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The endurance racing bike Rose Reveal was and has been for many years in the portfolio of the Bocholt-based manufacturer and mail order company what the Golf used to be for VW: a robust, unpretentious, somehow classless bike with which more or less every racing cyclist can do everything that you can do with a racing bike: training, exploring the area, taking part in everyman races, a mountain pass tour with friends. Perhaps the great advantage of the Reveal - its uncomplicated versatility - was also its greatest disadvantage. Or to put it in the words of Jonas Tenbrock, Brand Manager at Rose: "We realised that many customers preferred to buy the Xlite, even though the Reveal would have suited their requirements better. For them, the sporty bike simply looked better."
>> The Endurace variant: The new Rose Shave in a single test
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>> Shave FF or Xlite? A comparison of the new and the old race all-rounder
Sharpened character
The successor model Shave, which the bike manufacturer presented in a double pack at the beginning of 2026, can definitely no longer be accused of this. With the name suffix FF, the Shave characterises the clearly race-oriented approach and follows on from the Xlite; without the name suffix, the Shave is the successor to the endurance racer Reveal, but also has a decidedly sporty look and aerodynamically sophisticated lines. At the same time, it serves other trends in current road bike development, for example in the so-called tyre clearance: the Shave leaves room for tyres up to 36 millimetres wide in the fork and rear triangle, whereas the Reveal stopped at 32 millimetres. The Shave has also become a little lighter, weighing in at 8.3 kilograms as a complete bike with Shimano's 105 Di2 components according to the manufacturer, while the Reveal is 200 grams heavier with the same equipment.
Geometry and seating position in comparison
In terms of the riding position on the bike, the Shave follows the family tradition of the Reveal as a long-distance racer, but is now more orientated towards the sporty branch of the family. The Reveal is characterised by an emphatically upright riding position, predestined for long days in the saddle, but also for cyclists who have not been indulging in the sport for so long - or even with a more relaxed attitude. The STR quotient ("stack-to-reach") as an indicator of the riding position is clearly at the more relaxed end at 1.61 (for frame size 57), while the new Shave is a little more sporty with an STR quotient of 1.55 (in frame size M/L). Both frames feature carbon seatposts with a D-shaped cross-section; although you can't reliably deduce the technical properties of carbon components based on their external shape, the seatpost in the Shave with a significantly larger cross-section fits in with the fact that the bike is rather moderately comfortable on the saddle compared to the Reveal and in the competitive environment of other endurance racers.
One major difference lies in the cockpit: while the Reveal is equipped with a classic stem/handlebar combination, the Shave comes with a new one-piece carbon cockpit, which according to Rose also contributes to improved aerodynamics and is fitted to all model variants.
Equipment and components
In terms of equipment, the Reveal and Shave document continuity; both models are available with Shimano's 105 and Ultegra component groups as well as the Rival and Force ensembles from SRAM. However, the discontinued Reveal is no longer available in all equipment variants or frame sizes. The new Shave is equipped with a one-sided power meter as standard on all models, while the Reveal is only available on the Shimano models. For the wheels, the Reveal 04 relies on the in-house Rose R25 and RC42, while the cheaper versions of the Shave roll on the Rose R30 wheelset. The two higher-end versions with Ultegra Di2 and Force AXS are fitted with Newman Advanced A.50 carbon rims.
Pricing and model variants
The Reveal, which has always been model-maintained and developed, so to speak, is a genuine second-hand model at Rose. The following variants are currently on offer (no longer available in all frame sizes):
The new Rose Shave comes at these prices:
Thomas Musch
Publisher
