This new 5th-gen Merida Reacto is the brand’s fastest-ever aero road bike. In fact, it’s also one of the world’s fastest bikes, topping every single bike so far in a popular cycling industry GST wind tunnel comparison. But the new aero bike does much more than simply going fast.
It also puts a lot of value on all-conditions versatility with room for up to 32mm tires. And it delivers remarkable comfort with smart vibration-damping designs. Plus, it delivers surprising affordability, too. Sure, it does have three top-tier models that cost over €11K. But there is a complete bike that sells for literally <25% of that top-tier model, and yet has exactly the same aero frameset performance!
2026 Merida Reacto 5 comfortable carbon aero road bike
Merida’s road racing Reacto has been around for 15 years. But it feels like the last two generations since 2018 & 2021 really took it to the next level with deeper tube shapes and sleek integration. In fact, the outgoing Reacto 4 still looks and feels fast compared to modern race bikes. But in large part thanks to both newer UCI frame regulations and Merida’s own improved carbon manufacturing, they were able to go back to the drawing board to build a faster AND more versatile road race bike.
New performance goals
For the new Reacto 5, Merida set four key goals… and then delivered on all of them.
- break the 200W barrier, based on the TOUR Magazine test in the GST wind tunnel
- lose weight to achieve a real 6.8kg race-ready weight, without compromising stiffness
- maintain or improve rider comfort over rough roads
- increase tire clearance to 32mm
<200W in the GST wind tunnel
The German TOUR Magazine benchmark aerodynamics test calculates weighted drag, measured in the GST wind tunnel from -20° to +20° yaw angles with a lower body dummy pedaling at 45km/hr. So far, only two bikes tested have come in under 200W – the 2022 Simplon Pride II at 199W and the 2025 Storck Aerfast.5 Pro 1x at 198W. Some others haven’t yet been tested, like the latest Factor that is likely to come under 200W, as well.
Now, the new Merida Reacto One hits 196W with a virtual 2x build with a Classified rear hub. But even the all-rounder Reacto 10K build and lighter Reacto Team spec still come in at just 202W & 203W with 2x groupsets, respectively. Even the most affordable Reacto 4000 at only 2800€ measured just 215W, with low-profile alloy wheels, a conventional cockpit & mechanical 105 2x. Not bad considering the top of the outgoing Reacto 4 measured 210W.
How did it get more aero?
Newer UCI rules gave Merida’s engineers more freedom to deepen tube sections. But instead of just making thinner, deeper airfoils, Merida spent the past few years looking at where aero shaping mattered the most. And to solve their aerodynamics problem, they tapped the specialists at Reynolds to step up the CFD capabilities. And to study frame shaping in detail, in 2D sections, in 3D models, and then repeatedly in the wind tunnel over 4 years.
The result, the new bike actually gives more room to the front & rear wheels to allow for smoother airflow. And the same, pulling the downtube back away from the fork crown. Tighter frame-to-wheel spacing only sometimes lowered drag, but even varying tires created more problems. Instead, more space meant smoother airflow.
Merida found a similar outcome with integrating bottles. Instead, they are working on a solution (likely ready by the end of the year) that will have a special aero bottle cage designed for an aero bottle in the fastest solution, but also compatible with a standard bottle, too.
Team CW 1P aero cockpit
As for cockpit, they reduced drag with an all-new 1-piece Merida bar & stem that is said to shave 5W itself compared to the Vision Metron 5D Evo. But didn’t sink the stem deep into the frame, which added weight without much aero benefit.
The new Merida Team CW 1P aero cockpit is an interesting story. Merida spent a few years developing an ultra-narrow integrated carbon bar, only to have new UCI 2026 regulations make its two narrower sizes illegal for pro racing. Most Reacto buyers could still happily run the narrower bars. But Merida went back to the drawing board to add a fourth size that will be UCI approved. And only the top two bike builds come with the current UCI-approved bar that is 305mm at the hoods, flared generously at 17.5° to 400mm at the drops.
Weight saving diet
Merida says they reduced weight by over 100g vs. the outgoing frame. Just 11g of that is from the new top-level CF5 carbon frame at 950g, paired to an incrementally heavier 475g fork. Most of the weight savings comes from the totally redesigned super narrow & deep aero seatpost. As well, from its much-improved 2-bolt expander seatpost clamp that is now more accessible from the flat back of the seattube.
Again, there’s a lower spec CF3 frame and fork (1185g & 519g, respectively) that adds weight with a more affordable carbon material, but matches the CF5 on all stiffness measures. Even the lower cost frame shares identical shaping, so if hits the exact same aero performance numbers, too.
As comfy as ever
The previous Reacto was already surprisingly comfortable, and the new Merida Reacto 5 carries that over. One real signature comfort feature is the big S-flex cutout at the top of the deep aero seatpost, putting a halt to the inherent ride stiffness of an aero post, tech that has been in every Reacto post since 2011. This new version goes to zero-offset, with a more secure 2-bolt head and a new soft rubber cover that makes it easier to adjust the saddle. Plus, there’s a new optional rechargeable Lezyne taillight that can securely fit into the S-flex cover for improved on-road visibility.
Another big boost in rider comfort comes from the unique riser shape of the new Team CW 1P integrated cockpit. The lower stem design helps smooth airflow, but those angled ramps up to the flats & tops of the bar do a great job of filtering out road buzz while retaining handling stiffness, even with narrower bars.
And let’s not forget, 32mm tire clearance is always a good way to add more comfort on those cobbled classics days, even if most riders will stick to 28-30mm tires for most riding.
MY2027 Merida Reacto 5 – Pricing, options & availability
The new Merida Reacto 5 comes in 7 sizes in 10 different complete bike build options, spreading across a huge price range, depending on your market.
Interestingly, there are even three completely different flagship builds created, so the top-tier rider gets the most out of a bike specific to how they ride. Reacto One for the aero obsessed. Reacto Team for the weight weenie. And the classic Reacto 10K for the all-rounder in-between.
Top-tier CF5 builds
At £10k / 11,500€, the Reacto One is the most aerodynamic and the most expensive, combining a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 build, a 1x Rotor power meter crankset, a Classified Powershift rear hub inside a set of 66mm deep DT Swiss ARC wheels, and the new Team CW 1P cockpit (7.4kg, M claimed).
As more of a super fancy road all-rounder, the £9500 / 11k€ Reacto 10K gets SRAM Red 2x with a power meter, 60mm Reynolds Blacklabel wheels, and the new Merida cockpit (7.2kg, M claimed).
Lastly at the top, for the same £9500 / 11k€ price, you could also pick the lightest build with Dura-Ace Di2 2x, carbon-spoked Vision Metron RS 60 wheels, and a lighter Vision Metron 5D EVO integrated cockpit (7.1kg, M claimed).
Next up is a solid value at £7500 / 8750€ Reacto Pro that still gets Dura-Ace Di2 and cheaper 4iiii power meter, integrated Vision cockpit & more affordable spec aero DT Swiss ARC 65mm carbon wheels.
The last to share the same top lightest CF5 frameset as those four, there’s also the Reacto 9000 for £6250 / €7250 with Ultegra Di2, a power meter & Reynolds Blacklabel 60 carbon wheels.
More affordable CF3 bike builds
Then prices start to get more affordable with the CF3 frameset. The Reacto 8000 for £5000 / €5750 gets Ultegra Di2, Reynolds AR 60 carbon wheels, and the Metron 5D EVO cockpit, but no powermeter. Then, the Reacto 7000 for £4750 / €5500 gets a SRAM Rival AXS 2x build, 2-piece Merida Team SL bar & stem, and Vision SC 60 carbon wheels. The Reacto 6000 for £3800 / €4400 gets 105 Di2 and the entry-level aero Vision SC 60 carbon wheels. Next up, the Reacto 5000 for £3000 / €3500 gets 105 Di2 and mid-profile alloy Vision Team 35 wheels.
And lastly, the Reacto 4000 for £2400 / €2800 gets mechanical 105 & alloy Merida wheels.
The new Reacto is available now globally, pretty much everywhere except the USA.
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