eBIG.SEVEN 2022

The 2022 Merida eBIG.SEVEN is the brand's entry-level full-power hardtail eMTB, the 27.5 (650b) little sibling to the 29er eBIG.NINE. It is built around a lightweight aluminium eBIG.SEVEN LITE frame with an externally mounted battery, a 100 mm SR Suntour XCM32 DS coil fork and Maxxis Ikon tyres front and rear. Merida classes it as a Category 3 XC and Trail machine with genuine mountain bike geometry, pitched equally at weekend trail riding and the daily commute.

The core model is the 300 SE, which pairs Shimano's value-focused STEPS E7000 drive unit (60 Nm) with a 504 Wh Shimano E8010 external battery, a 9-speed Shimano Alivio drivetrain and Shimano MT200 hydraulic brakes, all for a UK RRP of 2,750 pounds and a claimed 22.56 kg. A running-change build, the 300 SE EP6, keeps the same price and chassis but swaps to the Shimano EP6 motor and a Shimano EN605 504 Wh pack in XS and S sizes. Sitting above them, the LTD steps up to the more powerful Shimano EP8 unit (85 Nm) and a larger 630 Wh Shimano E8016 battery, though it is fitted with more basic Tektro M275 brakes.

Geometry is relaxed and short, as expected of a budget XC hardtail: a 68 degree head angle, 73.5 degree seat angle and a compact wheelbase from 1104 to 1125 mm across the XS to M sizes, with reach figures around 400 to 416 mm. This is a beginner-friendly, do-it-all commuter-capable hardtail rather than an aggressive trail bike. No independent owner or long-term reliability data was gathered for this dossier, so the notes here are limited to the verified specification.