Merida Crossway Urban 500

With a name that suggests a bit of cityscape excitement, and an overall aesthetic that isn't far away from a traditional flat-bar touring bike, Merida's Crossway Urban 500 promises speed and efficiency. So it's a bit of a surprise to find it actually delivers on comfort and stability, while being short on zest.

• Pros: Classy frame and fork package; faultless Deore drivetrain; excellent ride comfort and stability
• Cons: Ride-deadening wheel and tyre package, climbing and accelerating a little tedious

There's no questioning the Crossway Urban 500's overall sense of balance and stability. Even the very worst urban road surfaces are reduced to little more than momentary annoyances. Helping matters a great deal are the inherently compliant frame and fork, both of which do a grand job at keeping you impervious to road imperfections. When you do hit a patch of smooth tarmac, the Crossway Urban 500's ride quality really shines through and you can cruise sublimely.

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In terms of performance, getting up to that cruising speed in friendly or at least benign conditions is simple enough, and the same can be said for maintaining momentum on the flat. Descents are dealt with easily, balance in corners is good, and overall ride quality is reliable if a little uninspiring. Essentially, then, when the environment is in your favour, there's little to complain about.

However, as soon as your luck changes and you hit a hill or a headwind or just want to sprint, the sense of speed or efficiency feels like it washes away. When the going gets tough, this Crossway Urban 500's ability to embrace forward motion goes missing. There are times when riding the Crossway Urban 500 feels a little bit like driving with the handbrake on.

With no rubbing between the disc rotors and callipers, tyre pressures near maximum, and no telltale sounds of inefficiency coming from the bike, the question is: what causes this tendency to turgidness?

Frame and fork

Let's start with the frame and fork, a supremely handsome package finished in a classy metallic and reflective red. The aluminium frame's welds are neat and tidy and despite the Crossway Urban 500's overall traditional feel, there are also some novel little flourishes. The chainstays are flattened, the head tube is tapered, and – no, your eyes aren't deceiving you – there's a subtle kink towards the bottom of the seat tube. Considering there's more than enough room for the fitted rear mudguard, I have no idea quite why the tube needs that little curve.

The fork is also a step away from tradition, being made of carbon fibre with smart through-routing for the front brake, and also comes fitted with a mudguard.

In terms of further accessories, mounts for a rack can be found at the rear triangle, while only one set of bottle cage bosses are specified, which struck me as rather odd considering the bike looks like it could make a near-perfect fast flat-bar touring bike.

Position and geometry

As I've said, there is a relatively traditional feel to the overall shape, with a gently sloping top tube and seatstays that join at the seat tube/top tube junction. Being a solid six-footer, I rode an M/L size Crossway Urban frame and it fitted very nicely, albeit with a fair length of seatpost showing. Reach was spot on, though, and the riding position is neutral – feeling neither too high nor too head-down aggressive.

Probably of most note are the bike's wheelbase and chainstay lengths. Both are longer than those found on most similar bikes, such as the Giant Fastroad or Trek FX, and just about on a par with the Specialized Sirrus. This overall sense of length might have some bearing on the bike's benign-cum-ponderous performance – you do feel like you're pulling a fair bit of bike behind you when you get out of the saddle.

One thing that can't be blamed is weight, which at just over 11kg with kickstand and mudguards is not playing an unduly negative role in the battle against inertia.

Gears and brakes

The Crossway Urban 500's mechanical components also do their best to promote speed. Groupset connoisseurs might argue about the refined delights found further up Shimano's off-road and leisure range, but for reliable and more-than-smooth-enough daily use, the Deore drivetrain found here is just about perfect. Gear changes are positive and secure, and everything just works. The Deore chainset is such a well-integrated piece of work I had to check it was a double rather than a 1x system – the inner ring being almost hidden.

Although scrubbing off speed is – at times – the least of this bike's problems, the Crossway Urban 500's disc brakeset is still worth mentioning. The MT-200 hydraulic disc brakes are some of Shimano's lower-end offerings and they tend to feel just a smidge more spongy or less positive then any sibling components beginning M3xx. However, compared to rival products from, say, Tektro, they're very assured and slowing or stopping is never anything less than certain.

Finishing kit

Normally on a practical multi-use bike, a set of 35mm tyres would be a fair enough speccing choice. But this isn't a multi-use bike, it's an urban bike, and I think a fair chunk of the bike's lack of dynamism can be attributed to the wide Maxxis Overdrive II rubber and lifeless Merida/Joytech wheels.

Yes, the tyres add to the surefooted sense of road handling, but they also seem to really deaden the ride. Grip is obviously a good thing, but with Shimano's well-modulated discs regulating speed, and the frame inherently stable and comfortable, the Crossway Urban is already a very benign machine. These tyres and the nondescript wheelset seem to only further subdue the overall ride quality unnecessarily. A set of semi-slick 32mm or even 28s would add a well-needed touch of enthusiasm.

The other contact points are at best OK. While the frame is rather impressive at isolating road buzz and even big bumps and ridges, the Merida Crossway Comfort saddle isn't actually all that comfortable and the available support isn't placed where it is most needed. The Merida Ergo grips are better, being well-shaped but they also become a touch firm after prolonged use.

Value

I've taken some manufacturers to task recently for offering relatively poor value for money on a couple of their entry-level hybrids (read my reviews of the Sirrus Alloy and the CrossTrail Sport), so it's only fair to hold Merida to the same standard.

What can you get for £1,000 from other global brands? Trek's FX Sport 4 comes with an alloy frame, carbon frame, Shimano Tiagra drivetrain and Shimano MT-201 disc brakes, and costs £950. Giant's Fastroad SL1 features a similar spec, albeit with TRP discs, and costs £949. And Specialized's Sirrus Elite has an alloy frame, carbon fork, Tiagra/Praxis Alba/microSHIFT Centos mix drivetrain and TRP Flow Set Control brakes for a round £1,000.

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So although Merida has opted for Shimano's off-road range with its Deore setup rather than the road-based Tiagra systems found on rival models, overall quality is very much in the right ballpark and value for money is fair. You will easily find better deals by shopping around and considering other smaller brands, but this is not an unreasonably priced bike.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the Crossway Urban 500 might end up being a little less attractive than first impressions suggest, but its overall spec is more than decent, and comfort and road-holding are very good. As I said at the start, its name conjures up some kind of inner city speed machine and its overall aesthetics suggest a refined and efficient traditional ride quality, and if you're looking for just a bit of excitement or inspiration to push on harder then it does come up a little short. It delivers on comfort and stability, but change the wheels if you want more zest.

Verdict

A handsome, comfortable and stable bike, but it could do with better wheels and tyres