Cross-country racing has been part of the story here for decades, with the Multivan Merida Biking team collecting national, European, World and Olympic medals along the way, and the race hardtail remains one of the purest tools for going fast off road. The Big Nine 3000 is the way into the carbon version of that idea, and it is aimed squarely at riders taking on big days out or a first season of racing.

The frame is CF3 III carbon, built to Boost axle spacing with a threaded BSA bottom bracket and clearance for 29 x 2.4 tyres. Agilometer sizing lets you pick a frame to suit how you ride rather than just your height, and the progressive geometry means the bike holds a line on a fast descent instead of feeling nervous, which was never a given on race hardtails. An Acros ICR integrated headset with upper and lower IPS sealing keeps grit out of the bearings, which is worth having through a British winter.

Suspension is a RockShox Judy Gold RL, air sprung with 100mm of travel, a 51mm offset and a remote lockout on the bar for road transfers and fire road climbs. The drivetrain is Shimano Deore twelve speed with a 10-51 cassette and a 32 tooth MT520 chainset, so you get everything from a genuine sprint gear to a bail-out climbing gear with no front mech to maintain. Shimano MT200 two piston hydraulic discs do the braking.

Wheels are Merida Comp CC II rims with a 25mm internal width on Shimano TC500 Centerlock hubs, tubeless ready and waiting for you to make the switch. The Maxxis Rekon Race tyres in 29x2.4 are wire bead here, so a tubeless conversion is the first upgrade most riders make. A 760mm flat aluminium bar and a Team CC III stem with a -6 degree rise set up a low, purposeful position for putting the power down.

Features

• CF3 III carbon frame, Boost axle spacing, BSA threaded bottom bracket
• Agilometer sizing and progressive cross-country geometry
• Clearance for 29 x 2.4 tyres
• RockShox Judy Gold RL air fork, 100mm travel, remote lockout, 51mm offset
• Shimano Deore twelve speed drivetrain, M7200 SGS rear mech, M6200 shifter
• Shimano Deore M6200 10-51 cassette with 32 tooth MT520 chainset
• Shimano MT200 two piston hydraulic disc brakes
• Maxxis Rekon Race 29x2.4 tyres, wire bead
• Merida Comp CC II tubeless ready rims, 25mm internal width, Shimano TC500 Centerlock hubs
• Acros ICR integrated headset with upper and lower IPS sealing
• Merida Expert CC 760mm flat aluminium bar with Team CC III -6 degree stem