There used to be a time when you had to choose between trail bike performance and cross-country race ready weight. Not any more. Say hello to the NINETY-SIX XT. It builds on the speedy genes of Merida's short travel race winner with a CF4 carbon frame and adds a whole new layer of capability thanks to a longer travel 120 mm Fox 34 SL Performance fork paired to 100 mm out back. Add in fast rolling tyres, a long travel dropper post and a super smooth Shimano XT Di2 wireless drivetrain and brakes and you're ready to rock.
The NINETY-SIX is the latest incarnation of their former World Cup proven XC and marathon machine. It inherits the forward-surging race genes of the old NINETY-SIX and combines it with a new readiness and ability to tackle today’s demanding XC and marathon courses. The carbon fibre frame platform and P-FLEX suspension is the perfect basis for a fun-packed, fast and trail loving short travel full suspension machine that helps define what a modern cross-country race bike should be. It's able to take on the rougher than ever world-class race tracks as well as the trail riders who want hyper-speed climbing with the ability to descend like never before.
Features:
- Lightweight CF4 carbon frame with 100 mm travel and P-FLEX technology
- Modern aggressive geometry with dropper seatpost
- 120 mm travel Fox 34 SL fork for increased capability
- Fast rolling Maxxis Rekon tyres on tubeless ready wheels
- Powerful Shimano XT brakes
- 12-speed Shimano XT Di2 wireless drivetrain
The Merida Ninety-Six XT sits at a genuinely interesting point in the Merida MTB range. The ninety-six Merida platform has always been about speed, but this generation broadens the brief considerably. With 120 mm up front and 100 mm out back, the Merida 96 XT is comfortable on the kind of rough, technical terrain that would have made older XC bikes nervous, without giving up any of that trademark efficiency on the climbs.
It's also worth mentioning where this bike sits when you start thinking about
different types of bicycles and what each one is actually for. The Merida Ninety-Six slots neatly between a pure XC race machine and a trail bike, which makes it one of the more versatile options for UK riders who want one bike that can handle a fast Sunday loop and a gnarlier trail centre run equally well.
If you're new to the Merida range and unsure where to start, our team at Edinburgh Bicycle Cooperative can walk you through the
Merida size guide to make sure you get the right fit. The NINETY-SIX XT is available now, and it's the kind of Merida mountain bike that tends to speak for itself once you've got it on a trail.