Merida eSpresso CC 675

The Merida eSpresso CC 675 is aimed at riders who want an electric bike that copes with broken tarmac, towpaths and the odd gravel lane, not just a smooth commute. Its low-step aluminium frame makes getting on and off straightforward whether you're nipping to the shops in work clothes or heading out for a longer ride, and the equipment fitted from new means you're not adding a shopping list of accessories before you can use it properly.

What "CC 675" actually means

It's worth clearing up one thing early: the 675 in the name is Merida's model designation, not the battery size. This build, officially listed as the eSPRESSO CC 675 EQ and part of the eSPRESSO CC LITE III generation, carries a 750Wh battery built into the frame by Trendpower. UK retailers commonly add a "2024" label to their listings, but that isn't an official model year confirmed by Merida's own current listing, so don't read too much into it when comparing offers; just make sure the size and equipment match what's described here.

Motor, battery and what range looks like in practice

Power comes from a Shimano EP6 mid-drive motor rated at 85Nm, paired with wide-range 1x11 gearing from Shimano's CUES groupset, an 11-50 tooth cassette against a single 38-tooth chainring. That combination gives you a genuinely low gear for climbing with assistance topped up, and a single shifter to think about rather than two. The 750Wh battery is removable, so you can bring it indoors to charge using the supplied 4A charger if there's no power near where you store the bike. On real-world figures, independent testing on a matching build returned around 50 miles across two hilly rides, 50.167 miles and 49.04 miles, with 858 metres and 735 metres of climbing respectively, and a full recharge took 6 hours 15 minutes. Those are results from specific test rides rather than a promised range for every rider, but they're a useful reference point for planning journeys longer than a short commute.

Ready for commuting from day one

Full mudguards, front and rear lights, a frame lock, a kickstand and a MIK HD rear carrier with a spring clip are all fitted as standard, which matters if you're using this as year-round transport rather than a fair-weather leisure bike. The MIK HD label means the carrier is set up to accept compatible MIK-standard accessories, but it's worth knowing that on its own it doesn't confirm a child-seat approval or a specific load rating for the carrier, so treat it as a practical pannier and bag carrier rather than assuming it covers every accessory you might want to fit.

Comfort on rough surfaces, with a tarmac trade-off

The 75mm-travel SR Suntour MOBIE A32 coil fork, complete with a lockout for smooth roads, and the 40mm-travel JD SP79 suspension seatpost are there to take the edge off potholes, cobbles and rutted tracks, while the 27.5 x 2.25-inch Maxxis Crossmark II tyres add genuine grip on the earthy or gravel sections this range is aimed at. Independent testing on a matching build found the flip side of that: the same tyres that grip well off-road felt noticeably slower and less lively on smooth tarmac, so if the bulk of your riding is fast, paved commuting with only occasional rough sections, it's a trade-off worth knowing rather than a fault.

Choosing against the eSpresso CC 575

Merida also lists the eSpresso CC 575 EQ, which shares this bike's eSPRESSO CC LITE III frame, the same Shimano EP6 motor and the same 750Wh battery, so the core assistance and range should feel similar between the two. The difference sits in two components: the CC 575 uses an SR Suntour NVX30 DS fork and Shimano MT-200 brakes, where the CC 675 steps up to the MOBIE A32 fork and Shimano's MT410-3A two-piston brakes. If braking feel and fork specification matter more to you than trimming cost, the 675 is the more capable of the two builds.

Sizing, weight and everyday ownership

Merida's current UK listing names four sizes for this low-step frame, XS through to L, each with its own published geometry, but it doesn't include a rider-height or inseam chart to go with them. That means fit here is best judged from the reach, stack and standover figures for each size rather than a generic height recommendation Merida hasn't provided for this build.

On weight, Merida's own listing puts this build at approximately 28.57kg, though the size and setup used for that figure aren't specified. An independently tested example of the same build came in heavier, at 30.20kg fully equipped. Either way, it's a substantial bike once you add the fitted mudguards, lights, lock and carrier, so think about how you'll store and lift it, particularly if steps or a raised doorstep are involved.

None of that weight goes to waste, though: with lights, a frame lock, mudguards and a carrier already fitted, it's ready to be locked up outside a shop or leant against a wall while you nip in for milk, without needing to carry a separate lock or clip-on lights just to leave it for a few minutes.