The Merida EX Enduro returns in 2020 with perfect trails, stunning scenery and possibly the best food and drink ever served at a mountain bike event.
The Merida EX Enduro is an all-inclusive, three-day enduro mountain bike event like no other in the UK. It’s presented in partnership with Merida Bikes and Merida Bicycles UK. Far from your ‘normal’ race, The Merida EX is the perfect ‘big little’ event, welcoming just 80 riders to our favourite trails. The lucky few will be treated to a weekend where riding with mates, making new friends, pristine singletrack, food, drink and plenty of evening entertainment are given as much importance as timed stages or results.
This year’s event will take place on the 11th-13th of September 2020 and will be based in Allerford, a small scenic village near the coast between Minehead and Porlock in the UK’s beautiful South West. The Merida EX is a three-day adventure with over 110km of riding and 20+ timed stages. It is filled with punishing climbs, beautiful singletrack and stunning descents on some of the least ridden trails in the country. Riders will gallop down white-knuckle moorlands, thread through tight and technical steeps, explore ancient woodlands and traverse seaside cliff tops.
New for 2020 will be the addition of several new timed stages and, for the first time in our history, an evening of night stages, supported by Lezyne. Each of the new trails are guaranteed to be absolute stunners, sending riders down some of the very best singletrack in the country.
Of course, it’s not all about the trails. The Merida EX team pour as much love into the apres-ride as they do into the race. Riders are treated to mountains of the finest locally sourced food and drink that Exmoor has to offer. They start the day with a cooked breakfast, top-up at our famous Vintage Tea Stops and share stories over a beer and slap-up evening meal. All of that comes with plenty of festivities to help them ‘cheers!’ their competitors. Merida Bikes return for 2020 as the title sponsor. Merida’s team will attend the event, ride alongside competitors and bring along some very exciting 2021 bikes to show off to attendees.
Alongside Merida Bikes, the event is also made possible thanks to the National Trust, Fenwicks, TRP, Lezyne, Bontrager, CarbonCycles, DiscoBrakes, RideGuard and Many Hands Brew Co.
New for 2020, we’re joined by Many Hands Brew Co, a small-batch microbrewery from Dunkeswell, North Devon. They’ll bring their friends from Courtney Cider and make sure everyone is well lubricated after a big day on the trails. There’s also talk of a very special beer that they’re crafting just for The Merida EX. Watch this space!
Also introduced in 2019 was the dedicated eBike category, which will return in 2020 for more exciting eMTB enduro racing.
-
STW Organic Mid-weight Sweatshirt£43.99 -
502 Club Raffle #8 Win an Exposure MaXx-D Mk16 Light£5.00 -
Issue 158£10.00 -
STW Women’s Boxy-Fit Embroidered T-shirt (dark)£27.00 -
STW Women’s Boxy-Fit Embroidered T-shirt (light)£27.00 -
STW Women’s Mid-weight Organic T-shirt (light)£27.00 -
STW Women’s Mid-weight Organic T-shirt (dark)£27.00 -
STW Women’s Performance T-shirt£37.00 -
STW Recycled Technical Ride/Baselayer£37.00
Entries for The Merida EX will open on 1st March 2020 at 9am (UK time), with a link sent out to our pre-registration list. The event sells out in minutes, so don’t delay if you’d like to take part.
