Singletrack to review our ONE-SIXTY FR 800

The ONE-SIXTY FR is the even harder-hitting alternative to the test and award-winning ONE-SIXTY, featuring a bombproof aluminium frame, increased front travel and parts that are very much chosen for its purpose. These key features caught the attention of the Singletrackworld.com team, who were eager to put it through its paces.

From the outset, the ONE-SIXTY FR 800 impressed with its descending skills. According to the test team, it was "as expected" and they commented that the ONE-SIXTY FR "is a bike you can point at a rough section and it'll roll on through". They added that it "really eats through chunk" and can handle some seriously deep landings too”.
What took them a bit by surprise were the uphill skills the ONE-SIXTY FR demonstrated. “The bike pedals really well too, with surprisingly little pedal bob even with a fairly light spring (which is swapped in to replace the 450 spring it ships with). However, if you do find pedal bob creeping in, the Vivid coil has a nice, simple climb switch which puts an end to any bobbing”, the team summarised, further pointing out that these impressive uphill skills contribute hugely to the bike's day-to-day usability.

Besides being impressed with the climbing and descending prowess of the ONE-SIXTY FR, they also liked the general riding position, which they described as “one of the stand-out features across Merida’s One-Sixty range”. The ONE-SIXTY FR 800's specification also left its mark, as it was clearly chosen with a freeride focus in mind. Singletrack commented that “Merida has focussed on what’s important on a freeride bike and allocated the budget accordingly”.       

A fantastic test and it’s great to see that the work of our engineers and product management team has not gone unnoticed, with the bike showing impressive descending and freeride qualities, while not being a burden on the way up to the top again.

Their final conclusion:
“On the uphills there is a degree of surprise; the pedalling position is extremely comfy and – if you need it to – the One-Sixty FR 800 can handle some big days. If you want a bike that can cope with some heavy bikepark days but also work for day-to-day domestic-DH duties, the Merida One-Sixty FR is a great option.”

For the full ONE-SIXTY FR 800 review on Singletrackworld.com, please click here.  

For the full specification and frame features of the new ONE-SIXTY FR 800, please click the link underneath DISCOVER THE BIKE.

To find out more about the bike, including key features, R&D and design thinking, as well as the intended use, please check the micro page here.  

To see the complete 2026 ONE-SIXTY range, please click here.