Merida have unveiled their new TimeWarp bike, suitable for both time trial and triathlon use.
A key feature of the TimeWarp is the ability to adjust the height of the front end by inserting a large green wedge at the top of the head tube.
This allows the stem to be raised by 40mm without the use of extra spacers. Merida say the wedge system is more aerodynamic than using spacers, as well as being less flexy when cornering.
Merida’s head of design Juergen Falke, an Ironman competitor, set out to create a frame which balanced aerodynamics and efficiency, and could be fine-tuned for different riders. See the video on this page for an explanation from Juergen Falke.
Here's the Time Warp in high mode
Here's the Time Warp in low mode
Time trial riders can remove the wedge to position the bars extremely low, while long-distance triathletes can wedge the bars to a more comfortable level, without any loss of stiffness and without spoiling the bike's appearance with a stack of spacers.
Frames will be available in October for £2,399.99 and full bikes will be on sale in January 2010 at £5,299.99.
