Merida Crossway 20MD (2019) - Review

The Merida Crossway 2MD (2019) is built on the Race Lite 661 aluminium frame. The frame is double butted to provide extra thickness making it both stiff and lightweight. The top tube is inclined and thus makes for a comfortable riding posture. The Techno Forming System(TFS) helped process the tubes and mould them in a neat way and make them strong.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 2MD (2019) has the same drivetrain as it's 218 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 Crossway 2MD which I test rode came in a Silk Olive Green frame colour with a lighter shade of the same green and black in a few places on the bicycle. The top tube is well designed with a shape which is neither flat nor circular. The superior quality gloss finish paint job was shiny and enhanced the colour shade greatly.

The Promax 3 Mechanical Disc brakes on the Merida Crossway 2MD provided accurate and balanced braking on urban roads. These brakes were top notch when it comes to sudden halts in traffic. Jamming of the brakes also felt 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 2MD rolls on a pair of K1171 Hybrid 7x4C tires. These tires were well treaded and at the same time the wheelset was lightweight thanks to its Alexa rims. Even on slightly rough non-tar surfaces these tires rolled over without much difficulty. 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. The overall ride quality was comfortable and fast on urban roads and highways.