Rose Bikes 2017 Eurobike
Features / Fri 2nd Sep, 2016 @ 3:30 pm
Feast your peepers on more awesome new tech from the world of Eurobike as we get down and personal with German direct sellers Rose. Rose offer every customer the ability to spec their bike to their own style and tune the build to get exactly what they want, giving almost limitless options. Keeping the options simple for Eurobike they have 3 new and updated models from their range. The Soul Fire was updated earlier this year but the new Granite Chief and Root Miller were on show looking on trend and fresh.
The Soul Fire is a true monster of a bike, launched in March it offers a huge 180mm to 190mm of travel through a a huge linkage driven suspension system. Freeride is the name of the game here as this is the sort of bike which wants to be ‘rampaged’ off the biggest drops around. Enduro also gets a look in as it can make it’s way up hills as well, just don’t expect to win any XC races.
The Root Miller continues as the 29er trail bike, but gets the additional option of 27.5+ tyres if you want to get your plus sized fix. Suspension is upped to 140 front and rear whilst the geometry gets a 15mm extension on the reach which is coupled now with a shorter stem to make a very capable trail bike. To help with a more trail focused bike the head angle is relaxed by 1.5 degree and the rear end is of course boosted. Those who despair at the world of bottom brackets will be pleased to know that the threads are back for easy maintenance.
The Granite Chief represents the ground between the previous two bikes, with 150mm travel it could turn it’s hand at anything, and although Rose don’t think it’s much of an enduro bike, it could definitely do that too! Frame tweaks include boost, 15mm in the top tube and a marginally slacker head angle. Longer slacker and lower is the theme here, although nothing drastic, it’s a move in the right direction to more capable trail bikes. Front mechs are still possible for those who like plenty of gears, and any additional cables can all be routed through the neat internal routing.
With these models fully revised, Rose will no doubt turn to the rest of the range in time, but the changes are definitely keeping these bikes as serious contenders at a great price.
By Ewen Turner
Ewen Turner is a self-confessed bike geek from Kendal in the Lake District of England. He runs a coaching and guiding business up there and has a plethora of knowledge about bikes with an analytical approach to testing. His passion for bicycles is infectious, and he’s a ripper on the trails who prefers to fit his working life around his time on the bike.
