The Merida Big Nine 500 is the perfect hardtail mountain bike for those riders that are starting to look at performance mountain bikes. It is equipped with the 2019 RaceLite 6061 Aluminum frame, which is a lighter and more advanced frame than previous years. The frame is lighter, yet stiffer because of additional heat treatment and double-butted wall thickness. While the tapered head tube with 1 1/8″ bearings in the top and 1 1/4″ or 1 1/2″ in the bottom also improves stiffness and steering.A 20 speed Shimano Deore drivetrain takes care of shifting duties, providing crisp shifts and reliability. Braking is also taken care of by Shimano, with hydraulic discs front and rear so you can have the confidence to push the limits when you ride. The Merida Big Nine 500 is a great bike to take your mountain biking from casual and recreational to entry level cross country racing or performance based riding. The range of high quality Shimano parts and the Merida Big Nine TFS Frame will give you reliability and performance that will last through all the challenges you can give it on the trails.