Rose Bikes offers a wide range of bikes. From racing bikes to trekking bikes to downhillers: The people of Bocholt are not just limited to one category of cyclists. Part of the recipe for success is certainly the in-house configurator, with which you can put your bike together according to your own ideas.
We also put our test bike together in the configurator. However, the basis remains the same: the new one Granite Chiefframe, which this year features 650B wheels for the first time.
equipment and practice
The equipment of the top variant of the all-mountain bike is peppered with some of the currently best components. The mix of Fox chassis and Sram drive is rarely seen, but makes sense. Equipped with the Fox 34 Talas FIT-Suspension fork, DT Swiss XM1501-Wheels, Avid elixir 9-Brakes and Srams X0circuit, there is little to complain about in the basic setup. We only upgraded the crankset and for a surcharge of 99 euros instead of the X9-Crank one X0- Have the version installed.
Despite the high-quality equipment, the Rose Granite Chief a proud weight on the scales. At 13,2 kilograms, it's definitely not one of the lightest bikes in the all-mountain range, but the massive frame should show some resilience. Unpacked it makes a nice impression. The cables are stowed away in the frame, and the welds are neatly finished. The bike flaunts understatement.
The Kashima coating of the Fox chassis does the rest and provides a real highlight on the dark grey, matt black frame. On the cockpit comes a shapely race face Next-Flatbar, which is quite narrow at 720 millimeters. It also looks very overloaded due to the many cables: gears, brakes and the remote levers for the seat post and for the shock absorber cause a rather chaotic tangle of cables at the front.
However, the Rose is not supposed to shine when standing still, but to prove its true qualities in action. After just a few meters, the SDG falls Circuit-Saddle up. Due to the low padding, it causes displeasure. Apart from that, that leaves Granite Chief a good impression on flat pedal passages. The compact geometry gives it an extra dose of agility and makes it look very playful.
Manuals are child's play thanks to the short chainstay and the bike is easy to maneuver over roots and tight corners. Even if the cable clutter on the front is a bit ugly to look at, it benefits Granite Chief through the associated components. Especially on steep ramps, the wide range of the triple crank is a force. The damper, which can be blocked from the handlebars, also ensures that the power applied to the pedals is converted directly into propulsion and that you can conquer any climb with ease.
swallows hansdampf doesn't convince us at first. With a width of 2,35 inches, it initially appears oversized. However, the impression gradually changes to the positive, which is mainly due to the excellent traction on fast descents.
However, the fact that you have to take it a little easier on these is due to the compact geometry. The bike doesn't offer much smoothness and so you always have the feeling that the bike quickly reaches its limits. The flat bar ensures a rather front-heavy body position. With a Riserable and a little more cranking could easily counteract that. The chassis is also not entirely convincing in terms of downhill performance. Although that is useful Granite Chief the spring travel completely, but the feeling of comfortable damping and good response does not arise.
Conclusion
After the test, the question remains whether an all-mountain really needs as much travel as the Rose Granite Chief the case is. With 145 millimeters at the rear and 150 millimeters at the front, it seems a bit oversized. And even if the enduro suitability of the bike is included in the evaluation, it must be said that the balancing act between the two disciplines is only partially successful in the present case. Apart from that, this is Granite Chief but a rock-solid bike that has what it takes to be a playful trail bike with just a few settings in the configurator.
product Highlights
- very good climbing properties, but good downhill performance due to lack of smoothness
- lockable damper
- light, stable wheels
price and web
- www.roseversand.de
- 3.398 euros (with X0 crank)