Electronic shifting is what sets the 5000 apart, and on a road bike it changes more than the spec sheet suggests. Shimano 105 Di2 shifts the same whether you are fresh or cross-eyed at the end of a four hour ride, the front shifts sort themselves out, and there is no cable friction to look after through a wet winter.

Underneath, this is the fifth-generation Scultura platform: a lightweight CF3 V carbon frame and Scultura CF3 Disc carbon fork, shaped with aerodynamic lessons taken from the Reacto but built around low weight, sharp handling and enough compliance to keep you comfortable. Race geometry, internal cable routing, a 1 1/2 to 1 1/4 tapered head tube, 142 x 12mm rear axle, Pressfit 86.5 bottom bracket, flat mount rear brake with Disc Cooler and room for 30c tyres.

The transmission is 105 Di2 front and rear with a 50-34 chainset and an 11-34 12-speed cassette, so the gearing is unchanged from the mechanical bike and still climbs well. Braking is Shimano 105 hydraulic disc. The wheels are the other real step up: Vision Team 35 clincher discs, aluminium, 35mm deep with a 19mm inner rim width and tubeless tape ready, wearing tubeless ready Continental Grand Prix TR 28c tyres. Running them tubeless later is a straightforward job.

Contact points stay practical, with a Merida Expert SL aluminium bar, a -10 degree FSA SMR-II stem, an FSA ACR headset for the tidy cable routing and a 27.2mm in-line carbon seat post. It is a good pick if you want electronic shifting and modern wheels without moving away from parts that are easy to live with.

Features

• Shimano 105 Di2 electronic shifting, 12-speed, with 105 hydraulic disc brakes
• CF3 V carbon frame and Scultura CF3 Disc carbon fork, race geometry
• Vision Team 35 aluminium wheelset, 35mm deep, 19mm inner rim width, tubeless tape ready
• Continental Grand Prix TR 700x28C tubeless ready folding tyres
• 50-34 chainset with an 11-34 cassette for a wide climbing range
• FSA ACR headset with internal cable routing for a clean front end
• 142 x 12mm rear axle, Pressfit 86.5 bottom bracket, clearance up to 30c
• Merida Expert SL 27.2mm in-line carbon seat post