The Merida Big Trail has been a hit with the mountain bike press and trail riders alike. Bikeboard.cc confirmed that we 'nailed it', while MBR, IMB and many more confirmed that the Big Trail is firmly at the top of the trail hardtail game.

Conversations between UK bike shops and Merida's German R & D team resulted in the development of a fun-packed and hugely capable bike. Trail bike geometry combined with a long travel 140 mm fork and grippy 2.4 wide 29er trail tyres make this the perfect companion for exciting trail sessions and demanding all-day rides over rough terrain. It's perfectly suited to UK riding.

The modern trail bike geometry has a slack enduro inspired 65.5° head angle, steep seat angle and a long reach. A short seat tube delivers a low standover height giving plenty of space to manoeuvre on the bike when the trail gets technical but still accommodates a long travel dropper post.

The geometry means most sizes work for most body sizes so riding style can be factored in. If you want to go crazy fast, take the longer size, for agility, take a shorter size.

The Big Trail has hidden talents, in addition to two sets of bottle bosses, there's a trail mount under the top tube giving the ability to carry tools and extra gear on the bike. It's also possible to fit mudguards and a rack if you want to trek further afield.