Merida SILEX 500

Merida SILEX 500

Adventure-ready attitude in spades. The SILEX 500 gives you our confident and comfortable aluminium adventure gravel frame with comfort and control enhancing 45 mm Maxxis tyres paired with functional and reliable kit such as SRAM's Apex 1x12-speed wide-range drivetrain with hydraulic disc brakes and Reynolds G30 wheels. The upright riding position gives you mountain bike-style off-road ability with the go far, go fast sensibility the SILEX family is renowned for.

The SILEX turns any ride into an adventure, whether you’re on a multi-day gravel bikepacking mission or just taking the fun route to work. With multiple test wins, press accolades, industry awards and even a World Championship title under its belt, our SILEX takes the off-road capability of gravel bikes to new heights, thanks to a slacker head angle and boosted tyre clearance of up to 700x45 mm or even 42 mm with fenders. We've combined that confident mountain bike-inspired handling with all-surface versatility so that it is utterly stable when loaded up with luggage but still fast and fun when you put the hammer down. With carbon and aluminium frame options, there's a SILEX to suit every budget, but they all share the multiple mounting points for fork cages, water bottles and accessories and other features that make this drop-bar do-everything machine so versatile. We’ve added our sleek WIRE PORT cable routing for improved looks – and fewer cables to catch on with a handlebar bag – and the carbon fibre fork used on all models now has more cargo mounts plus internal routing for a dynamo hub. 

• Award winning aluminium frame with dropped chainstay for 700x45 mm clearance
• WIRE PORT internal cable routing for clean looks and scuff free bag fitting
• Relaxed head angle and MTB-style geometry for off-road stability
• Multiple mounting points for cages, bags and fenders
• Carbon fork with cargo mounting points and routing for dynamo hub
• SRAM Apex 1x12-speed wide range gravel groupset

• PROLITE 66 TRIPLE BUTTED ALUMINUM - When creating high-end aluminium frames, we use our proven PROLITE 66 (6066) aluminium, as it is incredibly light and durable. In addition, it works exceptionally well with our hydroforming technology, allowing us to create complex shapes, featuring triple butted wall thicknesses, an almost carbon-like appearance and the best possible stiffness-to-weight ratio. While lesser alloys might be cheaper, it is the ideal choice for high-performance bicycle frames.
  HFS - HYDRO FORMING SYSTEM - ‘C-Mount’ equipped bikes have the fixing points for a rear rack already integrated (some bikes require model specific rear rack), making fitting fast, simple and reliable. 
• X-TAPER HEADTUBE - Steering precision is vital to safe and confident handling, and the X-TAPER HEADTUBE allows us to significantly boost this precision. A larger headset diameter at the bottom paired with a smaller one at the top helps to deal with the strains modern riding and equipment can put on the headtube, all without adding unnecessary weight. It allows tapered forks to be fitted with ease and delivers precise and confidence-inspiring steering.
• SMOOTH WELDING - This is a process we use to give a nice flat finish to our welds instead of the scaled, 'stack of coins' effect TIG welded joints often have. The welder uses the welding torch to go over the joint twice, helping to smooth out the filler material. It takes a lot of skill to do this, but it delivers strong and smart-looking frames that have the appearance of a carbon fibre frame at first look.
• INTERNAL CABLE ROUTING - On the majority of our frames, we run the gear and brake cables and hoses through the frame. The cables enter and exit the frame through smooth sockets, or we use one of our other systems like SMART ENTRY or WIRE PORT to be routed through. Running the cables inside the frame protects them from the elements, gives a clean and neat look and can offer aerodynamic advantages.
• DOWN TUBE EXIT - DOWN TUBE EXIT is a feature seen on some of our frames with internally routed cables. By slightly overlapping the downtube where it connects to the bottom bracket, it leaves a small space that allows cables to exit easily. This means they are easily accessible for routine maintenance or replacement, but it prevents excessive movement and noise that can cause wear and distraction.
• DI2 READY - Shimano's Di2 electronic shifting system offers fast, smooth and reliable shifting. In particular, in the road world, it has proven itself as the primary choice when top performance is at the top of the agenda. With that in mind, we have a broad selection of performance road frames that are Di2 READY and can accommodate the electrical cable, battery and other little tweaks that the system requires.
• F-MOUNT - Being able to turn your bike into an all-weather commuter that has mudguards and other fittings can be a real plus, in particular when riding on wet and perhaps muddy roads and tracks on a regular basis. To make fitting easy, some of our bikes are F-MOUNT equipped. These integrated fittings mounts make adding mudguards fast and simple. Please note that some bikes require model-specific mudguards.
• C-MOUNT - Similar to our F-MOUNT, where various fixing points for mudguards are part of the frame offering, the C-MOUNT equipped bikes have the fixing points for a rear rack already integrated, making fitting fast, simple and reliable. The C-MOUNTS are an additional feature that improves the day-to-day versatility by adding loading capacity to your bike, ideal for commuting and shopping trips. Please note that some bikes require model-specific rear racks.
• DISC COOLER - Used on our carbon fibre road and gravel bikes, DISC COOLER is a finned piece of forged aluminium that sits between the brake calliper and frame. The aluminium piece helps to draw heat from the braking system and radiates it away quickly. It reduces the temperatures by up to 35% and helps to keep your brakes working at their best for improved control and performance on long descents and under heavy braking.
• WIRE PORT - MERIDA designed headsets that enable all control cables from the handlebar to enter the frame through the headset cover, creating a clean and uncluttered look, allowing for a lighter, stronger and more aerodynamic frame structure than with conventional cable ports. Depending on the model, the cables are run completely internally (including the bar and stem) or semi-integrated, where the cables enter the frame underneath the stem.