K2 Merlin VI SL

Advantages: Great design and build quality damping!
Disadvantages: non that l have found yet!

...Currently l am working with K2 on my uni dissertaion investigatingthe damping of snowboards and they kindly gave me one of these babies to test. Firstly l can say the from my testing there is definately evidence to back up the damping claims this is in the higher frequecny ranges which are to do with muscle fatigue, there is a really nice feel about the baord when you are riding it there is a nice degree of side-cut and this make it prefect for carving down the mountin. there are risers on the top to enable riders with large feet to use a narrower board and aviod heel or toe drag on the surface oft he snow. due tot he size of the board l found it very stable at pace and not at all twitchy.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Great fun board
Disadvantages: Loses its pop

...I picked up a NS SL series board 3 seasons ago, so it isnt this seasons model I am reviewing. I still have the board the 155 length), and having now ridden, at a guess, 2 months on it in all conditions I can say that: From new, its great. Does just what it says on the tin - lots of pop, snappy turns, enough give in the tip and tail to make landings a cinch. When i first got it I was really pleased with it, and had a lot of fun with doing bigger ollies etc than I could before, but then a new board always has more zip in it than an old one. After about a month or so, I felt that it had lost a lot of that initial flex, and was losing more, faster than my previous board (a forum) had. Now, I am sure of it. The board is still fun, and I ride it a lot, but there is a lot more flex in it now than when I bought it and on a powder day I would... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Fantastic bike for the money
Disadvantages: Forks and tyre

...A super bike for the money. The M4 frame is top notch and is very responsive through the corners and when you put the power down no power is lost. The Avid Juicy 3 brakes are good to as you would hope although they have a fair bit of travel on the leavers before they bite. The only components that let the bike down are the RockShox Tora 302 SL forks due to them not being so smooth in the travel, and the other problem I found are the tyres that are rubbish in damp off road conditions. They tyres are ok for dry conditions but in the UK when do we get those (very rarely). All in all a very good fun bike for the money.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful