Merlin Cordite 105 R7000 Disc Carbon

The Merlin Cordite 105 R7000 Disc Carbon Road Bike is a new model in Merlin's lineup, bringing over many of the attributes of the rim-braked version but re-engineered to cope with the stresses of using rotors. It's a very nice bike to ride, offering plenty of performance – stopping and going – and at its now permanently discounted price of £1,279 it's quite the bargain.

• Pros: Decent weight helps climbing and acceleration, good spec for the money
• Cons: Not quite as forgiving as some endurance style framesets

Ride

I tested the rim-braked version of the Cordite in March last year and this disc model is very much the same. According to the details for both bikes on Merlin's website, they share identical geometry; a lot of disc brake bikes that develop from a rim-brake model have longer chainstays for heel clearance because of the wider hub, but at 413mm the rim brake Cordite's were obviously long enough.

The ride feel of the frameset is quite firm – I've found other endurance bikes a little more supple in their carbon fibre layup. That isn't to say that the Cordite is overly harsh, it just doesn't quite damp all of the road buzz.

I did a couple of century rides on the Merlin and on the whole I was reasonably comfortable. The geometry works, with the top tube to head tube ratio giving a slightly more upright ride than on a race bike so you can sit in the same position for plenty of miles without feeling too stretched out.

If you are spending a lot of time on rough back lanes, there can be some vibration travelling through your contact points. This can take its toll over a challenging sportive or similar, but on the flipside this firmness results in performance: the Cordite is a quick bike. It doesn't feel fast like a race bike but a glance at your average speed on the computer shows a higher pace than the Merlin feels like it is delivering.

Our large model here weighs 8.38kg (18.47lb) – not massively lightweight but hardly a bloater either, and that means it's responsive to your input.

Standing starts away from the lights aren't lightning-quick but the Cordite doesn't feel sluggish. The frame does a good job of delivering the power, and once moving you can easily set a decent pace on the flat.

Climbing is the same, whether in or out of the saddle: the Cordite gets a move on, and the steeper the hill the more you can feel the stiffness of the frame doing its job.

Coming down the other side, the Merlin has neutral, balanced handling which is exactly what I'd expect for this type of bike. There is no twitchiness or nervousness from the front end, which makes the Cordite a very good choice if you're new to road bikes or aren't the most confident of descenders.

For me, the steering is a little slow and not as exciting as I'd like, but I thrive on those peloton-ready machines that are happy to throw you in a ditch when you take liberties.

That said, I never found the Cordite boring. In fact it's quite fun to ride – a day off, if you like. I could go out for a few hours, smash out a decent pace and just enjoy the scenery with little concentration. Perfect for those long rides where fatigue can kick in.

Frame and fork

The Cordite's frameset is impressive. The overall quality looks and feels to be great, from the paint through to how it rides. Some cheaper carbon frames can feel 'plasticky' and resonate a huge amount, but while the Cordite does let some buzz through it is damping the majority. It feels like a really sorted aluminium alloy frame; if you've ridden some of the latest alloy offerings you'll know what I mean.

Both the frame and fork have internal cable/hose routing and it gives the whole bike a clean and refined look. I really like the white paintjob, too. White, red and black was done to death six or seven seasons ago, but I think the Merlin has the right balance to still look classy.

Geometry-wise, as I've said up top, it's a blend of race and endurance.

This large is a 52cm, taken from its seat tube length, being a sloping compact design. The effective top tube length (if it ran horizontal) is 551mm, and it comes with quite a tall 175mm head tube.

I didn't ever feel as though I was sat upright on the Cordite, though. It's quite a racy position if you remove the spacers from under the stem, but you don't have to be super-flexible to make the most out of it.

The 72-degree head angle plays a big part in keeping that steering stable, and when you pair that to a 998.8mm wheelbase you get a lot of stability which is what makes the Cordite so easy to ride.

Sizing is available from S-XXL, which translates to top tube lengths of 515mm to 587mm (figures for stack and reach for each model are available on Merlin's website).

The front brake copes with around 80 per cent of the overall braking power, and the Cordite's fork deals well with that. I'm a very late braker, scrubbing speed only when I have to, so a weak fork will easily show up with chatter or twisting when trying to stop the bike from 50mph plus on my favourite descents. I had no issues whatsoever, helped by the now pretty much standard 12mm thru-axles keeping the fork legs and wheel in perfect harmony.

The rear wheel gets the same treatment with a 12mm thru-axle.

Finishing kit

The highlight of the Cordite Disc is that it comes with a full Shimano 105 R7000 groupset, including the latest R7020 hydraulic brake levers.

If you click on the link above and read Dave's review you'll see that for the money it is a really, really good groupset. Even at non-RRP it takes up quite a chunk of the Cordite's overall price.

The shifting is positive and has a lovely touch to it, and the braking can't really be faulted.

It isn't a set build, so when you order the bike you can choose crank length, chainring size and which cassette ratios you like, giving you some customisation.

Obviously, it depends on your fitness and other variants, but I'd say a 50/34 chainset paired with an 11-28 cassette is a good choice for the Cordite. That gives a good spread of gears for a quick bike without ostracising those who don't have racing aspirations. (Other options are 53/30 and 52/36 chainsets, and 11-30, 11-32 and 11-34 cassettes.)

The Merlin accepts 140mm rotors front and rear, and I'd say that is plenty for this type of bike. The power and modulation from the R7070 callipers and Ice Tech Freeza discs is brilliant; it's really hard to detect any difference from the more expensive Ultegra versions.

It's a massive step up from the previous 105 level models.

When it comes to the contact points, the Merlin comes with a full set of Deda Zero 1 components: the handlebar, stem and seatpost. It's great kit that looks good, and the shallow handlebar offers plenty of hand positions.

There are other upgrade options from Fizik available for extra cost, if you fancy something a little different.

Our model had the PRO Griffon Ti Rail Saddle and I found it comfortable; it didn't stand out as the most comfortable saddle I've sat on, but it wasn't the worst either. Again, there are other options available without adding any money to the overall cost of the bike.

Wheels and tyres

The base model comes with a set of Fulcrum Racing 7 DB wheels and they aren't bad. They aren't the lightest at around 1,750g, but they don't detract loads from the ride of the Cordite. I swapped them out for a set of 1,500g carbon wheels and the change wasn't massive in terms of acceleration or when climbing. The Fulcrums are solid, too, and will take plenty of abuse.

When it comes to the tyres, Merlin has specced Continental Ultra Sport tyres, which are typical on a bike of this price. They are a good compromise when it comes to grip vs longevity, puncture resistance vs rolling resistance and cost vs performance.

They aren't exceptional in any one particular way, but they do all things well without any compromises. If you ride your bike in all weathers they are a good safe bet.

Value for money

When the Cordite Disc was first launched it had an RRP of £1,850 and at that price I'd say it was decent value. The Trek Emonda SL 5 would set you back £1,800 for a similar build, albeit with a very good alloy frame.

While we don't often review bikes at their discounted prices, Merlin has confirmed that the £1,279 'discounted' price of the Cordite is here to stay, which changes things quite a bit. At this price it's a very good bike indeed when you add everything together.

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A decent frame and excellent finishing kit for just a little over a grand compares well to the Boardman SLR 8.9 Carbon, which Mat thought was very good, with a Shimano Tiagra groupset and rim brakes for just £279 less. Add in the cost of hydraulic discs, especially those as good as 105, and you can see the value benefits.

Overall, the Cordite is the ideal bike for those who want a fast machine without the twitchy traits of a race bike. It's fun to ride, and as long as you are happy to accept a bit of road buzz, it's a very good deal.

Verdict

Very good all-rounder with a great balance of fun and stability – a quick bike for any ability