MERIDA SCULTURA ENDURANCE 9000 – Head-to-head in our all-road group test

With the SCULTURA ENDURANCE 9000, MERIDA take on the all-road segment with a bike boasting undeniable road racing genes. It promises to stand out from the competition with its road bike styling, handling, and performance. But how does it fare against our mixed and nuanced all-road test field? We put it to the test to find out.

This bike was tested as part of our 2023 all-road group test – you can find an overview of the group test and the featured bikes over here: The best all-road bike of 2023 – 10 all-road bikes in review

MERIDA, the Taiwanese company with deep roots in Germany, are best known for their mountain bikes and their pro-peloton achievements, like Matej Mohorič’s Milan San Remo victory on a bike with a dropper post. However, their product range doesn’t just consist of high-performance race bikes like the REACTO and SCULTURA. The SCULTURA ENDURANCE 9000 all-road bike also has a lot to offer. Despite the same name, it has a significantly more relaxed geometry than the SCULTURA, though it hasn’t lost its racing genes. Even if the SCULTURA ENDURANCE 9000 won’t win you a bouquet of flowers in the pro peloton, you can feel its racing heritage on the road. Interestingly, the bike on test also takes a different approach to the all-road discipline compared to many other bikes in the test field. At its core, the bike is a genuine endurance bike, but are wider tires and mounting points for mudguards enough to prevail against the all-road test field?

High-end on a budget – MERIDA SCULTURA ENDURANCE 9000

There’s a lot of green on the MERIDA, but the Taiwanese brand seem to be capable of pulling off what others can’t. The dark colour is reminiscent of British Racing Green and slightly transparent, allowing the carbon fibres beneath the paint to shimmer through.
But even the discreet colour can’t hide the bike’s high-performance look. Just standing there, the Merida gets you pumped to go out on a road ride, and it’s not only because of the lack of spacers under the stem. The front of the bike makes quite the brawny impression and tapers off towards the rear, with a wide down tube and sloping top tube transitioning to incredibly skinny, flattened seat stays. It matches well with the one-piece MERIDA TEAM SL cockpit. With fully integrated and guided cable routing, the cockpit is a true eye-catcher.You also get MERIDAs signature cooling fins on the brake mounts. In combination with Shimano ICE-TECH heat dissipation technology, this is probably the coolest brake setup available on a drop-bar bike.

Our test bike rolls on 32 mm Continental GP5000 tires and Reynolds ATR wheels – a good high-performance choice for an endurance and all-road machine like the SCULTURA ENDURANCE 9000. Furthermore, it underpins the bike’s athletic aspirations while offering better value for money than most other bikes on test. For those who want even more all-road capability, or to venture beyond the tarmac, the bike will accommodate up to 35 mm tires. Conveniently, the frame comes with mounting points for mudguards too. Speaking of which, MERIDA have found a clever solution to avoid covering the frame with ugly barnacles. At the rear, the seat stays feature hidden mounts for a removable bridge, which allows you to attach mudguards.The MERIDA S-FLEX team seat post relies on a classic 27.2 mm diameter, promising to offer additional rear-end flex and compliance. Even though the Merida SCULTURA ENDURANCE 9000 is not the lightest bike on test, tipping the scales at 7.9 kg, its weight is well below average and still very impressive for an all-road contender. But, as we’ve already shown in our gravel race bike group test, weight and absolute performance aren’t everything, which applies even more in the case of all-road bikes. Cutting weight at the expense of everything else is just as misplaced in this segment as going all-out aero at the cost of comfort. Perfectly fitting, however, is the high-end build spec of the € 6,299 bike, including a Shimano ULTEGRA Di2 groupset. With its outstanding shifting performance, ergonomics, and user-friendliness, the groupset currently sets the bar alongside its big brother DURA-ACE. The gear range offered by the 50/34 t crankset and 11–34 t cassette pairing is equally well-suited to all-road riding, allowing you to conquer steep climbs and keep pedalling on the descents.

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Size	XS	S	M	L	XL
Seat tube	470 mm	490 mm	510 mm	530 mm	560 mm
Top tube	524 mm	538 mm	553 mm	568 mm	583 mm
Head tube	152 mm	161 mm	177 mm	197 mm	222 mm
Head angle	71.0°	72.0°	73.0°	73.0°	73.5°
Seat angle	74.0°	74.0°	73.5°	73.5°	73.5°
Chainstays	418 mm	418 mm	418 mm	418 mm	418 mm
BB Drop	66 mm	66 mm	66 mm	66 mm	66 mm
Wheelbase	998 mm	1,001 mm	1,001 mm	1,017 mm	1,026 mm
Reach	366 mm	376 mm	380 mm	389 mm	397 mm
Stack	552 mm	565 mm	584 mm	603 mm	629 mm

Standing out from the crowd – MERIDA SCULTURA ENDURANCE 9000

Like the RONDO Ratt and Wilier GranTurismo SLR, the MERIDA SCULTURA ENDURANCE 9000 stands out from the other bikes on test. However, the MERIDA isn’t as uncompromising and crazy as the RONDO Ratt, or as agile and pricey as the GranTurismo. It’s capable of performing in any situation, though it’s especially fun with an aggressive riding style. This is precisely where the MERIDA shines, always at the front of the group and looking to break away. Although it’s not the most compliant, it will let you tackle long distances and is deserving of the ENDURANCE suffix. The riding position is aggressive yet balanced, as you would expect from a bike with SCULTURA in its name. The handling is precise and agile, but not quite as responsive as the Wilier GranTurismo. The MERIDA instils you with confidence in every situation and remains predictable at all times. It’s happy to blast down fast, winding descents, letting you set record times, nevertheless. It is precisely this need for speed, exceptionally high level of riding fun, and finally, the high-quality spec that earns the SCULTURA ENDURANCE 9000 our Best Buy recommendation. As you’d expect, it’s willing and nimble when you put the power down, no matter whether you’re accelerating out of a corner or leaving your buddies behind on a climb. In both cases, the MERIDA pulls away from every other bike on test. It’s only when you head off-road that bikes with suspension, like the Specialized Roubaix, and bikes with wider tires will start to catch up and overtake. However, the frame itself isn’t as compliant as the bikes from Wilier, Specialized, and Trek, though it’s a lot less complex and promises a less vague ride feel.

A grin inducing machine with lots of potential – the MERIDA SCULTURA ENDURANCE 9000 lives up to the SCULTURA name, yet it delivers as an all-road bike too.

Who is the Merida SCULTURA ENDURANCE 9000 for?

The MERIDA SCULTURA ENDURANCE 9000 has a strong road racing heritage and approaches all-road riding accordingly. It is the right bike for everyone who sees the all-road discipline as an avenue to fun and freedom. The freedom to ride how and however fast you like. The freedom to do it all on one bike and have a lot of fun even if the conditions aren’t conducive to it. The Merida can do long distances, but it won’t hold you back on shorter, high-paced stints either. On the contrary – it is only then that it can fully exploit its strengths. It associates all-road with speed better than any other bike on test, has all sorts of clever and proprietary solutions up its sleeves, and offers unbeatable value for money in every respect.

Tuning tip: wider tires for more comfort & fenders for everyday use

Conclusion on the MERIDA SCULTURA ENDURANCE 9000

The MERIDA SCULTURA ENDURANCE 9000 is a carefully considered and coherent package that trumps the competition in terms of riding fun. The bike offering the greatest fun factor and best value for money delivers with its road-centric approach to all-road riding, resulting in something like road-endurance. The MERIDA stands out from the prudish all-road segment and leaves a lasting impression in the form of a smile. Overall, it’s wholly deserving of the Best Buy badge.

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You can find out more about at merida-bikes.com

The testfield

This bike was tested as part of our 2023 all-road group test – you can find an overview of the group test and the featured bikes over here: The best all-road bike of 2023 – 10 all-road bikes in review

All bikes on review: Argon 18 Krypton (Click for review) | Merida Scultura Endurance 9000 | Parapera Atmos² (Click for review) | Pinarello X (Click for review) | Rondo Ratt CF (Click for review) | Rose Reveal Plus (Click for review) | Scott Solace eRide 10 (Click for review) | Specialized Roubaix Comp (Click for review) | Trek Domane SLR 7 AXS Gen 4 (Click for review) | Wilier Granturismo SLR (Click for review)

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Words: czajac Photos: Jan Richter