Rose Carbon Pro RS 4400

richard36

Hi

Following on from another post of mine about Rose Bikes I intend to buy the Carbon Pro RS 4400 when I've had a bike fit from Adrian Timmis in April (he is going to give me the measurements I will need to order the correct frame and stem size, and then set up the bike when I get it).

The spec of the bike is as follows

Wheels - Mavic R Sys Red
Tyres - Schwalbe Ultremo ZX HD speed guard
Crankset - SRAM Red
Rest of groupset - SRAM Force
Seatpost - FSA K force light
Stem - 3T ARX Team
Saddle - Selle Italia Flite XC Gel Flow Ti316
Handlebar - 3T Ergonova Team Carbon
Pedals - Look Keo Classic

The price is just under £2400.

My existing bike is an old SJS Cycles steel winter/training bike so the Rose will be a big step up. I will use it for long rides and won't be doing any racing.

I have the money to buy the bike but not knowing a huge amount about components I'm not sure whether the quality of the spec is more than I need. I have priced the individual parts - the frame alone is about £1200 - and it seems to be very good value for money and the Rose bikes are getting good reviews but it would be helpful if someone could comment on the spec and let me know whether they think I should make any adjustments. For example not bother with the carbon handlebars, perhaps go for different wheels etc.

Thanks

Richard

EarlyGo

Hi Richard,

That is one lovely bike! However, to my eyes it is an out and out racing machine and I'm guessing with your spec it will only weigh about 6.5kg? Indeed on the Rose web page it shows the 4400 as a full racing machine. The standard spec for that bike is sub 7kg and only costs 1750quid, personally I'd go for that especially if you're not racing. Also are you sure you actually want/need a bike that is pretty much a no compromise race machine when you are looking to do long distances? Perhaps a slighty more relaxed geometry bike might be more approriate? (Specialized Roubaix, Scott CR1, Cube Agree GTC etc.) That 4400 is a lovely machine though especially with that high modulus frame!

Regards, EarlyGo

Slack

Just a small thing from my experience with those schwalbe tyres, they are not durable or reliable.

richard36

EarlyGo - thanks for your reply.

I don't know how to 'read' the geometry measurements but I took it the bike was more of a sportive type bike because it mentions something to that effect on the website and also I was told that by the UK rep.

As for the frame I'm not sure what 'high modulus' means. I do know that I was going to get a Ribble or Planet X bike and their frames cost about £550 whereas the Rose frame costs £1250 so I assume it's better!!

EarlyGo

Richard,

As a rough guide, relaxed geometry bikes have a longer 'head tube' (the one that the forks attach to!). For a 55 / 56cm frame a head tube of approx (note: I'm not an expert!) 170 - 180mm would give a relaxed (ie more upright) riding position. For your average novice rider this is more comfortable over longer distances, but less aerodynamic. The Rose 440 has a head tube of 148mm for the 55cm frame so I would consider that to give a 'racy' position. If you're young and flexible it will probably be fine though.

Hi-modulus carbon fibre is aerospace grade and is lighter, stronger carbon fibre and costs more. Cannonondale Hi-modulus bikes start at 3000 pounds and go up! So the Rose is good value for money.

Regards, EarlyGo

richard36

Thanks EarlyGo

On the Rose website you key in your measurements (5 foot 10 and 31.5 inch inside leg) and when I did that it came up with a size 57 frame which has a headtube of 163cm so I suppose this is a little better.

I will speak to Adrian at Cadence Sport about this when I go to see him.

jamienorton

I went with the Rose size guide when i got my cross bike, after measuring myself properly, 90cm inseam (longer than i initally thought) i got a 60cm frame and it seems bang on. Didn't even have to play with the setup much, other then seat height and handlbar angle.

NickintheLakes

Did either of you guys put the shoulder/arm measurement in?

jamienorton

Just inseam and height, although at the time i didnt relise the use the data to set up the bike, so if i was doing it again id probably put all the measurements in.

NickintheLakes

jamienorton wrote:

Just inseam and height, although at the time i didnt relise the use the data to set up the bike, so if i was doing it again id probably put all the measurements in.

Ok ta - wanted to know how you measured arm length if you did. Couldn't find the guide on their site.

Can't afford your lovely bike but this looks really well specced for a beginners bike...

http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/rose-pro-sl-2000-compact-532243/aid:532348

I like the full 105 plus most of the kit looks good too.

Black and white is favourite although I am tempted by the black and velvety matt yellow too.

graham_g

Ignore the label or description of 'sportive' or 'race' bike - it's all irrelevant bollocks when you've got a professional bike fit to go by. When you get the fit information back, you will be able to compare geometry and choose a bike accordingly. The difference between set ups on a 'sportive' type bike and 'full on road race bike' might be all of a 10mm headset spacer. This whole pigeon holing and labelling is a very recent trend and is very misleading - but it does give us a bit more variation in geometries available 'off the peg' which can only be a good thing.
For example, I have a friend who uses an Italian racing frame with 140mm stem to ride audaxes up to 600km. He has a long torso and arms and can get a perfectly comfotable set up on it. He'd be screwed on a Roubaix or similar bike.

Get the bike to fit you, not the bike label that fits what riding you'll be doing - it's all marketing crap that only applies to the 70% of people whose measurements fall in line with what the makers expect.

*Edit* Forgot add, contrary to popular Bike Radar Forum belief, a stem can be mounted either way up... to raise the bars... fancy!

jamienorton

NickintheLakes wrote:

jamienorton wrote:

Just inseam and height, although at the time i didnt relise the use the data to set up the bike, so if i was doing it again id probably put all the measurements in.

Ok ta - wanted to know how you measured arm length if you did. Couldn't find the guide on their site.

Can't afford your lovely bike but this looks really well specced for a beginners bike...

http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/rose-pro-sl-2000-compact-532243/aid:532348

I like the full 105 plus most of the kit looks good too.

Black and white is favourite although I am tempted by the black and velvety matt yellow too.

Mines pretty much the cross version of that bike, BB7 brakes, different wheels and tyres and rack and guard mounts (managed to crossthread one of mine ) . Got mine in the matte anodized finish, already have two white bikes, looks nice.

richard36

Thanks for the suggestion Stanley222 but as I see it if I buy the Rose then I won't need any upgrades and if I go for a Ribble and leave the rest of the money in the bank it might be spent on other stuff and I may not end up with my upgrades and be stuck with a reasonable bike but one that perhaps doesn't ooze the same quality as the Rose.

Having said that I did question in my OP whether the spec of the bike was more than I really needed. For example will I really appreciate the Ergonova Carbon handlebars (though I have read they are very comfortable) and the Mavi R Sys Red wheels?!

Stevo_666

Lovely spec IMO, possibly more than you need, but it's more about what you want :-) If that's your budget and you have to spend it, then go for it. (If it were me I might go for a slightly cheaper wheelset like the Ksyrium SL).

richard36

Stevo, according to Rose there are loads of different wheels that I can get. The default option is the Mavic R Sys Red but I can also get various DT Swiss ones, various Easton ones as well as the Ksyrium SL, Elite, Cosmic Carbone SL, Equipe, Cosmic Elite, and Xtreme Aero III.

I went with the Mavic R Sys Red because they look nice with the rest of the bike but I've no idea whether they are as good or better than the others (I don't think I want aero ones as whilst I will be using the bike for an Ironman next year it will be a one off and I may try and borrow some wheels for the Ironman itself)

Stevo_666

Richard36 wrote:

Stevo, according to Rose there are loads of different wheels that I can get. The default option is the Mavic R Sys Red but I can also get various DT Swiss ones, various Easton ones as well as the Ksyrium SL, Elite, Cosmic Carbone SL, Equipe, Cosmic Elite, and Xtreme Aero III.

I went with the Mavic R Sys Red because they look nice with the rest of the bike but I've no idea whether they are as good or better than the others (I don't think I want aero ones as whilst I will be using the bike for an Ironman next year it will be a one off and I may try and borrow some wheels for the Ironman itself)

I've been playing with the rose configurator lately and there is a huge choice of part - part of the appeal for me, i prefer that to (say) Canyon 'fixed menu' approach. Though I thought the default wheels for your version were the DT Swiss 1550's?.

As far as the R-Sys go, have a look on the Mavic website where you can compare detail specs of up to 3 wheels - seems to me there's not a huge amount in it between your choice and mine and they both look very nice. Don't think you'd go wrong with either but if the law of diminishing returns applies, was wondering whether the money saved on a small wheel downgrade could be used to upgrade something else? I'll leave that one for you to ponder :-)