Aero is everything, so they say. Well, with today's release of the Merida Time Warp TT, that may not be the case.

The world of competitive cycling has gone through phases where certain metrics are pursued at the expense of everything else. The pursuit of the lightest possible weight, or absolute stiffness at the expense of everything else, has resulted in some bikes that are uncomfortable to ride. These days we are in the age of aerodynamics, but things may be changing as aerodynamic returns are increasingly reduced within the confines of UCI legality.

The new Time Warp TT, sold only as a frameset, claims to be faster than the previous model (no surprise). Not because of the enhanced aero, but because of more comfortable braking.

The move from rim brakes to disc brakes appears to be the big change, but it's not the only one. The new Merida Time Warp TT frame has been subtly overhauled throughout. The biggest visual change is a smaller triangular panel between the seat tube and downtube, but to accommodate discs, the chainstays and fork have also been redesigned to accommodate the asymmetry of braking forces. This is similar to how convertibles are heavier than hardtops; a stronger chassis is required, so the bike is usually heavier.

The latest version of the Time Warp TT frameset claims the same weight as the previous model, perhaps because the larger panels are gone. According to Merida, it also has the same aerodynamic efficiency, but despite the same numerical performance, Merida claims it is faster.

As discussed earlier, the relentless pursuit of a single metric is a case of increasing yield with enough iterations. Instead of making big leaps in aero, Merida is focusing on a more holistic design process, with rider comfort and handling (often not the best features of even the best time trial bikes) being the most important.

This improvement in comfort is primarily due to the fact that the frameset can now accommodate larger tires, up to 28 mm. Smoother is faster. Also, by following the general industry trend and switching to discs, riders now have more stable and stronger brakes, allowing them to brake slower and more confidently than before.

Another major comfort improvement is the new S-Flex seatpost. Given that the majority of the frame compliance is in the seatpost, adding a more flexible option can significantly improve comfort.

Here in the UK, the 10-mile time trial reigns supreme, but not all TT bikes are limited to such short times.

Oddly enough, the Merida Time Warp TT was released as a frameset-only option, not as a complete bike. Also, at the time of this writing, no pricing data is available from Merida.

Whatever Merida decides to charge, you get the frame and fork, S-flex seatpost, Vision compatible base bar (no extensions), and headset.