The 2015 Merida Reacto DA-Limited looks to pack a serious punch for the cashDavid Rome / Immediate Media
Shimano Dura-Ace derailleurs and shifters are featured on this Merida ReactoDavid Rome / Immediate Media
The Reacto’s ‘S-Flex’ seatpost is designed to offer seated complianceDavid Rome / Immediate Media
The 2015 Polygon Helios C8X delivers plenty of bang for the buck in AustraliaDavid Rome / Immediate Media
Really? Shimano Ultegra Di2 with R785 disc brakes at this price? A consumer-direct business model in Australia makes this possibleDavid Rome / Immediate Media
2015 Norco Valence Carbon Ultegra Di2, a high-value endurance rideDavid Rome / Immediate Media
Plenty of little frame features are given, including stealthy fender mountsDavid Rome / Immediate Media
2015 Polygon Siskiu D7.0 – we’re keen to see just how far this budget dual-suspension can goDavid Rome / Immediate Media
Yet another ‘how is this possible?’ bike. This picture could be that of a ride twice as expensive (also, note the direct-mount rear derailleur)David Rome / Immediate Media
Brought out to match XTR Di2, the PRO Tharsis XC stem offers a few tricksDavid Rome / Immediate Media
An external headset adjust system keeps the steerer tube free for a Di2 battery and wiresDavid Rome / Immediate Media
The new SKS X-tra Dry XL rear fender offers lots of extra width and length to block sprayJames Huang / Immediate Media
The Vittoria Open Pave CG III is a clincher version of the Classics tubularBen Delaney / Immediate Media
Vittoria’s Open Pave CG III comes in all black as well as Vittoria’s signature black-and-greenBen Delaney / Immediate Media
The 2015 Merida One-Twenty 7.500 – a quality frame at an entry-level priceDavid Rome / Immediate Media
The drivetrain is basic, but with 30-speed and a clutch-equipped rear derailleur there’s likely little to complain ofDavid Rome / Immediate Media
The Ritchey Pro Logic Cork tape – nothing new, but the bar plugs are pretty coolDavid Rome / Immediate Media
These bar plugs look normal once installed, and hide a rather trick expanding feature behindDavid Rome / Immediate Media
It’s been a long-time coming, and Park now has the chain whip pliers to compete with Pedro’s Vise WhipDavid Rome / Immediate Media
Park Tool’s internal routing kit (IR-1) is something you’ll likely see in many bike stores. It should help ease the frustrations often associated with routing cables in frames with internal cabling/wiresDavid Rome / Immediate Media
The Park Tool dummy hub (DH-1). Park isn’t the first brand to do such a thing, but this one will allow you to shift the derailleur and will work with both standard QR dropouts and upto 12mm thru-axle framesDavid Rome / Immediate Media
It’s peak-riding season Down Under, and so our third roundup of new 2015 road and mountain bike gear comes with a whole lot of summer riding treats soon to be enjoyed by our Australian team.
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We’ve got mountain and road bikes from Merida and Polygon, along with an endurance-roadie from Norco. Additionally, we have some new tools, a tasty stem and plenty more.
New road bike gear
Merida Reacto DA LTD
The 2015 merida reacto da-limited looks to pack a serious punch for the cash : the 2015 merida reacto da-limited looks to pack a serious punch for the cash
The Reacto DA LTD aims to bring pro-level aero-road features into a more accessible – good value – price point.
Where the Reacto Team Edition uses a ‘CF4’ extra-high-modulus carbon, the Reacto DA LTD is made of a lower grade CF3. Aside from the carbon used, the frames share casts and so are aerodynamically the same.
The Reacto frame has spent many hours within a wind tunnel and is said to be one of the world’s fastest. Its flat-back NACA Fastback tube profiles allow for both frame stiffness and ride quality to be retained, it’s claimed.
Further aero features include an integrated seatpost clamp, internal cable routing from behind the stem and a chainstay mounted direct-mount rear brake.
While the frame positively oozes performance, the componentry is equally slick with Shimano Dura-Ace shifters and derailleurs, 42mm deep Vision Trimax T42 wheels and FSA Team-Issue handlebar and stem. A matching carbon bottle cage is a neat addition.
The 2015 polygon helios c8x packs plenty of bang for the buck in australia: the 2015 polygon helios c8x packs plenty of bang for the buck in australia
The new Helios Disc range signals a jump into the burgeoning disc-equipped road bike sector for Indonesian manufacturer Polygon. This new full-carbon endurance platform is available in two models – for testing, we’ve got our hands on the upper-end Ultegra Di2 equipped C8X Disc.
With stealthy logos hidden amid the gloss paint job, the frame features include a tapered steerer tube, internal gear cable routing (brake cables go externally), a press-fit bottom bracket and a slender 27.2mm seatpost.
Both frame and fork feature an enclosed thru-axle design that sees a standard quick release thread into the opposing side – compatibility with standard QR wheels remains.
The attention-grabbing near-full Ultegra Di2 drivetrain is matched with R785 shifters and hydraulic brakes, 160mm Shimano Freeza brake rotors are mounted on RX31 wheels, also from the Japanese giant.
In Australia and, soon, the US, Polygon bikes are sold direct-to-consumer – meaning the firm can offer prices that will make you doubt your eyesight.
