HOW DID THE MERIDA LITHOS PERFORM?
SETUP | The Lithos was an easy bike to get set up, with the suspension platform free from any quirks that required attention with the shock tuning. I set it to 30% sag in the rear, and was given a nice blend of characteristics. To assess the potential character of the Lithos for riders seeking a more comfortable and planted feeling, I experimented with everything from 30 to 35% rear sag with a fork setup to match, and went through most of the damping range at both ends.
The fit of the size long was comfortable for me at 6’2” (189cm), placing me in a good spot between the wheels, both when seated and standing.
ELECTRONICS & INTEGRATION | The Bosch CX Gen 5 system is a stellar performer, and the ecosystem satisfies my wants and needs as an enduro eBiker. I’m a big fan of the boost to 120Nm torque for the technical climb moves that inevitably stall me out as a heavy and oftentimes awkward climber. The peak power gets me up the hill sufficiently fast to be satisfied, without burning battery for the sake of it. I often find myself climbing in the ECO+ and Tour+ modes on fireroads for my day-to-day riding, with eMTB and eMTB+ reserved for hot laps, technical climbs and when I tire my legs out.
I am glad that Merida has equipped the Lithos with the 800Wh battery, as at my 100kg / 220lbs weight I find myself wanting more than a 600Wh unit on a full-power eMTB. Even so, it’s neat that Merida has considered lighter riders or those content with lower power modes or shorter rides, and it would be great to see how slim the downtube would look with the smaller battery and alternative cover fitted.
CLIMBING | The Merida Lithos was a solid climber, owing to its comfortable and centralized seating position, without being overly cramped. The pedal clearance was ample, and there was sufficient weight on the front wheel for me to feel comfortable on some of the steepest climbs around, provided the saddle was dropped.
The height-adjustable 230mm seatpost Merida specs is a great offering on paper, but I found it to be sticky – problematically so at times – and lacking the premium smooth feeling we have come to expect from most dropper posts. This was not my first experience of a sticky unit of this seatpost.
With the rear end avoiding being overly long, and its balance coming more from its steep seat tube angle, it means that you can get the front end up and over technical climb obstacles easier than many. This aids in the fun factor of the Lithos for technical climbs and descents alike, with the mid-length spot giving great handling neutrality.
When pedaling, the suspension platform on the Merida Lithos leant towards the slightly more efficient side in its travel class, rather than being super plush and comfortable. It didn’t beat me up or cause issues with the available traction, but it didn’t feel as glued as some. It sat somewhere in the middle of the road, with a slight lean towards efficiency and pedaling support, but a happy overall compromise.
DESCENDING | The Merida Lithos was not the ultra-plush, planted and muted eMTB that I had assumed it would be. It always leaned more towards the agile, supportive end of the spectrum for a long travel eBike, offering a considerably more engaging ride than their E-ONE EIGHTY, for example. When you backed off the aggression, the Lithos still offered enough composure and comfort to prevent it from being a race-only bike, but didn’t completely erase the trail below.
As a result, the Lithos jumped, popped, and played very well for a long-travel eBike. There were plentiful reserves to suck up botched landings and big g-outs, and the frame felt suitably stout to encourage the limits to be pushed, without any notions of harshness or skittishness. It allowed for lines to be stuck that I typically wouldn’t feel comfortable hitting on a full-power eMTB, and had stellar support and traction when pushing hard. There was seldom the “passenger” feeling that some full power eBikes can give you, making jumps and berms a very fun experience.
For me, the balanced, agile handling was very pleasant. It helped to give much more life to the ride, boosting its fun factor and helping to thread the needle through the tight trees and deep ruts here in the tweed valley. It made for a riotous time on the more bikepark style terrain too, absolutely loving dipping into a turn aggressively and popping and playing at speed. On mellower trails I was able to influence the bike more actively, not only giving a more fun and engaging experience, but also allowing better and more aggressive lines to be taken.
The overall package Merida put together on the Lithos ran suitably quietly and smoothly. The metallic green paint job on the 8k spec was beautiful in the flesh, and the details were well covered in typical Merida style. The parts spec was well selected, though it would have been great to see Maven Silver brakes at this price point to obtain the contact point adjustability, and the dropper post still feels like it needs some refinement to match the best of them.
The Wolf’s First Impression
Attacking the trail with a mix of playful and speed-focused aggression was where the Lithos was happiest. Riders looking for long-travel capability but without a full disconnection from the ride experience are likely to enjoy Merida’s latest eMTB. 
Price: Starting at £5,250 / € 6,000
Website: Merida-bikes.com
PRESS RELEASE
THE NEW MERIDA LITHOS
UNSTOPPABLE FLOW
We are very pleased to announce the launch of the MERIDA LITHOS, our new carbon fibre framed Bosch-powered enduro e-MTB.
The LITHOS has been created with a single goal in mind: to create a tough, reliable and versatile machine that’s ready to find flow and speed on the toughest terrain imaginable. With a new geometry that’s designed to maximise rider confidence and control on technical terrain, the LITHOS family of bikes utilise a CF3 carbon fibre frame with our proven flex stay suspension design and 170 mm of travel at either end.
Versatility is a key point of the LITHOS. Coming with mixed-size 29/27.5” wheels as standard for excellent agility, it’s possible to run a full 29” setup without disturbing the geometry thanks to our longstanding FLIP CHIP design, while the kinematic works perfectly with both coil or air rear shocks.
The drive system is from Bosch, with both CX and lightweight CX-R drive units delivering up to 120 Nm of torque and either 800 or 600 Wh batteries being compatible for maximum range or reduced weight. Bosch’s track record of proven performance, excellent reliability and worldwide service backup was a major factor in why we chose to partner with them for LITHOS, as well as their sustainable and responsible approach.
When it comes to durability, we have made the LITHOS to last, with a lifetime warranty for the original owner and an enduro-ready Category 4 use rating. That’s backed up by details such as rubber chainstay and heel protection on both sides of the bike and protective film in high-wear areas as standard. We now also give riders the option of our sleek and neat WIRE PORT cable routing or semi-external cable routing via headtube ports, with all bikes shipping with all parts needed to convert between the two.
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ABOUT THE WOLF
Robert’s habitat is the Tweed Valley, Scotland, which is renowned for its root-littered enduro mountain bike trails. Robert has been developing his bike handling skills for the last 16 years. Since he was a pup, he’s been riding everything from BMX through to enduro and downhill bikes. Combining a playful style with occasional speed-focused aggression, he favors supportive bikes, and does his best to push them hard.
Rank: European Tech Editor
Size: 6’2” / 189cm | 220lbs / 100kg
Social: @robert_johnston
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