mtb-news.de says the ONE-SIXTY 8000 is "a great bike that does a lot of things right"

The ONE-SIXTY 8000 has had an excellent reception from respected German outlet mtb-news.de, with a recent positive review of our all-new enduro bike platform, saying that it is “a very successful enduro bike that manages the balancing act between an uncompromising race machine and a fun trail grinder with plenty in reserve.”

In a very comprehensive test, they noted that "a lot of thought obviously went into the development of the MERIDA ONE-SIXTY", following that up by saying: “A closer look at the frame of the Merida One-Sixty reveals some interesting and practical details. The bottom bracket is threaded and the down tube and rear triangle are very comprehensively protected - great!”

A highly important feature of the new ONE-SIXTY and ONE-FORTY platform is our new progressive geometry and AGILOMETER sizing system. The testers were very satisfied with the results, saying that “the Merida One-Sixty offers a very modern geometry that tries to master the balancing act between climbing and descending properties” and that “right off the bat, the One-Sixty had a very solid feel… [it] can be placed precisely on the trail without much effort, implements any input immediately and, in the standard mullet setup, delivers comparatively high agility despite the long reach”.

Thanks to the new FAST kinematic suspension system, it’s possible to switch between a mixed 29/27.5” wheel size and a full 29” setup, a feature also appreciated by the test team: “In the mullet configuration and the associated 171 mm of travel at the rear, the Merida One-Sixty almost reminded us of a freerider with a certain trail bike attitude… With the 29″ setup, the Merida One-Sixty literally flies over the trail without sacrificing the fun of riding”.

The descending performance and downhill handling of the bike was also praised, with the reviewers enjoying the playful nature of the bike: “If you want to, the Merida is easy to launch into the air, so you'll be happy to keep an eye out for the next edge to peel off”.

Of course, climbing performance is very important even for an enduro machine and the bike was praised here too: “On technical climbs we had no problems with a rising front end. The rear end generates a lot of traction here, but for our taste it is sufficiently drive-neutral even on long, steady climbs… considering the orientation and category, the Merida One-Sixty climbs very well.”

In summary, they said: “All in all, the Merida One-Sixty is a great bike that does a lot of things right”.

If you’d like to read the full review of the ONE-SIXTY 8000 (in German) head to the mtb-news.de site here.

To check out full information about all the features of the new ONE-SIXTY range, follow the link here.

To find out more about the ONE-SIXTY 8000 tested, follow the link to the product page here.

The bike tested is the 2022/23 ONE-SIXTY 8000.