Merida Reacto V 2027 Long-Term Review

February this year, Oropesa del Mar, roughly 90 km north of Valencia - along with around 30 other journalists from all over the world, I got to take the then still officially unannounced Reacto V out for a first ride. The ONE model with Classified hub gearing, Dura-Ace brakes and a DT Swiss wheelset won me over straight away. The winding descent on the CV-147 towards Benicassim in particular left me wanting more - so I climbed back up the same ascent just to soak up the wind in my face and the brilliant handling of the Merida machine a little longer.

Already on the second day at the Merida camp, though, a stomach bug started to make itself felt. I could no longer really enjoy the rides - a 50-kilometre loop at the foot of el Bartolo and a coffee ride on the TEAM model (Dura-Ace and Vision wheelset) - let alone join the lavish dinner with good red wines. Painful, that sort of thing.

All the greater was my delight, shortly after the official launch in early March, when Schmerzloser handed me the assignment to put the Reacto through a long-term review. A few weeks of anticipation later, I was finally able to take delivery of the Merida Reacto 10K from Merida importer SAIL & SURF.

My form had barely improved since the Merida camp, but the sporty position on the seriously narrow cockpit leaves the rider little choice anyway. As soon as your hands wrap around the hoods and you try to make yourself as narrow as possible, your speed jumps noticeably for the same power output. Merida put a huge amount of development effort into the cockpit - partly to cater to different rider types, and partly to squeeze out further aerodynamic gains.

Annoyingly, though, the UCI published new regulations for 2026, and two of the cockpit's four dimensions aren't UCI-compliant as a result. The handlebar fitted on the 10K falls under this too: it does have the required 40 cm at the drops, but its flare of 75 mm is too much. Important for anyone racing and needing a rule-compliant cockpit: Merida has since added an additional, narrowest UCI-compliant variant (345/380) - though it's not the one fitted on the 10K.

On the first climb, the narrow cockpit was quite a challenge. Standing on the pedals demands a different upper-body posture to pull on the bars in an ergonomically sound way. Going downhill, though, the CW 1P gave no cause for concern at all. Full confidence is there both on the hoods and in the drops - perhaps it takes a touch more commitment going into corners. The "Gföhl - Kremstal - Krems" segment, 18 kilometres at a 2 percent gradient, already showed off the 10K's potential: a fairly relaxed average of 230 watts still brought a 47 km/h average. I like.

At the Merida camp, the DT Swiss ARC 1100 on the ONE model impressed with a stoic composure that barely flinched even in heavy crosswinds and, on descents, nearly encouraged recklessness. The Vision Metron 5D ACR EVO on the TEAM, on the other hand, felt noticeably more agile and quicker - but were more susceptible to strong crosswinds. The BL 60 Pro from Reynolds, fitted on the 10K, is meant to be the golden middle - and the Merida guys hadn't overpromised.

Having enjoyed a tailwind on the Danube cycle path (segment power station to power station, 12.4 km at 36.6 km/h with 206 watts and a heart rate of 119), the gusty wind turned sideways between Zwentendorf and Heiligeneich. Sure, the 60 mm deep rims need a firmer grip on the bars in those conditions, but I never got into serious trouble. On the way home between Großhain and Meidling im Tale, the Reynolds finally had their big moment: the wind came sideways but slightly from behind onto the rims, delivering incredible forward push - a feeling I would go on to experience many more times.

On ride number five, I wanted to put the whole package to a proper, intensive test for the first time. Via Fels am Wagram I headed towards Tulln, then rolled home along the cycle path on the southern side of the Danube. Strava spat out no fewer than eleven personal records - no wonder, given I covered the 90 kilometres at an average of 34.4 km/h, and at an average of 225 watts I still wasn't anywhere near my limit.
Once again I had the clear sense of being forced by the cockpit into an aerodynamic position. Aided by the superb Reynolds wheels, the Reacto kept driving forward relentlessly, and the thought of sitting up and taking it easy never crossed my mind. So much for the active rest day.

Don't worry, I didn't lay the Merida down on the tarmac. The loop near Paudorf, though, wasn't short on elevation - and it certainly wasn't short on rough surfaces either. Especially through Höbenbach, littered with potholes, it wasn't easy, and every now and then I clipped one. Once again I was surprised by the comfort I'd attribute to the super-fast Reynolds wheels paired with the 28 mm Contis.
Back home, though, I found the stem cover missing - it had apparently made a break for it at some point on the rough stretch. That part has definitely earned itself an upgrade. The fit can be improved a bit with a hairdryer, but I'd really like to see a more robust solution here, with a clear "click" so the cover doesn't go astray again.

And while we're on the subject - there's a second detail I couldn't quite make my peace with. The seatpost has a rubber cover on the back, and it too doesn't sit perfectly flush against the aero post. The fix is to fit the specially developed rear light - which, however, isn't available to buy yet.

A Sunday loop took me via Kirchberg and Großweikersdorf to Hollabrunn and on via Sitzendorf an der Schmida to Eggenburg. After a pit stop including a Vanilla Coke in Gars am Kamp, it was back home through the Kamptal. The roughly 130 kilometres had plenty to offer: climbs, short kickers, relaxed descents, but also long straights into a headwind. The Reacto - unlike me - showed no signs of fatigue whatsoever. I was certainly surprised when I analysed the ride at home: 206 watts produced an average of 32.6 km/h. For the first time the Prologo saddle caused a little discomfort; over the long run I'd probably switch to a different one.

Another long ride took me over the Dunkelsteiner Wald and past Schallaburg, over many little rollers into the Pielach valley and via Wilhelmsburg and Herzogenburg towards Krems. Around 1,300 metres of elevation gain over 145 kilometres - quite the challenge for me. The Reacto remained unfazed through the five hours; once again the aero missile impressively proved its all-round abilities.

I'm torn. Really, the classic diamond frame shape appeals to me more. Really, I used to believe a road bike doesn't need disc brakes. Really, I'm at an age where I should probably be thinking about an endurance bike. Yes, really...

Really, though, it's 2026, and the 2027 Merida Reacto is a revelation - no more, no less. The four-month, roughly 1,500-kilometre long-term review confirmed exactly what the Merida guys told us in Spain: the Reacto isn't just an aerodynamic weapon that's earned its place in the World Tour, but thanks to its surprising comfort, a genuine all-purpose weapon too. As a whole package it's thoroughly coherent, and bar two small niggles, close to perfection.

Generously equipped, the 10K also stacks up on price: the € 9,899 asking price is entirely fair for SRAM Red AXS complete with power meter, the Reynolds BL 60 Pro wheels and the Team CW 1P cockpit, especially since the range as a whole stays noticeably cheaper than many rivals. On our Bikeboard scale it came in at 7.3 kg in size M, a touch over Merida's claimed 7.2 kg. The SRAM Red quietly gets on with its job, while the Reynolds keep shouting "faster" and, combined with the aero cockpit, constantly nudge the rider to shovel on a bit more.

Just to be clear: I'm not handing this missile back voluntarily. Then again, there might be a peaceful way out. A build exactly to my own wishes, essentially a "best of" the three flagship models: the colour of the ONE (Passion Red/Slate Grey), the spec of the TEAM (I am and remain a Dura-Ace fan - maybe even 13-speed while we're at it?), and the wheels of the 10K, because those Reynolds have genuinely won me over. Any chance?