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Merida eBig Nine 500 EQ review

Middle motor. Priced at $4499.

CHOICE Expert Rating

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CHOICE Expert Rating

This is the product's overall performance score, based on key tests conducted by our industry experts in the CHOICE labs.

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The product's best features and benefits

Bad points

Drawbacks or issues you need to know about
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Bike type View more details.

Electric bike types include tour, commuter and mountain bikes.

Tour
Frame type View more details.

Whether the bike is full frame or low step. Full frame means the bike has a cross bar you have to lift your leg over, while low step means the bike has no cross bar and it's easier to get on.

Full frame
Recommended View more details.

We recommend e-bikes that score over 75%.

CHOICE Expert Rating View more details.

The CHOICE Expert Rating, our overall score, is a combination of the comfort, ease of use and accuracy scores. The scores are weighted as follows: Pedal assistance score (15%), braking score (15%), turning and low speed score (10%), ride comfort score (10%), handling score (10%), controls score (10%), battery use (on-bike) score (10%), battery use (off-bike) score (10%) and display score (10%).

Pedal assistance score View more details.

How well does the motor assist when pedaling?

Braking score View more details.

How quickly does the e-bike respond to the cyclist's braking action.

Turning and low speed score View more details.

How well does the bike perform in uphill and slow riding?

Comfort score View more details.

How well does the bike perform on bumpy and rough surfaces?

Handling score View more details.

This includes ease of mounting, dismounting, off-bike handling (walking the bike), safety and comfort.

Controls score View more details.

How easy is the controller and display to use?

On-bike battery score View more details.

How well does the battery perform for access and charging when on the bike.

Off-bike battery score View more details.

How well does the battery perform for access and charging when removed from the bike.

Display score View more details.

Our tester looks at the quality of the screen and menu items.

Comments
Availability View more details.

'Tested model' means the bike was tested most recently in our labs, whereas 'Discontinued model' means these models were tested by Consumer NZ in 2022 with the performance information provided for interest but can't be directly compared to our latest test.

Discontinued model
Price View more details.

Recommended retail price as of the publication date.

$4499
Sizes available View more details.

Most bikes come in a variety of sizes, so make sure you choose one suitable for your height and build.

3
Weight (kg) View more details.

Configurations vary considerably, so while we give the weight on some of the bikes, they'll vary based on how you order the bike with regards to size, frame option and battery size. 

N/A
Motor brand
Shimano
Motor model
STEPS e7000
Motor location View more details.

Usually the motor is located either where you peddle (mid) or at the rear of the bike.

Middle
Power (W) View more details.

How much power (Watts) is delivered to the bike. This can be limited in its speed delivery.

250
Max assist torque (Nm) View more details.

The higher the amount of torque generally means the more acceleration when assistance is needed.

60
Max assist speed (km/h)
32
Assist settings View more details.

Assist settings or modes are the level of settings, generally from 1 (the least amount of assistance) to 6 or above.

N/A
Battery size (Wh) View more details.

How many Watt hours does the battery have? This directly correlates with how long it will last in a constant stream of assist. The larger the battery, the more expensive it is to replace.

500
Battery location View more details.

Batteries are usually in the seat tube, rear or down tube.

Down tube
Wheel size (inches)
29
Tyre width (mm)
51
Mudguards View more details.

What the mudguard is made from.

Metal
Kickstand location View more details.

Where is the kickstand located on the bike?

Rear mount
Rear rack View more details.

Does the bike have a rear rack?

Yes
Lights View more details.

Does the bike come with lights?

Yes
Gears View more details.

How many gears can you cycle through and how are they changed? This is usually through a trigger or twist mechanism.

10 / Trigger
Suspension fork travel View more details.

Is there much fork suspension and how much can it travel? This is useful for smoothing out bumpy roads.

Yes
Suspension seatpost View more details.

Is there suspension built into the seat post? This is also good for bumpy roads.

No
Brakes View more details.

What kind of brakes are on the bike? Hydraulic and cable both have their pros and cons, though we prefer hydraulic.

Disc (Hydraulic)
Frame warranty (years) View more details.

The frame warranty is usually longer than the battery or motor.

N/A
Battery and motor warranty (years) View more details.

Some companies offer more than one year but don't expect more than 2 years warranty for either battery or motor.

N/A
Battery origin View more details.

The battery is sometimes made in a different country to the motor and frame.

N/A
Frame origin View more details.

The frame is sometimes manufactured in a different country to the motor and battery.

N/A
Motor origin View more details.

Country where the motor was made.

N/A
Walk mode View more details.

Some bikes have a walk mode where if you have to push the bike for whatever reason, it will still give some assist.

Yes
Thumb throttle View more details.

This is very handy to have if you're starting the bike from a hill or slope, as it allows you to trigger the assist, though it tends to be at a low acceleration.

No
Quick release seatpost View more details.

A quick release seatpost allows quick adjustment for different riders.

N/A
Quick release wheels View more details.

This feature allows you to either fix a puncture or also take a wheel with you to help discourage theft.

N/A
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