The Silex was a ground up design project. Rather than taking a road or cyclocross bike and re-jigging the recipe, the starting point for the Silex was modern MTB inspired geometry; long top and head tubes and a short stem, offering nimble, confidence-inspiring handling. At launch, it was hailed as the most comfortable and versatile bike Merida had ever made. The cycling press loved it too: “exceptional ride quality” (Cycling Plus), “a highly versatile bike” (IMB), “the best bike of this genre” (Offroad CC). There's a certain beauty in just riding without watching the time, heading wherever you feel the urge. For those rides, the test and award-winning Silex makes total sense. The bike has five sets of bottle bosses and rack mounting points offering multiple luggage carrying options. All Silex models are equipped with powerful hydraulic disc brakes. Calipers are mounted on the chainstay for better dissipation of braking forces using the flat-mount standard for a neat, flush fit. Calipers sit on top of CNCd aluminium Disc Cooler fins, reducing operating temperatures by up to 35%; particularly important when running fully loaded.