Sunday, July 17, 2016

Merida Reacto 4000: Part 3 - Full Components Specifications

After taking the effort to disassemble and clean all the bike components on the Merida Reacto 4000, it is time to assemble back everything. Also, it is a good chance to take a look at the stock specifications for this bike.

Part 1: Introduction and Disassembly
Part 2: Disassembly (continued) and Restoration

Other than cleaning the disassembled components, the bike frame was also cleaned and waxed to get a nice glossy finish. Here are the pictures showing the results!

Large downtube with bottle cage bosses

After waxing the frame for a couple of times with Hi Glaze 88, it is now glossy, maybe even more than the original condition!

View of the rear triangle

View of the seat tube. All clean and glossy.

The D-shaped aerodynamic seat post, with the special rubber insert for added comfort

Hidden seat post clamp for a clean appearance. Works well with no slippage.

Now, let's take a look at the component specifications for this bike. Before the cleanup, it was not ideal for highlighting the various components as they are too dusty. With all the components cleaned and restored, this is the best time to show the component specifications.

Shimano 105 5800 2x11 speed road shifters. Reliable performance at a great price point.

The damaged silver name plate was changed to a new one

Controltech aluminium stem. This seems to be a 110mm length stem.

Internal cable routing, with the shifter cables running into the top of the top tube, through a plate specially designed for this purpose.

Tektro direct mount brakes, works OK but lacks power and smoothness compared to Shimano direct mount brakes.

One way to improve braking power is to change out the original Tektro brake pads, to the Shimano brake pads taken off from the Shimano Ultegra 6800 brake calipers.

The rear section of the rear brake caliper outer casing was changed out to a new section, as shown here. It exits from the side of the downtube and routes in a smooth curve to the rear brake caliper, which is mounted under the bottom bracket.

Another view of the hidden rear brake caliper. Maybe good for aerodynamics, but troublesome for adjustments, and braking feeling is not really good due to the longer and more complex cable routing.

FSA BB386 crankset with the Shimano 105 5800 front derailleur. All cleaned up and looking new.

View of the crankset from the left side

52/36T chainring combination, which is a popular mid-compact gearing nowadays. Shiny chain and clean chain rings.

Totally cleaned up drivetrain, front derailleur and bottom bracket area. Way different from the dusty condition when we first got the bike.

Shimano 105 5800 11 speed rear derailleur

Shimano 105 5800 11-28T 11 speed cassette, all clean and shiny again!

Even the tires and rims were cleaned by wiping with a wet rag. Looking new again! Continental Ultra Sport tires, 700x25C for a bit more comfort compared to 23C tires.

No more dusty spokes! The quick release axles were changed to Shimano QR for better clamping force. To see the difference between Good and Bad QR Axles, click here.

Overall weight of 9.0 kg without any accessories or pedals. Not lightweight, but acceptable for this aero setup, with a heavier frameset, heavier high profile wheels and also the not-so-lightweight Shimano groupset.

Front view of the restored Merida Reacto 4000

Looking fast with a small frontal area

Aero frame looks good with these high profile rims

With the bike fully restored, it looks like a brand new bike again!

All it needs now is to put on a pair of pedals, and it is ready to roll!

With this bike restoration, I have learnt more about this bike and the setup. For those who are considering an aero road bike with a good component specification, this is one bike you can consider. If you have a larger budget, you can consider the higher grade Merida Reacto 5000 which has Ultegra components.

4 comments:

  1. Nice post. I have the same bike. Any suggestions if you need to upgrade the wheelset?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think going for an aero wheelset would be a good idea.

      Delete
    2. I follow your blog for All your info about the scultura 5000 that i also have.

      But now i am considering changing the scultura for the reacto 4000 or 5000, mostly because i like a lot the look of the Aero frame over the lightweight.

      I use on the scultura a set of campy sciroccos that will use also on the reacto (if i finally do the change).

      I enjoy going as fast as i can on flats and descent, but also like long rides with climbs, Will it be much harder on climbs with the reacto? And not as good than the scultura for long rides? Did make any sense the change that i am considering?

      Well thax a lot in advance.

      Delete
    3. If the weight of the Reacto is similar to the Scultura, it will not affect the climbing. Also take note of the geometry. The Reacto might have a more aero geometry, meaning that the handlebar will be lower. This might make it less comfortable for longer rides. Best to compare the geometry on the Merida website.

      Delete

Every comment is moderated before publishing due to spam bots. If you don't see your comment yet, it is likely that it is currently being reviewed. Thank you for your patience!