Merida has had a busy few months, including the launch of its latest additions to its e-MTB range – the brand new Merida eOne-Sixty and eOne-Forty models. Merida also late last year announced the update of its popular and best gravel bike contender – the Silex.
The Silex has been around since 2018 and the second generation Silex gravel bike boasts revised geometry, increased tire clearance, and leans more towards bikepacking and multi-surface adventure riding.
However, the Silex proved its versatility and racing pedigree at the World Gravel Championships back in October last year as Slovenian rider Matej Mohorič who survived a late crash, soloed to victory, claiming the rainbow jersey on the yet then-unreleased Merida gravel machine.
It was a real milestone in not only Matej Mohorič's career but also for Merida. To celebrate the Silex taking such an important win, Merida has gone back to the drawing board and created a very special one-off Gravel World Championships Silex.
Mohorič has been involved in the project from the very beginning, and spoke of his excitement in creating this unique special edition, saying, "I love my new Silex, everything about it. Every time I ride it, it reminds me of why I started cycling and how happy it makes me. I also love my Reacto, but sometimes, I almost see it as my work tool. Silex is different. I ride gravel for fun and adventure, and this bike brings out new emotions in me. Not only the focus and commitment to be the best athlete I can be but also the pure joy of riding and feeling alive and connected to nature. I'm proud to be the current World Champion and can't wait to show off the beautiful paint job at this year's gravel races. It's really exciting!"
The World Championship Silex features the famous rainbow jersey colorway but in a spiral shape, positioned on the top tube and inside the fork. Instead of being rounded, the spiral has sharp edges and straight lines, reflecting the modern and hard-edged design of the new Silex. The bike also has a stone-like finish, which represents the meaning of the word Silex – the Latin word for stone, pebble, or flint. The finish looks very similar to the Ribble Gravel bikes with hand-painted rock and stone-inspired colorways.
Other design features include the MOHO signature on the fork leg and the owl on the top tube. The owl and its 'tools' have important significance to Matej and are a key part of his input on the design. The owl and the textbook underneath symbolize wisdom and science – key elements that are close to Matej's heart. Elsewhere, the rake refers to his upbringing on a farm, and the walking cane refers to Matej's love for style and fashion.
Finally, above the bottom bracket, the Silex carries Matej's full name, the location and distance of his Gravel Worlds victory, and the all-important #rideforGino hashtag, a key message for Matej and the entire Team Bahrain Victorious which remembers the tragic loss of Gino Mäder who died following a high-speed crash at the Tour de Suisse last year.
Matej Mohorič will race the Silex special edition in gravel events across the year. For more information on the Silex and all things Merida check out Merida-bikes.com.
