If you love the downhills on your tour, the Rose is the right choice. The Granite Chief is in a league of its own on the downhill test lap. Rose achieves its downhill qualities thanks to the fat tyres, the 74 mm handlebars, the huge brake discs and the suspension that sticks to the ground. Thru-axles provide stiffness and the frame is characterised by clever details such as the cable routing. Thanks to the new, steeper seat angle, the seat position is better suited to climbing than in 2009, while the Fox fork is a plus point compared to the 2009 Rock-shox with U-turn thanks to the Talas system for level regulation. Uphill, despite the revised pivot points, you can feel some bobbing, the Granite Chief climbs sluggishly, needs lowering and a platform.
ConclusionVery good all-mountain bike with a focus on downhill. There are significantly faster uphill bikes.
Web: www.rose.de
