A Rose is a Rose is a Rose is a Rose, but to the eponymous German brand, its new BACKROAD FF gravel bike is no delicate flower, as evidenced by its two victories in last week’s UNBOUND gravel race.
Now in its third generation, the BACKROAD FF sees a revamped frameset and revised geometry that moves the gravel grinder much more into the performance-oriented category, while full integration adds to the bike’s stealthy silhouette.
The BACKROAD FF features a Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH), allowing the bike to work with a variety of both 1x and 2x groupsets, as well as the new AXS T-Type mullet Eagle setup. Plus, for those who are considering tackling the great expanse, ROSE was keen to add a plethora of bottle cage and top tube mounts including a Fidlock magnetic-mounted bolt-on for integrated aero bags, availing it for bikepacking duties as well.
Clearance was also an important consideration when developing the new BACKROAD FF, which can accommodate tires up to a hefty 45mm.
Integration you ask?
The BACKROAD FF is treated to ROSE’s one-piece cockpit, which features 15° of flare, a -10° stem, an undulating 20mm of rise, 73mm of reach and 98mm of drop, along with a proprietary D-shaped aero seatpost.
Elsewhere, the BACKROAD FF is shod with ROSE’s GC50 wheels, which have an internal width of 27mm. Curiously though, the front wheel is 40mm wide overall compared to the rear which is only 32mm, employing the philosophy that things should be more aerodynamic up front and lighter in the rear.
The BACKROAD FF is available in two guises, which come equipped with either a SRAM Rival AXS XPLR groupset with downgraded alloy wheels for 3500€, or with a SRAM Force AXS XPLR drivetrain and ROSE’s premium GC50 wheelset for 5000€, with sizes that span XS to XL.
Rose
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