The bicycle market experiences new trends every so often, and in recent years, mountain biking has taken the world by storm. What makes it so captivating is the ability to traverse forest trails—an intense experience that demands considerable physical effort, yet rewards riders with breathtaking scenery unmatched by other sports.
At this year’s Taipei International Auto & Bike Show, major brands unveiled their flagship models, among which the highly talked-about Merida top-tier full-suspension electric-assist mountain bike, the eONE-SIXTY 900E, won the gold award at the IF Taipei Cycle d&i Design Innovation Awards. Xu Shih-yen, Deputy General Manager of Merida’s domestic sales division, noted that electric-assist technology has matured significantly in recent years, even becoming available for mountain bikes. This greatly reduces the physical strain of riding, enabling more people to take up the sport.
In the past, mountain bike chainrings typically came with three gears paired with a rear cassette, offering up to 30 speeds. While this provided a wide range of gears, riders had to use both hands to shift between the front and rear gears. Xu Shih-yen explained that this year the focus has been on the drivetrain: the chainring setup has been reduced to a single ring with a smaller diameter and fewer teeth, while the cassette can now have up to 12 gears. Although it may seem like there are only 12 speeds, the gear ratio is larger, delivering excellent torque output. Moreover, shifting is now done with a single hand, greatly simplifying the complexity of riding.