While 2018 was the year of the long-travel 29er, 2019 seems to be all about the short-travel rippers. German brand Rose’s new Thrill Hill is the latest aggressive XC bike in their lineup.
Rose will offer the Thrill Hill as a racy 100mm, XC-minded package, or a 120mm build for those who want to go a littler harder on the downhills.
A top-tier Thrill Hill weighs in at 10kg (22lbs). The frame itself weighs 1800g, and gets modern touches like internal cable routing.
Rose has also built flex into the seat stays. The flex eliminates the need for an additional joint or pivot and saves weight while cutting down maintenance over time.
Rose calls their suspension design for the Thrill Hill, ‘Inline Suspension Design,’ and says that it gives the bike responsive suspension characteristics and a clean design. The suspension kinematics also work with single or double chainring setups, says Rose. Interestingly enough, Rose has indeed kept a mount for a front derailleur, which most brands have put in the past.
On the 100mm version, the Thrill Hill has a 69.5°. HTA, a 74.5° STA, 439mm chainstays, and a reach of 410, 430, and 458mm on sizes S, M, and L.
The 120mm fork relaxes the head tube to 68°, and gives the bike a 73° STA. With the increase in travel, the Thrill Hill has a big reduction in reach, which is an odd move, considering that most brands are increasing their reach quite a bit these days, especially on more aggressive bikes. For sizes S, M, and L, the Thrill Hill has a 395, 416, and 444mm length in reach.
The Thrill Hills will be available starting at €2,600, and are available in sizes S, M, and L.
For more information, visit the Rose Bikes website.
