Nat Bromhead
Merida have released full details of the 2022 Scultura, their headline road bike as ridden by Jack Haig in the Vuelta.
The company’s lightweight climbing race bike, the Bahrain Victorious team also used the Scultura’s aero counterpart, the Reacto along with the Time Warp TT bike during the Spanish Grand Tour.
For 2022 the Scultura inherits some of the Reacto’s aero features along with sharing the sister model’s geometry. The company say the updated model is more comfortable to ride along with being 4% lighter in top-end CF5 form.
Refinement and aerodynamics play a major part in all aspects of the design of Merida’s latest high-end road race offering, the Scultura V Team.
Headline features also include the new Shimano 12speed Dura Ace groupset, capacity for 30mm tyres, all-internal cable routing, and redesigned aero tubing.
“These improvements have already shown outstanding results in the World Tour,” said a Merida rep.
“These include Team Bahrain-Victorious winning an impressive four stages before the bike was even released, two stages at Critérium du Dauphiné (Mark Padun), one in the Tour de France (Dylan Teuns) and one in the Vuelta a España (Damiano Caruso),” said Merida upon the launch.” No better proof is needed that this bike has winning genes, right from the start.”
They can now add to this Jack Haig’s phenomenal performance – third overall in the ’21 Vuelta.
Jack Haig in action during the 2021 Vuelta – the 28yo Aussie went on to finish 3rd overall in the final Grand Tour of the year.
“While weight saving was always a focus during the development of the new Scultura, we wanted to make it much more aerodynamic and even more comfortable to ride than its predecessor,” say Merida.
“If we were able to achieve these demanding goals, we would be able to keep rider speeds high and body/muscle fatigue low, all while delivering significant improvements over its already impressive predecessor. The target would be to create the most accomplished all-round road bike in our history.”
“The the frame weight has been reduced by 38grams over the previous model, the weight of the CF4 frame of the Scultura IV was 860gr, with the CF5 frame of the Scultura V 822gr in medium.”
The Scultura V Team will take tyres to 30mm.
Merida say the weight savings were achieved through optimised carbon layup and the widespread usage of higher modulus, more expensive carbon fibres.
“This additional weight saving puts the 6.8kg UCI weight limit within easy reach, without resorting to exotic – and less durable – components,” they say.
Shared Geometry With Reacto
The geometry of the new Scultura Team is the same as the Reacto IV and the performance siblings also feature identical positions of all contact points. This, say Merida, makes it easier to switch between the current model Reacto and the Scultura – for those in the enviable position of having both in the stable.
The build features the new 12-speed Dura Ace from Shimano.
Cabling is now all internal.
Merida say the latest Scultura is perfect “for riders looking for a lightweight climbing bike with outstanding comfort and impressive aero credentials.”
“With three World Tour stage wins under its belt, the results clearly show the Scultura ability to deliver at the sharp end of the sport,” they say. “It’s also the perfect partner for ambitious club riders who are looking for the perfect all-rounder with outstanding compliance for their pothole littered training rides. And last but not least, the final rider groups we see benefiting are sportive/gran fondo enthusiasts that don’t shy away from a race-proven and more aggressive geometry.”
Merida tell us the RRP is $11,499.
The new Scultura is quite similar to the Reacto and shares the same geometry.
SPECIFICATIONS
• CF5 frame (822 g in size M)
• CF5 fork (389 g in size M)
• New Shimano Dura-Ace 12s Di2 incl. power meter
• New VISION METRON 45 SL tubeless ready wheels
• MERIDA TEAM SL 1P cockpit
• Prologo SCRATCH M5 saddle with carbon rails
• New Continental 5000 Tubeless 28 mm tyres (space for 30mm)
• Direct mount rear derailleur for improved shifting
• Disc coolers for improved head dispensation
• 12mm through axles
• Size-specific stem length and bar width
