Rose Bikes has begun its return to the UK market for the first time since exiting the country in 2020. launching a new website for UK consumers offering a single model.
The German direct-to-consumer brand is currently selling its Backroad FF gravel bike via the UK-specific site. The £3,500 bike is equipped with a SRAM XPLR AXS groupset, along with Rose’s own-brand wheels and finishing kit.
No other bikes are currently listed on the UK site. A link through to Rose’s international website still displays the same Brexit-related notice that has been visible to UK users since 2020, stating that shipments to the UK have ceased.
Elsewhere on the Rose UK site, listings are also live for a small selection of branded kit, including a jersey, bib shorts, socks and glasses.
Rose previously exited the UK market in December 2020, citing Brexit-related trade complications and the UK’s legal requirement for bikes to be sold with right-hand front brake configuration.
Rose has been contacted for comment.
Why did Rose leave the UK market?
In 2020, Rose said changes to its internal manufacturing processes meant it was no longer feasible to supply bikes to the UK in a UK-legal configuration.
UK law requires complete bicycles to be sold with the front brake operated by the right-hand lever.
At the time, Rose was transitioning away from its build-to-order model and towards serial production, significantly reducing customer customisation.
Rose said that while accommodating UK-specific brake configurations had previously been simple when building bikes to order, doing so within a serial production model would be prohibitively complex and expensive.
While Rose initially continued shipping parts and accessories, all UK orders were later suspended as Brexit-related trade complications intensified.
A credible competitor to Canyon
In the years since leaving the UK, Rose has grown significantly across Europe and its domestic German market, expanding its range of road, gravel and mountain bikes.
Its gravel bikes, including the Backroad FF, have become increasingly popular, with the brand’s Classified x Rose team highly visible on the gravel racing circuit.
Rose Bikes have historically performed well in BikeRadar testing. The Rose Pro SL 105 won our sub-£1,000 Bike of the Year category in 2018 and 2019.
Its return to the UK direct-to-consumer market could see Rose re-enter as a credible competitor in a sector currently dominated by brands such as Canyon and Ribble.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include details of the Rose Bikes UK website and currently available products.
