Exclusive First Rides: Rose Backroad FF Gravel Race Bike Expertly Balances Speed & Comfort

Rose goes racing with an all-new aero carbon Backroad FF gravel bike. And we got an exclusive first look riding it on Spanish gravel a few weeks back. Now fast forward back to today, and this new Rose Backroad FF carbon gravel bike hits a killer sweetspot balancing race-ready performance and all-day comfort. Plus, it does that while remaining just as affordable as ever.

2024 Rose Backroad FF carbon gravel race bike

Rose developed the new Backroad FF to have a UCI-approved carbon gravel bike for racing. And it’s a direct analog to their similarly-shaped & affordable Xlite aero road bike. But it’s a lot more than just a gravel race bike.

It is a rare occurrence when a new bike genuinely feels faster and more comfortable than its predecessors AND the competition. Adding relative affordability into the mix feels almost unheard of. But this new carbon Rose Backroad FF gravel race bike seems to tick almost all of the boxes…

Tech details

This is the third generation of Rose’s Backroad gravel bike that I’ve ridden. And it truly seems to get better each time. The last Backroad was already a great fully integrated do-it-all gravel bike, but this FF Fast Forward evolution takes it to the next level.

The new frame and fork feature a profile that really doesn’t stand out all that much from the current crop of modern aero gravel race bikes and looks just like their aero road bike. But Rose seems to have nailed the details – from refined geometry to carbon materials to a set of aero finishing kit components that retain rider comfort.

The hi-mod carbon frame and fork feature more race-oriented geometry with a slightly steeper headtube angle vs. the previous generation. But a more forward weight balance with a steeper seat angle, slightly longer frame reach, and much lower frame Stack heights. It’s a more aggressive fit on the bike, but the slight riser cockpit balances things out a bit.

The FF frame utilizes the UDH standard so you can still with the conventional hanger for existing gravel derailleurs, or even go direct-mount for a new AXS T-Type mullet Eagle setup down the (gravel) road. Built with 1x drivetrains and a bolt-on Wolftooth chainguide, but you could also run a wireless 2x if you are still into that kind of thing. There are two sets of bottle cages inside the frame (3-bolt on the downtube). Plus, direct mount studs for the frame bag and a toptube bag mount. No fork or under downtube mounts.

This new race bike is optimized for 40mm tires when you are looking for the best aerodynamic gains, but they actually measure up a bit wider on these 27mm internal rims. Plus, there’s officially clearance for a max 45mm tire if you want to go wider, with room for muddy gravel buildup.

Riding Impressions

This new bike simply makes you feel fast when you ride it. And never beaten up, no matter how long or rough the gravel ride is. Sure, this is a bike intended for racing, and it doesn’t have a ton of extra adventure mounts. But it’s really a great all-rounder that will make every gravel ride feel faster and easier. I just spent a week testing a dozen bikes with a handful of bike industry insider friends, and occasionally racing each other.

And we literally fought over this bike before every ride.

A big pet peeve of mine with current gravel race bikes is an overly stiff carbon layup. That surely can feel snappy and responsive when you sprint for a town line, but rattles you to finish a long off-road ride worn out. But Rose’s Backroad FF mixes a sense of ease & speed pedaling down fast gravel roads, with real-world comfort that keeps you feeling fresh at the end of a big day out.

A big part of the seems to come from the shapely narrow carbon cockpit and its riser bar.

All-new Rose One-Piece Gravel Cockpit

The upward bend of the handlebar seems to isolate annoying gravel road buzz without deadening the feel of the road. It also is quite narrow at the top for an aero position on the turned-in hoods, supported by the flat tops under your forearms. But with a generous flare from the hoods to the long drops, it still feels plenty wide for stability when descending through rough sections. My only nit to pick on this integrated cockpit is that I would like a little more drop in the bar, but I think I could partly solve that simply with a cleaner, thinner bartape wrap.

The 40cm x 100mm bar I rode sells separately for 350€, available in April. It measures 400mm wide at the hoods, then 495mm at the drops, at a claimed weight of 398g. The bar gets 15° flare, a -10° stem but 20mm of rise back up, then 73mm of reach & 98mm of drop. It also comes in a narrower 38cm width and 3 stem lengths.

Not to be discounted is the aero section carbon seatpost. I often think an aero bike would be more comfortable with a classic round post, but Rose hit the comfort sweet spot on this D-shaped post, too. No notes.

The wide, deep & lightweight new Rose GC50 carbon wheels certainly also help provide a plush, fast ride.

All-new Rose GC50 aero carbon gravel wheels

50mm deep x 27mm wide internal. The front rim is a full 40mm wide and the rear is just 32mm wide. The idea is more aero up front to match that big wide tire where it matters more, then lighter out back in the muddied airflow. The 543g front rim is almost a hundred grams heavier than the 444g rear. Rose says the complete tubeless wheelset weighs 1550g (770g front/780g rear). And you can buy them separately for 1700€ later this spring.

Other Accessories

Rose also developed a custom set of Fidlock magnetic-mounted bolt-on integrated aero bags for the new Backroad FF. With a magnetic flip toptube bag like one of my favorites Apidura Racing bag and a simple waterproof zip partial frame bag that still lets you use 2 water bottles. I haven’t tried either – opting for a bolt-on Tailfin toptube bag. But they look clean and well executed for riders looking for dedicated on-bike storage (without the complication & added weight of in-frame gloveboxes).

2024 Rose Backroad FF – Pricing, spec & availability

The new carbon Rose Backroad FF comes in just two SRAM AXS wireless complete builds, both with integrated power meters. I tested the more expensive 5000€ Backroad FF Force AXS XPLR with its 50mm deep x 27mm internal carbon wheels. Claimed to weigh 8kg, my size M/L tester was 8.39kg with the extra out-front GPS & light mount (and in retrospect, a tube with a crazy long valve after a trailside repair.)

There is also a 3500€ Backroad FF Rival AXS XPLR model. That one features the exact same fast but comfy carbon frameset, cockpit & seatpost. It gets a lower spec 30mm deep x 25m wide alloy wheelset and a step down to Rival components. But only a 500g penalty for that cost savings. Plus, it still includes a full wireless groupset & power meter for the same price as the cheapest electronic Di2 build we tested on the old Backroad four years ago. Take that inflation!

Both build specs are available in six sizes (XS-XL). Both in pistachio beige or supersonic grey (off-white), plus a Force-only rotten candy marbled pink. Order them all now consumer direct from Rose, with international deliveries starting in late May to early June 2024.

RoseBikes.com