Sweet as a Rose: the Story of Germany's Rose Bicycles

Feb

Sweet as a Rose: the Story of Germany’s Rose Bicycles

By: Paul Tolme February 19, 2015

The past meets the future at Rose Bikes, a family-owned German brand with a long tradition of innovation, artistry and cycling excellence. The photographs above tell the story: a historic headbadge that evokes the fine craftsmanship of an earlier era, juxtaposed with the new Activa Pro-V Carbon Drive bicycle, a state-of-the-art example of modern cycling design and performance.

The Rose story begins more than a century ago in1907with Heinrich Rose and his tiny bicycle shop in the town of Bocholt. Now in its fourth generation and run by Heinrich’s great grandson, Erwin, Rose Bicycles hasgrown intoa company with more than350 employees, a massive bike catalog, award-winning shops in Bocholt and Munich, and dealers across Europe and the United Kingdom. The Rose BIKETOWN concept store in Munich was recently named the best bike retail shop in Germany by the German Retail Association. Heinrich Rose would be proud. For 2015, Rose has created a line of trekking and city bikes with the Gates Carbon Drive belt system. Gates is pleased to be part of the Rose legacy, a sweet story that began with one man’s dream and continues today with many chapters to come.