The Merida we have here is, give or take a couple of component tweaks, the same bike used by Lampre-Merida in 2016. While this bike is painted in Lampre-Merida colour, and Merida now supply the new Bahrain-Merida team, the frame remains the same for 2017. We expect to see Bahrain-Merida on the Scultura Disc at some point this season.

The frame

Let’s take a closer look at that frame, then. Merida offer the Scultura Disc in two varieties: the CF4 and CF2. The former is the pro-level frame of the Scultura Disc Team and it comes with a claimed weight of 900g and the kind of aggressive geometry you’d expect from a bike ridden at the highest level. Whereas the CF4 is pitched squarely at racers, the CF2, which still comes with a claimed frame weight of less than 1kg, offers a more accessible entry into the Scultura Disc range, thanks to the more relaxed geometry.

The Scultura Disc looks very similar to the rim brake version but Merida have tweaked the carbon layup around the fork and rear triangle to account for the one-sided braking forces that come from discs. The chainstays have also been extended by 8mm to offer more tyre clearance (the Scultura Disc comfortably takes a 28mm tyre, as fitted on our test bike), but that’s only an increase from 400mm to 408mm, helping to keep the handling lively and the acceleration snappy.

The ride

With disc brakes and 28mm tyres, the Scultura Disc Team is the epitome of a progressive race bike in 2017. Its most satisfying quality, however, is that it feels just as a race bike should – the frame responds exceptionally well to accelerations, whether digging in on a seated attack or rising out of the saddle and sprinting. That, combined with the fast but assured handling, means the Scultura Disc is an exhilarating bike to ride.

While road bike tyres are undoubtedly getting wider, 25mm is still very much the standard for race bikes. Our Scultura Disc Team came with 28mm Continental Grand Prix 4000S II tyres, and while that means the Scultura feels like it is floating a little more than a raw race bike on narrower tyres, that has no obvious negative impact on speed or handling.

In fact, the Scultura Disc is deceptively fast. Harsh bikes that clatter over every bump in the road can sometimes feel fast, as a result of the aggressive ride, but that’s not also evident in your actual speed – it’s just tiring mentally and physically. The Scultura Disc has the opposite effect. Think Usain Bolt at his wonderfully languid best.

The specification

The Scultura’s disc brakes take centre stage here, with the Team equipped with Shimano’s non-series, flat mount RS805 calipers. Those calipers and the accompanying ST-R785 shifters provide brilliant performance – the braking is smooth and progressive, and you only need a fingertip to drop the anchor.

The derailleurs, cassette and chain also come from Shimano’s Dura-Ace 9070 groupset and shifting is as clean and crisp as you’d expect from the Japanese firm’s flagship, race-ready setup. The best thing about Di2 is the way the groupset shifts under heavy load – it’s clinical, in that regard.

There’s no Dura-Ace chainset, though – instead you’ll find a Rotor 3D noQ unit, with semi-compact chainrings. We’d prefer a matching Dura-Ace chainset but the Lampre-Merida team partnered with Rotor and that’s evident in the Spanish firm’s appearance here. The semi-compact chainrings are ideal for a race bike for the consumer masses (we use the word ‘masses’ lightly in regard to a £6,500 bike, but the point is this exact machine isn’t being raced in the WorldTour) and provide a balanced spread of gears for top-end speed and low-end climbing, especially with the 11-28t chainset.

The Fulcrum Racing Quattro Carbon DB wheels are excellent all-round hoops, with the 40mm-deep rim offering an aerodynamic benefit without being overly affected by crosswinds. The wheels spin up well and offer plenty of stiffness, and the 17mm internal rim width (24.2mm external) is a great match for the 28mm Continental Grand Prix 4000S II tyres. They’re not the lightest at 1,605g, but they’re a decent match for the Scultura.

FSA provide the K-Force carbon fibre handlebar and stem, as well as the OS99 stem, which is made from aluminium and wrapped in carbon. The spec sheet is completed by a colour-matched Prologo Scratch 2 T2.0 saddle.

Conclusion

The Merida Scultura Disc Team is a beautifully balanced machine which offers an exciting and rewarding ride, alongside the assured braking of disc brakes and comfort that comes with clearance for wide tyres. While it is carrying a little extra weight compared to a similarly top-end rim brake bike, you still can’t escape the compelling ride.

Pros

• Beautiful balance of stiffness and comfort
• Fast but assured handling
• Top-end spec

Cons

• Disc brakes mean a little extra weight