ROSE BLEND – The drop bar all-rounder in review

Search for the BLEND on the ROSE website and you’ll find it twice: once as an endurance road bike, and a few clicks later as the first in the “Everyday Gravel” category. Oh, and it’s also an urban bike, in a way. So much versatility for so little money: Is the BLEND a drop bar best of both worlds, or merely a big compromise?

€ 1,399 for an aluminium gravel bike equipped with GRX400 is a fair deal. If you opt for the road version with the TIAGRA groupset and narrower tires, you’ll save a further € 200. So what’s the catch? Certainly not the welds. They are neatly polished, at least in the most visible areas. We also searched in vain for stray cables which might give away the low price, but everything is elegantly integrated. Our test bike also comes in a confident orange, with an elaborate Galaxy effect to the painted carbon fork. So you could say it is a well-rounded bike? Not exactly – it sports a typically angular ROSE frame. All in all, the BLEND has a clean, modern and high-quality look.

ROSE’s intention to also make the urban jungle the BLEND’s habitat is evident by the mounting points for optional mudguards and a kickstand. The latter may raise the eyebrows of road bike purists, but it shows that with the BLEND, ROSE are thinking beyond the traditional urban, gravel and road classifications. Take it straight from work to an after-work group ride, or from the farmer’s market to a gravel adventure – the BLEND is designed to be your stylish sidekick for every situation.

Tuning Tip: A carbon seatpost will make the BLEND even more comfortable.

Size	XXS	XS	S	M	L	XL	XXL
Top tube	502 mm	518 mm	538 mm	558 mm	575 mm	597 mm	607 mm
Seat tube	425 mm	460 mm	490 mm	520 mm	550 mm	580 mm	600 mm
Head tube	150 mm	125 mm	150 mm	170 mm	186 mm	205 mm	215 mm
Head angle	69.5°	70°	71°	71.5°	71.5°	71.5°	72°
Seat angle	75°	74.5°	74°	73.5°	73.5°	73°	73°
Chainstay	435 mm	435 mm	435 mm	435 mm	435 mm	435 mm	435 mm
BB Drop	75 mm	75 mm	72 mm	72 mm	72 mm	70 mm	70 mm
Wheelbase	1009.9 mm	1017 mm	1025.1 mm	1035.4 mm	1053 mm	1,068.6 mm	1075.3 mm
Reach	360 mm	365 mm	373 mm	381 mm	394 mm	403 mm	411 mm
Stack	532 mm	552 mm	577 mm	598 mm	613 mm	629 mm	640 mm

No choice? No problem! The features of the ROSE BLEND

The design is pretty straightforward – if you enjoy clicking through all of the different variants, you may be disappointed with the BLEND. There is only one choice to make: road or gravel. We chose gravel, and got Shimano’s rock solid GRX400 mechanical groupset with 2x cranks and hydraulic disc brakes, in-house G20 aluminium wheels and a mix of Ritchey and ROSE aluminium parts. Of course, you’ll find lighter and better performing parts on more expensive bikes, but for those entering the world of drop bars with the BLEND, there are more important things to consider.

Aluminium parts are more forgiving of overtightening than carbon parts, and the 10-speed drivetrain is less finicky than its high-end 12- and 13-speed counterparts. The BLEND removes barriers and anxiety, especially for beginners. It’s a relief not to have to compare groupsets or wheelsets before buying, but to just ride. And that’s exactly what we’re going to do now.

First ride review of the ROSE BLEND

There is no need to worry about your back when riding the BLEND. The riding position is balanced and relaxed. Although not ideal for racers, the relaxed frame geometry (with a stack-to-reach ratio of 1.56) is a game changer for leisurely tours or longer bikepacking trips. The central position on the bike and the flattened top of the handlebar also take the strain off your hands. As an added bonus, the ROSE BLEND lets you see more of the world than just your front wheel.

Nervousness and fussiness are not in the BLEND’s nature. With its 435 mm chainstays, it delivers smooth, straight-line stability. The intuitive steering matches the relaxed design and gives a great deal of confidence. When things get a bit rough off-road, it’s worth reaching for the drops. These flare outwards, providing more control when riding on the drops. And as we are already in the drops, we decide to put the BLEND’s sprinting ability to the test – and for the first time, we hit its limits. Agility and acceleration are perhaps not its strong points. If you’re looking for a race-day rocket, ROSE’s Backroad FF is a much more suitable choice. Once revved up, however, the BLEND maintains its speed and rolls efficiently on all surfaces.

We were particularly curious to see how a bike designed for comfort would fare without the benefits of carbon, the ultimate master of suspension. Well, for an aluminium frame with an aluminium seatpost, the BLEND does a very good job. That said, most of the credit for our comfort goes to the 40 mm Continental Terra Trail tires. Lots of volume means lots of comfort. But if you’re thinking of fitting even wider tires, you risk scratching the stylish paintwork. You can’t fit more than 40 mm between the orange seatstays. This is where the frame, which is the same as on the road version, reveals its limitations.

The GRX400 drivetrain is particularly popular with beginners. Those who have not yet been spoilt by the comfort and precision of electronic shifting will find a robust, easily adjustable drivetrain and strong braking performance. The double chainset deserves special mention. With a 30 T chainring at the front and a 34 T sprocket at the rear, you can winch your way up steep climbs, and can keep going when others are already pushing their bikes. The highest gear – 46 x 11 T – will limit your top speed a little on the road. If you’re going to spend a lot of time on tarmac, the sportier road version is a better choice.

At the rear, a 10-speed cassette does the job on our BLEND. You’ll find larger jumps between the gears than with a 12- or 13-speed drivetrain, meaning you have to adjust your cadence more when changing gears, but on a relaxed gravel ride or bikepacking tour you won’t miss the extra sprockets.

Talking of bikepacking, with its robust drivetrain, mountain-ready gear ratios and relaxed geometry, the BLEND definitely has what it takes for an extended road or gravel trip. We would have liked to see ROSE add a few more mounting points for bottles, bags or even a pannier rack – the paintwork just looks too good to be scratched by Velcro straps.

The ROSE BLEND is an entry-level bike that doesn’t look like one. It’s not a downsized, stripped-down derivative of a higher-priced model, but a concept in its own right that provides well-priced access to cycling, blurring the boundaries of existing categories. The BLEND is relaxed, robust and smartly equipped – a really good deal with a pretty sexy look!

For more information, visit rosebikes.com

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Words: Nils Hofmeister Photos: Jan Richter