Merlin’s 2017 Road Bikes are the highest quality and most diverse we’ve ever produced. Here’s two bikes from our 2017 range: The Nitro SL features a World Tour Pro’ Team standard, 750 gram frame and is made in Belgium. The Axe 7 Pro is a real ‘Do It All’ bike, equally at home adventuring down gravel tracks or zipping along tarmac.
Merlin Nitro SL
The 2017 Nitro SL is our best performing ever Merlin road bike. Made in Belgium, to World Tour Pro’ team bike standards. The same frame (with different branding & paint) is fully race proven at the highest level of professional road cycling. The frame is renowned for its comfort and light weight (only 750 grams) yet strong enough for a certain big sprinter, nicknamed ‘The Gorilla’ to ride in hillier races . It’s won on cobbles, climbs and in flat bunch sprints at World Tour level – it’s a very rapid and versatile frame indeed.
The Nitro SL features a full Shimano Ultegra 6800 groupset which offers exemplary control and reliability. Fulcrum Racing Quattro LG wheels transfer the power to the road and the Belgian 4ZA finishing kit completes the Nitro SL specification. A bike with top level racing pedigree, yet with comfort built in, the Merlin Nitro SL would not be out of place in any race, sportive or sunday clubrun. Virtually a World Tour Pro’ level bike with a real world price ticket.
Full Spec
- Frame: 30 / 24 Ton HM carbon
- Fork: 30 / 24 Ton HM carbon blades with tapered steerer
- Wheels: Fulcrum Racing Quattro LG wheelset
- Tyres: Continental Ultra Sport II 25mm folding bead
- Groupset: Shimano Ultegra 6800
- Finishing Kit: 4ZA Stratos
- Saddle: San Marco Ponza
- Weight: 7.70kg (Medium)
- Maxium Rider Weight: 95kg
Merlin Axe 7 Pro 105
The Merlin Axe 7 Pro is the ‘Swiss Army Knife’ of bikes. The Axe slices through road bike genres and is equally at home on gravel lanes, bridleways or roads. With its sturdy and dependable 6061 triple butted Aluminium frame, terrain-smoothing Carbon fork, swap to off road tyres and the Axe is not afraid to go anywhere. The unbelievably smooth, yet virtually maintenance free, Shimano RS505 Hydraulic brakes / shifters, add a touch of class, raising the Axe above the heads of the competition…
The versatile Axe can be used as a Winter / Gravel / Adventure / Touring or Training Bike. If you could only have one bike – the Axe would be the perfect ‘transformer’. Simply changing to off-road tyres, adding mudguards or rack & panniers as required can make the bike fit for an entirely different purpose – effectively it is 2 or 3 bikes in one!
Full Spec
- Frame: Merlin 6061 Triple-butted aluminium, Disc Specific
- Fork: Merlin disc carbon bladed, internal routed, Tapered
- Brakes & shifters: Shimano RS505 11 Speed
- Brakes: Shimano RS505 Road Disc, 140mm rotors
- Front derailleur: Shimano 105 5800
- Rear derailleur: Shimano 105 5800
- Cassette: Shimano 105 5800, 12-32T 11 Speed
- Chain: Shimano CN-HG601
- Chainset: Shimano RS500 34/50
- Wheels: Mavic CXP Rims on Shimano RS505 Hubs (6 bolt)
- Tyres: Schwalbe Durano Race guard 700x28c
- Finishing Kit: Uno Alloy 3D Forged
- Weight: 10.6kg (56cm)
Visit our Chorley showroom to view our 2017 range of bikes.
Hi, do you have a weight for the Nitro SL fork?
Also, what BB does it use?
Many thanks!
Hi Simon, the bottom bracket is BB30 with an insert & Ultegra 6800 BB.
The fork weight is around 340 grams not sure if that is painted or unpainted
weight. Hope that helps.
It does help, thank you!
Do you happen to have a weight for the frame and fork of the Cordite?
Hi not sure on the frame and fork weight for the Cordite, we reckon it would be approx 300 grams heavier than the Nitro. By the way Cycling Weekly magazine are reviewing the Nitro SL in print in the next few weeks.