Merckx EMX-525 are going to be raced by the Topsport Flanders/Mercator professional team in 2013, thus it’s its race credentials, however however can it fare on sportives and grandmother fondos?
Apparently designed throughout serious curve apportionment, the 525 is additional industrial than organic, with flats and straight lines all over; solely the refined curve of the pinnacle tube is out of line. Designed only for electronic shifting, the wheeler is unlittered by cabling, though there’s most occurring with the geometric stepped stays, angular tubes and strapping fork that the Ultegra Di2 groupset is sort of lost.
Warming up, we have a tendency to were instantly aware however rigid the 525 is, entirely afraid over our hole-spattered roads. If the kinked seatstays induce flex then it’s smallest, and overrun by the strong frame. however fast, the muscular uneven chainstays and down tube area unit quite a match for our legs, with fast-twitch reactions and billowing drive.
The wheels area unit less immediate, and though Fulcrum’s sport Quattros punch higher than their weight, a £300 wheelset clearly doesn’t do the 525 justice. On the positive facet, with a comparatively shallow profile they’re no downside in a very whirling wind. They conjointly keep the worth realistic for a motorcycle with a frameset that prices nearly 3 grand, specced with Ultegra Di2, and for winter riding they create horse sense, particularly as riders with a budget of over
£4K would possibly well already own a quite tight wheelset. Even with wheels below the calibre of the bike, the 525 encompasses a steamroller-like ability to carry its line and barrel across rough roads, whereas solid, certain handling keeps it all at once in a very similar vein to the S5.
After perennial interval batterings we have a tendency to were convinced of the frame’s sport potential, and larger take a look at riders significantly appreciated its relentless character, however we have a tendency to were all desire for higher hoops.
Reference = bikeradar
