Soul Fire

mtb2123–3715 USD

Origin

2017. The Soul Fire is ROSE's long-travel gravity bike — filling the gap between the Root Miller (trail/enduro 150–160mm) and a full DH bike. It serves the 'super-enduro' category: bikes with 170–200mm travel that can pedal uphill but are primarily designed for maximum downhill performance. The Soul Fire DH sub-variant adds a Boxxer fork to push it into near-DH territory.

Specifications

Frame: Aluminium 7005, four-bar Horst-link, BSA73 threaded BB, Boost 148mm rear. Frame ~3.4 kg.
Weight: kg
Drivetrain: Shimano Deore XT 1×11/1×12 (RaceFace/Turbine 34T crank) or SRAM GX/X01 Eagle by tier. Soul Fire DH: SRAM GX DH 7-speed.
Brakes: Magura MT5 4-piston, 203/203 mm rotors (also Shimano XT / SRAM Code / Magura MT7 by tier).
Wheels: 27.5" across all variants. Spank Spike Race 33 rims; Boost hubs (15x110 / 12x148). Soul Fire DH: Sunringle Düroc SD37 Comp 32mm internal.

The verdict

+Strengths

Flip-chip rear shock mount: 180/190mm travel from one frame
Soul Fire DH: Boxxer 200mm + 7-speed DH drivetrain at €2,899 — very competitive for gravity spec
6-year frame warranty — consistent ROSE commitment
Dirt MTB: 'Plenty of long travel goodness up front with Lyrik — great performance, stiff enough chassis'
Enduro MTB: 'Suitable for epic rides and long climbs despite huge 185mm travel' — super-enduro pedalling
Chunky pivot hardware: durability for gravity use
BSA73 threaded BB: easier field servicing than press-fit
bike-test.com: 'Very balanced geometry — middle ground between sporty and comfortable'

−Weaknesses

Dirt MTB: 'Set up required — rebound was fast even fully wound off. Needed extra volume bands in damper'
27.5" only — no 29" option, limiting for riders who prefer larger wheels
bike-test.com: 'On climbs, other bikes under €3,000 present better performance'
No dedicated DH bike in ROSE range — Soul Fire DH fills but doesn't perfectly cover pure DH needs
Single crown fork on enduro (180mm) — some riders prefer dual crown for maximum fork stiffness at this travel

Did you know

01Soul Fire DH uses a Boxxer 200mm DH fork on the same frame as the 180mm enduro variants — remarkably versatile alloy platform
02ROSE committed to 27.5" across all Soul Fire variants — unusual at a time when most enduro bikes moved to 29"
03The flip-chip rear shock mount converts between 180mm and 190mm travel — adjustable character from one bike
04German YouTube star Lukas Knopf is associated with the Soul Fire DH — bike-test.com notes him as a reference rider
056-year frame warranty standard — ROSE's consistent warranty across entire MTB range
06Frame weighs 3.4kg — reasonable for an aluminium gravity bike at this travel
07Enduro MTB described it as 'Super-Enduro': 185mm rear despite being suitable for epic rides and long climbs
08Dirt MTB 2017: 'ROSE does not currently have a 27.5" downhill bike — Soul Fire is the closest thing' — positioning soul fire as a gravity gateway
09BSA73 threaded BB is ROSE's consistent choice across MTB range — easier to service than press-fit for gravity use
10Internal cable routing described as 'clean' by multiple reviewers — unusual praise for a gravity bike where cable protection matters

Who it’s for

Super-enduro riders (180–190mm enduro variants)Bike park regulars wanting a dedicated gravity bikeFreeride and jump line enthusiastsShuttle riders and lift-accessed riders (DH variant)Riders wanting maximum travel at direct-sales price