Merida Ninety Six 2021: complete change and versatility for the new Downcountry

The increasingly demanding mountain bikes are making manufacturers look step by step at how to make their bikes more versatile, and more complete. This is the aim of the new Merida Ninety Six 2021: a trail mountain bike that also has the ability to climb or ride quite fast.

Merida Ninety Six 2021: from a XC, this Trail

The truth is that the new Merida Ninety Six 2021 has a past. A great past. It originally saw the light in 2008. A full suspension mountain bike designed for the World Cup and the World Championship that keeps the essence but has little to do with the latest version of the Merida Ninety Six. The changes and variations that it has undergone since then, as is logical on the other hand, are numerous.

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In more than a decade, the Merida Ninety Six is a different mountain bike. Versatile, it's a trail bike, well thought out to move like a fish in water along the trails and paths, because of its lightweight ride.

The new Merida Ninety Six has a shortened travel, which makes it faster and more manageable. Especially when it comes to downhill riding, which is perhaps the facet where a bike of these characteristics can be tested the most. Although it is not one bike, but several, because it has several configurations, let's say so.

The Merida Ninety Six 2021 has an RC version that is more cross country, and a downhill version. This first one, the RC, has a 100mm travel at the front, faster tyres and lighter brakes. The non-RC versions raise their bet to 120mm, tyres with more adherence and more intense brakes.

Different versions of the Merida Ninety Six 2021

As we say, there are two different versions of the new Merida Ninety Six, the one without a surname and the RC. We have already mentioned that there are no modifications at the rear, with a constant 100mm of travel, and that the suspension does vary at the front, with 100 and 120mm respectively between the Merida Ninety Six RC and the Merida Ninety Six.

The modifications we talked about, in order to make it a little more Trail or a little more XC, come from the geometry of the mountain bike itself. The Merida Ninety Six RC reaches 68.5? in the head tube, while the Merida Ninety Six stays at 67?, that is, a more aggressive front end. Something similar occurs with the angle of the seat tube: while the Merida Ninety Six RC reaches 76.5?, the Merida Ninety Six only does so up to 75?. Finally, the reach is 433 and 420mm respectively.

As you can see, it is a question of choosing a more comfortable and rolling position with the RC, or a purely Trail position. An interesting strategy on the part of Merida, which has already joined the high competition in prices with the Big Trail, the other great sector that is redefining the mountain bike market.

Both include a chain guide and its Wire Port system, which is a complete wire port, including the rear suspension, although with this technology it is easier to access these built-in circuits. All the details of both versions in their top version are as follows. Obviously, there are models below, which we also specify:

Merida Ninety Six RC 9000

• Drivetrain: Shimano XTR Shadow+
• Brakes: Shimano XTR
• Fork: Fox Factory 32 Float SC
• Shock: Fox Factory Float
• Telescopic seat post: Merida Transfer
• Wheels: DT SWISS XRC 1501
• Tyres: Maxxis Rekon Race
• Price: 8.899€
• Another versions: RC XT, for 4.899€ and RC 5000 for 4.199€

Merida Ninety Six 8000

• Drivetrain: SRAM GX Eagle
• Brakes: Shimano XT
• Fork: Rock Shox SID Ultimate
• Shock: Rock SIDLuxe Ultimate
• Telescopic seat post: Merida Expert TR
• Wheels: Reynolds TR 309
• Tyres: Maxxis Minion DHR II
• Price: 6.999€