Merida Big Seven 15 (2022) - Review

The Merida Big Seven 15 is built on an aggressive and strong Alloy frame. This frame has a slanting top tube which makes the stand over height bigger than most standard hardtail MTB's. This helps the Bicycle climb and roll over harsh trails without the frame taking a hit at the bottom bracket area. The top tube and bottom tube are fused together at the top near the headset; this makes the frame stronger in that area which might usually experience a lot of vibration of the surface when ridden on trails.The Suntour XCT3 front suspension fork comes with a massive 1m travel which made sure the bumps on trails were rolled over without any difficulty.

The Big Seven 15 (2022) is equipped with Shimano Tourney at front and Altus at the rear as derailleurs. This mid-level Shimano derailleur combination comes with a 3x8-Speed range. The 24-Speed drivetrain gave that extra bit of speed for the rider and also enough range for steep climbs. The ST-EF55 Shimano EZ trigger shifters were easy to operate.

The Bicycle which I test rode came in a full Blue primary colour and Black as the secondary colour for graphics in a gloss paint finish. The full black patch on the top of the top tube, along with sleek lines gives a refreshing new outlook to the frame graphics. The colour coded graphics on the suspension fork, rims and saddle make the Bicycle look uniform in design. The bulky treads on the tires add to the much needed rugged look of this MTB.

The Shimano MT2 Hydraulic Disc brakes were powerful and balanced during the test ride. These brakes are powerful and make this Bicycle capable of handling the wettest and roughest of trails.The Merida CC 69mm handlebar was wide and comfortable to hold on to. A fully flat handlebar would have made the riding posture aggressive, aligning with the aggressive frame geometry. The slight raise has made the posture comfortable.

The Merida Big Seven 15 rolls on a pair of Kenda K18 27.5” x 2.2” tires. These tires were treaded heavily and perfectly suited for the rough and wet trails. High speed turns and jamming of the brakes were transformed well into a balanced reaction on these pair of tires. The Merida Sport Comfort stock saddle was shaped ergonomically with the perfect length and width. The grip patches on the widest part of the saddle on both sides were useful and made it non-slippery.