In the Taiga you will find the proven design features that have carried Merlin riders to countless international racing victories. Merlin's championship-winning geometry is used in all sizes to assure proper fit and balance. The Taiga's full sloping top tubes are generously proportioned to center your weight within the wheelbase for high-speed stability, while the suspension-adjusted head angles guarantee light, accurate steering response at any speed.

Down below, Merlin's famous large-diameter 7/8-inch chainstays are deployed in a new monostay configuration. Their Symmetribend shape accommodates all standard and compact-drive cranksets, yet they can also swallow 2.5-inch knobbies with room to spare. And their high lateral rigidity yields crisper handling, less tail-wagging, and a more efficient drivetrain than the thinner says found on lesser bikes.

The Taiga's 3/4-inch S-Bend seatstays also employ a monostay design for simplicity, light weight and lateral rigidity. The "give" in the stays provides better traction during steep climbs, and better wheel tracking over rough trails. Merlin's exclusive Centermount cantilever bosses sit squarely atop the stays for rock-solid brake action.

Anchoring the rear triangle are Merlin's trademark 6-4 vertical dropouts, the strongest available anywhere in the world.

What is most surprising about the Taiga, though, is its price. Simply put, pure Merlin performance has never been so affordable.