Merida Crossway 20D (2019) - Review

The Merida Crossway 2D (2019) is built on a Race Lite 661 Aluminium frame. The frame is double butted to provide extra thickness making them both stiff and lightweight. The top tube is inclined and thus makes for a comfortable and a slightly upright riding posture. The Techno Forming System used my Merida, helped process the tubes and made sure there is no wastage in material and thus making the frame lightweight.The SR Suntour NEX HLO front suspension fork comes with a minimal yet smooth 63mm travel. The suspension lockout was easy to use and useful to make the fork rigid for added comfort on flatter roads.

The Crossway 2D (2019) has the same drivetrain as it's 218 model as well as the Mechanical Disc 219 model, with a Shimano Tourney front derailleur and a Shimano Acera rear derailleur. These derailleurs were smooth in transmission during the test ride and I did not experience any lags. The quick shifts helped in accelerating with ease. The Shimano EF 5 (3x8) 24-Speed shifters were easy to use in both the thumb and trigger. The 24-Speed range of gears helped when climbing hills, flyovers and also for quick acceleration on flat surfaces.

The Crossway 2D that I test rode came in a full black frame with a light shade of grey and a bit of orange in a few places. The top tube is well designed with a shape, which is neither flat nor circular. The superior quality matte finish paint job was smooth and made the bicycle stand out in a crowd.

Shimano's ST55 Hydraulic Disc brakes on the Merida Crossway 2D was as powerful as found on most performance hardtail MTB's. The amount of stopping power these brakes provide, make riding in the city and on highways safe. The brake levers were also at a good position from the handlebar grips and required only 2 or 3 fingers engage.The Merida Comp handlebar was 66mm in length and had a slight raise from the middle to give a comfortable riding posture.

The Merida Crossway 2D rolls on a pair of Kenda K1171 7x4C tires. These tires were well treaded and at the same time the wheelset was lightweight thanks to the Alexa rims. Even on slightly rough non-tar surfaces these tires rolled over without much difficulty, especially during fast turns. The Crossway Sport saddle was perfect in shape and also had lined patches on the wide part of the saddle to keep it non-slippery. This ergonomically shaped saddle helps keep the rider sore free on longer rides. The overall ride quality was comfortable and fast on urban roads and highways.