Merida Big Trail 600 review

BikesRecommendedReview

by Ben Haworth March 5, 2025 4

The latest generation Merida Big Trail takes the previous incarnation and runs with it. It runs all the way to the top of the hardcore hardtail heap.

• Brand: Merida
• Product: Big Trail 600
• Price: £2,000
• From: Merida
• Tested by: Benji and Aran Francis for 6 months

Pros

• Massive standover
• Great brakes
• Not a harsh ride

Cons

• Thru-headset cable routing
• Short chainstays might not suit taller riders
• Undergunned rear tyre

We tested the previous 2023 Merida Big Trail and found it to be a great bike albeit possibly a bit on the short side. More accurately, it was called an XL size but had a reach figure of 475mm. You needed to size up to get the trail riding geometry to suit your height. Which was fine because the standover on all the sizes was immense. It was just something to be aware of when choosing your size.

I could just get this review over with by saying that the mis-sizing issue is no more and thus the Merida Big Trail is unarguably one of the best properly capable hardtails currently available. You can actually stop reading now if you want.

If you still want to hear a bit more of the 2024 model Big Trail 600, read on.

The Big Trail started out as a sort of UK-centric model. The home of the hardcore hardtail and all that. It has since gone on to find plenty of fans all over the world. And I’m pleased to say that the latest Big Trail is a significant improvement on an already decent bike.

If you’re after a hardtail that can tackle the same terrain as an enduro full-suspension bike, this will fit the bill. Why get a hardtail instead of a full-susser you may ask? Well, a hardtail significantly cheaper. And a hardtail is a great second bike to have; during winter, or when you’re full sus frame has gone creaky and baggy. Or, you know, you might just like riding hardtails.

What remains

Let’s start with what remains broadly unchanged from the previous Big Trail…

The surprisingly un-harsh ride is still present. Perhaps it’s even more un-harsh due to the longer top- and down-tubes used in the new reachier geometry. It’s hard to say. It’s certainly not any harsher anyway.

The amazing amount oif standover is still present. And it’s now been joined with a 230mm travel dropper post (more about this later). Honestly, the difference standover makes to a bike – especially a hardtail in my experience – is immense; it really gives you confidence to have a go at steep gnarly stuff that would have you baulking on other bikes.

That distinctive seat stay wishbone bracing is still there. And the tyre/mud clearance is ample around it as well as down around the chainstay area too. Some may wish it would accept Plus-esque volume tyres but I’m not one of them as I find large volume tyres don’t really work in the UK (desert dwellers may differ). The impressive level of fabrication is still present too. Neat, consistent welds everywhere.

The angular vertically extended dropouts remain also. And I suspect it is this area that helps with the lack of harshness from the frame. These dropouts effectively de-triangulate the rear end (much like how head tubes do to front ‘triangles’) and afford a bit of flex in the mix. Triangles don’t flex vertically, but quadrilaterals (can) do, which is what the back and front end of this frame is made up of.

The frame also still offers all of the bosses: set of accessory bosses under the top tube, and two sets of bottle bosses. This is a feature that is easily overlooked but is a genuine boon. Being able to take decent amount of hydration and a spares/repair kit on all rides very simply is something you really miss when you get on a bike that doesn’t have such ability.

Thankfully Merida has been canny enough not to put any bosses on the seat tube. Nor any daft kinking. This means the seat tube is nice and straight and as such can accept massive dropper seat posts and keeps the effective seat angle decently steep (76.5°). The seat tube has gone up to 34.9mm diameter by the way (from 30.9mm) which will help with dropper bushing wear etc.

What’s changed

Right then, on with the ‘what’s new’ stuff…

It has thru-headset cable routing. And while this doesn’t affect simple cockpit (stem) changes as I’ve incorrectly claimed before (sorry!) and the Merida/Acros headset cover is good at keeping out damp, I simply don’t think there’s functional argument for headset routing. I don’t even like normal (ie. in via downtube) internal routing. Any internal routing is about aesthetics at the cost of practicality. But it is what it is. It’s not like Merida are the sole offenders. And, as I’ve said before, I wouldn’t rule out any bike purely because of headset cable routing.

What I will say is that at least the internal cabling isn’t noisy. The headset does grip the cabling quite tightly and, combined with the foam sleeving inside the bike, there isn’t any annoying clicking to be heard from jiggling cable outers or brake hosing.

Helping the bike’s stealth mode is the excellent chainstay protector and the modest but effective chainguide. The latter seemed to be one of the better designs for not inhaling grass/debris too, which is nice.

On a related noise note, the speccing of a Shimano Deore rear mech makes a difference to noise levels; the Deore design offers increased clutch retention force in the higher gears – which is what you’re usually in during descents – and this heklps reduce clatter. The mech hanger is now UDH by the way.

Oh, nearly forgot. There is a multi-tool stashed in a plastic holster under the back of the saddle. Kudos to Merida for giving people an actually good multi-tool. I would say that I’d recommend removing the tool and holster and keeping it elsewhere (via the aforementioned accessory bolts?) because the tool gets corroded from rear tyre flung filth and I also experienced the holster jabbing and snagging my clothing and/or ‘belly button zone’ once or twice!

As mentioned above, the geometry of the latest generation of Big Trails has been tweaked too. The head angle not sits at a much nicer 64° (previously 65.5°). The seat angle has steepened one degree to 76.5°. The already low BB has been dropped a further few mm to a 70mm BB drop. The seat tubes have been shortened considerably (by approx 50mm). What stays the same is the chain stay length, a compact 435mm.

Build kit

Front to back then, starting with the fork. The RockShox Pike may not have the latest and greatest of RockShox’s internals but it’s still a very capable and adjustable fork. And, being RockShox, you can upgrade the damper and air spring over time if you want to.

The brakes have not been skimped on. They are Shimano XT M8120 4-pots with decent sized 203mm rotors. The rotors are the RT64 versions too so compatible with metallic pads as well as resin. Thankfully Merida has not specced the finned pads which can rattle around (have I mentioned how quiet this bike is?)

The handlebar and stem are own-brand bits. And that is totally fine by me. I’d much rather have the money invested in components that make the most difference. Brand name bars and stems don’t tend to add much. The bars are a decent width (780mm) and rise (30mm) to match with the XLong’s 130mm head tube length. The stem is a little on the long side for my tastes (I prefer 30-35mm stems) but 40mm is manageable.

Merida’s own-brand Comp EC lock-on grips are great, with a decent bit of tack and texture to them along with a subtle bit of ergonomic shaping. Very nice.

The drivetrain is 12-speed Shimano Deore M6100 throughout apart from the chain which is a KMC X12. The chain did feel a teensy bit rougher than a ‘proper’ Shimano one but it worked fine and did smooth-off after a few rides. The 32T chainring and 10-51T cassette offered a good range of gearing.

The dropper post was a Merida Expert TR II with a whopping 230mm of travel. The other sizes come with shorter – but still generous – drops: XShort has 150mm, Short has 170mm, Mid and Long have 200mm. The dropper could occasionally require a bit of a helping hand to get back up to full extension but it was liveable (and improved over time) and I’d certainly rather have the 230mm of drop and put up with an occasional tug. The Merida Comp SL saddle atop this post was fine.

The wheels featured Merida’s own Expert TR II rims with a 28mm internal width, that gave the tyres a useful, less-squared off profile that really suited the ride. The hubs were Shimano TC500 and I continue to marvel at how smooth and rolling-tastic Shimano’s so-called ‘cheap’ hubs are. Excellent hoops in all that really added to the bike’s overall handling and general easy swiftness.

The tyres were 50/50. I’m still a fan of the Maxxis Minion DHF. It may be old but it’s still rad. Especially in a proper 3C compound and EXO casing version. The rear Maxxis Dissector is a quick rolling tyre and… that’s about it. It lacks bite for both cornering and braking and its low profile knobs make for a brittle feeling ride. I quickly swapped in a Maxxis Minion DHR II for the majority of testing.

Ride and handling

The Merida Big Trail may only be packing a 140mm travel fork but don’t let that fool you. This bike is extremely capable. It has the geometry (head angle, wheelbase, standover) and braking control to get down anything you care to point it down.

Sure, it may lack the traction of a full suspension bike but that just means you need to enter things at a slightly slower pace to be able to handle the traction duties once in. There wasn’t a single instance of refusal, even on seriously rocky tracks or moves that require a bit of a flat landing.

Once you’ve accustomed to the hardtail life – and realise you have loads of leg/body suspension on offer due to that massive standover – you can hit pretty much everything. It’s a blast. The big ol’ wheelbase and stability afforded by the low slung BB and 29er axle-drop more than offset anything lacking due to absence of a bouncy back end.

Perhaps the most surprising aspect to the Big Trail, once again, is its comfort. This is not an ankle smashing, arse-pummeling ‘ardcore ‘ardtail of yore. It’s way more sophisticated than that.

Having said that, it is most definitely a bike that’s best enjoyed as a winch and plummet machine. It’s super lowness makes for a very stuck-down ride; it’s not a poppy puppy. And it has a definite penchant for pedal strikes if you take your eye off the ball at the wrong time.

In terms of ascending, I was actually pleasantly surprised with its climbing ability. The short chainstays do need a bit more sternum-to-stem body English than I’ve got used to on longer stay bikes but the seat angle is decently steep and the rangey feel of the front end is pleasant and balanced.

But yeah. Climbing schmimbing. This bike is about the ways down. This is where those short stays and suitable height front end all work together to make a bike that’s easy and fun to loft up and over things.

You can utilise the low-slung nature of the middle of the bike to slingshot around hairpins or get away with murder when it comes to deathgripping through nastiness. As well as the ‘soft’ fele of the frame helping with general comfortable and fatigue, it does also contribute in a small but significant way to finding whatever traction it can.

Overall

Once more with feeling: the mis-sizing issue is no more and thus the Merida Big Trail is unarguably one of the best properly capable hardtails currently available.

Merida Big Trail 600 specification

• Frame // Aluminium
• Fork // RockShox Pike Select+, 140mm
• Wheels // Merida Expert TR II rims on Shimano TC500 hubs
• Front Tyre // Maxxis Minion DHF EXO 3C MaxxTerra 29×2.5in
• Rear Tyre // Maxxis Dissector EXO+ 3C MaxxTerra 29×2.4in
• Chainset // Shimano M6120, 170mm, 32T
• Drivetrain // Shimano M6100, 12-speed, 10-51T
• Brakes // Shimano XT M8120 4-pot, 203/203mm
• Stem // Meridas Expert eTR II 35mm, 40mm
• Handlebars // Merida Expert TR II, 35mm, 780x30mm
• Grips // Merida Comp EC Lock-on
• Seat Post // Merida Expert TR II dropper, 34.9mm, 230mm (X-Long)
• Saddle // Merida Comp SL
• Weight // 14.6kg

Geometry of our X-Long size

• Head angle // 64°
• Effective seat angle // 76.5°
• Seat tube length // 475mm
• Head tube length // 130mm
• Chainstay // 435mm
• Wheelbase // 1,272mm
• Effective top tube // 657mm
• BB height // 70mm BB drop
• Reach // 505mm

Review Info

Ben Haworth

Orange Switch 6er. Stif Squatcher. Schwalbe Magic Mary Purple Addix front. Maxxis DHR II 3C MaxxTerra rear. Coil fan. Ebikes are not evil. I have been a writer for nigh on 20 years, a photographer for 25 years and a mountain biker for 30 years. I have written countless magazine and website features and route guides for the UK mountain bike press, most notably for the esteemed and highly regarded Singletrackworld. Although I am a Lancastrian, I freely admit that West Yorkshire is my favourite place to ride. Rarely a week goes by without me riding and exploring the South Pennines.

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