heres the new beast

[bURKeNSTiEN]

Well, I'm a little excited about the new treadlie so here is a pic (pardon the mucho quality digital cam)

Spec
Merida Magnesium Elite frame (1200gr )
Fox Float80RLC
Full 2002 XTR groupset
Shimano 959 pedals
Richey WCS stem
Easton EC90 flat bars
Thomson post
Selle Italia SLR saddle
DT Hugi240 Hubs
Mavic 517's
DT 15/17 Revolutions w/ alloy nipples
Maxxis Flylight Tire / tubes / rimstrips

It's about 9-9.5kg according to the precise bathroom scales
:D

I love it, it climbs so well. It's an easy 4-5 gears higher on the same hills than my old bike. On descents its just so easy to loft it over obstacles on track. It's just awesome

I was having concerns about building such a light bike, but thus far its been sensational!:)

FTF Winter Series here we come!

[rockracing]

that looks like one awesome XC rig....I'm very jealous.

how's the saddle ? I see more and more people usong them, are they actually comfortable ?

[I Are Baboon]

I am not at all familiar with those frames. What does one of those frames go for?

Nicely spec'd!!

[The Toninator]

NIce! you can drop a whole nother pound by swapping out that fox for a Sid or something of the like.

rockracing i know a few people who race that saddle and say it's ok cuz it's built to flex.

[The Toninator]

1200g = 2.64 lbs. That's super light!

[T0mo]

nice bike, but not really much of a beast.

[SuspectDevice]

For the americans who aren't in the know, Merida is the worlds second largest framebuilder after Giant and is the majority owner of Specialized these days. The top end stuff is really nice. essentially Burke's frame is a Specialized M4. I wish that the Merida stuff had US distribution but that ain't gonna happen anytime soon.

[Squeak]

I like it! :)

[The Toninator]

Originally posted by Capt. Burntout
essentially Burke's frame is a Specialized M4

I didnt know the m4 was magnesium

[SuspectDevice]

Originally posted by The Toninator
I didnt know the m4 was magnesium

it's not, but i'm pretty sure that the "magnesium" in the name of the merida is creative nomenclature more than a frame material description. Although i must admit i didn't read the whole post before i said that... :think:

[The Toninator]

Originally posted by Capt. Burntout
it's not, but i'm pretty sure that the "magnesium" in the name of the merida is creative nomenclature more than a frame material description. Although i must admit i didn't read the whole post before i said that... :think:

Hummmm:rolleyes:

[The Toninator]

Originally posted by Capt. Burntout
For the americans who aren't in the know, Merida is the worlds second largest framebuilder after Giant and is the majority owner of Specialized these days. The top end stuff is really nice. essentially Burke's frame is a Specialized M4. I wish that the Merida stuff had US distribution but that ain't gonna happen anytime soon.

Merida Buys 19% of Specialized (Correction)


08/07/2001

Merida Buys 19% of Specialized (Correction)
Total Bike reported on July that Merida had purchased 49% of Specialized. According to Specialized the actual share they purchased was 19% for $30 million in cash. Merida will be a minority shareholder.

As part of the deal Specialize will use Merida for orders to Taiwan istead of Giant and Ideal.

[bURKeNSTiEN]

thx for the replies:cool:

The frame actually is made from magnesium, you can find out more from merida website. Thus far it feels quite nice. Stiff & very light. Acceleration of this thing is just plain fast.

As for the SLR seat, it is comfy, hard though it is to believe. Starts off hard, but after about 50miles it begins to flex & break it. Now its just nice. Have it on my road bike too. The rails are very thing tube ti tho... hope they dont bend.

As for the SID, well a world cup would be nice :)
But the Fox will do for the time being. I am switching between Fox and a Mars Elite at the moment (still testing which fork I want to use)

[Serial Midget]

Nice... I was noticing the tube shape and noted the weight... thin walls. :eek: so don't crash...:D

[rockracing]

Originally posted by The Toninator
Merida Buys 19% of Specialized (Correction)





so that explains this:
http://www.merida.com/db_data/bikes/750/xcmissionelite.jpg

http://www.specialized.com/OA_MEDIA/2003/bikes/swfsrred_d.jpg

distant cousins ?

[Thylacine]

Nice bike! Shame about the frame though. Merida. *ptoohey* :D :devil:

[The Toninator]

Originally posted by rockracing
so that explains this:


distant cousins ?

yea i'd say distant. it might be possible that the Merida is an early gen design because it lacks the brain and the pivots and stays on the rear are a little different.