It's for women, friendly ride that eggs you on and throws you into corners with enthusiasm without ever feeling out of control - something that might come as a shock to women used to riding more safe female-fit bikes, though certainly not an unpleasant one.
Interesting carbon surface structure in Random Finish.
who's an experienced mountain biker, felt the slightly slack angle of the head tube meant the bike was too steady in corners, so bear that in mind if you're a zig-zag descent queen. The reach feels a bit long - probably because of that more traditional shaping and the gender-neutral handlebar - but having your body weight further forward and being able to push the power straight down into the pedals just inspired confidence and energy that we don't often feel, especially at this price.
It's a stiff bike which means there's a bit of clatter on rough roads, but we were too busy enjoying the intuitive handling, getting our heads down and pushing the pace to really notice. The bike's light nature meant it's not exactly a cruiser - it takes a little concentration to hold pace - but it's perfect for short, choppy race courses with lots of long hills, sweeping corners and changes of pace.
Frame High Modulus Aerospace Carbon Fibre T30, internal cable routing
Frame sizes 51 / 53 / 55 / 57 / 59 / 61 / 63 cm
Fork SL Modulus Concept Fullcarbon 1 1/8" - 1.5"
Headset Rose Oversize, integrated
Wheel set Easton EA70
Sprocket SRAM PG-1070, 11 - 28 (compact), 12 - 25 (double)
Tyres Continental Grand Prix 4000 S, 700 x 23 c
Crankset SRAM FORCE (version selectable), with Press-Fit BB, opt. compact 50/34 or double 53/39
Front derailleur SRAM FORCE
Rear derailleur SRAM FORCE
Brake-/Shifting levers SRAM FORCE DoubleTap
Brakes SRAM FORCE
Pedals without
Seat post FSA SL-K SB20 Carbon
Saddle Prologo Nago Evo T2.0
Handlebar FSA Wing Pro Compact, oversize
Stem FSA SL-K, oversize, with carbon cap
Colours random-carbon
Weight approx. 7.2 kg (FH: 57 cm, compact, without pedals)
SRAM's double-tap shifting (as habitual Shimano riders) but since you don't have to ram the whole brake lever inwards to shift, the system works well if reach is a bit of a problem. The only real downside was the saddle, which we had to lose after one ride to avoid painful intimate injury.
On the face of it, this is quite a traditional racing frame, with an almost horizontal top tube, though the laid-back slope of the head tube suggests a long distance friendly bike rather than an all out speed machine (and to be fair the Rose website does indicate that this bike is suitable for touring as well as racing and training).
Take a peek behind the crank and you'll see where the fight really is in this bike - where the chainstays, seat tube and down tube meet you find there's a considerable amount of bulk, and the chainstays are boxy and flattened towards this beefy bottom bracket. A "random carbon" effect with cool white lettering gives the 4400 a slick, serious look - so if you're sick and tired of pink flowers, it's a welcome relief.
There's some very decent equipment on this ride. FSA provide the carbon seatpost and stem, as well as the alloy compact handlebar. The groupset is a winner too, with SRAM's second-tier Force groupset decking out the ride, from the shifters to the derailleurs and brakes. Easton EA70 rims are reasonably light, reliable rolling stock, though given the quality of the overall package we'd consider an upgrade here.
The handlebar might cause problems for women with small hands (though the width was fine).
Rose Carbon Pro