![]() ![]() The 52/36T, 11-30T chainset is driven by 172.5mm cranks, which has proved ideal for the lumpy topography that makes up my Surrey Hills test route.Īs some of you may recall, Merida ditched its longtime partnership with Fulcrum Wheels in late 2019 for Vision and has been using its wheelsets ever since. There's more cyan present than before (on the seat tube and upper headset edge), which complements the orange paint and Continental logo.Īs the range-topping model in the Scultura line-up, the Team version is naturally specced to the hilt and comes outfitted in the recently launched Shimano Dura-Ace R9200 groupset, replete with power meter. It looks great and the introduction of the triangular motif makes the colour transition less abrupt. Black is still the predominant theme here - taking up nearly 70 per cent of the frame real estate - but it fades diagonally across the top tube, down tube and fork into a striking, deep orange. As a result, the Scultura adopts a similar colourway to that of its predecessor and siblings, the Reacto and Time Warp time trial bike. While the team changed sponsors for 2021, the designers were careful not to deviate too much from the script and retained some of the McLaren orange colours for continuity. In terms of the colourways, the Scultura Team can be had in one of two distinct designs: metallic black or Bahrain Victorious colours (pictured here). All this has culminated in a reduction of drag (10 watts at 45km/h). While we can't quantify these claims, tweaks include a reduced frontal area including a Reacto-like head tube and fork, a hidden seatpost clamp, lower seatstay anchor points and a super-tidy, cableless cockpit. Merida was quick to point out it stitched in bits of the Reacto's DNA in an effort to make the Scultura as slippery as possible. These weight savings, however, have not come at the cost of aerodynamics. Our small test bike weighed in at 6.95kg without pedals, a testament to the work carried out to make the Scultura competitive in the high mountains. According to Merida, the new Scultura tips the scales at 822g for a medium frame, making it 4.4 per cent lighter than its predecessor. These fibres are more complex and time-consuming to lay compared to, say, CF4, CF3 and CF2 grades, but the result is a stiffer and lighter frame. As the headline act in the Scultura line-up, the Team version gets the brand's ultra-high-modulus CF5 (40T and 60T) lay-up. These additions have improved ride quality, aerodynamics and weight but also changed the way it looks, bringing it more in line with its contemporaries. Looking at the design - in come dropped seatstays, aerodynamic tube profiling and a one-piece cockpit. I've been testing it here on UK soil for the past four weeks in an effort to identify any weaknesses as well as establish how it fares when compared to current leaders in the best road bike category. In fact, Jack Haig went on to finish on the overall podium at the Spanish Grand Tour and Merida will say it had a lot to do with the bike he was riding, a bike it claims is better than its predecessor in every way - but is it? Those with an eagle eye would have noticed the Bahrain Victorious team aboard the Scultura V during this year's Critérium du Dauphiné, Tour de France and Vuelta a España - the team received their bikes six months before the official launch. ![]() Merida puts a lot of emphasis on pro-rider feedback, taking into account specific rider demands during prototype testing and includes these suggestions when finalising the product line. Development of the Scultura V started as far back as late 2019 and by early-to-mid 2020, it was already in prototype guise, getting stress tested and put through its paces. ![]()
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