
  • missmarple
    missmarple Posts: 1,980
    Thats a cracking specification for your first mountainbike and Merida make very good mountainbikes. Don't they supply a well known UK manufacturer(s)?

    And glad to see you're out riding your bike unlike some. :)
  • fourcrossjohn
    fourcrossjohn Posts: 2,500
    meaning what exactly miss marple, aimed at any one specific?
  • angrymeerkat
    angrymeerkat Posts: 134
    Thanks @ all... I guess she's not that ugly really :)

    It was the beefy frame which sealed it for me - given I'm er, "improving" I tend to push beyond my skill level fairly frequently! Didn't want a gorgeous, sculpted, hydroformed beauty which would be dinged and ruined in the first 8 months...

    Spec-wise it'll do, but the weight is beginning to grate. Did the Evans Nottingham (36-mile) ride on it last weekend, and alongside the stupid DH-ish tyres gluing themselves to the tarmac sections, the thing was sluggish at best. Good for the fitness though, eh?

    Can't say I've had trouble disassembling & maintaining it, 4xjohn - although the paint is rubbish quality & chips with so much as a sneeze!
    Everytrail, Flickr.

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