Merida sent the first Ninety-Six onto the race tracks in 2007. Now the time has come again and the new generation of this cross-country bike is entering the race. Slightly disguised as a prototype, it was already in action at the World Cup opener in Nove Mesto with Multivan Merida team rider José Hermida. According to him, the new Ninety-Six is a significant step forward for the team riders, as the bike is even more consistently designed for racing.

The consistent racing design includes, among other things, the adaptation of geometry and rear triangle kinematics to 1x11 shifting systems, which are used in racing. However, Merida still offers the option of mounting a 2x system. The consistent design also includes the lower weight, which is partly due to the new position of the rear shock. Mounted under the top tube, this also results in a more direct connection for the remote system. This also makes the linkage of the rear shock more direct, which should significantly improve power transmission - in other words, generate less pedal influence on the rear shock.

Merida has integrated the lines and cables on its latest model. Their "Smart Entry" technology allows for easy installation and then clamps the cables at the same time. The internal routing can also be used to route the Di2 cables for the electronic Shimano XTR groupset. Furthermore, the Ninety-Six comes with 29 or 27.5-inch wheels, depending on the frame size. This is a big plus for smaller riders, who are often better served by smaller wheels than larger ones.