Merida Crossway L 300

The Merida Crossway 300L is a Jack-of-all-trades step-through hybrid, taking you from the weekly commute to weekends out in the countryside. It’s an easy, no-nonsense ride, with suspension and a gear range not found in its rivals.

The Crossway 300 L is the low step-through version of the Crossway 300, which we reviewed in 2023. The key differences are a change in geometry to include a step-through frame, 40mm rather than 45mm tyres, and an alternate saddle (the Merida Cross Sport).

Merida call it a ‘lightweight’ aluminium frame, and although you can easily find lighter non-step-through hybrids, the Merida is actually at the lighter end of the market when you rule out step-over designs.

This is because riders choosing a step-through model are usually looking for a more comfortable workhorse, and these bikes tend to get loaded up with stuff like panniers and kids.

The frame itself is well-built and neatly finished, and was supplied in ‘moss grey/green’ which is very on-trend if you want to match your bike to your wedding colour scheme (which is where I’ve most often seen sage green this year). Personally, I preferred the look of the slate grey, the other colour on offer.

There are XS, S and M options, and at 5ft 6in I found the medium a comfortable fit. The cables are very neatly stowed and it’s a tidy bike overall.

Merida Crossway 300L: Geometry

I’m a fan of the upright geometry for commuting bikes and the family-type rides that the Merida will excel at. The Crossway has an adjustable stem, which is adjusted with an easy hex-bolt change, and a step-through frame with what Merida call ‘comfort’ geometry.

For this, read ‘not speedy’, but along with the weight it won’t leave you overtaking anyone at the traffic lights. Being a step-through bike, the aim was never to have a stiff ride, but the Merida Crossway does manage sturdy perfectly well.

To offset the loss in power transfer, we need to look to the gears on offer. The majority of offerings at this price point, like the Trek FX3 Midstep and the Cannondale Treadwell EQ, only offer a single chainring.

The previous iteration of the Crossway offered a triple chainring, which our tester thought was overkill for this bike, and it seems Merida listened as the Crossway 300 series now has a double chainring featuring an 11-39T Shimano LG300 cassette and 2×10 gearing courtesy of the Shimano Cues gearing.

This combination is more than adequate for all of the scenarios that the Crossway is reasonably going to find itself in. Although the flat Fens where I live don’t allow me to get the best out of a wide gear range, the Merida is well suited to coming on holiday to the Welsh hills or helping lug a trailer full of kids, dogs, or touring kit up hills.

Merida Crossway 300L: Wheels and brakes

The Crossway is aimed at the rider who wants to use it off tarmac at the weekends as well as for their daily commute. Its own-brand wheels have Comp-TX rims and Shimano QC300 hubs.

Although entry-level, the cup-and-cone system is dependable and upgradable. The deeper 40mm tread tyres gave me no problems on my pothole-strewn Fenland roads, and coped easily with the muddy farm tracks and gravel-filled paths I rode along this winter.

You have enough room to size up to 50mm tyres if you choose. However, I was happy with the Maxxis Overdrive Excels as fitted.

They were solid in a good way and with a SilkShield anti-puncture layer in the casing I wasn’t overly worried about punctures. They had a low rolling resistance, and I could clock up the miles without really thinking about it (at least until I hit a Fenland headwind).

If you’re going to load up this bike with kids or kit, then braking will be a key consideration. The MT200 hydraulic disc brakes do a perfectly serviceable job – no problems, but as expected with entry-level components, there’s nothing in particular that is stands out about their performance either.

Disc brakes are a sensible choice, but be aware that having taken off the quick-release front tyre for transport, it was no mean feat to get the bugger back on, and a fair bit of wrangling was required. This is not ideal for a bike aimed at the average non-skilled commuter. Thru-axles would have offered a little more security on the front wheel, but overall it’s a minor gripe.

Merida Crossway 300L: Suspension

This is one of the few step-through hybrids with suspension, provided here by an SR Suntour NX1 fork and a Merida TK seatpost.

Whether this is a good thing or not depends on your use case for the bike.

If you are going to be riding predominantly on well-maintained roads, or at least have the capacity to ride around rather than through potholes, then it’s an unnecessary weight addition and you may find the bounce on the seat impacts your riding style.

If you are planning to add more trails and forests to your weekly rides, or if your local roads are pretty rough, then it’s a major bonus.

I’m usually a saddle grump, switching out for my own preference after the first ride, but I found that the Merida Cross Sport was a comfortable offering well-suited to the type of rider who is most likely to be purchasing this bike.

It’s not an expensive saddle though, so factor in the cost of an upgrade if you want something sportier or slimmer.

Stands and mudguards aren’t fitted as standard (and why not, as there are only approximately two rain-free riding months in the UK every year) but are easy to add with mudguard eyes, bottle bosses and other mounting points.

Value

There are number of options for step-through hybrids from £600-£900 to consider if you’re not looking for a bike with suspension.

The Trek FX Sport AL Equipped Midstep gives you mudguards and comes in at £900.

The Specialized Sirrus x 2.0 Step-Through is cheaper at £700 and is a good call if you’re okay with 1×8 gearing rather than the Crossway’s 2×10.

When it comes to non-step-through designs, we liked the Giant Escape 0 Disc Giant Escape 0 Disc when we tested it back in 2021, and while that’s no longer available, the £900 Giant Escape Disc 1 also has a 1x chainset and a carbon fork.

Stu described the Specialized Sirrus X3.0 as a ‘hybrid do-it-all with a bit of edge and attitude’. It’s similarly equipped to the Giant but has an aluminium rather than carbon fork and the 2026 model costs £799.

Check out our best hybrid bikes buyer’s guide for more options

Overall

The Merida Crossway 300 is from the same stable as the Merida Speeder 300 that Stu has just reviewed. If you like the look of the Crossway but want to go lighter and faster, then it’s an option to consider. But if you’re keen on the more off-road aspects of owning a hybrid, then the Crossway is for you, especially if the choice of suspension on a step-through hybrid is a deal breaker. It’s well equipped, comfortable, versatile and comes in at a good price.

Verdict

Very good choice if you want on- and off-road versatility and the comfort of suspension in a step-through frame

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