Fourth iteration of the aero bike is an 'aero all-rounder'
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The new Merida Reacto IV(Image credit: Merida)
The new Merida Reacto IV(Image credit: Merida)
The new Merida Reacto IV(Image credit: Merida)
View from the front: it's aero(Image credit: Merida)
The front end of the Reacto IV(Image credit: Merida)
Disc brake-equipped(Image credit: Merida)
The clean front end – no cables in sight!(Image credit: Merida)
And the rider's view...(Image credit: Merida)
Smooth forks with plenty of clearance(Image credit: Merida)
And it's the same at the rear, too(Image credit: Merida)
Merida has unveiled its new Reacto aero bike, just in time for the 2020 racing season restart, when WorldTour team Bahrain McLaren will be riding it.
Now in the fourth iteration of the bike that was introduced in 2011, Merida says that significant aerodynamic changes and upgrades have been made on the Reacto III. And very much in line with the trend these days, Merida says that its new bike is "the perfect aero all-rounder".
We've already ridden the bike ourselves, so check out our Merida Reacto Team E 2021 review to get a fuller sense of the Merida Reacto IV.
Merida claims that the bike is lighter, faster and more comfortable than the previous model, building on the aero underpinnings of previous models while altering the bike enough so that it could feasibly be viewed as an all-rounder, too.
"We have revised, optimised and redesigned our aero road bike to get it ready for the new decade," says Merida. "With the fourth generation of our Merida Reacto, we offer one of the most balanced racing machines in the market.
"With a clean design, optimised aerodynamics, cockpit cable integration, tyre clearance for up to 30 mm wide tyres, the well-proven Merida S-Flex seat post for maximum comfort and for an aero road bike a very lightweight frame, it offers everything a modern aero bike needs to bring to the table."
To begin with its aero credentials, development of the Reacto IV saw six different models undergo computational airflow testing before heading into the real wind tunnel to refine and select the quickest frame.
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The results include the fork being integrated into the frame, complete internal cable routing (into the cockpit rather than into the headtube), a redesign to optimise airflow at the seat stays and fork crown, and lower attachment points for the seat stays to reduce drag, among other touches.
Compliance and comfort are also the name of the game, with tweaks and improvements in the carbon layup – even more so in the higher-end CF5 frame – reducing the mass of the frame while bringing a reportedly smoother ride, which is something the Merida S-Flex seat post also assists with.
Further burnishing the Reacto IV's all-rounder tag are the 30mm tyre clearance, a disc-brake cooler, an integrated rear light and aero touches like the 'hidden' seat post clamp and thru-axles.
The Merida Reacto IV will come in six frame sizes – XXS has been added – while there are eight builds of the bike available, equipped with a variety of components to suit all budgets. Builds range from the Shimano Dura-Ace Di2- and SRAM Force eTap AXS-equipped Reacto Team-E and Reacto 9000-E down to the Reacto 4000, built up with Shimano 105.
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