Five Cool Things from Merida, GT, Rapha, Vecnum and Crankbrothers

This week's most exciting test kit and the top stores.

Liam Mercer

Jul 5 2024

As you read this, we might still be galivanting through Eurobike's many halls but that doesn't mean that we've forgotten about the five coolest things to reach off.road.cc HQ for testing. This week, we've got Vecnum's vibration-damping stem, the Merida Big.Trail and GT's gravel bike. On top of that, there's kit from Rapha and Crankbrothers.

Eurobike week is always a big one for news and this week is no different. First up, Specialized is celebrating its 50th year in style, with yet another new bike showing us that the brand is back innovating with the Stumpjumper 15 that introduces Genie. Better still, we managed to get some time on the bike ahead of launch to head over to our Specialized Stumpjumper 15 S-Works first ride review to catch some early impressions.

However, it's not all about Specialized as Merida has brought a new Big.Trail to the fray, bringing a host of geometry updates while putting it more in line with the rest of Merida's range. We also snuck some time in on this bike ahead of launch, so for our early verdict, check out the Merida Big.Trail 600 first ride review.

Perhaps the most exciting news to make headlines this week was DJI's entry into the world of e-MTB with the Avinox motor and Amflow bike. But what's especially good is that the Amflow weighs just 19.2kg while outputting 105Nm of torque. There's also a new Giant Revolt, ushering fresh updates on the beloved gravel machine.

In other news, we go deep into Tom Ritchey's influence on mountain bike design. Of course, we're still at Eurobike, so for the absolute latest kit, click over to our Eurobike 2024 mega gallery, where you can find the best stuff as we add to that article.

Merida Big.Trail 600

£2,000

We're big fans of Merida's Big.Trail and upon hearing that the brand was bringing an update for the hardtail, we got very excited. As usual, it's a bike that focuses on providing top performance for little money but this time it does that through a variety of geometry tweaks. The bike also lines up with Merida's Agilometer sizing concept that welcomes a low seat tube, a low stack, and a long dropper post, all of which combine to open up size choices to the desired riding style.

Pictured here is the 600 model which is the range-topping build that'll set you back £2,000. For that money, you're getting an awful lot as there's a RockShox Pike with 140mm of travel, Shimano's Deore 12-speed shifting as well as the brand's XT four-piston brakes. There's also a pair of 203mm rotors so there should be plenty of power to play with.

It's in the geometry numbers where the bike gets exciting – the Long frame gets a 480mm reach, a 64-degree head tube angle, and a 435mm chainstay. The geo is almost on the same level as modern full-suspension trail bikes. This should please newbies and anyone who's price-conscious and after big performance.

www.merida-bikes.com

Crankbrothers Mallet Trail Boa shoes

£220

Okay, so we've reviewed the Stamp Trail Boa shoes and got on with them swimmingly, so we thought it would be rude not to put the clip version of the Mallet Trail Boa through its paces. Of course, this shoe gets a very similar build, featuring a Boa Li2 dial, a hook and loop strap, and a rip-stop upper with TPU reinforcement where it's needed. But that's where the differences end.

The Mallet Trail Boa uses a ramped cleat box and an extended 35mm cleat track to aid easy pedal engagement and offer loads of adjustment. Crankbrothers says that the depth of the cleat box has had attention, too, to provide 'optimal pedal-to-shoe contact'. There's a firmer MC1 rubber compound for easier pedal entry and exit while being durable.

Finally, these shoes employ fibre-reinforced nylon shanks for stiffness paired with a low-rebound EVA midsole to damp vibrations.

www.crankbrothers.com

Rapha Lightweight T-Shirt and Shorts

£65 - £130

Rapha's Lightweight T-Shirt and Shorts are built with super-lightweight materials to help keep the rider as cool as possible. The Trail Lightweight T-Shirt uses two fabrics: a 90gsm knit and a microfibre yarn, both of which provide moisture-wicking and antibacterial properties that protect against UV rays. The honeycomb knit found on the main body of the top boosts airflow through its mechanical structure which helps wick moisture and avoid smells. Its fabrics are then made with recycled materials.

As for the Trail Lightweight Shorts, they're built with a hybrid fabric for cooling and there's a knitted waistband for fit adjustment. The seat's reinforced in a bid to keep them in one piece for longer and there are plenty of pockets.

With both garments, Rapha provides handy repair kits, so although these are premium products, the brand has you covered should they be damaged.

rapha.cc

GT Grade Carbon X

£3,000

GT's grade has been around since 2014 and the latest frame is pretty darn techy. That's because it gets what the brand calls 'Gravel Travel' – a Triple Triangle design previously seen on the £600 Aggressor. GT says the floating stays dispense up to 30mm of travel without resorting to elastomers or any other kind of mechanical features.

With this particular model, the suspension is the name of the game as it's equipped with a 40mm RockShox Rudy suspension fork and a TranzX dropper post with 50mm of drop on this medium frame (larges get 70mm).

As for the rest of the build, the Grade Carbon X boasts SRAM's Apex 11-speed groupset, WTB Resollute 700x42c tyres and WTB ST Light rims. The bike benefits from a 70-degree head tube angle, a 73-degree seat tube angle and a 405mm reach.

gtbicycles.com

Vecnum freeQENCE stem

€300

Vibration-damping stems are gaining in popularity. Rather than pivoting around a single point, the Vecnum freeQENCE stem employs four pivots to keep your handlebar at the same angle regardless of where the stem sits in its 'travel' for lack of a better term. Vecnum says that this keeps your geometry neutral.

But it gets better. The freeQENCE is built with four elastomers that deliver up to 30mm of travel. Then there's a sag function that works similarly to a suspension fork, in that the stem will sit in its travel a little bit when loaded with the rider's weight. This allows the stem to extend its travel, allowing the front wheel to track the ground into dips, where it also damps upward motion.

In its 90mm length, the brand says that this stem weighs 287 grams and doesn't affect aerodynamics as much as a suspension fork would. There are three lengths available from 90mm up to 120 and it works with all 1 1/8 forks and 31.8mm handlebars. It'll work with carbon forks, too.

www.vecnum.com

Author block

Liam Mercer

Tech Editor here at off.road.cc Liam can also be found photographing bikes as well as revelling in cycling's intricacies. Whether it's gravel, mountain, or e-MTB as long as it's a bike on dirt, he's happy.