For an overview of the test fleet head to the main article: The best aluminium road bike you can buy – four bikes under € 2,500 in review
When we lifted the XEON RS out of its shipping box, we thought that the people at ROSE got our test requirements wrong (we asked for aluminum, not carbon)! With a weight of just 7.11 kg in a 57 cm, the ROSE weighs less than many carbon racers. But it’s not just the feathery weight of the XEON RS that surprised us — the price tag did too.
At € 2,499 the XEON is the most expensive bike in our test, but also the one that features the best-quality groupset, Ultegra Di2. The electronic Ultegra Di2 R8050 shifters should deliver pretty much the same level of performance as Shimano’s high-end Dura-Ace Di2 R9100 group. The Germans combine the high-quality Ritchey cockpit with an in-house carbon seatpost and Selle Italia SLS Flow saddle. And if you’re still not happy with the spec, you can build your very own bike using ROSE’s online configurator. You can also choose among four different paint finishes — personally, we fell in love with the black stealth. The internal cable routing and the straight lines make for a very tidy look.
The ROSE XEON RS Ultegra Di2 in detail
Drivetrain Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8050
Wheelset ROSE RS-1400
Brakes Shimano Ultegra
Tires Continental GP4000 S II
Weight 7,11 kg
Price € 2,499
The geometry of the ROSE XEON RS Ultegra Di2
Helmet POC Octal | Glasses Oakley Jawbreaker | Jersey Mavic Cosmic Graphic | Bib-Shorts Mavic Cosmic Ultimate SL | Socks Mavic Cosmic High | Shoes Specialized
The ROSE XEON RS Ultegra Di2 is a fast bike that follows direction changes with agility. The lively racer is lots of fun to ride, especially in tight corners. Thanks to the forward-facing, stretched and sporty riding position, your body weight feels evenly distributed between the wheels — with plenty of grip on the front wheel. However, at high speeds the agile character of the alu-racer lacks smoothness. Having said that, the bike still manages to inspire a great deal of confidence in every riding situation and always feels controlled and predictable with its good-natured threshold. Thanks to its lightweight construction, the ROSE is extremely efficient and light-footed on the uphill, even when riding in the saddle — in fact, the ROSE XEON RS is a true mountain goat!
The Shimano Ultegra Di2 is like the Dura-Ace Di2 on a budget.
When sprinting the bike accelerates well, but could do with a little extra stiffness in the bottom bracket area when riding powerful startups out of the saddle. Once you get the bike up to speed it maintains its velocity extremely well. The weakest point of the bike is its braking performance. The Ultegra brakes require a good amount of strength to bring the bike to a halt, and you can feel the brakes pulsing a little in the process — this can be traced back to the brake-track on Rose’s RS-1400 in-house wheels. In our experience Shimano Ultegra rim brakes work really well, but in combination with ROSE’s aluminium brake track they struggle to unleash their full potential. A relatively small amount of feedback at the beginning of the braking is followed by exponentially increasing deceleration. This feel requires a skilled hand.
In terms of design and workmanship, the ROSE shows hardly any weaknesses. The black-on-black design and internal cable routing look tidy and elegant. There’s no rattling from the internal cable routing, which means you can fully enjoy the buzzing of the electronic Ultegra Di2 shifting group. If only the Di2 junction box would have been integrated into the bar-ends and the entry port-plugs would have been designed a little more beautifully, we would be extremely happy.
Conclusions
With the XEON RS Ultegra Di2, ROSE sends a powerful aluminium bike into the competition. It’s the perfect choice for ambitious athletes who are looking for a top bike at an extremely fair price. The ROSE could inspire a little more confidence on downhills, but scores good points with its great all-round characteristics and excellent climbing characteristics. The sporty riding position and the tricky braking performance don’t make it the ideal choice for beginners.
Strengths
– Shimano Ultegra Di2
– Price/performance ratio
– Weight
– Black on black design is beautiful
Weaknesses
– Brake track
– Entry-port plugs look cheap
Uphill | Downhill | Sprint
For more info head to: rosebikes.de
For an overview of the test fleet head to the main article: The best aluminium road bike you can buy – four bikes under € 2,500 in review
All bikes in test: Specialized Allez Sprint Comp | Cannondale CAAD 12 105 | Trek Émonda ALR 6 | ROSE XEON RS Ultegra Di2
This article is from GRAN FONDO issue #009
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Words: Photos: Valentin Rühl
