THIS FIFTH-GENERATION
Scultura takes what was its lightweight road racing all-rounder and adds a layer of aerodynamics, while still maintaining the lightness the model is known for. This aero-influenced design means a new set of tube shapes, including the ovalised down-tube. The result is a faster bike that's torsionally stiffer and comes with a lighter frame than when using full-on aero tubes. Further tweaks to this model of the Scultura include a smoothed seat-tube junction and a hidden seat clamp, as well as dropped seatstays.
The broad-legged fork is also designed to reduce drag, and Merida claims this new design will take 224.5 watts of your power to achieve 45kph compared to the previous bike's 234.3 watts. The Scultura frame weighs in at a claimed 822g, which is 40g lighter than the fourth-generation design and impressively light in its own right.
Up front, the Team SL one-piece bar and stem adds more aero efficiency and the brake hoses are internally routed through it for a clean silhouette. The dimensions of the bar equate to a 44cm-wide bar and a long, 120mm effective stem. This creates a speedy long and low ride position, as the size Large frame we tested already has a long reach of 400mm combined with a low stack of 571mm.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة March 2023 من Cycling Plus UK.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة March 2023 من Cycling Plus UK.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Air Apparent - Pollution hasn't gone away. It's still there in every lungful, even if we can't see it in the air or on the news. But there are reasons to breathe easier, thanks to pioneering projects using cycling 'citizen scientists'. Rob Ainsley took part in one...
The toxic effects of pollution have been known about for years. 'Just two things of which you must beware: Don't drink the water and don't breathe the air!' sang 1960s satirist Tom Lehrer.Over recent decades, though, pollution has dropped down our list of things to worry about, thanks to ominously capitalised concerns such as Climate Change, AI, Global Conflict, Species Collapse, etc. That doesn't, unfortunately, mean the problem has expired. Air quality often exceeds safe limits, with far-reaching and crippling effects on our health.
No limits
Not every adventure needs to be that epic, says bikepacking Scotland founder Markus Stitz
UNBOUND UNLEASHED
Josh Patterson was one of 34 starters for the inaugural edition of Unbound in 2006. Now, with more than 5,000 riders taking part in today's event, he charts the rise of the most important race in gravel
FOREST COMMISSION
Looking for a goal race in 2025 that'll stimulate the synapses and live long in the memory? You'd struggle to do better than ENID CRV in Finland
15 OF THE BEST ADVENTURES
Featuring Yorkshire, the USA, Sri Lanka and more, here are our picks of the world's greatest gravel races and routes
The stuff of dreams
Ned sings the praises of the Paris Olympics road-race course
"I rode 3,000 miles around Britain on a bamboo bike to highlight our climate crisis"
Recordbreaking cyclist and triathlete Kate Strong, 45, took to the road to raise awareness of environmental issues
FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE
We venture into the hidden gem of the glorious Creuse, one of France's least populated regions
STAR TREK
New tube shapes and carbon lay-up makes the eighth generation of Trek's legendary Madone an aero and climbing bike all rolled into one
GOLD RUSH
With conflict around the world, Paris 2024 was a ray of light. Here are our highs of a mighty Olympics
