Technology

Research and Development
Technology

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Developed in Germany

In the Swabian town of Magstadt (Germany), engineers and designers work together closely when it comes to the transformation of ideas into perfect MERIDA bikes.

Only the art of frame construction once distinguished good bikes from very good ones. But those times are long gone: Cutting-edge processing options for well-proven substances (e. g. aluminium) or the specific characteristics of sensitive basic materials (e. g. carbon) require maximum attention when new bikes are designed today. Geometric adaption to a bike’s respective functional range and the kinematic complexity of full-suspension rear stays have turned bike development into a real science as well. Because bikes are no longer just bikes: They are the results of many technological and constructional factors whose grand total guarantees that a bike finally fulfils the exact operation purpose it was designed for – provided that the concept is thought-out.

That’s why the designers and developers of our R&D headquarters in the Swabian town of Magstadt work together closely when ideas become perfect MERIDA bikes. In doing so, our R&D experts aim directly and right from the start at the creation of products that delight our customers with reliable functioning in every later situation – no matter if bikes for kids, trekking models or high-tech series like our MTBs of World Cup fame. 

In this context, especially MERIDA’s global orientation with distribution in more than 70 countries brings immense advantages: Around the world, our marketing and distribution experts hunt for currents trends, keep close contact to leading international bike magazines and monitor the development of all important global markets. Their input is one of the factors that help the chassis engineers, designers and programmers of MERIDA’s German R&D team to define the specification sheet of each bike for the new season.

During the initial concept discussion, all involved specialists resolve basic questions concerning frame material and application area of the bike-to-be. Then first computer studies are compiled. This early stage involves cutting-edge engineering tools like “Igorion” (suspension software for chassis optimization) or “Pro-E” (3D all-solid simulation). At the same time, our experts set their sights always firmly on the end product: Necessary clearances like tire widths or the disc brake’s rotor size are already taken into account as constants. After the final computer calculation of the study, first aluminium prototypes are welded according to this specification – and then checked in reality, inter alia, by the world’s fastest test riders: The pro athletes of our MULTIVAN MERIDA BIKING TEAM. 
 


Juergen Falke (m.), MERIDA’s Head of Design, coordinates the teamwork.