BikeRadar recently visited Austria to check out the 2015 range of mountain bikes from German company Rose.
There are now 11 models in the Rose lineup. None of its bikes have gone without being revised in some way, and many bikes are sporting a fresh frame design for 2015. We take a closer look below.
New frame platform
Many of the full suspension bikes from the 2015 Rose lineup use a variation of the same new frame design. This new platform uses hydroformed tubing at the front triangle, for improved aesthetics and a weight saving to boot.
Suspension is still a four-bar design that makes use of a Horst link, but this year the linkage has switched from the top tube to the seat tube. This brings a welcome change in kinematics, improving pedalling efficiency and also allows Rose to kink the top tube to offer increased standover.
Look at the rear end of any of these new platform frames and you’ll find a derailleur hanger that now houses the thread for a 12mm rear axle – a nice integration that should also prevent frame damage. The internal cable routing has also been simplified through the use of a slit at the bottom bracket shell.
2015 frames now have simplified cable routing thanks to a slit at the down tube (l), the derailleur hanger now houses the thread for a 12mm rear axle (r)
Uncle Jimbo
The 160mm Uncle Jimbo is the longest travel variant of Rose’ new frame platform. For 2015, it has 650b wheels. It's aimed at enduro riders, and steers via a relaxed 66-degree head angle and is clearly optimised for thrashing descents. Rose has introduced a longer front centre with this frame design but has stuck with fairly short 431mm chainstays.
Granite Chief
Take an Uncle Jimbo and make it more suited to all-day riding, and that’s pretty much the Granite Chief. The framesets aren’t identical, but they’re pretty close. The Granite Chief offers 147mm of rear travel and, once paired with a 150mm travel fork, sits one degree steeper than its Uncle Jimbo.
Good news for smaller riders – the Granite Chief is now available in a diddy XS size.
Ground Control
The Ground Control is Rose’s 130mm 650b offering and replaces the Jabba Wood. It’s a versatile bike that aims to strike a balance between cross-country efficiency and trail bike fun. Like the Granite Chief, the Ground Control will also be offered in an XS frame size but due to design restrictions it’ll have 115mm travel at the rear wheel instead of the usual 130mm.
Root Miller
Rose is particularly proud of the Root Miller 29er, and says it’s the bike that has probably made the greatest progress for 2015. Compared to the current Root Miller, the new version has slacker steering, steeper seating and shorter chainstays. It’s normally a 130mm travel bike but will also be offered in a ‘Supertrail’ version with a 140mm travel fork.
DR. Z
The 100mm DR. Z 29er has stepped away from its roots as a marathon bike, with a geometry overhaul that Rose says has given it an entirely new character. It shares all the technical highlights of the other frames using this platform, so there’s simplified internal cable routing and the same replaceable dropouts.
Soul Fire
Previously known as the Sky Fire, the 180mm travel Rose Soul Fire is a tweaked version of last year’s design. The rear axle has been updated in line with the models above and you get the same clever cable routing as the other new frames. The rear shock is also mounted the opposite way to last year; Rose says this configuration offers improved small-bump sensitivity.
The Unchained
Rose’ downhill rig was first launched last year and, as such, sees the same minor updates as the Soul Fire. Rose has opted to not switch this bike to 650b wheels for 2015.
The Tusker
The Tusker is brand new for 2015, and it’s Rose’s own take on the fat bike. The stout aluminium frame provides space for 4in of rubber and will be available with either a rigid fork or the RockShox Bluto as shown above. The Tusker also gets adjustable horizontal dropouts so can be run as a singlespeed or with a geared setup. Rose quotes 14 to 15kg (31 to 33lb) for a complete Tusker depending on spec choices, so despite being fat, it’s not particularly overweight.
Psycho Path and Mr. Big
If you’re after a quick carbon hardtail then Rose has two to choose from. This year’s Psycho Path moves to 650b hoops and gets an upgrade to the same 142x12mm rear end that’s used on the full suspension bikes. The seat tube now takes a narrower 27.2mm post for increased comfort over longer rides.
Mr. Big is Rose’s 29in carbon hardtail and gets the same updates as the Psycho Path. Both frames are also Di2-ready.
