I have found a really interesting offer for a practically new* Rose Backroad FF in Classified spec – for about 3525 EUR.
It is well reviewed, a racy gravel bike that seems a perfect "2 in 1" all-road solution for me, and I love the clean design of it. I am also right in the middle of the chart for the size on offer.
Easy sell, right?
Well, there's a teenie-tiny caveat in the shape of my barely half-year old, no-nonsense Van Rysel GRVL AF GRX that I bought as my first gravel bike. The bike that I can't really find any fault with, the bike I've only recently upgraded with carbon wheels, narrower bars and power meter pedals. The bike that is absolutely enough of a bike, whether on gravel or on tarmac, for my needs and one that I really enjoy riding, and don't stress too much about using as a commuter or winter bike.
So, taking that into consideration, plus the fact that due to Classified Powershift I wouldn't even be able to easily repurpose the carbon wheels as a second, pure road set for the Rose, getting the Backroad seems a total folly, if not insanity, right? Right?
Or is it a too good an offer to let go and I should just get it?
*) it is a mint condition test bike that the dealer claims has less than 20km in it.
by k0nfuse
10 Comments
Only two options. Sell the Van Rysel or have two bikes.
You only have one bike?
If you can afford it and like it, get it. Having n+1 bikes never can be wrong under any circumstances.
Plus, the FF Classified is a beast. Bought it on sale for my commute and I love it; feels like a proper race-bike.
The sheer enjoyment of riding this thing 30km to work and back is reason enough for me and well justified the spend already.
Get the new bike and sell your current bike…and enjoy
Gonna go against the grain here and say keep the Van Rysel. Sounds like it is everything you need and a new bike is not going to make you happier. Enjoy it for a couple of seasons and then upgrade, that way you can actually appreciate it.
Coming from an alu Topstone with mech shifting i got a Backroad ff with grx 825i in February and honestly, I never want to go back. The Backroad ff is a fantastic bike and it brings so much joy riding it.
It was / is on sale right now for 3800 EUR. So this might not even be a good deal. But you know that right?
Also Rose is generally too expensive in my opinion. If you compare it to other DTC brands.
Edit: to compare: my friend got an Alu Backroad woth i think GRX400. He paid 2300 or something swiss francs. He got alu and grx400 for that price. That‘s crazy. Also they didn‘t really set it up properly (he ordered it to a rose store) because that thing sounds like a fucking freight train derailling when he shifts. Meanwhile i got a Grizl CF SLX Di2 on sale for 3400 with DT Swiss GRC1400 and GRX 2×12 DI2 as well obviously full carbon frame and saddle post. As well as a full ultegra groupset inxluding the brakes even down to the rotors and brakepads. Also Canyon was selling their CF SL6 with Apex AXS for 1900 at this time. Which is crazy if you think that you can get Carbon and electronic shifting for 400 less than an alu bile with GRX400… so no. Rose didn‘t cook with their backroad. It‘s shamelessly overpriced. The frame looks nice though
Classified had a huge clearance sale at Rose and they are not selling it anymore. I tried the classified version against SRAM and hated it. Also the matte paint is a pain in the butt, because it’s really hard to keep clean. So i think the sale sounds better than you might think.
I don’t think that’s too good to pass up. Backroads are nice, my colleague has one and he loves it, but he had his eye on it for a while. Idk about you but 3500 is nothing to sneeze at for me and it sounds like you have a bike that meets your gravel needs already and you enjoy riding it. Can you be sure you’re going to equally enjoy the rose and keep the same comfort you feel on the grvl?
Have you tested the bike? Did you like it. Is the geometry for you? It‘s a very racy gravel bike with aggressive geometry. Some friends use it as an all-in-one bike, doing road and gravel on it. I‘ve never ridden one, but seeing my friends riding it: that thing rips!
Caveat: Classified shifting. You can’t switch out your wheelset easily (well, you can, but you‘ll lose the classified hub and gearing option).
It wouldn’t be too hard to convert it to a normal 2×12 bike though as you‘d only need a 2× crankset and a front derailleur + Di2 cable.
Other than that: it looks really nice. It rides really well. Go for it. Sell your other bike. You won’t regret it.