“A blend of agility and composure”: the DIRT impresses in the BIKE test

Our fun hardtail, the DIRT, had the chance to prove itself on the BIKE magazine website and managed to convince editor Jan Timmermann of its qualities.

The ‘heart’ of the DIRT 700 is the 6061 aluminium frame, “whose geometry […] has been carefully tuned” and can draw from “many years of expertise in aluminium processing”. On the DIRT, you feel “instantly at one with the bike”. The rider is positioned “wonderfully centrally on the bike”. This makes handling the bike “a breeze” and encourages you to learn new lines.

The DIRT offers “high stiffness” and “precise handling”, striking a “strong balance between smoothness and agility”.

“Fast pump track lines or street tricks? You can do both with the MERIDA.”

The DIRT looks “really modern and sporty”. With “DT Swiss wheels and a RockShox Pike DJ […] fitted, [they] are among the best the complete bike market has to offer in the dirt bike segment”. The “high-end suspension fork” delivers “a crisp, well-defined damping feel” in every situation. Furthermore, the DT Swiss wheel’s freehub body promises “long-lasting durability”.

Also praised were the EFBE-standard certification for category five (downhill and freeride), a five-year warranty for first owners, and the availability in two frame sizes. Proven standards instil “confidence in tough dirt and street use”.

In summary, the DIRT offers “not only a strong spec, a well-made aluminium frame with a brand name and expert fitting at the bike shop, but also a wide range of uses”.

What the testers particularly praised:
• Balanced handling and excellent rider integration
• Wide range of uses
• Good spec
• Horizontal dropouts for chain tensioning
• Gyro mount
• Bottle cage mount

Conclusion by Jan Timmermann:
“If only the riding characteristics count, there is hardly another dirt bike that can beat the Merida Dirt. The industry giant has simply succeeded in combining agility and composure. Dirtline, pump track or skate park? The Merida gives you all the freedom you need.”

Read the full article (available in multiple languages) here.

To see the full specifications and frame features of the DIRT 700 that was tested, click the DISCOVER THE BIKE link below.

Please visit the micro page of the new DIRT here to find out more about the bike, including key features, R&D, design thinking, and intended use.  

To see the complete MY 2026 DIRT range, please click here.  

Note: All texts and quotes are translated from the German original. The bike tested was the 2026 DIRT 700.