Merlin GX-01 Shimano 105 R7000 Carbon Gravel Bike

The Merlin GX-01 is a snappy gravel bike with a really good frame and a solid component mix, and it's exceptional value for money, although the lack of mudguard/rack eyelets on the frame is likely to put off some potential buyers.

• Pros: Good frame and groupset, solid all-round handling, great price
• Cons: No mudguard/rack eyelets on frame

No frame eyelets? That's a missed opportunity, in my opinion. Granted, you get eyelets on the fork, but the lack of any at the rear of the bike seems odd. Yes, there are ways of attaching a rear mudguard and/or a rack without them. And yes, pure gravel race bikes tend to do without. However, the GX-01 is in a price bracket where it could appeal to those looking for an all-rounder to cover everything from adventure riding to long-distance commuting to winter road rides. The lack of eyelets just seems alienating to a slice of the potential market.

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I asked Merlin and the explanation was that the GX-01 is specced for gravel with an eye towards adventure biking. You can, of course, fit a handlebar bag, seatpost bag and frame pack (as below), and you could fit a more substantial rack on the fork.

"We wanted flexibility for potential adventuring while still keeping the smooth and uncluttered look," said Merlin.

I thought I'd start with that info because it might be a deal-breaker for you, in which case you can move on and enjoy your day. If you're not arsed either way, the GX-01 has a whole lot to offer.

The ride

This is a bike that feels great when you're bombing along over broken roads, be they gravel or just worn out tarmac. There's enough give in the slim (27.2mm diameter) Deda Zero1 6061 aluminium seatpost and skinny seatstays to keep you comfortable, although it's the 35mm Schwalbe G-One tyres that provide most of the cushioning. Those tyres also provide confident handling on gravelly/stony roads and are versatile enough to make a good fist of most other surfaces too (I'll come back to component details in a mo).

The fairly long wheelbase provides plenty of stability when the road surface is doing its best to knock you off line, and the riding position when you're resting on the hoods is one that you'll probably be able to hold all day long without any worries. The drops of Deda's Zero1 handlebar provide another comfortable position when you're looking for extra speed on the flat or more security over the bumps or on steep descents, while the Shimano 105 hydraulic disc brakes provide a shed-load of control even when your bike is soaked from hitting rain-filled potholes.

The GX-01 is light enough to feel reactive to increased effort and you never get the impression that it's holding you back on the climbs. The 50/34-tooth chainset matched with an 11-34-tooth cassette gave me all the gearing I really wanted for both tarmac and gravel. You might feel differently, of course, particularly if you're carrying a load, but I reckon this is a good range for this type of bike. The only time I ever spun out was on the occasional tarmac descent, never on gravel where things become a bit of a blur before you reach that point.

Anyway, Merlin builds up each bike individually so you can choose your own spec to some degree by picking from a range of options. If you wanted higher gearing, for example, you could have a 52/36t chainset and an 11-28t cassette. One thing to note, though: some of the options (including components on our test bike) are currently out of stock. Our test bike as built would cost £1,559, but the cheapest using in-stock parts is £1,681.50. Stock is being replaced all the time, so more options will be available.

Frame

Putting the question of eyelets to one side, the GX-01's frame is a high-quality offering. It's made from carbon-fibre (70 per cent 24 ton carbon, 25 per cent 30 ton carbon, 5 per cent liquid crystal polymer carbon) and the fork is full carbon too.

You get 12mm thru-axles front and rear (as opposed to open ended dropouts with quick release skewers), flat mount disc brakes and internal cable routing which has the dual benefit of looking neat while protecting cables from gunk thrown up from the road surface.

The GX-01 also comes with a threaded bottom bracket, which is a rarity. The vast majority of times a pressed-in BB works absolutely fine, but if you've ever had one that won't stop creaking you'll know it can be a nightmare. A threaded BB can creak too, of course, but you can usually cure it quite quickly, and when it is time for a new one the removal and replacing process is simple and the tools don't cost a fortune.

The frame comes with bridgeless seatstays and acres of clearance around the 35mm-wide tyres. There's easily enough space for a 40mm tyre in there, and the same is true of the fork.

I had the XL sized GX-01 in on test with a 580mm effective top tube, 580mm seat tube, and a 175mm head tube. The head angle is 72.5 degrees, the seat angle is 73 degrees, and the wheelbase is a middling length (for a gravel bike of this size) of 1,025mm.

The stack is 604mm and the reach is 390mm, giving a stack/reach ratio of 1.54, which is similar to that of the Wilier Jena gravel bike that I reviewed earlier in the year and many endurance road bikes. You get quite a lot of headset spacers to play with too: 35mm's worth on our review bike. Merlin also allows you to choose your own stem length and handlebar width so you should be able to get the position you're after.

Groupset

The groupset is Shimano's popular 105 which sits below Dura-Ace and Ultegra in the hierarchy and offers better value for money than either of them. Like the higher level groupsets – and unlike next-level-down Tiagra – 105 is an 11-speed system.

It has provided a flawless performance during a review period that has extended over several months (I've been busy, alright!). I've ridden this bike a few hundred miles over many types of terrain and in varied conditions and all I've had to do is index the gearing once by turning the rear derailleur's barrel adjuster. That's the type of maintenance I like.

The rear derailleur features Shimano's Shadow technology that's come over to the road from the mountain bike groupsets. It's significantly more compact than the previous derailleur and doesn't protrude so far outside the frame. This means it's better protected in the event of a crash although, thankfully, I've not had to put that to the test. Shifting is light and precise across the whole cassette and I don't remember dropping the chain once.

The 105 groupset extends as far as the hydraulic disc brakes which perform superbly. Acting on 160mm IceTech rotors, they provide all the power and modulation you need even on wet and grimy rides. I've certainly not found them wanting in any situation and, when the time comes, they're easy to bleed.

Wheels and tyres

The Fulcrum Racing Sport 77 wheels aren't especially remarkable but they've proven reliable over the test period with no loose spokes or any of those other teething problems you sometimes get. In fact, a quick check on the wheel jig shows they're still both perfectly round and true... None of which is particularly relevant to you because the only wheel option that Merlin currently offers is the Fulcrum Racing 6 DB. These wheels have the advantage of being 2Way Fit ready, meaning that you can run them tubeless, although Fulcrum says only with certain Schwalbe tyres.

Speaking of tyres, model selection is always crucial on a gravel bike and Merlin has done well to spec the 35mm Schwalbe G-One Allround here (the 38mm version and other models are also available, including tubeless Schwalbe options). These are versatile enough to perform well on a variety of different road surfaces, providing good grip on gravel and anything stony. The pimple-tread can occasionally struggle to gain traction if the gravel is deep and soft, and if it's mushy after a lot of rain you might find your wheels spinning on a steep climb, but for the most part they're very good. They're also pretty quick on tarmac and, let's face it, virtually every ride is going to involve some of that.

The tread works fine on hard-packed forest roads too, although it's too shallow to bite into mud that's in any way gloopy, which is fair enough because they're not designed for this. Take on a slippery trail and you're either going to have to take it steady or run the risk of landing on your butt.

If I have one criticism about the tyres it's that they're not the most durable in the world. Don't get me wrong, I've used them more on gravel and tracks than on the road and I've not experienced any significant cuts, but the tread has worn down faster than on some other tyres out there.

Money

The GX-01 had an original RRP of £2,169.99 but that has been reduced to £1,681.50 (with stock currently available), and Merlin assures us that it will not return to the original price.

The aluminium-framed Salsa Journeyman Apex reviewed by our sister site off.road.cc recently is £1,650. Apex is SRAM's fourth-tier road groupset. This is a lovely bike but it's let down by its weight – at 11.6kg, it's 2.6kg heavier than the Merlin – and the cable-operated disc brakes.

> Buyer's Guide: 22 of the best gravel and adventure bikes

The Vitus Substance CRX that we tested has a full-carbon frame and fork and a SRAM Apex 1 groupset. That bike is very good value but it's still over £100 more than the GX-01.

The Ribble CGR AL Shimano 105 is considerably cheaper at £1,399. Here you get a Shimano 105 groupset and Schwalbe G-One tyres, as you do with the Merlin, although the frame is aluminium. This is a hugely versatile and superb value bike for everything from gravel bashing to cyclo-cross and road commuting.

Conclusion

The Merlin GX-01 has plenty to recommend it, including a good frame and a high-quality groupset for the money. It offers stability, a decent level of comfort and plenty of control, all of which are valuable commodities on a gravel bike. Although it might sound trivial in the overall scheme of things, for me the deciding factor would be whether I wanted to fit mudguards and a rear rack for commuting or winter road riding. If you do, this bike doesn't make things easy for you. On the other hand, if those additions don't interest you, this is a great buy.

Verdict

Very good gravel bike that's exceptional value, but lack of eyelets for rear mudguard and rack dent its all-rounder potential