The 4000 is the least expensive way into a carbon Silex, and the frame is the reason to consider it. CF2 carbon II sheds a useful amount of weight over the aluminium version and adds Disc Cooler technology, where the rear caliper mounts onto CNC-machined aluminium fins. Merida claims that drops caliper operating temperatures by up to 35%, which matters more than it sounds on a bike designed to be ridden fully loaded down long descents.

Geometry is unchanged from the rest of the platform, and that is deliberate. A long top tube and head tube with a short stem gives you a riding position that stays comfortable over a full day and steering that does not get nervous when the surface breaks up. Five sets of bottle bosses, a threaded bottom bracket, a 142 x 12mm rear axle and internal routing for a dropper post are all present, and the revised second-generation fork design means a suspension fork can be fitted later without altering the handling. Frame clearance is 700 x 45c, or 42c with mudguards.

The build is deliberately conventional and easy to live with. Shimano GRX400 gives 2x10 shifting with a 46-30 GRX600 chainset and an 11-36 cassette, a road-friendly spread for riders who link their gravel with plenty of tarmac, and GRX400 hydraulic discs handle braking with GRX410 levers.

Reynolds G30 rims on Shimano TC500 hubs carry Schwalbe G-One RX Performance tyres at 45c, the seatpost is carbon, and the flared Expert GRII bar comes in three widths depending on frame size.

Features

• CF2 carbon II frame with Disc Cooler caliper mount
• Silex II CF2 full carbon fork with tapered steerer
• Shimano GRX 2x10 drivetrain, GRX600 46-30 chainset with 11-36 cassette
• Shimano GRX400 hydraulic disc brakes with GRX410 levers
• Reynolds G30 rims on Shimano TC500 hubs
• Schwalbe G-One RX Performance RaceGuard tubeless ready tyres, 700x45C
• Carbon Expert SL seatpost, 27.2mm
• Expert GRII flared aluminium bar, width by frame size
• Five sets of bottle bosses and internal dropper post routing
• Threaded bottom bracket, inboard flat mount discs, 142 x 12mm rear axle
• Clearance for 700 x 45c tyres, 42c with mudguards