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review
£2,018.09
VERDICT:
Fast endurance machine with race-like handling, but harsh front end is at odds with 'endurance' bike idea
Weight:
7,560g
Contact:
At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.
What the road.cc scores meanGood scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.
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Coming in at 7.5kg (16.6lb), the Rose Xeon CDX-4400 has an impressive weight for a disc brake-equipped road bike and that is reflected in the ride. It's quick, easy to live with and delivers a lot of fun miles. Chuck in the fact that it's only just over two grand and you've got a cracker of a machine ready to be ridden flat out or cruising the lanes.
Ride
With this 57cm model coming with a short 55.5cm top tube and an 18.5cm head tube, it fits squarely in the endurance camp. That doesn't mean it's a slouch, though – steep seat and head angles make for a spirited ride, and while the position isn't the most aerodynamic, the Xeon's super-stiff frame allows you to make up for it with brute force through the pedals.
Buy this online here
The whole bike is a bit of a contrast, to be fair. The steering is quick – way quicker than the similarly sized Canyon Endurace – and it has a much, much stiffer front end, which makes it feel like a full-on race bike.
That stiffness continues through the massive down tube, bottom bracket and seat stay junction. Acceleration is brisk if not exactly blistering, but the Xeon likes to be ridden hard; you get plenty of response from stamping on the pedals without feeling a waste of power anywhere.
The rear end is like your favourite armchair in comparison. The slender seat stays are curved to promote flex and they are slender in profile. With the Xeon using discs, Rose have removed the rear brake bridge allowing even more flex there – in fact you can squeeze the seat stays together with just your finger and thumb.
The integrated seat clamp is designed to allow for more seatpost showing above the frame and when that seatpost just happens to be the Ritchey Flexlogic, which is designed to offer more deflection than most posts, you end up with a very bum-cosseting ride. The Selle Italia SLS Monolink saddle helps too, thanks to a decent amount of firm padding.
As a whole it works, the fast steering and stiff front end allowing you to put the bike exactly where you want it, while the metre-long wheelbase and shock absorbing rear keep everything planted and smooth, especially when the road surface is broken or rough.
On rolling terrain you can knock out mile after mile at a decent pace without having to push yourself into the red. The compact chainset and wide range 11-speed cassette let you stay seated on climbs and develop a rhythm unless things get really steep.
The overall weight makes a big difference compared with most disc bikes of this type when in the hills. Climbs can be attacked or ridden at a tempo, with the CDX responding well to both, that stiff bottom end coming into play here again.
When going the other way, that quick steering means you can have some fun through the bends, especially if the road surface is smooth. Like a lot of stiff, lightweight carbon frames the Xeon becomes 'buzzy' when the asphalt is on the rough side; there is a lot of resonance and vibration at the front end which cancels out a fair bit of the feedback so you can't quite feel what the front wheel is doing beneath you.
The handling is pretty direct and shouldn't see you get into too much trouble, though it just lacks the precision of Mason's Resolution and Definition plus that of the De Rosa Idol Disc recently tested. They all feel a little less skittish too. I think the issue here is that the Xeon's high front end and short body just don't let you get enough weight over the front end for high speed descending.
Overall, though, the CDX offers a very confident ride ideally suited for its designed purpose, namely, covering those miles quickly in relative comfort – as long as the surface is smooth enough, as the harsh front end can become tiresome on rough roads.
Frame & Fork
The CDX is based on the Xeon Team CGF, sharing the same geometry and the majority of the same construction. Adding disc brakes brings with it a few changes, though, so there have been a few tweaks to the carbon layup and the inclusion of thru-axles on the frame and fork. Thru-axles are a hollow tube in a range of outer diameters, 15mm here for the front and 10mm at the rear, with what looks like a standard quick release handle on one end, threaded externally at the other. The tube literally passes through the wheel hub and screws into the thread on the frame or fork dropout, with the idea being that it better resists the braking forces from discs than a standard QR.
As I mentioned briefly above, the geometry is short and tall to give a quite upright position. This 57cm model has a reach (the horizontal distance from the centre of the bottom bracket to the top of the head tube) of 387mm and stack (vertical distance between those points) of 583mm, so it's quite a compact frameset. To compensate for the short reach, I had to run the saddle pretty far back, though another option would be to run a slightly longer stem – worth bearing in mind when you're ordering.
A 73-degree head tube angle and 74-degree seat tube produce a pretty racy setup, highlighting the fact that Rose understand wanting to go long doesn't mean not wanting to go fast.
The frame is constructed from T30 and T40 high modulus carbon fibre, giving a claimed weight of 1080g (2.83lb), which is impressive for a bike of this type especially as adding disc mounts and the like has only increased it by 70g over the standard version. The full-carbon fork complements this at 380g.
The tube shapes evolve throughout the frame, with each bringing its own aspect and characteristics to the overall build. As we see on the majority of road bikes these days, the upper half is all about comfort with the lower bringing stiffness and power transfer.
The head tube is tapered with a 1 1/8in upper increasing to 1 1/4in lower race, increasing front end stiffness and responsiveness both in terms of handling and braking.
Down at the bottom bracket area the junction is massive to resist the twisting forces from your pedalling. Rose have gone down the press-fit route allowing for more width of the BB shell without affecting the overall Q factor, the width between the pedals. During testing the Xeon saw plenty of wet miles with never the slightest hint of creaking from the BB cups.
Full internal cable routing keeps the aesthetics clean, and it's mechanical and electronic ready, finished off with a nice mix of paint and lacquered naked carbon fibre. The frame is also one of the first to accept Shimano's new Flat Mount disc brake standard, which SRAM have used for their 2016 model callipers.
The build
The CDX-4400 comes with a SRAM Force 22 hydraulic groupset, DT Swiss wheels and Ritchey finishing kit. Since we ran our 'just in' piece there has been a bit of a price increase with this model currently sitting at £1986.09 plus delivery cost, though for the level of finish, weight and kit it's still a relative bargain.
The build is fully customisable at the point of order too, so you can tweak everything to get the exact bike you want within reason. There are the usual set up choices like stem and crank length right through to wheel upgrades and so on before your bike is picked and assembled.
SRAM Force 22 has a superfast shift, which suits the spirited nature of the Xeon's ride though it's not without its little foibles. It may be fast but it's clunky too and can easily get flustered when you try to change gear with a bit of gusto. You need to learn some finesse.
After initial problems with their road hydraulic disc brake setup, SRAM have relaunched it and it's a cracker. The feel at the levers offers loads of modulation and you really know what the brakes are up to. I personally feel that 160mm rotors on a road bike are overkill, especially on the rear; grabbing a handful of front brake shoves so much weight forward that the rear locks up in an instant, though it's easily controlled, admittedly, by just backing off the power a touch.
The hoods are a comfortable shape, meaning long rides are never an issue even without gloves. They're tall because they contain the hydraulic reservoir on top of the shifting mechanism, although Shimano have managed to get theirs much smaller.
The rest of the setup works well too. The compact 50/34 chainset has carbon fibre cranks which are very stiff. Pair this to the 11-28 cassette and you've got plenty of gears for climbing and top end speed. This is customisable too at the point of order.
The Ritchey finishing kit matches the gloss look of the frame and is just as stiff. The bar is a compact shape, which gives plenty of hand options for everyone, although even in the drops you won't be getting that low considering the length of the head tube.
The seatpost and saddle use a Monolink system designed by Selle Italia. Instead of traditional rails, the saddle has a single central one with a groove running through that allows the saddle to slide fore and aft. It's never really taken off, which is a shame as it creates one hell of a lightweight setup.
Wheel-wise Rose have specced the R23s from DT Swiss's Spline range. We tested the R24s a few weeks ago and were very impressed with their ride and build quality, and the same goes here. The rim is lighter, though, knocking around 100g off the weight to give a claimed figure of 1655g.
The Continental GP4000 S II tyres have a lovely balance of grip and comfort plus they're hardwearing too. Rose spec 25mm tyres on the base build, but the frame should take 28s without any issue. The gap between the rear wheel and seat tube would be the defining factor rather than the width of the chainstays.
Conclusion
The Rose Xeon CDX is definitely at the sportier end of the whole endurance thing, with its quick handling and impressive response to the rider's effort. The frame feels tight and stiff, with the lightweight build responding well in the hills. And with Rose's direct to consumer retailing they can offer the Xeon at a cracking price for the build.
The only issue I have is with that buzzing frame on rough road surfaces. The loss of feedback from the vibration takes a lot away from the ride; rather than feeling at one with your bike, being a part of it, you're left feeling very much sat on it.
If you can put up with that ride, though, and you're looking for a disc brake-equipped bike with endurance geometry but a racy ride, there isn't much that can compete on price and weight.
Verdict
Fast endurance machine with race-like handling, but harsh front end is at odds with 'endurance' bike idea
road.cc test report
Make and model: Rose Xeon CDX-4400
Size tested: 57 - Black and red
About the bike
State the frame and fork material and method of construction. List the components used to build up the bike.
*High Modulus Carbon Frame
*High Modulus Carbon Fork
*SRAM Force 22 Hydraulic Shifters
*160mm F/160mm R disc rotors
*SRAM Force Hydraulic Calipers
*SRAM Force 22 Compact Chainset 50/34t
*SRAM Force 22 Rear Mech
*SRAM Force 22 Front Mech
*SRAM Force 22 11/28 Cassette
*SRAM PC-1170 Chain
*Ritchey WCS Stream II Handlebars
*Ritchey WCS-220 Stem 110mm
*Ritchey Flexlogic Seatpost Monolink
*Selle Italia SLS Carbonio Saddle Monolink
*DT Swiss R23 Spline DB Wheelset
*Continental GP4000 S II 700x25c Tyres
Tell us what the bike is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about the bike?
Rose call the Xeon a gran fondo racer, and the CDX has brought more control for wet weather riding with the inclusion of disc brakes. The CDX certainly has that style of ride in its design, offering speed and engaging handling, perfect for carving out those mountain descents in comfort. The discs bring an extra bit of control and modulation to the standard frame especially in wet weather. The frame can feel a little harsh on the UK's less than ideal rough roads.
Frame and fork
Overall rating for frame and fork
7/10
Tell us about the build quality and finish of the frame and fork?
The build quality and overall look of the frame is very good. Everything fits together as it should with tight tolerances for the seatpost and headset.
Tell us about the materials used in the frame and fork?
Both the frame and fork are manufactured from high modulus carbon fibre of the T30 and T40 grades.
Tell us about the geometry of the frame and fork?
A short top tube and high front end create an upright position designed more for the long distance riders than racers. Steep head and seat angles create fast steering and a responsive ride.
How was the bike in terms of height and reach? How did it compare to other bikes of the same stated size?
The reach is very short for a bike of this size, so some adjustment to your position may be needed. The stack is the opposite, being large due to the length of the head tube.
Riding the bike
Was the bike comfortable to ride? Tell us how you felt about the ride quality.
The ride quality isn't bad but I found it on the harsh side for an endurance bike. The carbon frame can resonate quite a bit on rough road surfaces.
Did the bike feel stiff in the right places? Did any part of the bike feel too stiff or too flexible?
Yes, the front end is tight, as is the bottom bracket area. There is quite a contrast in stiffness levels between front and rear.
How did the bike transfer power? Did it feel efficient?
There is no loss of power through the bottom half of the bike as you stand on the pedals to climb or accelerate.
Was there any toe-clip overlap with the front wheel? If so, was it a problem?
No
How would you describe the steering? Was it lively, neutral or unresponsive? Lively for an endurance style of machine.
Tell us some more about the handling. How did the bike feel overall? Did it do particular things well or badly?
The handling is direct and makes the bike easy to set up for the corners, although there isn't the level of accuracy or surefootedness I expected. The frame can suffer from vibration on bad road surfaces which reduces feedback when descending at high speed.
Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's comfort? would you recommend any changes?
The saddle and seatpost are wonderfully flexible to take the edge off the stiff ride.
Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's stiffness? would you recommend any changes?
SRAM's Force 22 chainset felt really stiff thanks to those carbon arms, as does the alloy bar and stem combo from Ritchey.
Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's efficiency? would you recommend any changes?
The Continental tyres offer great rolling resistance, and while the DT Swiss wheels are good rollers too, that would be the only part of the bike I would say could do with upgrading in the long term.
Rate the bike for efficiency of power transfer:
9/10
Rate the bike for acceleration:
8/10
Rate the bike for sprinting:
8/10
Rate the bike for high speed stability:
8/10
Rate the bike for cruising speed stability:
8/10
Rate the bike for low speed stability:
7/10
Rate the bike for flat cornering:
8/10
Rate the bike for cornering on descents:
8/10
Rate the bike for climbing:
9/10
The drivetrain
Rate the drivetrain for performance:
8/10
Rate the drivetrain for durability:
8/10
Rate the drivetrain for weight:
8/10
Rate the drivetrain for value:
8/10
Tell us some more about the drivetrain. Anything you particularly did or didn't like? Any components which didn't work well together?
The SRAM groupset works well as a whole, offering quick and crisp shifting for the majority of the time, though it doesn't like being rushed.
Wheels and tyres
Rate the wheels and tyres for performance:
8/10
Rate the wheels and tyres for durability:
8/10
Rate the wheels and tyres for weight:
8/10
Rate the wheels and tyres for comfort:
9/10
Rate the wheels and tyres for value:
8/10
Tell us some more about the wheels and tyres.Did they work well in the conditions you encountered? Would you change the wheels or tyres? If so, what for?
The DT Swiss R23s are decent performers in terms of speed and durability. They are quite a bit more expensive than the R24s, though, for just a 100g weight saving. The Continental tyres are pretty much the best in their range with a grippy compound and good puncture resistance.
Controls
Rate the controls for performance:
8/10
Rate the controls for durability:
8/10
Rate the controls for weight:
8/10
Rate the controls for comfort:
8/10
Rate the controls for value:
8/10
Tell us some more about the controls. Any particularly good or bad components? How would the controls work for larger or smaller riders?
Ritchey stuff always impresses me; while not the most extravagant or flash looking, it always delivers in comfort and quality.
Your summary
Did you enjoy riding the bike? Yes
Would you consider buying the bike? No, it is a great deal but the short reach and resonating frame would put me off long term
Would you recommend the bike to a friend? Yes
Rate the bike overall for performance:
8/10
Rate the bike overall for value:
9/10
Use this box to explain your score
I think the Xeon is a really good bike, mostly, considering the price and the overall low weight. For me, though, it doesn't quite sparkle enough to be truly exceptional, with the frame being on the harsh side for seriously long miles on British roads; while the quick handling is a joy on shorter rides, I found it becomes a distraction when fatigue kicks in.
About the tester
Age: 36 Height: 180cm Weight: 76kg
I usually ride: Kinesis T2 My best bike is: Mason Definition
I've been riding for: 10-20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed
Since writing his first bike review for road.cc back in early 2009 senior product reviewer Stu has tested more than a thousand pieces of kit, and hundreds of bikes.
With an HND in mechanical engineering and previous roles as a CNC programmer/machinist, draughtsman and development engineer (working in new product design) Stu understands what it takes to bring a product to market. A mix of that knowledge combined with his love of road and gravel cycling puts him in the ideal position to put the latest kit through its paces.
He first made the switch to road cycling in 1999, primarily for fitness, but it didn’t take long for his competitive side to take over which led to around ten years as a time triallist and some pretty decent results. These days though riding is more about escapism, keeping the weight off and just enjoying the fact that he gets to ride the latest technology as part of his day job.
Latest Comments
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Shame as I have a lot of time for him despite his past, the ineos grenadier thing and the pic of him drinking madri with ned on a podcast 🙂 was...
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Been onto the police officer, and she is unable to tell me whether the 'e-bike' was a tandem, a motorbike, a moped or something like an e-Brompton....
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This is hilarious. The old heads in The Royal Parks will be fuming.
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On the seat tube above the front mech I guess? Are we still calling that the seat tube ?
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When for the same money (or half that on AliExpress) you can get a CooSpo CS500 with maps and GPS navigation I really can't see who's going to pay...
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CO rebreathing, altitude camps, and altitude/hypobaric tents are all trying to exploit the same effect: The body producing more red-blood cells in...
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" To be fair it is a completely unsolvable problem…. Like aging, belly button lint, or fascism. "
Add new comment
38 comments
Do Rose reduce their bikes to the same degree as shops at the end of season? Equivalent bikes from other brands will be 30-40% cheaper at the end of the season.
Well, mine arrived last Friday!
I took it out on Friday night in the wet. Was having a great time getting used to it (and to my new Speedplay pedals) when I had a double blow out thanks to huge pothole! Rather spoiled my fun, but I'm looking forward to taking out again with my club on Wednesday.
Anyway, so far so fantastic!
Budget mamil, I'm on my 4th Rose bike now and my experience is to take the "expected delivery date" thing with a pinch of salt. Your original order acceptance would have contained at the bottom a precise "expected assembly date". Your order status should change to "the good are being prepared for assembly" on or around your expected assembly date. If this doesn't happen its worth calling them and they can give you a better idea of where the problem is.
Thanks Curto80, that's very helpful. Yes, their email gave 13th Aug as expected assembly date, and the order status changed to "the good are being prepared for assembly" a few days ago, so it sounds like things are moving along...?
...I'm think I'm just getting a bit overexcited!!
My wait got down to 'approximately one week' on Monday... and now it's back to 'approximately two weeks'!!
...three weeks now...
As a Rose aficionado I've always been puzzled, actually quite confused, about this "too harsh for British roads" stuff that this and other sites come out with. I ride the Xeon CRS frame which is meant to be racier and slightly stiffer than the CDX. I have never had an issue with fatigue or discomfort or anything else. I've ridden it thousands of km on the flinty, pot holed back roads of Hampshire (as well as countless other places) and it's just a great, fast, smooth bike. I made sure before I started that I got it properly fitted and maybe that makes a difference, but I'd recommend a Rose to anybody
This is not to say that Stu isn't entitled to his opinion, of course he is and he's very responsible in qualifying it by reference to his personal preferences. It's just that other people, myself included, will have absoluty the opposite view.
It's worth noting that this is not without experience of comparing it to other bikes either. Stu is a big fan of Dom Mason and rightly so. I've got a Tripster ATR which as I understand it Dom designed at Kinesis, and whilst that's also an awesome bike, I don't find it any more or less comfortable than the Rose.
I've got the CDX 3100 version of this bike in blue, had it for about 2 weeks now and put in around 230 miles so far. I wanted something that I could ride all year round hence the attraction of disc brakes and Di2.
To compensate for the upright position I ordered a 59cm and lowered the stem. The position is now very similar to my old bike, perhaps about 10mm shorter in effective top tube. Funnily enough, my old bike was described at the time as being a 'sportive bike' - it is actually pretty much identical in geometry to the current Spesh Tarmac 58cm!
I placed the order in the beginning of May and it was dispatched 8 weeks later. This was bang on with the estimate given to me by their UK rep Fin Paton. However, the bike was then delayed in Cologne due to the tail end of the postal strike in Germany so it was 9 weeks in total from order to delivery.
The bike is comfy and yet fast - I've improved quite a few of my PR's on Strava so far! It does rattle a bit on rough surfaces but the handling is very direct. The only negative I have at the moment is under hard braking - when I grab a handful of front brake (for an emergency stop say), the fork can vibrate quite harshly as the bike comes to a stop. It was quite disconcerting at first and I haven't yet sussed it out. Maybe it is the stiff front end (my only experience of disc brakes prior to this is on a full sus MTB) or maybe the pads are not fully bedded in yet? Perhaps I need to tune my braking technique to suit disc brakes more? I think I will play around with the front tyre pressure to see if that dials it out.
Di2 is fantastic though! I'm not quite used to the button positions yet especially shifting up the block, but that is because I am used to pushing the very tip of the lever on the old set up.
Great to hear from someone that owns a 3100 Di2. That's about the only piece of independent feedback I've seen on this model (that's not on the Rose Website). Any further thoughts, please add them.
I'm 5'10 and have gone for the 57cm frame. This is almost identical in size (and very close in geometry) to my current 56cm Specialized Secteur (Al version of the Rubaix).
I also spoke with Finlay a few times before the purchase (by phone and email). He was extremely useful and recommended the 57cm frame from the start, whilst I took a little convincing and a lot of research.
Great to hear Di2 is living up to it's excellent reputation. Interesting about the braking, I will have to test this extensively when it arrives.
When you say it "rattles". Is this something that your previous bikes didn't do, but this one does ? Or something you'd expect on any bike ? Rattling and German built quality rare sit together.
Currently expecting a 7/8 build date and it sounds like it will be posted very soon after.
I think the rattling could be the internal brake hose plus also a bit of resonance from the large volume box section of the frame! The only rattling I had from my previous bike would have come from the chain or the rear brake cable hitting the top tube.
I'm 6'1" and the 59cm seems right for me so sounds like the 57 would be right for you.
As for the braking, I had one scary moment on Sunday descending a familiar road which leads into a sharp right. The fork did its vibrating thing as I got the bike down in speed, so I released the front a touch. This caused me to lock the rear, skidding the tyre momentarily. Luckily I held the slide and carried on my way. The road surface on that turn is quite rough so I guess that was the major cause, but technique and tyre pressures need looking at as mentioned in my first post.
Thanks for replying Stu. Rough and broken roads pretty much sums up the UK doesn't it :-(. I'm not sure how rough things need to be to cause your concerns ? Is this dodgy Tarmac or full on cobbles ?
I think I just have to wait and give it a try. Then I can see for myself, I'm looking for something lively, but also a bike I can ride for hours at a time and not kill my back / backside. My current bike is my main recent comparison.
You mention a few other bikes that look very different, for me this will be #1 bike of 1 (2 if I push my luck and keep the Secteur). I need it to be light, comfortable, quick and satisfy my passion for tech. To spec any of the other bikes you mention with Di2 and Disc Brakes would cost a fortune, and (for a 100 mile / week cyclist) not really very sensible.
I did also recently rent a Felt F75 in Spain which was noticeably lighter / better than my current bike and I'll be looking forward to seeing how the 3100 compares.
News today is that its scheduled to be made on Aug 7th.
Their delivery times vary considerably - you might find that a particular model is available in 5 weeks if you're lucky enough to need the size and colour that's in stock, otherwise it could be twice that. 5 weeks is about the minimum at the moment, I think. It's worth having a close look at the availabilities table when you place an order.
When I placed the order for my 57 Blue it said "1 in stock" and the lights were green. The UK Rep told me that bikes were on a 7 week lead time. As soon as I placed the order it came up 9 weeks. And today it's gone back a week.
Unfortunately if it goes back any more I may be tempted to cancel and order the 2016 model in Spring as I'm unlikely to ride as much in winter.
Morning all,
I have a very similar bike on order, the CDX 3100 Di2. The frame will be identical and the main difference being the Shimano groupset.
As I'm completely UK based it seems Staurt is stating that the bike is unsuitable for our roads and should be avoided. He certianly wouldn't buy one (yet would recommend one to friends?).
Despite being unsuitable for UK roads and not wanting one it is still rated 4 stars (which is excellent?).
I'm very confused. My order has been in for many weeks and reviews in the UK of Rose bikes are very rare. Is this a bike to be avoided for UK roads ??
Hi Andy,
I wouldn't say the Rose is unsuitable for UK roads but if you do spend a lot of miles on rough and broken surfaces I would personally make an upgrade to some wider tyres rather than the 25mm's we used and run them at a lower pressure, probably put some thicker bar tape on too.
My reservations with the Xeon are that it seems overly stiff for the endurance style of riding it's intended for especially against the competition I've recently tested like the De Rosa Idol, Scott Solace, both Mason's and currently the Saracen Avro. They all have much smoother frames.
My score of 4 stars for 'very good' is because it is a very good bike, not really my cup of tea hence why I wouldn't buy one but very good none the less which is why I'd recommend it to others. I'd let them know my issues with the harshness first though.
I hope you enjoy your new bike
German roads are like the surface of snooker tables polished up.. No wonder they do little effort in making the frame compliant and more on increasing the rigidity..
I've had two Rose CRS frames now (one was a warranty replacement after the BB shell opened up) and although they are two years apart the common factor is that they are both uncompromisingly fast. Appreciate the general comments on road buzz - it's completely brutal over rough surfaces (i.e. most of England). My mate had one of their cross bikes and it was the same - ridiculously stiff and pretty harsh.
One of the guys in my LBS hypothesised that they do a very German job of developing excellent frames on paper with less regard for real world testing and I'm inclined to believe.
Bottom line, good bikes, great speed, good bang for your buck, just don't expect a smooth ride!
Also, BB is creaking already, press fit is the worst invention of all time (the square taper on my fixie hasn't been changed or serviced in 8 years and is running fine...)
Curious about some trends today. Fatter tyres&wider rims, pencil thin slender seatstays and compliant rear ends with lesser diametre (27.2 or even 25.4mm) seatposts with plenty of flex, inserts in the crabon to dampen vibrations...
it raises the question, that when will the industry "re-invent" the 26mm clamp handlebars?
Those have more flex-less rigidity, therefore offer greater comfort
Thank you Stuart for an informative and interesting review.
Reports on bikes from online suppliers are particularly important as we readers are not able to test-ride a bike in the same way as a Trek, Giant etc.
I'm not sure that comparing this bike with the Mason Resolution or Defintion (a £3000 steel bike and a £3700 aluminium bike respectively) or the de Rosa Idol Disc (the frame of which costs more than the Rose complete) is fair or even relevant.
You will be aware that Tour Magazine in Germany last month highlighted problems Rose are having with new suppliers matching the spec on their frames & forks. I wonder if this may go some distance to explaining the buzzy front end. Older (European) reviews of the bike don't mention it, focussing on its comfort.
Thanks again for such an engaging insight.
I was uming and ahing over this bike but eventually opted for the planet x RT80disc finances swayed the decision, (build starts at£1.5k) slightly heavier but with (to me) no road buzz also Wi-Fli to get me up hills.
Would love to see a Road.CC side by side comparison for these bikes.
I had a Rose Xeon CDX 3000 delivered at the weekend. Only done 60 miles on it so far, but from that little exposure it feels like a great bike.
Re. I spent a lot of time looking at the geometry charts, comapring the numbers to my current bike fit. You get to choose almost all the components so can get exactly the stem length and handlebar shape you want. Even after doing that the front end came up a bit short. The short feeling does effect the handling a little bit - I felt like it wasn't quite balanced right. I swapped the 90mm stem out for a 110mm stem and it was instantly improved.
Stuart's temporary solution of moving the saddle further back isn't going to have helped the handling much, pushing the weight further back. Also, saddle position should be determined by the measurements of your legs (so you can get your knee into the right position over the pedal), so shoving the saddle back isn't going to help the fit. Changing the stem is a much better solution, but I guess needs must in terms of a review.
I've tried the SRAM Force 22 hydraulic groupset recently and it's good, but I much prefer the Shimano disc brakes. Everything about them just feels a little bit better.
As pointed out, you can customise everything so I didn't go for the mono-link seatpost - too limiting on saddle choice. I opted for a ritchey carbon handlebar which i feel gives a much better front end 'feel'. Also i opted for a semi compact chainset rather than a compact, combined with a super wide ratio cassette (11-32). I'm short and fat, so really appreciate being able to have a really low gear for the really steep stuff, even if this does mean bigger gaps.
With the adjustment to the stem (and the subsequent shifting of the weight forward a little) i found that the bike felt really positive - it climbed really well (low weight and good stiffness in the right places being the major contributors to this) and felt really good on the descents. Not done enough miles yet to get a really good feel, but all positive so far.
Thanks for the helpful review (published five days after I placed my order!). I've now just got to wait until mid August for mine to arrive...
You are doing better than me. Mine was on a 9 week+ delivery once ordered and has now gone back a week. Still have approximately 3 weeks to wait.
Mine is currently on 'approximately three weeks' too so it looks like we've got a race on to see who gets theirs first! I'm trying very hard to view the wait as 'exciting' rather than frustrating!
I don't even know what a 'buzzy front end' means!? Many of the roads I ride down here in Cornwall are pretty ropey, but I'll be very surprised (and indeed disappointed) if my Rose isn't considerably more comfortable than my current 'entry level' steed.
But after a six week wait (over the summer of all times!), would I be able to bring myself to send it back and start all over again anyway...?!
Very interesting .... So our orders are very similar ?
Order placed 3rd June.
Yesterday it said 3 weeks, today is says 4
CDX 3100 Di2
Matt / Blue - 57cm
Only change I made was the cassette to 11-32. My club loves hills and I still need all the help I can get.
I too am upgrading from an "entry level" bike (Specialized Secteur) and you are right regarding sending it back, when that means another 10 week wait for another.
Poor you - that is frustrating!
My order is for a CDX-4400 gloss red 53cm so our orders are pretty different actually. I was told 6 weeks before ordering and the wait so far has been exactly as predicted.
I'm upgrading from a B'twin Triban 3 (similar spec to a Secteur I think). I keep telling myself that it's done me proud for the last three years, so we can manage another three weeks!
Any comparison with Giant Defy Advanced pro 1?
Seems the Giant one is always a little cheaper?
But what a pity that Giant doesn't has a Di2 version for Defy Advanced range....
Giant have U-Di2 version - the Defy Advanced Pro 0: http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/defy.advanced.pro.0/1918...
Quite a lot more expensive than the Rose, though you can see it before you commit.
"The slender seat stays are curved to promote flex and they are slender in profile. '
So what your saying is..... They're slender?
I have the Di2/Shimano hydraulics version of the Rose CDX, I love it - I don't have the experience of riding loads of different bikes but I really enjoy the Rose compared to my other Cube bike.
I had a long old wait for it to arrive, but other than that have been very happy.
My BB has started creaking when out of the saddle and really pushing hard ( after 500ish miles) - I've not tried to do anything about it yet though as I suspect it's a "feature" of press-fit BBs from what I've read on here.
I don't think you'll be disappointed with the CDX 3100 Di2.
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