Eddy Merckx Sallanches 64

The Merckx Sallanches 64, named after one of Eddy Merckx's most significant race victories, is a competent and finely balanced endurance road bike with enough agility to flatter cyclists who might want to emulate 'The Cannibal'. It's no race bike, the position and weight see to that, but it offers very good handling and, critically for an endurance bike, there is plenty of comfort for longer rides and dealing with rough roads. It's also currently heavily discounted.

The Eddy Merckx name has been appearing on bicycle frames since 1980, but in recent years the company has been naming its bike models after significant victories from Eddy Merckx's hugely impressive career, during which he amassed a staggering 525 victories. This particular model is named after his victory in the amateur world championships in 1964 in the French town of Sallanches. It's a nice touch and smart of the company to make his many race wins an integral element of each model.

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The ride

In terms of handling and performance, the Merckx Sallanches 64 achieves a great balance between that of an outright race bike and a relaxed endurance bike. The position is a little less aggressive than a full-on racer, the handlebar sitting a bit higher because of the 184mm head tube on this 56cm size bike, but it's not so tall that you can't get down low and aero and assume a racy position if travelling fast over distance is your style of riding.

I've ridden a few Merckx bikes over the years and always been impressed with the handling, the balance, and the way they go through corners. The Sallanches 64 continues this good form. Cornering is one of its fortes – it just feels stable and settled through high-speed bends. It inspires confidence, making it easy to ride descents at speed even when tired towards the end of a long ride.

It's a sprightly bike, with agility in spades when you get feisty behind the handlebar and swing it quickly through the turns and bends. The steering feels direct and responsive. The slightly longer wheelbase than you'd get on a race bike contributes to a more planted feel at higher speeds and through the descents; it's just a bit more relaxing to ride than many race bikes, which is precisely what you want if you're shopping for an endurance bike.

Another area where the Sallanches 64 impresses is the smoothness of the ride. It's not the silkiest endurance bike I've ever ridden, but the combination of the carbon frame with its the skinny seatstays and the 25mm tyres does just enough to remove the harshness that can typically be felt on stiffer race bikes when riding along very poorly surfaced roads.

The 8.3kg weight, while not the lightest in this price range, does give you a fighting chance on the climbs, and the wide range gearing provided by the compact chainset and 11-28t cassette certainly help scale steeper climbs in relative comfort. The frame itself is light (990g according to Merckx) and the Shimano Ultegra groupset isn't exactly heavy, so the wheels are a prime future upgrade to look at to shed some weight.

Frame and equipment

One thing Merckx bikes tend to do is stand out from the crowd, and the Sallanches 64, with its angular and aggressive looking frame, is no different. It's all sharp and flat lines, with just the top tube gently curving from the tapered head tube to the neatly integrated seat clamp. This last detail provides more extension for the 27.2mm seatpost to do a bit of deflecting, helping the smoothness of the ride.

The frame and fork are made from carbon fibre and Merckx has worked to provide a competitive weight, coming in at a claimed 990g and 360g respectively. There's full internal routing for the gear and brake cables, the rear brake routing providing a particularly clean line to the brake calliper as it pops out of the top of the top tube. You get barrel adjusters before the gear cables enter the down tube, so you can fine-tune the gears on the move.

The bike on test is the Shimano Ultegra build and costs £2,200 – you can get the same frame with Shimano 105 parts for £1,800 if your budget doesn't quite extend to this model. But it's worth saving up (or buying quickly – it's currently discounted by 40% at Wiggle): the quality of shifting with Ultegra is as good as you'd expect of Shimano's second-tier groupset; the shift action at the lever is light and gear changes come swiftly and quietly. It's also a very ergonomic groupset, with nicely shaped hoods and easily reached brake levers.

The Ultegra brakes are similarly impressive: powerful and quiet, and with the aluminium braking surfaces of the RS010 wheels, it's as good as rim brakes get.

The wheels reveal Merckx's budgetary constraints when putting this bike together. They're competent but entry-level and, at 1,869g for the set, on the portly side. But they are reliable and strong.

The Continental Ultra Sport tyres are 25mm wide and offer decent traction in a range of conditions. They feel fast on the road, with the extra width allowing you to drop the pressure and maximise comfort. There looks to be space for slightly wider tyres in the frame and fork, but I found no reason to go wider when riding the Merckx.

Deda is an Italian bike parts company and supplies the aluminium stem, handlebar and seatpost. It's all smart looking kit, and the dark logos on the black aluminium surface suits the style of the bike well, which is one of an understated appearance.

The handlebar is an ergonomic shape with a short reach, suiting the riding style of the bike well. There are enough spacers above and below the stem to allow you to adjust the height of the handlebar to suit your fit preference.

What about rivals?

The Sallanches 64 is one of a dwindling number of non-disc-braked endurance bikes; most manufacturers are moving these bikes over to discs. One popular example is the Cannondale Synapse Carbon Ultegra (£2,499), which offers a fast and smooth ride with all the advantages of hydraulic disc brakes, and weighs only 100g more than the Merckx. 

> Read our guide to the best bikes for speed, distance and comfort

If you don't want disc brakes, another option is the Canyon Endurace CF 9.0 (£1,949). Like the Sallanches 64, it combines a relaxed carbon fibre frame with a Shimano Ultegra groupset, but it gets lighter DT Swiss RR21 Dicut wheels weighing 1,415g. 

Although it's more of a race bike, if you wanted a fast and light option then the Merida Scultura 6000 (£2,300) for another £100 manages to shed 400g and dip below 8kg thanks to a claimed 750g frame. But remember the position is going to be racier; it depends on how much you want the higher position of the Sallanches 64. 

Conclusion

The Sallanches 64 is, as I've said, named after one of Eddy Merckx's most notable race victories, but you likely won't be trying to replicate his achievement on this bike. But if you want to ride longer distances in relative comfort, the geometry and smooth ride offered by this endurance focused bike make it an interesting alternative to the more common choices in this category and price point (even more so at its current discounted price).

The distinctive looking Merckx certainly stands out, but it's the way that it handles, with a predictable and stabile manner, that will suit anyone looking for a friendly companion for long days out.

Verdict

Fast and comfortable endurance bike, though it could be lighter