There is a recent trend among manufacturers to push the traditional road bike toward aerodynamic efficiency by integrating full-aero tubes and wheels with deeper sections. In terms of straight-line speed, there are huge advantages to this approach, but – unsurprisingly – also disadvantages such as extra weight and the loss of some flexibility and comfort.
Merida, meanwhile, has resisted the urge to jump on the trendy bandwagon and instead taken a more traditional and balanced approach with the racing-oriented Scultura. Although it claims to be the “most aerodynamic ever”, it is designed to optimize flexibility and minimize weight, helping the rider cross the finish line fresh and powerful. It’s an approach that seems to be working if World Tour Team Bahrain Victorious’ victories mean anything.
The list
The Scultura’s frame looks relatively traditional, but that hasn’t hampered its performance
(Image credit: Future)
The Scultura 6000 has a full carbon frame and fork with Merida’s CF3 carbon (Merida rates its carbon from CF5 to 2.5 being the highest). It is in the construction of the frame that Merida has really bucked the trend of aero-ization. Instead of aerodynamically profiled tubes, the Scultura’s rounded tubes keep weight low and provide flexibility. As we have come to expect, cables and wires are all concealed within the frame for a neat and efficient finish.
The tubes may differ, but the Scultura shares geometry with its fully aerodynamic brother, the Reacto. Our medium had a 557mm stack and 395mm reach, which makes it relatively longer (10-20mm) and taller (4-8mm) than bikes like Specialized Tarmac and Trek’s Madone.
The seat and head tube angles are 73.5 degrees, the chainstay length is 408mm and the overall wheelbase is 990mm. All this points to sharp and snappy pedaling and driving behavior.
Construction
The Scultura 6000 Di2 looks like a bike that means business. It’s neat and tidy and pleasantly devoid of fussy graphics. It’s plain white with black details that draw the components into the lines of the frame; Personally, I love how the lines of the seatstays flow neatly into the angular seat tube transition.
The main feature of the Scultura 6000 Di2 is, quite obviously, the Di2. The 6000 Di2 has the entire Shimano 105 2×12 groupset; bottom bracket, cranks, derailleurs, brakes, levers, cassette and shifters (if you want more of our thoughts on the 105 Di2 groupset, head over to our full review.)
Full 2x 105 Di2 specification, with compact crankset and a generous cassette range of 11-34.
(Image credit: Future)
Comparing the 6000 Di2 to the mechanical version of the Scultura 6000, Merida specified the 6000 Di2 with a more generous cassette ratio (11-34 on Di2 versus 11-30 on Ultegra), so there is a wider gear range and a more generous bottoming. end. In combination with its compact crankset, the 6000 Di2 has the widest gearing of the entire Scultura range. This makes it an attractive option if you like to ride light on the hills.
With the recommended retail price of Shimano’s 105 Di2 groupset being half the price of the 6000 Di2, it’s not surprising that there are some relative compromises when it comes to the construction of the rest of the bike. The proprietary aluminum wheels and entry-level 28c Continental tires are the most obvious places where Merida has kept the price down. If you’re looking to swap tires, it’s worth noting that while the frame can accommodate a 30c tire, the 17mm rim width makes the combination “compatible” rather than “optimal” according to the company’s safety guidelines industry.
Our medium-sized test bike had quite wide 420mm handlebars and a long 110mm stem – a setup that won’t suit everyone.
(Image credit: Future)
The aluminum cockpit combines a Race Face stem with an internal bar, both of which are sized proportionally to the frame size, so our test medium bike had a 420mm wide handlebar and a 110mm stem. The cockpit looks very neat with aesthetically pleasing spacers.
One advantage of the two-piece cockpit is the flexibility it offers to swap out components without huge additional costs, something I took advantage of during testing. Riders like me who are on the small side of bike size will find that the bike’s length and handlebar size provide stretch at the levers (the small has the same handlebar size as medium and large frames). If you want to keep the tool holder on the saddle rails, you will find that you are limited in how far you can push the saddle forward on the reclined seat post.
The ride
The Scultura is a bike that wants to be ridden aggressively. The stiff frame responds to the effort you make and ensures that you get up to speed quickly. Once there, it sails along while you make the effort. It encourages and rewards you for keeping your head down and riding hard all the way. The more you put in, the more you get out. There is no doubt that you are riding a racing bike.
Given its racing brief, I was pleasantly surprised by the Scultura’s balance and control. At speeds and efforts where I often feel like a bike is jerky and on edge, the Scultura steadily holds its line. It’s a compliment to say that it doesn’t feel as fast as it is.
Although the Scultura is stiff and precise, it is not overly heavy to ride. The carbon frame layout and 28cc wide tires combine well to absorb the chatter of Britain’s rough roads. The alloy wheels also play a role and add a bit of cushioning to the system. During testing I swapped the wheels for a set of Elitewheels 50mm hoops with carbon rims, which made for a more reactive but also less comfortable ride.
The Scultura is stiff, yet comfortable for long days in the saddle. However, the service is a mixed bag.
(Image credit: Future)
The Scultura is a lot of fun when you ride hard, but I didn’t find it all that adept when I turned down the effort. With a more relaxed body position, the bike feels less balanced and the steering is wandery and disjointed. It’s almost like you have to wait for the rear to overtake the corner. I found that tinkering with my setup (a shorter and slammed stem) improved handling, but didn’t eliminate lag.
I also noticed that at lower speeds the pedal stroke felt less responsive, almost a feeling of inefficiency. Likewise, the bike needs you to sit up and over the front to get the best from the handling, and you need to sit over the bottom bracket to get the most from the power transfer through the cranks. It is certainly more difficult to find the right pace at lower efforts than when you are at speed. For this reason, climbing didn’t feel as joyful as I would have liked, especially on those long rides where I sat with my weight back in the saddle.
The verdict
The Scultura offers excellent value when you consider the Shimano 105 Di2 build features.
(Image credit: Future)
At £3,300, the Scultura 6000 Di2 is one of the cheapest Di2-equipped road bikes currently available. Canyon’s Ultimate CF SL 7 Di2 has very similar specs, apart from the addition of a 4iii power meter, but costs £500 more. The Ribble R872 Disc-Pro is £500 cheaper for what is on paper a very similar build.
The Scultura 6000 Di2 offers everything it promises; a fast but comfortable racing bike that you can ride fast at best. As a package, it’s a great option if you’re interested in electronic gears and don’t have a huge budget (a future wheel upgrade would be worth saving up for). If you are on the small end of the size range for a model, pay attention to the size of the components and frame as you may want to size down for a better fit.
The specification
- FRAME SCULTURA CF3 V
- FRAME SIZE XXS, XS, S, M, L, XL
- FORK SCULTURA CF3 disc
- WHEEL MERIDA EXPERT SL
- Hubs VP CLK170F / VP CLK270R
- FRONT TIRE Continental Grand Sport Race
- REAR TIRE Continental Grand Sport Race
- HUBS MERIDA EXPERT SL
- CRANK Shimano 105
- SUPPORT SM-BB71-41B, Pressfit 86.5
- CASSETTE Shimano CS-R7100
- CHAIN Shimano CN-M6100-12
- SHIFTERS Shimano 105 disc Di2
- FRONT DERAILLEUR Shimano 105 Di2
- REAR DERAILLEUR Shimano 105 Di2
- BRAKE LEVER Shimano 105
- BRAKES Shimano 105
- ROTORS Shimano RT64
- HEADSET FSA ACR
- VOTE FSA SMR ACR
- HANDLEBAR SIZE 90 mm-XXS/XS, 100 mm-S, 110 mm-M, 120 mm-L/XL
- SEND MERIDA EXPERT SL
- GRIP MERIDA ROAD expert
- SEATPOST MERIDA EXPERT CC
- SADDLE CLAMP MERIDA EXPERT
- SADDLE MERIDA EXPERT SL