Biketest: The Rose Soul Fire. A Super-Enduro!?
The new Soul Fire is Rose‘s interpretation of the ideal “Super-Enduro“ bike. In spite of the huge amount of rear travel (185 mm) the bike is suitable for epic rides and long climbs. A comfortable bike
to shred, whip and generally be stoked on…. as our American colleagues would say. We gave the Soul Fire an extensive test over a six month period; read our impressions here and see whether the bike really does what it says on the tin.
The direct brand Rose, based in Bocholt, Germany,offers the Soul Fire in three spec levels or you can use their online bike configuration tool to put together your own dream spec. We rode the best standard option, the Soul Fire 3.
The aesthetically stylish aluminium frame has a proper four-bar linkage suspension set-up, 185mm of travel, and for the price of 3,899 Euro an incredible spec! At the front you’ll find a Fox 36 TALAS FIT Kashima fork, and out the back the RockShox Vivid Air RC2 rear shock. You slow down with Italian Formula brakes fitted with 200 mm rotors. Light DT Swiss wheels are fitted with solid Continental tyres, a reliable KindShock dropper post, and lastly high-end drivetrain components (SRAM X.0, RaceFace SIXC crankset) to round off the package.
Before we hit the trails we do our initial bike-setup. The Conti Trail King 2.4“ tyres are filled with 25 psi up front and 29 at the back. We run 25% sag at the front and rear, which for our 75kg weight means 145 psi pressure in the fork and 190 psi in the shock. The compact and central position on the Soul Fire is noticeable after just a few meters.
Riding uphill, the rear suspension is efficient, hardly bobs, and offers remarkable power transfer even with the 185mm travel. When riding with the low-speed compression damping fully open there is a bit of movement, but with just a few extra clicks of compression the bob is banished and you can climb efficiently. How much low-speed damping to run is a personal and individual choice, as a more active rear end also gives more traction. In choosing the Vivid Air rear shock Rose are clearly focusing on maximum downhill performance.
The Fox 36 TALAS FIT Kashima fork allows travel to be reduced to 140mm for a better climbing position, but personally we didn’t use this option. Overall the Rose won’t break any records going uphill, but you will be able to reach the summit without busting a gut.
The imposing silhouette and balanced geometry numbers are a promising combination for downhill riding. In fact, the Rose was extremely stable and gave great confidence on technical trails.
The linear rear end swallowed bumps sensitively, but the testers would have preferred a bit more feedback.The fork was capable with a buttery smooth action and good damping. On steeper trails it does tend to blast through the middle of the travel too quickly, but this can be suppressed using the compression damping.The Rose is sprightly and agile whilst tracking through the corners, only in really tight situations you’ll need more body English to manouvre the bike quickly.
For 3899€ you get a well-specced and potent bike which offers incredible confidence in technical terrain but isn’t scared of long rides. Riders who see the climb as a means to the end and for whom light-footedness isn’t a decisive characteristic will find a superb value, trail-capable bike that can rip.
Text: Sebastian Gierulski Pictures: Christoph Bayer