Having spent a week riding the Merida Scultura Team in the cycling buzz-location of Calpe, I’m happy to report this is an absolutely perfect bike for the sort of terrain on offer. We stayed in Altea, a little outside Calpe, and found it an ideal place to base ourselves for trip. When I say we, I'm referring to myself and Chris McKnight (Travel Counsellor), who planned the flights, accommodation, routes and more, faultlessly.
I wanted a bike which was on the other end of the spectrum to my aero bike (Cannondale SystemSix), mainly for travelling abroad, but also for those hilly days out in the Peak District. An out and out climbing bike, with a more classic aesthetic, the Merida Scultura Team is lightweight, responsive and really comfortable, despite it's racey geometry. I was super impressed with this bike - it offered no surprises, just exactly what you would expect for a top of the range bike. It was exceptional on the climbs, and the steeper the gradient, the more it seemed to excel. The handling was very secure and confidence inspiring; lightweight bikes have a tendency to be twitchy, but the Scultura felt extremely trustworthy on fast descents, and on rough terrain. Thanks to the awesome Vision Metron 45 SL wheelset with Continental 5000S TR 28 mm tyres, I had absolutely no problems holding speed on the flat...so much so that it made me consider whether I needed an aero bike at all.
The price of the Merida Scultura Team is absolutely outrageous, and was the first thing that drew me to selecting this brand; for £8,000 you pretty much have the best specification money can buy. For reference, this sort of spec on almost every other world tour bike brand is upwards of £12,000...I really don't know how Merida do it, but I'm not complaining! The paintwork is exceptional quality, and the design extremely cool. Seamless integration of the Merida Team SL 1P one-piece carbon cockpit with the frame, deep section carbon wheels and a stylish finish makes the Scultura hard to beat looks-wise. And the weight? My size Large weighed in at 7.2kg, which is pretty impressive considering the price, the size and the deeper wheels. You could easily get this bike below 7kg, with shallower wheels. One thing worth noting, the Merida Scultura comes up big - I usually ride a 58cm but the 56cm (Large), fit me well thanks to the long reach.
Day one riding in Calpe, and we immediately bumped into some lads from back home about a kilometer after setting off. Day two we bumped into Mathieu van der Poel (don't meet your heroes), rode for a while with FDJ (Matt Walls is a great guy) and did one of my most recommended climbs up to Porto de Bernia. We bumped into MVDP again on day three and he was very amiable, along with Matt Stevens. But more importantly, we rode with Team VB's very own Scott Quine, who ripped our legs off up Coll de Rates and Vall d'Ebo - two of the most iconic climbs in Calpe and both must-dos.
On Day four we rode up to Guadalest for a coffee, and ended up with a Team Jumbo-Visma rider who's name we didn't catch, (he didn't recognise us either), and three women from the Spanish National Team. Day five was a big day out with nearly 3000m of elevation in 140km, including the longest climb in Calpe - Port de Tudons which was about an hour at 3w/kg. The descent was incredible, and I'd also thoroughly recommend climbing and descending Peurto Confrides. Brushing swiftly over day six where I cracked and onto day seven, a perfectly planned cafe ride to the only cafe recommendation you need - Musette in Alcalali.
All of this tells you a few things. 1. How popular Calpe is as a cycling destination, and 2. How small the cycling world is.
The Scultura proved to be an exceptional companion for my week in Calpe (oh and Chris). Its combination of being super-lightweight, comfortable and trusty handling made it a joy to ride. Whether you’re climbing steep gradients, cruising through scenic routes, or navigating technical descents, this bike delivers world-tour performance and reliability. If you’re in the market for a high-performance road bike that excels in a hell of a lot of areas, the Merida Scultura Team is a worthy contender.
A huge thanks to Chris McKnight for planning an unforgettable trip. You can enquire about cycling and group holidays by emailing chris.mcknight@travelcounsellors.com or messaging him on Instagram, @chrismcknight___.
