The 1361 gram lightweight carbon frame of the Shipper hardtails from Rose is bursting with high-quality components: There is hardly any way around the SID fork in the 100 mm class, while the Shimano XT and the Spline 2 system wheels from DT Swiss have made a name for themselves with their reliability and first-class function in significantly more expensive bikes. But that's the mail order bonus. That alone does not make a good bike. The long top tube, steep angles and straight handlebars force the rider into a sporty, streamlined climbing position. Despite being half a kilo heavier, the Rose can keep up with the Cube in the uphill sprint. If you rumble over a tangle of roots while seated, the frame and seatpost noticeably cushion the rough impacts. It even has a positive effect that the Rose chassis does not achieve the best values in terms of frame stiffness. Even though the Psycho Path is easier to manoeuvre through tricky chicanes with the 71 mm head angle, the bike would benefit from slightly more composed handling in some situations. As you can't tinker with the geometry, our tip is to equip the bike with a 10-20 millimetre shorter stem in the Rose configurator. The Rose ultimately wins this three-way battle thanks to its high score for quality/finish, paint quality and warranty (six years). Things like the chainsuck plate on the chainstay and the flat down tube protector ensure the durability of the carbon frame.
Ludwig Döhl, BIKE test editor: The Psycho Path from the Bocholt-based mail order company Rose is an agile 29er hardtail for the starting block at a fair price. Despite the lightweight carbon frame, you don't have to compromise on the equipment. If the geometry is too sporty for you, switch to a shorter stem and wider tyres in a grippier compound.
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