The Blend family occupies the space between road and gravel bikes in Rose's range. This aluminum all-rounder comes in various build options, designed for either gravel or asphalt. At the top of the line is the 105 Di2 model, priced at a hard-to-beat €2.000. Is the upgrade to the electronic Shimano drivetrain worthwhile? 1.000 After test kilometers on the road, I believe I know the answer.
Rose Blend 105 Di2 – The key data
For those who like to use categories, the Rose Blend is easy to categorize: It's a classic endurance road bike with an aluminum frame for beginners, which also works well as a gravel bike. Essential for this are the 40 mm tire clearance and the relaxed handling, which allows the Blend to be easily controlled even on rough surfaces. The 105 Di2 groupset, however, is really only designed for asphalt: The bike comes standard with 28 mm tires. A sporty cockpit and wheels with 27 mm rim depth further emphasize its road-oriented focus. Thanks not only to its versatility, but also to the six finely tuned frame sizes and the affordable entry price, the Blend is likely to find many fans; the top model tested here costs €2.000, while for €700 less you can get a Shimano Cues groupset and 32 mm tires mounted on gravel wheels.
- field of application. Endurance / Allroad
- frame material Aluminium (Carbon fork)
- Translation 50-34t / 11-34t
- Sizes XXS–XXL
- Colors Moss, Papyrus
- rosebikes.de
- Price (RRP) EUR 2.000
Shimano 105 Di2 – Gadget or Gearhead Dream?
The most noticeable thing about the Rose Blend 105 Di2 is that something is missing – the shift cables. In their place are the battery and the servo motors of the eponymous 105 Di2 electronic groupset – the most affordable Shimano road groupset with electronic gear shifting. The downside? Every few months, the battery in the seatpost needs to be charged via the port on the rear derailleur. The advantages? Gears shift cleanly and effortlessly. Thanks to E-Shift, it's even semi-automatic if you want to treat the 2x12 drivetrain like a 1x24. The result? You shift more often and with more enthusiasm than you would with a mechanical groupset – it's simply enjoyable and offers real added value in the saddle.
How does the Rose Blend drive?
The bike is clearly aware of its role as a road bike for beginners and intermediate riders: The frame geometry doesn't overdo it with the saddle-to-bar drop and sharp angles, resulting in less twitchy and more approachable handling. Component choices like the 27 mm deep wheels result in relatively low susceptibility to crosswinds. However, the decision to use only 28 mm wide tires is surprising. Modern (endurance) road bikes often use 32 mm wide tires; narrower tires mean less comfort, higher tire pressure, and reduced control on descents. The aluminum frame, paired with a carbon fork, would guarantee ample tire clearance anyway, as the Blend can accommodate tires up to 40 mm wide in its gravel version. However, pushing the limits of this tire clearance on the 19 mm wide rims makes little sense.
The 28mm Continental tires make for a truly superb ride. Especially for road bike novices, there's something exhilarating about how fast you can go with the Blend 105. As a bike tester, I usually spend my time on bikes with knobby tires, where my average speed is naturally a bit lower. This endurance road bike from the online retailer allows me to experience the surrounding landscape from a different perspective. It's a real pleasure to explore the countless backroads and cover more ground, faster than would ever be possible on a gravel or mountain bike. The Rose Blend proves to be a reliable companion here, one that causes no problems and feels like an intuitive extension of the rider.
Velomotion upgrade: 4iiii Precision 3+ power meter
During the test, we added a single-sided power meter to the Rose Blend 105. The left crank arm was fitted with a modified model from manufacturer 4iiii. This allows data such as power output and cadence to be read almost in real time on the head unit – the crank arm sends an update every second. Why the upgrade? More data! Thanks to power measurement, you can better pace yourself over longer distances, implement interval training more effectively, and, in combination with a heart rate monitor, more accurately track your fitness development. A power meter isn't strictly necessary, especially on an entry-level bike; however, once you've used it, you won't want to be without the data.
The best trim level of the Rose Blend?
The Bocholt-based manufacturer offers the Blend in three configurations. The entry-level model is a road bike for €1.300, which addresses our only real criticism of the test bike: The gravel wheelset fitted here, with an internal width of 25 mm, is equipped with 32 mm wide tires – promising more comfort and control. The 2x10 drivetrain from Shimano's Cues series provides low gears for long climbs, but sacrifices optimal gearing at higher speeds. This is ideal for beginners in hilly terrain who might want to switch to gravel riding – then they'll just need different tires.
- switching group Shimano Cues U-6000 2×10
- Crankset Shimano Cues 46-32t
- Wheels Rose G20 Fade
- Tires Continental Ultra Sport III Performance 32mm
- Cockpit Ritchey Road Comp Stream II
- rosebikes.de
- Price (RRP) EUR 1.300
For an extra 100 euros, you get the Blend's only dedicated gravel version. This model features a higher-quality Shimano GRX 2x10 drivetrain, albeit with a slightly narrower gear range. The handlebars have an off-road optimized geometry, and the wheels are fitted with 40 mm wide gravel tires. Ideal for sporty off-road riders and gravel enthusiasts.
- switching group Shimano GRX RX-400 2×10
- Crankset Shimano GRX 46-30t
- Wheels Rose G20 Fade
- Tires Continental Terra Trail 40 mm
- Cockpit Ritchey Road COMP Butano II
- rosebikes.de
- Price (RRP) EUR 1.400
Last but not least, the Rose Blend 105 Di2, which we tested, is a configuration specifically designed for road use. Thanks to its high gearing and narrow tires, maintaining a high speed on asphalt is a breeze. Converting it for better gravel riding, however, requires a bit more effort. The 105 is best chosen if you're already quite confident in your road cycling career – but the option of converting this all-road bike to gravel riding remains open.
- switching group Shimano 105 Di2 2×12
- Crankset Shimano 105 50-34t
- Wheels Rose R25 (19 mm internal width, 27 mm profile height)
- Tires Continental Ultra Sport III Performance 28mm
- Cockpit Ritchey Road Comp Stream II
- rosebikes.de
- Price (RRP) EUR 2.000
