New Merida Reacto spotted at Criterium du Dauphine

<source media="(max-width: 320px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1024-1496914412979-1l8l7t0w4gmpr-64d8d49.jpg?quality=90&resize=160%2C208, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1024-1496914412979-1l8l7t0w4gmpr-64d8d49.jpg?quality=45&resize=320%2C416 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1024-1496914412979-1l8l7t0w4gmpr-64d8d49.jpg?quality=45&resize=480%2C624 3x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1024-1496914412979-1l8l7t0w4gmpr-64d8d49.jpg?quality=45&resize=640%2C832 4x" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(max-width: 375px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1024-1496914412979-1l8l7t0w4gmpr-64d8d49.jpg?quality=90&resize=190%2C247, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1024-1496914412979-1l8l7t0w4gmpr-64d8d49.jpg?quality=45&resize=380%2C494 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1024-1496914412979-1l8l7t0w4gmpr-64d8d49.jpg?quality=45&resize=570%2C741 3x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1024-1496914412979-1l8l7t0w4gmpr-64d8d49.jpg?quality=45&resize=693%2C901 4x" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(max-width: 425px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1024-1496914412979-1l8l7t0w4gmpr-64d8d49.jpg?quality=90&resize=215%2C279, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1024-1496914412979-1l8l7t0w4gmpr-64d8d49.jpg?quality=45&resize=430%2C559 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1024-1496914412979-1l8l7t0w4gmpr-64d8d49.jpg?quality=45&resize=645%2C838 3x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1024-1496914412979-1l8l7t0w4gmpr-64d8d49.jpg?quality=45&resize=693%2C901 4x" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(max-width: 768px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1024-1496914412979-1l8l7t0w4gmpr-64d8d49.jpg?quality=90&resize=295%2C383, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1024-1496914412979-1l8l7t0w4gmpr-64d8d49.jpg?quality=45&resize=590%2C767 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1024-1496914412979-1l8l7t0w4gmpr-64d8d49.jpg?quality=45&resize=693%2C901 3x" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(max-width: 992px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1024-1496914412979-1l8l7t0w4gmpr-64d8d49.jpg?quality=90&resize=136%2C176, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1024-1496914412979-1l8l7t0w4gmpr-64d8d49.jpg?quality=45&resize=272%2C353 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1024-1496914412979-1l8l7t0w4gmpr-64d8d49.jpg?quality=45&resize=408%2C530 3x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1024-1496914412979-1l8l7t0w4gmpr-64d8d49.jpg?quality=45&resize=544%2C707 4x" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(min-width: 993px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1024-1496914412979-1l8l7t0w4gmpr-64d8d49.jpg?quality=90&resize=155%2C201, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1024-1496914412979-1l8l7t0w4gmpr-64d8d49.jpg?quality=45&resize=310%2C403 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1024-1496914412979-1l8l7t0w4gmpr-64d8d49.jpg?quality=45&resize=465%2C604 3x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1024-1496914412979-1l8l7t0w4gmpr-64d8d49.jpg?quality=45&resize=620%2C806 4x" type="image/jpeg"> <img class="wp-image-150526 size-portrait_thumbnail image-handler__image image-handler__image--aspect no-wrap js-gallery-grid-src-image" src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1024-1496914412979-1l8l7t0w4gmpr-64d8d49.jpg?quality=90&resize=556%2C723" width="556" height="723" data-crop-width="" data-crop-height="" alt="Is Sonny Colbrelli riding the new Merida Reacto" title="dsc_1024-1496914412979-1l8l7t0w4gmpr-64d8d49" style="width: auto; height: 100%;"> Is Sonny Colbrelli riding the new Merida Reacto Josh Evans / Immediate Media

This story first appeared on Cyclingnews.com

Following Dan Martin (Quick-Step floors) and Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo) racing the Criterium du Dauphiné on new framesets this week, Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Merida) continues the trend with the anticipated new Reacto frameset from Merida.

Gallery: the most exciting bikes and tech at the Criterium du Dauphiné Gallery: Vincenzo Nibali’s custom gold leaf Merida Scultura Is this the new Specialized Tarmac at the Criterium du Dauphiné? The aero frameset is disguised in a black and white wrap in an attempt to keep the new design features under the radar. Alongside the frameset, Colbrelli is running Shimano Dura-Ace 9150 components, Fulcrum Speed wheels, an SRM crankset and Prologo saddle in Bahrain-Merida team colours.

Four key features stand out through the conspicuousness of the plastic wrap on Colbrelli’s frame. Most prominently, the chunky seat stay junction of the current Reacto model seems to be vastly reduced in size, suggesting new carbon composition and lay-up technologies from the Taiwanese brand.

These updates should allow better airflow over the front end of the bike The seat stay tubes themselves also appear to have received development. Whilst the current incarnation of the frameset has oversized seat stay tubing with an oblong profile, the new frameset has thinner tubing that splays out towards the dropouts.

At the front end of the bike, a prominent bulge features at the head of the top tube alongside more subtle changes in the frame’s tube profiles. The fork also appears to have received an update with a more integrated fork crown clearly visible. These updates are more than likely updates to the aerodynamic properties of the frame and should allow better airflow over the front end of the bike.

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type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(min-width: 768px)" data-srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1082-1496914413038-1fooky18td8yy-6198c9f.jpg?webp=true&quality=90&resize=408%2C230, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1082-1496914413038-1fooky18td8yy-6198c9f.jpg?webp=true&quality=45&resize=816%2C459 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1082-1496914413038-1fooky18td8yy-6198c9f.jpg?webp=true&quality=45&resize=1224%2C689 3x" type="image/webp"> <source media="(min-width: 768px)" data-srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1082-1496914413038-1fooky18td8yy-6198c9f.jpg?quality=90&resize=408%2C230, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1082-1496914413038-1fooky18td8yy-6198c9f.jpg?quality=45&resize=816%2C459 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/dsc_1082-1496914413038-1fooky18td8yy-6198c9f.jpg?quality=45&resize=1224%2C689 3x" type="image/jpeg"> The new top tube and fork crown features seem to promote better air flow around the front end of the bike Josh Evans / Immediate Media Colbrelli’s cockpit also seems to debut an updated integrated handlebar and stem combination from Vision. The Metron 6D handlebars follow on from the existing Vision Metron 5D handlebar system.

Merida had four new framesets approved by the UCI in 2017. All four frames bear the Reacto name, albeit with ‘CF2’ and ‘CF4’ variations suggesting different carbon lay-ups or geometry options. As well as the two name variations, each model looks to be available in both a disc brake and calliper version.

As with the new Specialized Tarmac and Trek Emonda, Cyclingnews understands the official launch of the Merida Reacto will coincide with the Tour de France next month.

Take a detailed look at Colbrelli’s new Reacto in the gallery above….

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