Merida Scultura Endurance GR 2024

Just in time for Eurobike, Merida presented the Scultura Endurance GR, a thoroughbred gravel racer that fits between the Scultura Endurance (Gran Fondo) and the Silex (bikepacking and adventure gravel).
The new model is also based one-to-one on the frame set of the Scultura Endurance road bike and thus also has its characteristics: Stable handling with high agility, good damping, and a comfortable seating position. Perfect conditions to handle everything from gravel gran fondos to fast gravel training sessions with wider knobby tires, a flared handlebar, and a suitable gravel groupset.

Logically, the Scultura Endurance GR features the integrated brake cooling fins on the frame and fork, as well as the same geometry, which is significantly more aggressive compared to the Silex.
The steeper head angle, a shorter reach, and the shorter wheelbase favor a quicker and harder riding style, and the lack of mounting points for bikepacking bags of all kinds underscore the sporty claim. Although there are hidden fender mounts on the frame and fork, which slightly disturb the clean racing look, they do open up further areas of use - for example, as a versatile winter bike.

Merida Road/Gravel

The special shaping of the seat and chain stays gives the Scultura Endurance GR a leaf-spring-like compliance, which further improves comfort and traction on uneven terrain. Moreover, the seat tube has a diameter of a slender 27.2 millimeters, promising additional vertical flex and is also compatible with some variable seatposts.

Conversely, the Scultura Endurance GR quickly turns into a snappy Gran Fondo racer with a second set of wheels or with narrower slicks.

Although we do not yet have final specifications, we assume that there will be a total of three models in the Scultura Endurance GR series. Two with carbon frames, the "GR 8000" and the "GR 5000", as well as another with an aluminum frame "GR 500". The prices are by no means final either, but should range somewhere between 1,800 euros for the GR 500, 3,000 euros for the GR 5000, and 5,500 for the GR 8000.

The most obvious differences to the Scultura Endurance road bike are the wider and slightly flared handlebars, as well as the 35 mm wide knobby tires. All three models feature BB86 press-fit bottom brackets and are equipped with Sram or Shimano groups.
The top model GR 8000 also comes off the line with semi-integrated cabling using the FSA SMR ACR stem (and could be equipped with a crank-based power meter).