First Look | ROSE Pikes Peak Prototype with PROGEO-System
Just 12 months ago the Bocholt-based direct order company ROSE launched a completely revamped full suspension line-up [here’s our report on that]. But if that’s not enough, this year’s product presentation in Austria’s Kirchberg heralded the launch of a brand new and exciting bike. With innovative geometry adjustment, the team at ROSE unveiled the prototype of the all-new ROSE Pikes Peak.
At first glance the ROSE Pikes Peak looks remarkably similar to the many other four pivot bikes on the market right now, but slow down and take a second look: we’re talking about the ingenious geometry adjustment on the lower shock mount. Dubbed the PROGEO (progression and geometry) system, there are four settings available to alter the geometry and progression of the rear.
Max Sistenich, the designer behind the ROSE Pikes Peak, openly admits that such a feature isn’t an original idea, but their system does stand out from its competition on the market purely due to its simplicity. Taking just a matter of seconds, the geometry adjustment only requires an Allen key. During the adjustment procedure, no parts need to be removed, so it’s highly unlikely that anything will go AWOL in the woods. The rider sees immediate effects while adjusting and therefore knows exactly which setting they’re putting the bike into.
The bike shown in this article is in fact an earlier prototype of the ROSE Pikes Peak, and according to Max Sistenich, the standard bike will exclusively be available with a carbon frame, featuring the new BOOST 148 rear hub spacing standard and optimized cable routing. They’ve deliberately sacrificed a front derailleur bracket so that the bearings not only get a wider position, but the bearings themselves are more robust, thus resulting in a stiffer rear end. Moreover, the shorter chainstay will result in more agile handling.
The new ROSE Pikes Peak is set to come in two travel variants, with rear travel of either 150 or 165, and front travel of 150 or 160mm. The rear travel is a result of the length of the damper, and the two fork lengths have influenced the geometry; on the 150mm-travel bike, the head and seat angle are 0.5° steeper than on the 160mm model. Just like ROSE’s other frames, the Pikes Peak will be available in several build specs, which can be fully tuned to create your desired bike set-up using the ROSE online configurator.
‘Long and slack’ is the best way to sum up the geometry of the ROSE Pikes Peak. With a super long frame (reach 445mm, medium frame) and a slack 65.5° head angle, this bike is well suited to those riders who like to let it run with speed on descents. And there should be an additional and impressive boost to agility thanks to the shorter 430mm chainstay.
An overview of the geometry
| Size | M 160 mm (steep) | M 160 mm (slack) | M 150 mm (steep) | M 150 mm (slack) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toptube | 616mm | 619mm | 616mm | 617mm |
| Chainstays | 430mm | 430mm | 430mm | 430mm |
| Head angle | 66,5° | 65,5° | 67° | 66° |
| Seat angle | 75° | 74° | 75,5° | 74,5° |
| BB height | -2mm | -15mm | -5mm | -18mm |
| Reach | 455mm | 445mm | 460mm | 450mm |
| Stack | 600mm | 607mm | 596mm | 604mm |
Expected to be on the market in spring 2016, we’re still waiting for confirmation of the available build specs, prices and geometry stats for the ROSE Pikes Peak. The Pikes Peak is already primed for our initial test ride in Kirchberg very soon, and we’ll report back on how well the geometry adjustment – and the resulting geometry – works. Expect to see that article making an appearance on ENDURO very soon.
For more information visit: rosebikes.de
Words & Pictures: Christoph Bayer
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