The Granite Chief 3 from Rose stands out from other bikes in terms of its suspension system and frame shape. However, the raised seat tube is noticeable on the latter. That's why it's worth finding out exactly which size you need, otherwise the saddle might be too high. Even though the length of the bike is comfortable in size L, the height is at the upper limit in my case. With the dropper post lowered to the limit, my seat height is exactly one millimeter. Despite everything being tight, it sits comfortably, the upper body has a good position and therefore good tension and you feel anchored to the bike.

Rose doesn't skimp on the specification of the Granite Chief 3: the Sram X0 drivetrain, Guide RSC brakes from the same company, XM Spline 1501 wheels from DT Swiss and Fox Factory suspension elements combine with the other components to create a high-quality overall picture. The joy is only somewhat dampened by the brake lever. Its retaining spring came loose on the first ride, causing the lever to move forward. However, we chalked this up to a material defect and the braking effect was not impaired as a result.

The "Granite Chief" all-mountain bike is no lightweight, weighing a good 14 kilograms. However, it should be credited with the fact that it feels lighter than it actually is when riding uphill. The riding position is also comfortable on longer climbs. Only on steep sections do you start to feel the extra weight over time. Although the pedaling is already quite effective, the "Talas" lowering function of the Fox suspension fork is an additional climbing aid. The 2x10 Sram equipment with X9 and X0 parts also offers a wide range of gears as well as a finer gradation compared to 1x11 versions.

The kinematics of the suspension system are impressive. This is because it hardly reacts to pedaling influences, neither at high cadence nor when pedaling out of the saddle. As the rear suspension reacts relatively linearly, the negative suspension travel should be kept at the lower limit of 25 percent. For the suspension fork, we recommend around 27 percent negative suspension travel to make optimum use of the travel.

What goes up must come down: The Granite Chief 3 raises certain expectations here with its 150 millimeters of suspension travel and the stable XM-1501-spline-One wheels from DT Swiss, covered with 2.4-inch wide Continental Trail King tires. The bike is quite playful and easy to maneuver, but the rear shock often lacks counter-pressure. This behaves very linearly with the drive-neutral kinematics. On the other hand, this characteristic makes the suspension very forgiving and allows for some rough terrain. However, this all-mountain bike is less fond of rough sections. It requires a little more effort to avoid stumbling. At high speeds, it also lacks a little smoothness. However, considering that the Granite Chief is not an enduro race bike, this is okay. The all-mountain bike is convincing when riding hairpin bends, through rapidly changing terrain and flowing terrain.

CONCLUSION: The Granite Chief 3 from Rose is a very well-balanced bike that has all-mountain written all over it. The drivetrain-neutral rear suspension kinematics are impressive with their forgiving nature. Furthermore, it impresses with great equipment at a good price. However, the weight should be a little lower.

Specifications

Frame material:	Aluminum
Price:	CHF 3'400.00, (from CHF 1'685.00 depending on the euro exchange rate)
Weight:	14.15 kg (size L, with pedals)
Suspension travel:	150mm front / 150mm rear
Fork:	Fox 34 Talas CTD FIT Factory
Suspension strut:	Fox Float CTD Factory
Shifting:	Sram X0 2x10
Brakes:	Sram Guide RSC 200 vo. / 180 hi.
Crankset:	Sram X9 38/24T
Rims:	DT Swiss XM 1501 Spline One
Hubs:	DT Swiss XM 1501 Spline One Black
Tires:	Continental Trail King Protection 27.5x2.4
Saddle:	SDG Circuit MTN
Saddle post:	RockShox Reverb Stealth 125mm
Grips:	Ergon GE1
stem:	Race Face Turbine
handlebars:	Race Face Turbine 740mm

Manufacturer: www.rosebikes.de