Is the Rotwild R.R275 X really “the slickest e-gravel bike ever”?

We often bring you weird and wonderful designs in the road.cc Bike at Bedtime slot, and the Rotwild R.R275 X certainly falls into that category. As far as appearances go, it’s certainly a distinctive one. In fact, as a gravel e-bike (or an eGravel bike, if you prefer) with a stem that blends into the top tube, integrated lights, and Xentis High X five-spoke wheels, this is an unusual proposition all round.

We first spotted the Rotwild R.R275 X when it was released in 2023, and then last year it won a Red Dot: Best of the Best award for outstanding design and product quality. Red Dot winners are selected only from those who have chosen to take part and pay an entry fee, but Rotwild did beat challengers from the likes of Canyon, Orbea and Lotus to the top spot.

That’s all beside the point, though. We just thought you’d like a gander at a model that had our sister website ebiketips wondering: is this the slickest e-gravel bike ever?

At the heart of things, you get a carbon-fibre frameset with a battery and motor hidden away inside. Sure, there are giveaway signs like a display at the front end of the top tube and the oversized bottom bracket area which houses the motor – visible from the non-driveside – but you’d be forgiven for not realising this was an e-bike at first glance.

Speaking of the motor, we’re talking about a TQ-HPR50 drive system here, giving three levels of assistance (tunable via the TQ app) and up to 50 Nm of torque. It is one of the lightest (1,850g) and most compact mid-drives on the market, and it’s nearly silent in operation.

The IPU 275 battery offers 250 watt-hours of capacity. There’s also a ‘Boost Button” that can help you out if you are starting to lag on a tough climb or want to sprint out of a tight corner. Give it a press and you’ll get up to 300 watts of extra power for a maximum of 30 seconds. That’ll take the pressure off.

The stem fits into the junction between the top tube and the head tube, sitting flush with the frame rather than extending the size of the bike’s silhouette when viewed from the front. The stem is made from two separate shells. Swapping to a taller lower shell moves the stem as a whole up by 2cm. That aside, the handlebar height is determined by the frame geometry, with stack heights varying from 556mm to 630mm, depending on the bike size you go for.

A Supernova Starstream light is integrated into that stem. It offers a 1,000 lumen high beam for riding on unlit road/trails, and a 550 lumen low beam that promises glare-free illumination. A sensor in the display measures ambient brightness and turns the headlight on and off automatically. Out back, a Supernova TL3 Mini taillight sits at the junction between the top tube, seat tube, and seatstays. The wires, like the brake hoses, are fully internal.

The R.R275 X Ultra version is built with a SRAM Force groupset and Xentis High-X wheels – each with a 35mm-deep rim (25mm internal width) and five spokes moulded together from 86 pieces of carbon. Bought separately as a wheelset, you’re looking at €3,299 there. The wheels are fitted with 35mm Schwalbe G-One RS tyres, although the frameset will take up to 50mm.

The R.R275 X is also available as a Pro model with the same frameset, motor, battery and lights, but this time built with a Shimano GRX groupset and Xentis Squad 2.5 Gravel wheels.

If you fancy a Rotwild R.R275 X of your own, you’re looking at €11,990 (£10,021) for the Ultra version or €8,990 (£7,514) for the Pro model. However, Rotwild is a German brand, and there’s currently no UK distributor, so you’d need to buy from Europe.

Check out loads more Bikes at Bedtime here.