Issue #052, Review - July 26, 2022

ROSE BONERO 3 – In our 2022 trail bike group test

Sick and tired of the astronomical prices of new mountain bikes? Well, the ROSE BONERO 3 hardtail is by far the cheapest bike in the test field and still managed to impress with a functional spec, excellent versatility and tons of trail fun, which make it suitable for experienced riders too. But how does it perform on the trail?

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best trail bike of 2022 – 14 models in reviewb

**ROSE** BONERO 3 | 140/ mm (f/r) | 12.8 kg in size L | € 2,199 | Manufacturer’s website

The ROSE BONERO 3 is the undisputed outsider in our 2022 trail bike group test. And it’s pretty clear why: it’s the only hardtail and by far the cheapest candidate, retailing for just € 2,199. Moreover, the absence of a rear shock helps keep the weight down to 12,9 kg, making the ROSE the lightest contestant together with the lightweight Mondraker Raze RR SL. Generating a generous 140 mm travel up front, the BONERO should be able to handle most trails. And while it’s aimed above all at beginners and people who are taking up riding after a long time, it should also be an excellent companion for die-hard enduro veterans who want to refine their skills and spice up old trails that have long lost their zest.

The spec of the ROSE BONERO 3

With the BONERO 3, the German direct-sales brand have clearly chosen practicality over bling. The frame combines a classic hardtail silhouette and several clever details: for example, the bottle cage can be mounted in two different positions, making room for a bikepacking bag in the frame triangle. You’ll find even more mounting points for mudguards and a toolstrap on the top tube and rear triangle. Unfortunately, the cables aren’t bundled together or clamped at the ports, creating a faint rattling noise on rough trails. A small TPU plate shields the down tube from impacts while a thin plastic protector covers the seat stay and chainstay, albeit offering very little protection.

**Deceptive**
Tool-free reach adjust … not really: the reach-adjust knob on our test bike is extremely sticky, forcing us to use an Allen key.

**Thin is grim!**
The Kenda Regolith Elite tires are flimsy. Especially with hardtail bikes, a robust tire casing brings plenty of advantages.

**Drop it like it’s hot**
The 180mm E*thirteen Vario Infinite Dropper Post convinced our test crew and so did the remote, providing excellent ergonomics and haptic feedback.

ROSE BONERO 3

€ 2,199

Specifications

Fork RockShox Pike Select+ Charger 2.1 140 mm
Seatpost E*thirteen Vario Infinite 180 mm
Brakes Formula Cura 4 200/180 mm
Drivetrain SRAM GX Eagle 1x12
Stem Levelnine Race 45 mm
Handlebar Levelnine Race Alu 780 mm
Wheelset DT Swiss M 1900 29"
Tires Kenda Regolith Elite SCT/Kenda Regolith Elite SCT 2.4/2.4

Technical Data

Size XS S M L XL XXL
Weight 12.8 kg

Tuning Tip: more robust tires for additional damping, more traction and better puncture resistance

**Focusing on the essential**
Just like its high-end Ultimate counterpart, the Pike Select+ fork features a Charger 2.1 damper, only without a HSC adjustment.

**Chameleon**
The third screw allows you to move the bottle cage to create more space in the frame. This allows you to convert the Rose for bikepacking.

The BONERO comes equipped with a RockShox Pike Select+ fork with Charger 2.1 damper, which doesn’t offer the five clicks of external high-speed compression of its high-end Ultimate counterpart but still delivers a solid performance on the trail. LEVELNIE supply the alloy cockpit with 780 mm handlebars. The 180 mm E*thirteen Vario Infinite Dropper Post ensures sufficient freedom of movement while its remote convinces with good ergonomics and haptic feedback. While the Formula Cura 4 brakes might be a rare sight on production bikes, they totally convinced our test riders, providing powerful and reliable deceleration. That being said, on our test bike, the tool-free reach adjustment was so hard to move that we had to resort to an Allen key to adjust the lever. The combination of a 200 mm front rotor and 180 mm disc at the rear is adequate for the intended use of the bike.

**Concentration required**
The face of test rider Til speaks for itself: the BONERO requires a vigilant riding style.

ROSE also chose reliability over bling when it comes to shifting, employing a SRAM GX Eagle 12-speed drivetrain, which delivers a solid performance at a very reasonable price. Just as solid is the DT Swiss M 1900 alloy wheelset. Unfortunately, we can’t say the same about the Kenda Regolith Elite tires of the ROSE simply because the paper-thin casing doesn’t do justice to the character and intended use of the bike. Especially with hardtails, we recommend running robust tires that allow you to run lower air pressures for more traction, better puncture resistance and additional cushioning.

The ROSE BONERO convinces with a consequent spec and ensures top riding fun for all skill levels

The geometry of the ROSE BONERO

The ROSE BONERO is available in six sizes: XS to XXL. The two smallest sizes rely on 27.5″ wheels while all other sizes roll out of the factory as 29ers. Our test bike in size L combines 485 mm reach and a long 460 mm seat tube, which heavily restricts the freedom of movement on the bike. Since we’re talking about a hardtail, this is totally unnecessary because the absence of a shock and suspension linkage gives engineers much more freedom with geometries and frame designs. Furthermore, the straight seat tube allows you to insert a dropper post all the way into the frame. With hardtail bikes, freedom of movement is even more important than with full suspension bikes because the stiff rear-end calls for an active riding style and plenty of weight shifts. Chainstay length is 438 mm in size L and grows with the frame size, providing consistent handling across all sizes. This is extremely rare with bikes in this price range, which is a big bonus.

size	XS	S	M	L	XL	XL
Seat tube	370 mm	400 mm	430 mm	460 mm	500 mm	540 mm
Top tube	543 mm	574 mm	613 mm	645 mm	678 mm	711 mm
Head tube	100 mm	110 mm	100 mm	110 mm	125 mm	135 mm
Head angle	65°	65°	65°	65°	65°	65°
Seat angle	76°	76°	76°	76°	76°	76°
Chainstays	420 mm	425 mm	433 mm	438 mm	443 mm	448 mm
BB Drop	45 mm	40 mm	60 mm	60 mm	60 mm	60 mm
Wheelbase	1.112 mm	1.151 mm	1.201 mm	1.241 mm	1.281 mm	1.321 mm
Reach	395 mm	425 mm	455 mm	485 mm	515 mm	545 mm
Stack	594 mm	598 mm	633 mm	642 mm	656 mm	665 mm

**Helmet** Giro Tyrant Spherical MIPS | **Glasses** 100% S3 | **Jersey** YT Tech Jersey | **Shorts** Sweet Protection Hunter | **Knieschoner** 100% Teratec Plus | **Schuhe** Giro Chamber II | **Socken** SRAM

The ROSE BONERO 3 on the trail

As soon as you swing your leg over the saddle, the BONERO strikes with a comfortable riding position and offers excellent propulsion from the get-go. Needless to say, the stiff rear-end offers less comfort with potholes and irregularities in the trail. Pedalling uphill, the ROSE propels itself forward with great eagerness, feeling refreshingly lively with its firm rear-end and low system weight. On moderate climbs, this makes it easy to lift the bike over small steps and roots, but the significant lack of traction requires a vigilant and active riding style on technical sections.

**Cornering King**
With its direct handling, the BONERO lets you have lots of fun, especially on flowing trails.

Even when you drop its nose into the valley, the BONERO offers intuitive and direct handling. Downhill, the riding position is slightly front-heavy, robbing you of confidence on steep descents, where your endorphins are inhibited by a faint but omnipresent OTB-feeling. As a rule of thumb, the easier the trail, the more fun you’ll have onboard the BONERO. Familiar trails that have long lost their edge, become interesting again, with the direct handling of the bike opening new opportunities and exciting new challenges. However, when the going gets rough, the ROSE requires a vigilant riding style, especially in nasty rock gardens and cheeky root carpets, where you have to pick your line carefully and commit to it. Because the stiff rear-end passes on knocks and vibrations almost unfiltered and hardly forgives riding mistakes. Downhill, the ROSE demands more physical effort than any other bike in this test because you have to use your body to compensate for the lack of rear suspension.

The tires of the BONERO don’t do justice to the character and intended use of the bike. Especially with hardtails, robust tires bring many advantages.”

Riding Characteristics

Uphill

sluggish
efficient

Agility

cumbersome
playful

Stability

nervous
confident

Handling

demanding
balanced

Suspension

harsh
plush

Fun Factor

planted
poppy

Value for money

terrible
very good

Intended Use

XC

Trail

Enduro

Downhill

Conclusion

Whether you’re a beginner or experienced rider, the ROSE BONERO 3 has a lot to offer. Except for the tires, the spec is spot on and so is the price! Although the BONERO is available in many sizes, the long seat tube makes it hard to downsize. On the trail, it’s super direct and playful but requires a vigilant riding style and great physical effort, particularly in rough sections. However, if you commit to it, the ROSE rewards your efforts with bags of riding fun, opening up a whole new world of possibilities on familiar trails.

Tops

well-thought-out spec
high fun factor for all skill levels
it’s a hardtail

Flops

tires
limited freedom of movement due to long seat tube
it’s a hardtail ;)

You can find out more about at rosebikes.de

The test field

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best trail bike of 2022 – 14 models in review

This scale indicates how efficiently the bike climbs. It refers to both simple and technical climbs. Along with the suspension, the riding position and the weight of the bike all play a crucial role.↩
How does the bike ride and descend? How spritely is the bike, how agile is it through corners, how much fun is it in tight sections and how quickly can it change direction?↩
Is the bike stable at high speeds? Is it easy to stay in control in demanding terrain? How composed is it on rough trails? Stability is a combination of balanced geometry, good suspension and the right spec.↩
This is all about how balanced the bike is and particularly about how well it corners. Balanced bikes require little physical effort from the rider and are very predictable. If a bike is unbalanced, the rider has to work hard to weight the front wheel to generate enough grip. However, experienced riders can have a lot of fun even with unbalanced bikes.↩
How sensitive is the suspension over small bumps? Can it absorb hard impacts and does it soak up repeated hits? Plush suspension not only provides comfort and makes a bike more capable, but it also generates traction. The rating includes the fork and the rear suspension.↩
This aspect mainly comes down to the suspension. How much pop does it have, does it suck up the rider’s input or is it supportive, and how agile and direct is the bike?↩
We don’t calculate value for money in an excel spreadsheet or based on how high-end a bike is specced. We are more concerned with how a bike performs on the trail and how the bike benefits the rider. What good are the best components if the bike doesn’t perform well on the trail? Expensive bikes with a lower-end spec can offer very good value for money – provided they excel where it matters. Just as supposedly cheap bikes with good components can get a bad rating if they don’t deliver on the trail.↩
No, it’s not about racing, it’s about efficiency. Fast, fleet-footed and efficient – those who want to speed along flowy singletrack and gravel roads need a defined and spritely bike that accelerates with ease and efficiency. Nevertheless, reliable components are important too. We interpret XC more like the Americans do: big back-country rides instead of a marathon or XC World Cup with the ultimate in lightweight construction! Uphill-downhill ratio: 80:30 (not everything has to be 100%!)↩
...also known as mountain biking. Classic singletrack with roots, rocks and ledges – sometimes flowy, sometimes rough. For this, you need a bike with good all-round qualities, whether climbing or descending. Uphill-downhill ratio: 50:50↩
Even more extreme and challenging compared to Trail riding, riddled with every kind of obstacle: jumps, gaps, nasty rock gardens, ruts and roots. For this, you need (race)proven equipment that forgives mistakes and wouldn’t look out of place on a stage of the Enduro World Series. Climbing is just a means to an end. Uphill-downhill ratio: 30:70↩
Strictly speaking, a 200 mm travel downhill bike is the best choice for merciless tracks with big jumps, drops and the roughest terrain. Those would be the black or double-black-diamond tracks in a bike park. But as some of the EWS pros (including Sam Hill) have proven, it’s the riding skills and not the bike that define what you can ride with it. Climbing? On foot or with a shuttle, please! Uphill-downhill ratio: 10:90↩
You can find more info about our rating system in this article: Click here! ↩

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