Merida eFloat HD 700

The eFloat HD 700 is built to solve a specific commuting problem: you want to carry a proper shop, a laptop bag or bits and pieces for work without stepping up to the length and turning circle of a dedicated cargo bike. Merida's answer is a conventional-length utility e-bike with front and rear racks fitted as standard, a Bosch Performance Line CX motor doing the hard work, and a removable 800 Wh battery so you're not tied to charging it in situ. It's classed by Merida as a Category 2 Cross machine, which is a useful reminder that this is a loaded-commute tool rather than something aimed at technical off-road riding.

Two frames, two size ranges

There are two access-frame shapes to choose between, and they're not interchangeable in terms of who they fit. The higher-top-tube frame is offered in L and XL, while the lower-top-tube frame, sold as the eFLOAT HD L 700 EQ, is offered in S and M. If you're shorter or simply prefer a bike that's easier to step through when loaded with cargo, the lower-top-tube option is the one to look at; taller riders will find themselves in the higher-top-tube L or XL. Both frames were introduced by Merida in 2025, so if you see one listed with a 2026 shop year, that's a retailer date rather than evidence of a newer generation with different equipment. It's worth comparing the actual frame and fitted parts on any listing rather than assuming the year on the page tells you anything about the spec underneath. The lower-top-tube build is specified with a Bosch Kiox 500 display; that detail wasn't established for the higher-top-tube build, so if the display matters to you, check what's fitted to the specific bike you're considering.

What the drive and racks actually do for you

The Bosch CX motor is the same unit found on plenty of serious e-mountain bikes, so it's more than capable of handling a loaded pannier or two without feeling strained on the way up a hill. The 800 Wh battery is removable, which matters if you don't have a plug near where you store the bike, since you can carry it indoors to charge instead. The racks themselves are rated at 10 kg on the front and 40 kg on the rear, for 50 kg combined. That's a rack-load figure, not a statement about total rider-plus-bike weight, so it tells you what the racks can carry rather than anything about who can ride the bike. Gearing is handled by an 11-speed 11–50-tooth cassette with a 38-tooth chainring, which gives a wide enough spread to keep spinning up gradients even with weight on the back. Stopping power comes from four-piston Shimano CUES hydraulic brakes with 180 mm rotors front and rear, a sensible choice given how much heavier a loaded utility bike is than an unladen one.

Ready to ride, with one tyre detail worth knowing

Mudguards, lights, a kickstand and a frame lock are all fitted, which saves you buying and fitting them yourself if you're setting this up as a daily commuter. There's also a 150 mm dropper seatpost, useful for getting a foot down quickly at junctions or when you're stopped with cargo aboard. One thing to flag: the rims are described as tubeless-ready, but the tyres fitted are wired Schwalbe Energizer Plus Performance tyres, and the rim specification doesn't include the tape and valves you'd need to convert to tubeless. So tubeless-ready is a future option here, not something the bike arrives with. None of that changes how the bike performs day to day, but it's the kind of detail worth knowing if you were planning an early upgrade rather than budgeting for one later.