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Where does Rose Bikes come from?
Rose Bikes is a manufacturer and dealer of bicycles from Germany, more precisely Bocholt in Münsterland. The product range consists of mountain bikes, racing bikes, gravel bikes, trekking and touring bikes as well as leisure and electric bikes. In addition to an online shop that ships worldwide, bicycles are also available in the "Rose Stores", which are located in five German cities (Bocholt, Munich, Berlin, Posthausen, Cologne) and two locations in Switzerland (Bern and Meilen). Research and development takes place in Germany. Just like the assembly of the bikes and the quality control.
Where does Rose Bikes produce?
Rose Bikes' bikes are manufactured in Germany, but the company has its frames welded together in Asia, among other places, and then imports them again. Rose does not provide more precise information on the exact locations or companies involved in frame production. However, the final assembly of Rose bicycles takes place at the factory in Germany. Two years ago, the production facility in Bocholt was expanded in order to generate even more output. The aim was to make series production as efficient as possible and to create a pleasant workplace for the employees.
Sustainability and returns management at Rose Bikes
When it comes to sustainability, Rose Bikes has also set itself the ambitious goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2025. The bike manufacturer has therefore taken several measures, which are bundled in its own Green Codes. This goal is to be achieved with five missions: Climate protection, mobility, resource efficiency, product transparency and commitment to the bike industry. Rose Bikes' returns management is particularly worth mentioningwhich has also been awarded the "Save Our Returns" seal. This means that the returns are carefully inspected, assessed and then repackaged instead of being disposed of.
History: From bike shop to online shop
The Rose family business has been around for 116 years now and a lot has happened in that time. Rose Bikes has grown from the "smallest bike shop in Bocholt" to a multi-channel retailer with national and international locations, an online shop and its own magazine. It all started with a shop. Heinrich Rose founded his bike shop in 1907, which his son then took over in 1932. He sold bicycles in the summer and Dürkopp sewing machines in the winter. The first milestone was set in the 1980s when Erwin Rose set up a mail order business and was one of the first in Europe to import Japanese bicycles. In 1982, the first catalogue was published, which, with its sometimes 1000 pages, unofficially developed into a reference work for all bicycle enthusiasts. However, Rose discontinued the paper catalogue almost 10 years ago in favour of its own online shop. The mail order business based on the catalogue was doing very well at the time and Erwin Rose expanded the company in 1994. He had new mail order warehouses built and introduced the "Red Bull" bike brand from Canada to Germany.
"Red Bull" vs. "Red Bull"
However, this name was later replaced by Rose Bikes due to the similarity with the Austrian energy drink. The foundations had now been laid for a successful future for Rose Bikes and daughter Stefanie Rose was commissioned to design the first website and web shop for Rose Bikes in 1996. Two years later, the company was already generating one per cent of its turnover via the online shop. Today it is 80 per cent. But one thing has remained the same: the seamless connection between online and offline. The next big step came in 2011: the management team, consisting of Erwin Rose, his daughter Stefanie and her husband Thorsten Heckrath-Rose, launched bicycles under the Rose own brand for the first time.
An ambitious goal
According to its own statements, Rose Bikes wants to become "Germany's best-known bike brand" and establish itself not only in the "expert sector", but also in the lifestyle sector. The Bocholt-based company is constantly working on this. Be it in the Concept stores, like in Munichwhich was opened in 2015 and where you can have your dream bike put together virtually, or in its own "Rose Biketown", a bike adventure world at the company headquarters in Bocholt.
