Rose has upgraded its Ground Control mountain bike range to offer something for all riders.
The German bike brand has refined the tube profile and appearance of its Ground Control frames, to give them a more pleasing aesthetic. To ensure the best possible value proposition, Rose uses aluminium construction and carefully selects components which offer riders great capability at a fair price.
For those mountain bikers who seek the combination of progressive geometry and pedalling efficiency, the Ground Control balances 120mm of suspension travel at each end. Rose is marketing the Ground Control in four sizes, of which the smallest rolls on 27.5-inch wheels, whilst the medium, large and extra-large frames are all 29ers.
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With a 67-degree head angle and 460mm reach, on the size large, Rose's Ground Control is agile enough to flick through a sequence of tight singletrack corners, without sacrificing overall stability or climbing ability.
Rose is marketing three versions of its updated Ground Control. The most affordable of these prices at £1,541 and weighs 14.8kg. This Ground Control 1 derivative runs a RockShox Recon Silver RL 120mm fork up front and rolls SunRingle Düroc 35 Comp wheels, which measure to a 31mm internal diameter.
Upgrade to the Ground Control 2 and you gain a RockShox Revelation front fork, whilst rolling DT Swiss M 1900 Spline wheels, which are 30mm wide. Weight drops to 14.2kg, for a price of £1814. Both the Ground Control 1 and 2 variants roll Continental’s Mountain King III 2.3in tyres.
The Ground Control 3 prices at £2,268 and has a component specification which won’t have you pining for any upgrades. It also weighs only 13.5kg.
RockShox’s Pike Select RC handles the 120mm of fork function and a Shimano XT drivetrain shifts your Ground Control 3 along. It also uses a slightly wider tyre than the other Ground Controls: Schwalbe’s Nobby Nic Snakeskin 2.35in.
All Ground Controls are equipped with a Rose 150mm dropper seatpost and steering geometry is provided by a 60mm stem and 760mm width handlebar.
