Merida’s Mission CX is the brand’s updated, race-focused cyclocross bike that replaces the Cyclo Cross for 2019 and sees a move to modern standards and slight tweaks to geometry.
Unbeknown to us, the bike was sneakily launched at Eurobike to little fanfare. However, we're now at the launch for the Mission CX and the new One-Twenty trail bike, ready to give you the scoop on what’s new.
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The bike presents more of an evolution over the old lineup rather than anything radical, with a move to 12mm thru axles, flat mount brakes and the gaining of Merida’s nifty Smart Entry internal cable routing ports.
Geometry wise, the bike is 5mm longer in each size, the head tube is a touch shorter and it gets a 74-degree seat tube and a 0.5-degree slacker head angle across all sizes.
The bike is still a through-and-through ’cross wagon, with clearances for tyres only up to 38mm wide. This is relatively unusual in a market that’s been increasingly focused on versatility in recent years.
For those looking for more of an all-rounder, you can look towards Merida’s MTB-geometry inspired, versatility-focused Silex that was launched last year.
In a nod towards versatility, the bike does include mudguard mounts, but has no provision to mount pannier racks. It is noted in the material, that adding mudguards will impact on toe clearance, further hinting towards the firmly race-focused feel of the bike.
On the carbon version of the bike, a removable seatstay bridge is used to mount mudguards. On the alloy bike, this is fixed.
The alloy range starts with the entry-level Mission CX 400, which comes equipped with a 2x Shimano 105 groupset, rising to the Mission CX 600, which features a 1x SRAM Apex groupset.
The carbon range starts with the Mission CX 5000, which also features a SRAM Apex groupset and tops out with the Mission CX 8000-E, which is built around a Shimano Ultegra-RX 2x groupset and carbon Vision SC 40DB wheels.
Full spec and pricing information is still TBC.
