All-new for 2019, the Merida One-Twenty is a shorter travel 29er that's designed to be a fast, agile and capable bike. Merida might not traditionally be a brand to get the juices flowing, but they have really stepped up their efforts to produce a range of full suspension bikes to tempt you away from more popular choices.
This latest generation One-Twenty uses the company’s familiar Float Link to provide 120mm rear wheel travel paired with a 130mm fork, a choice of 29” or 27.5” wheels and aluminum and carbon frame options to provide a raft of price points. Geometry has been refined with a slacker head angle and increased standover compared to the previous model, moving it further away from its original cross-country roots.
This latest generation One-Twenty uses the company’s familiar Float Link to provide 120mm rear wheel travel paired with a 130mm fork, a choice of 29” or 27.5” wheels and aluminum and carbon frame options to provide a raft of price points. Geometry has been refined with a slacker head angle and increased standover compared to the previous model, moving it further away from its original cross-country roots.
Merida One-Twenty 8000 Details
• Intended use: XC / trail
• Frame construction: CF4 carbon fiber, Float Link suspension
• Travel: 120mm rear / 130mm front
• Wheel size: 29" or 27.5 Plus
• Head angle: 67.3º
• Reach: 455mm (size large)
• Chainstay length: 435mm
• Wheelbase: 1185mm
• Sizes: S, M, L, XL
• Weight: 28.10 lbs (size large, without pedals)
• Price: £6,000 UK (as tested)
• More info: merida-bikes.com
• Intended use: XC / trail
• Frame construction: CF4 carbon fiber, Float Link suspension
• Travel: 120mm rear / 130mm front
• Wheel size: 29" or 27.5 Plus
• Head angle: 67.3º
• Reach: 455mm (size large)
• Chainstay length: 435mm
• Wheelbase: 1185mm
• Sizes: S, M, L, XL
• Weight: 28.10 lbs (size large, without pedals)
• Price: £6,000 UK (as tested)
• More info: merida-bikes.com
The range starts at £1,500 with the One-Twenty 400 and eight models to choose from right up to the £6,000 One-Twenty 8000 tested here, which gets you a considerable burly spec including a Pike RCT3 130mm fork, FSA Gradient LTD carbon wheels, Maxxis Minion DHR II WT 2.4” front tire, SRAM Eagle drivetrain and Code RSC brakes, all bolted onto a full carbon fiber frame and swingarm.
 | The lightweight frame, with a burly build, meaty tires, efficient suspension, and revised geometry ensures the One-Twenty doesn’t shy away when faced with very technical and demanding trails. |
Construction & Features
There’s a shared design language across Merida’s full suspension range, it looks very similar to the One-Sixty I tested last year. It’s a smart looking frame with a swoopy top tube to increase standover and allow longer 150mm dropper posts to be used so you can more easily size up.
This top-end bike has the company’s lightest CF4 carbon front triangle and swingarm with full internal cable routing, a BB92 press-fit bottom bracket and a 1x-specific frame design. Other details include chainstay and downtube protectors to ward off rock strikes, Boost front and rear axles and an integrated headset inside the tapered head tube. Colour and graphics are subjective, so I’ll let you decide if the green getup works for you or not.
To ensure the One-Twenty range is accessible and aspirational, there’s a choice of aluminum and carbon frames. Since this model sits right near the top of the range, it has a full carbon frame weighing a claimed 2,103g (incl. shock hardware) for a medium. The aluminum frame comes in at 3,020g so a sizeable saving if your pockets are deep enough to opt for carbon.
Light and stiff carbon frame.
Tapered head tube and internal cables.
The curved stays maximize heel clearance.
Space for a full-size water bottle.
Geometry & Sizing
Probably the most important change to talk about is the geometry tweaks, which will come as no surprise in this current climate of “slacker, longer, lower”. Up front, the head angle now sits at 67.3-degree with a 75.5-degree seat angle, a 455mm reach for a size large and 10mm shorter chainstays at 435mm for the 29er.
The One-Twenty is available in four sizes - S to XL - with 29” wheels and just two sizes on the 27.5” bike.
Probably the most important change to talk about is the geometry tweaks, which will come as no surprise in this current climate of “slacker, longer, lower”. Up front, the head angle now sits at 67.3-degree with a 75.5-degree seat angle, a 455mm reach for a size large and 10mm shorter chainstays at 435mm for the 29er.
The One-Twenty is available in four sizes - S to XL - with 29” wheels and just two sizes on the 27.5” bike.
Suspension Design
Merida has settled on its Float Link suspension design for a number of years. It comprises a linkage driven single pivot and a floating shock, not dissimilar to Trek’s Full Floater design. It's used across the company's range of full suspension bikes right up to the 160mm One-Sixty.
There’s a trunnion mount shock, and the leverage ratio has been reduced so that less air pressure is needed. The spring rate is also more progressive than the previous version to ensure it is able to meet the demands of riders that want a hard-charging short travel bike.
There’s a trunnion mount shock, and the leverage ratio has been reduced so that less air pressure is needed. The spring rate is also more progressive than the previous version to ensure it is able to meet the demands of riders that want a hard-charging short travel bike.
120mm out of the Float Link suspension layout.
Components
| Specifications | ||
| Price | $7178 | |
| Travel | 120 | |
| Rear Shock | Rock Shox Deluxe RT3, platform | |
| Fork | Rock Shox Pike RCT3, Air, 130mm suspension travel, Tapered | |
| Headset | FSA NO.47/50CF, 2191026456 | |
| Cassette | Sram X01 Eagle | |
| Crankarms | Sram Descendant Carbon Eagle, 32 teeth | |
| Bottom Bracket | Sram X01 Eagle | |
| Pedals | N/A | |
| Rear Derailleur | Sram X01 Eagle | |
| Chain | Sram X01 Eagle | |
| Front Derailleur | N/A | |
| Shifter Pods | Sram X01 Eagle | |
| Handlebar | MERIDA Expert TR, 760mm width, 20mm rise | |
| Stem | MERIDA Expert TR, 35mm diameter, 0° stem angle | |
| Grips | Merida | |
| Brakes | Sram Code RSC / Sram Code RSC | |
| Wheelset | FSA Gradient LTD, 110x15mm width front hub, 148x12mm width rear hub, 29mm inner width, 6 bolt, Sram XD | |
| Hubs | FSA Gradient LTD | |
| Rim | FSA Gradient LTD | |
| Tires | Maxxis Minion DHR II, 29.5x2.4", fold, TR EXO 3C / Maxxis Forekaster, 29x2.35", fold, TR EXO Dual | |
| Seat | Prologo Nago X20 | |
| Seatpost | KS LEV Integra, 30.9mm diameter, 0mm setback, S 125mm travel seatpost - M/L/XL 150mm travel seatpost, | |
Bike Setup
As I found with the longer travel One-Sixty I previously tested, getting the suspension dialed into my liking with the Merida was an easy process, not least helped by the useful sag indicators on the RockShox shock and fork.
After some experimenting, I settled on 130psi in the rear shock and 72psi in the fork. This provided ample sensitivity with good deep stroke support, and full travel achieved on bigger impacts with no nasty bottom out.
As well specced as the Merida is, the only parts I felt I needed to change during the test was to fit a wider 780mm handlebar and shorter stem, and swap the Prologo saddle for something more comfortable.
After some experimenting, I settled on 130psi in the rear shock and 72psi in the fork. This provided ample sensitivity with good deep stroke support, and full travel achieved on bigger impacts with no nasty bottom out.
As well specced as the Merida is, the only parts I felt I needed to change during the test was to fit a wider 780mm handlebar and shorter stem, and swap the Prologo saddle for something more comfortable.
David Arthur // Technical Editor
Age: 37
Location: Gloucestershire, UK
Height: 5'11"
Ape Index: +4"
Weight: 143 lbs
Industry affiliations / sponsors: None
Instagram: @davidjarthur
Age: 37
Location: Gloucestershire, UK
Height: 5'11"
Ape Index: +4"
Weight: 143 lbs
Industry affiliations / sponsors: None
Instagram: @davidjarthur
Climbing
That the One-Twenty cleans climbs for breakfast is no surprise. The 28.1 lb weight, stiff frame and firm suspension makes for very fast and efficient climbing. It devoured all my local climbs, short and steep or long and grindy, with as much ease as you can expect for a bike of this weight. The wide-range Eagle groupset certainly helped too; who said a 50t sprocket would never catch on? I certainly gave the huge sprocket a hammering taking the Merida up the steepest walls I could find.
I found the sizing and reach on the size large made for a very comfortable ride. It’s not the rangiest bike in the world, I’d perhaps like a bit more reach personally, especially after testing the Cotic FlareMax, but it’s usable on all sorts of terrain. It’s got a great deal of agility and quickness of steering that makes piloting it through twisting trails with lots of close proximity trees at the high speeds a lot of fun.
'Efficiency' is a word often bandied about with short travel bikes, and it basically comes down to whether the bike is helping or hindering you when giving the pedals plenty of input. Whether seated or out of the saddle, the Merida definitely makes full use of your input and it makes rapid progress up and over any sort of travel. Even with the suspension in the open setting it feels well controlled without excessive movement on smoother trails, yet it delivers a cushioning effect when you square up against a bigger obstacle.
I found the One-Twenty right at home for short and long distance cross-country rides. Its efficiency helps dispatch big all-day rides with plenty of elevation. There’s space for a full-size bottle in the front triangle so you can easily leave the hydration pack at home, and there’s space for strapping inner tubes and CO2 canisters to the frame.
With its high speed and capability in the rough, it’s a natural choice for big marathon distance rides into the unknown, where the pace and lightness are great allies. The tires and components are probably overkill for a typically groomed and manicured cross-country course, where something like the Specialized Epic, Yeti SB100 or Santa Cruz Blur might be more natural choices. But it's all very welcome when you start descending...
That the One-Twenty cleans climbs for breakfast is no surprise. The 28.1 lb weight, stiff frame and firm suspension makes for very fast and efficient climbing. It devoured all my local climbs, short and steep or long and grindy, with as much ease as you can expect for a bike of this weight. The wide-range Eagle groupset certainly helped too; who said a 50t sprocket would never catch on? I certainly gave the huge sprocket a hammering taking the Merida up the steepest walls I could find.
I found the sizing and reach on the size large made for a very comfortable ride. It’s not the rangiest bike in the world, I’d perhaps like a bit more reach personally, especially after testing the Cotic FlareMax, but it’s usable on all sorts of terrain. It’s got a great deal of agility and quickness of steering that makes piloting it through twisting trails with lots of close proximity trees at the high speeds a lot of fun.
'Efficiency' is a word often bandied about with short travel bikes, and it basically comes down to whether the bike is helping or hindering you when giving the pedals plenty of input. Whether seated or out of the saddle, the Merida definitely makes full use of your input and it makes rapid progress up and over any sort of travel. Even with the suspension in the open setting it feels well controlled without excessive movement on smoother trails, yet it delivers a cushioning effect when you square up against a bigger obstacle.
I’m really impressed with how nice the Float Link suspension feels on the trail. In this shorter travel configuration it’s quite taut and firm feeling, but an underlying sensation of sensitivity for slower speed bumps, building to a nice progressiveness as you push deeper and harder into the reserves of travel. It’s all very predictable, smooth and controlled. It takes repeated impacts well and can cope when you take an unexpected nasty line through a rough and tumble rock garden.
So stable is the rear suspension that the lockout mode was never used, except for maybe one or two steep road climbs, and just to check that it worked. The middle setting is a good option for lots of fast and tamer trails, saving the open mode for the fun descents. And boy is this bike fun on the descents, but more on that later…
So stable is the rear suspension that the lockout mode was never used, except for maybe one or two steep road climbs, and just to check that it worked. The middle setting is a good option for lots of fast and tamer trails, saving the open mode for the fun descents. And boy is this bike fun on the descents, but more on that later…
The One-Twenty is fast and efficient, and well suited to long days in the saddle.
I found the One-Twenty right at home for short and long distance cross-country rides. Its efficiency helps dispatch big all-day rides with plenty of elevation. There’s space for a full-size bottle in the front triangle so you can easily leave the hydration pack at home, and there’s space for strapping inner tubes and CO2 canisters to the frame.
With its high speed and capability in the rough, it’s a natural choice for big marathon distance rides into the unknown, where the pace and lightness are great allies. The tires and components are probably overkill for a typically groomed and manicured cross-country course, where something like the Specialized Epic, Yeti SB100 or Santa Cruz Blur might be more natural choices. But it's all very welcome when you start descending...
Descending
With short travel bike reviews, this is usually the point where the line ‘great going up, compromised coming down’ gets trotted out. But the Merida bucks the trend, as other short travel bikes like the Intense Sniper are also doing, proving that short travel bikes, when equipped with decent geometry, and in the Merida’s case, solid equipment, aren’t fazed when the trail points down or it gets overly rough and technical.
The One-Twenty was an absolute blast on the descents, allowing you to keep whatever gap you’d opened up on the climb into the following downhill. The geometry and suspension together with the Pike fork and beefy (for a short travel rig) Maxxis tires give the Merida the sort of control, stability and pace not normally seen in short travel bikes. When I received the Merida I wondered whether such equipment would be lost on a short travel bike. Sort of like those Audi Allroads with jacked up suspension and big plastic scuff panels. Well, I was wrong. The Merida managed to maintain that essence of a cross-country bike in its delivery of speed, but was as capable on the descents as some longer travel bikes I’ve ridden. The equipment choices removed some of the normal compromises you get on such short travel setups.
The One-Twenty has genuinely eye-opening capability. It's t’s also ruddy good fun because you can push it and it doesn’t push back, but just asks for more speed and more engagement. I know, that sounds a bit cheesy, but the One-Twenty felt really robust and solid when pummelling through and down rocky chutes and smashing into berms and skimming across roots. The Pike fork is a highlight, giving a stout front-end you can really push into corners.
Only occasionally when deep into a technical trail does it feel short on travel. The Merida won’t soak up the full impact of every root and rock you barrel into, so you have to really ride it, pick your lines, use its low weight to float over bigger impacts to make up for its lack of travel. And you will find yourself getting into situations because the tires and fork allow you to take bolder choices and more speed risk than you might on a conventionally specced short travel bike.
Merida’s designers probably didn’t have enduro down on the list of requirements when designing the One-Twenty, but it proved its worth and capability at a local enduro event, the excellent Ex Enduro three day rampage around Exmoor. Granted, a longer travel bike might have been better suited if you were aiming for the top step, but the trails are nothing out of the ordinary here in the UK, and the Merida showed great mettle in meeting the demands of racing technical trails blind.
I’d have no problem using the One-Twenty for XC and marathon races, but for general trail riding, I appreciated the fork and tires more commonly found on a trail bike with increased confidence in those situations that traditional short travel bikes might have you reaching for a white flag.
How Does it Compare?
Intense Sniper XC/Trail
Santa Cruz Blur XC
Short travel bikes are going through a really exciting period of development. Geometry changes are trickling down from enduro and trail bikes and the increasingly demanding cross-country courses are pushing short travel bikes in an exciting direction. I’ve always been a fan of short travel bikes - I like the low weight and efficiency, but the comprised descending capabilities has always been the limiting factor on the most fun part of the ride. These new bikes are changing that, but Merida’s decision to combine modern geometry with beefier equipment has resulted in a bike that is not stunted when it comes to descending performance.
The Intense Sniper XC immediately springs to mind as a short travel bike with modern geometry. I tested it earlier this year and was blown away, a super lithe bike wrapped up with long and slack geometry, it’s a perfect recipe for speed freaks. It has a similar head angle to the Merida but the reach is significantly longer, but in retaining typical cross-country fork and tires it’s hamstrung on rough trails compared to the Merida. Nothing that a change of parts wouldn’t fix, or going up to the Sniper Trail which boasts 120mm travel front and rear.
Perhaps the other contender is the Santa Cruz Blur, a bike that is more contemporary than its predecessor, but the 68-degree head angle is steep compared to the Merida, but as Mike Levy said, the “un-cross-country-like traction and solidness will really let you be a goon on this thing” - it’s more capable than its numbers would have you believe. Regardless, it probably suits more cross-country racing than the Merida unless you changed the fork and tires.
Technical Report
Rock Shox Pike RCT3 fork: What can I say about this fork that hasn't been said before? Smooth, controlled, really well damped, stout chassis, it gave the Merida a reassuring authority on rough and technical trails and the extra weight over a skinner short travel fork is a small price to pay. It makes the most of the 130mm travel composed in all situations and sensitive on the small ripples.
Maxxis Minion DHR II WT/Forekaster tires: Tyres are obviously critical to how a bike rides and I was delighted to have such tenaciously grippy tires on the Merida. Fitting a rear-specific tire on the front might seem odd, but it worked just fine. The rear Forekaster offered good straight-line acceleration and worked hard in the corners and mud to provide consistent grip.
FSA Gradient LTD wheels: I was impressed with the strength and durability of these wheels, especially after riding on a flat tire at the end of one of the timed stages on the Ex Enduro event - the rim was crack-free and still true despite the hammering. The carbon rims have a 29mm internal width so combine well with the Maxxis WT tires, the hookless bead rims were easy to tubeless and the freehub was quick to engage.
KS Integra 150mm dropper post: The lower top tube has allowed Merida to fit 150mm dropper posts on the larger size frames, which was a benefit on steeper trails. The remote lever is a bit short to operate but it works smoothly - I’d rather see the Southpaw remote option. The post itself was smooth, consistent and reliable.
Rock Shox Pike RCT3 fork: What can I say about this fork that hasn't been said before? Smooth, controlled, really well damped, stout chassis, it gave the Merida a reassuring authority on rough and technical trails and the extra weight over a skinner short travel fork is a small price to pay. It makes the most of the 130mm travel composed in all situations and sensitive on the small ripples.
Maxxis Minion DHR II WT/Forekaster tires: Tyres are obviously critical to how a bike rides and I was delighted to have such tenaciously grippy tires on the Merida. Fitting a rear-specific tire on the front might seem odd, but it worked just fine. The rear Forekaster offered good straight-line acceleration and worked hard in the corners and mud to provide consistent grip.
FSA Gradient LTD wheels: I was impressed with the strength and durability of these wheels, especially after riding on a flat tire at the end of one of the timed stages on the Ex Enduro event - the rim was crack-free and still true despite the hammering. The carbon rims have a 29mm internal width so combine well with the Maxxis WT tires, the hookless bead rims were easy to tubeless and the freehub was quick to engage.
KS Integra 150mm dropper post: The lower top tube has allowed Merida to fit 150mm dropper posts on the larger size frames, which was a benefit on steeper trails. The remote lever is a bit short to operate but it works smoothly - I’d rather see the Southpaw remote option. The post itself was smooth, consistent and reliable.
Pros
+ Fun and fast on the all-day rides and XC blasts
+ Impressively capable in the rough and technical stuff
+ Tough and burly equipment extends its range beyond traditional cross-country riding
Cons
- Reach could be a touch longer
- Travel will hold you back before geo and equipment does
- The paint job and decals - sorry Merida, I’m not a fan
Is This the Bike for You?
The burly build means the One-Twenty might not be the first choice for a cross-country racing purist, but if you’re into the idea of a short travel bike because you enjoy riding fast and don’t need a massive amount of travel, this bike fits the bill.
The burly build means the One-Twenty might not be the first choice for a cross-country racing purist, but if you’re into the idea of a short travel bike because you enjoy riding fast and don’t need a massive amount of travel, this bike fits the bill.
Pinkbike's Take
| It’s a lightweight and efficient bike that flies up and down trails and will suit hard-charging riders that want a light and fast trail bike. Merida says it’s the best all-round bike in its range and the bike for those people who want just one bike in their life. I could certainly happily use the One-Twenty for pretty much everything. |
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204 Comments
So you're saying it looks like mierda?
BI've seen some HT models @XC races.
btw - talking about names and brands on some countries: Kona ( reades the same as Cona = c*nt). imagine all thr hassle when hearing that kona/hawain jerseys on the road
The only explanation is they made 10 of these worldwide just for show, and they'll focus on selling 1500GBP models.
www.rowerymerida.pl/materialy/prod/big/1410.jpg
If they are paying top of the line price, don't customers deserve the top of the line threaded bottom bracket standard instead of the cookie cutter one? Only cheapskate bike companies use press fit, that's the only real reason.
Threaded bottom brackets on aluminum frames? I'm all for it. But you can't just tap threads into a carbon frame - it requires *gasp* pressing in and bonding a threaded insert. It seems sort of silly to do that extra step, adding weight and another potential source of creaking, when you could just leave it unthreaded and push in a BB92 bottom bracket.
I wouldn't let my purchasing decision be dictated by whether or not a bike has a threaded or BB92 bottom bracket - there are more important factors to consider.
The bike will probably be obsolete, but I remember ovalizing the head tube on an early 80's Cannondale roadbike. I tried building it up with jb weld, which worked pretty well for a while, but I eventually got rid of the frame.
I would think a bb receives as much force. Maybe not, as a fork is quite a lever acting on the headtube during braking. "Not an engineer!"
A threaded bb insert in a carbon frame that had keyways, would probably last well past when the bike is obsolete.
Which is roughly 11K back in Australia... Sooo free trip to here if you want that bike? haha
"because a threaded BB is a lot easier for your home mechanic to replace without messing up the BB or the expensive frame and the tool to do it is way cheaper? Because the chances for creaks are way lower? Because the threaded insert is bonded to the frame so that part isn't going to creak with imperfect tolerances like the PressFit BB? Because you can just get 73mm threaded BB and call it a day instead of trying to figure out which of the myriad of PF standards you have on your bike and make sure you get the right one and right cranks/spacing when replacing cranks? Because it was a standard nobody asked for and a solution to a non-existent problem?"
His first point can't be emphasized enough, what does it say about the throw mentality of the industry when you cannot remove a perfectly good product from one frame to install it on another? It tells me its an industry that clearly doesn't care about environmental waste or recycling and re-using things.
@woofer brings up the possibility of ovallizing, I've actually seem this happen on a press fit frame, once it starts to get loose during a ride the pedaling forces will grind the frame material away.
Manufacturers such as SRAM are now compromising the integrity of their products to deal with the different bb standards. Instead of choosing the ideal bearing size for the intended bottom bracket, the Dub bb uses a compromised size that works with both standards.
Press fit is a compromise to the industry, wasteful, and often a pain for mechanics and bike shops.
I would also prefer not to work around the toxic glues that are sometimes recommended during the installation process of some press fit bb's.
Press fit is based upon a marketing lie in order to bring down manufacturing costs for bike manufacturers. The end result is compromises everywhere and less profitable bike shops.
As for ovalizing the BB. I'd think that is a rare case. If it were more common, everyone would be complaining about it and manufacturers would have moved away from it long ago. My YT has a BB92. I keep it clean and covered in grease to keep crap out. A threaded BB would be better, but so far this one hasn't given me any reason to want something else. YMMV.
So to the complainers I say WTF are you talking about.
Waki is talking about using a 30mm spindle (like what RaceFace uses) in a PF92 frame with BB92 bottom bracket, so the bearings are much smaller than what's used in a BB92 for 24mm spindles. With many cranks using 30mm spindles, it's become a problem. The bearings wear out much faster.
www.fanatikbike.com/products/cinch-bb92-bottom-bracket
Now I do get why BB92 exists. It widens the usable BB shell for complex swingarm/ chainstay designs. Like on my bike. What I don’t get is why bikes with simple solutions use it.
@BaeckerX1 I'm with you, I'll never buy a Press Fit frame again as long as there are manufacturers making great bikes with threaded BB's. PF is a potential trouble spot for any frame that has it, and I like to be able to switch parts between frames rather than throw them away.
@mikekazimer The bike industry almost always prioritizes the interests of bike manufacturers over bike shops. The BB sh*tshow we have now is entirely due to bike reviewers and consumers not being critical thinkers and buying bike manufacturers marketing BS hook, line, and sinker.
I appreciate that you are at least all for threaded BB's in aluminum frames and hope you encourage manufacturers to do this.
"God knows what" simply involves the use of a leverage bar instead of potentially damaging your tools, your bike, or your body.
It's important for consumers to take principled stands in order to improve the industry, just my opinion. That's why consumers need to keep bringing this issue up on every bike reviewed on Pinkbike involving a Press Fit BB, reminding consumers and manufacturers that we view it as a compromise. The fact that some manufacturers such as Specialized have listened to consumers and changed back to threaded shows it's working and with more pressure we can eliminate more PF BB's. No lightening up, no compromise, many mechanics and riders desire threaded BB purity. Only exception is on frames where it might be necessary, but that's questionable since in most cases threaded bb gives manufacturers more flexibility.
Are you aware that oversize, outer shell bearings are available to take up clearance issues caused by imperfect manufacturing tolerances?
What's the problem with PP92,again?
DHF- Freeride (firmer/faster)
In the end, it probably used to be Front and Rear like Jeremy3220 stated and then changed that. So we are all kind of right ;-D
The Minion DHR II is a complete redesign. Acceleration, cornering and braking have all been improved. The shoulder knobs were borrowed from the legendary Minion DHF and then beefed up to handle duty as a rear tyre. The centre tread has been heavily ramped and siped to roll fast and track straight under braking. Pair the DHR II with the Minion DHF for the ultimate aggressive riding combo!
That's straight from maxxis' website. Of course you can run any tyre on either end, but it's primarily designed to aid braking and acceleration grip (the wider 'paddles' straight across the tread) whereas the f is better for cornering grip with the more in-line lugs. I personally run dhfs both ends, I like the predictability and faster rolling speed, plus I find they last longer.
...the popularity of the HR's is still beyond me when there are DHF/R2's available...haha
F means front
R means rear
It's not much more than a name now
I run dhf both wheels
It still means front and rear.
I've never said it should only be used in the denoted location
It's the name.
It's the name.
It's the name.
Personally, I honestly didn't like the DHR2 in the front and run DHF on both sides right now. The DHR2 didn't corner in the front like I came to expect from the DHF for some reason that I couldn't put a finger on. DHR2 is a great tire in the rear with great grip and braking traction if you don't mind the rolling resistance, but it quickly becomes an unbearable boat anchor at the larger WT sizes.
a good grip /braking tyre to be rear specific, but hey ho, I may just go HR2 .. :-)
@BenPea if I wanted to troll here I would say that a white man and a pink man are arguing about dhf and dhr2, while children in Africa are starving.
Christ, this is like the clipless debate all over again...
Let’s face it if Maxxis started calling them Freeride and race would anyone say it doesn’t make any sense now that no one would point and laugh at a DHR on the front of someone’s bike or a DHF on the rear of someone’s bike?
Back 2013 ish when I bought a new Commencal Supreme Freeride it came with DHF’s front and rear.
You dont know Jungle love? That shit is the MAD notes. Writen by god herself and handed down to the greatest band in the world. The mother f’ing Time!
I would be curious when the last time a line like this actually appeared in a Pinkbike review.
EDIT: Did I say updorked? I meant to say upforked...
The new Pike is really good.
The Minion DHR II is a complete redesign. Acceleration, cornering and braking have all been improved. The shoulder knobs were borrowed from the legendary Minion DHF and then beefed up to handle duty as a rear tyre. The centre tread has been heavily ramped and siped to roll fast and track straight under braking. Pair the DHR II with the Minion DHF for the ultimate aggressive riding combo!
That's straight from maxxis' website.
Check out this Review: singletrackworld.com/2019/02/review-maxxis-minion-dhr-ii-2-4-wt-doubledown-tyre
I am pretty shure "R" and "F" doesnt mean rear and front, I have read this on another review (next to the one above), but cant find it anymore...
It’s less rear specific than before, and many riders I know have taken to running the DHR II up front as well as out back.
That says they know its meant as rear tyre.
If I did everything that I was told to do I'd be just like the majority.
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