Rose (Germany)

[StellaLdn.]

Only dealt with them once, but can only echo the positives. I'm intending to buy my spokes (DT Swiss) from them for all the wheels I'm building. They have an excellent customer service and offer the best prices for the spoke length I need, and that including the delivery charge.

[CREPELLO]

But shipping at a cost whereas many UK based online retailers offer free postage.

In my view no such thing as 'free' postage. All retailers just have marketing models which may or may not include postage in the price.

For example Chain Reaction UK are good prices and 'free' postage generally. Want it posted to Holland, you end up on a web site with the extension .nl not co.uk. Different prices (more expensive) but 'free' postage......

Spa is great prices and 'free' postage generally unless you live in NI or the northern Isles and then its generally £20...

Just marketing models trying to get supposedly an edge... You have to use your head and forget marketing and compare prices incl delivery to your door.

Incidentally over the years I've extensively used CRC, SPA & Rosebikes - in my opinion all are solid reliable retailers..

All very well but people praise Rose for their pricing as much as anything else. In fact, their prices are no better than anyone elses on most items given that you have to add £5.95 in postage. This is compounded by the fact that, although their website has a .co.uk address, it is Germany, hence the postage charges. A tad misleading in my view.

This simply isn't true. First, the shipping - as I reported above, I've had free shipping twice previously. Tonight I've put in another order for just over £100. All post free. It's not clear why I am getting this benefit, but they sometimes show an option for 'let Rose decide the courier' which might allow cheaper shipping. I dunno...that option wasn't there tonight!

As for their prices being no different to the UK, well no shop is cheap across the board. But whilst browsing today I've bought a Shimano dynamo hub for £13 (I bought a couple of LX dyno-hubs a while back for £43 each, but they're still only £58) and some decent looking full length mudguards for £4.55. As has been said previously, spokes and nipples are very cheap if bought in multi-packs. They also sell useful accessories that you can't always get in the UK. I bought a very good pair of ergo bar grips for a little under £6. And I've just bought a pair of Keen Austinall leather casual bike shoes which you can't buy in the UK. That's my christmas money spent.

[manybikes]

@Crepello
Those shoes look nice. Be glad to see your review over a few months please.
Phil

[CREPELLO]

@Crepello
Those shoes look nice. Be glad to see your review over a few months please.
Phil

Well, I can let you know a few things right now. I haven't cycled in them, but a mate bought some in my usual size, which fitted perfectly. They were comfortable in fit, with a wide toe section. They seem stiff enough for comfortable all day pedalling - although I won't know until I try them and TBH, I'll probably keep them more for urban use. The leather seems very good quality, with a fine grain.

What I didn't like were the laces seemed very slippery, so difficult to keep tied up (possibly). The biggest issue for me is the interior heal is made of the usual polyester/nylon style mesh material. This can fail within a year or two, before the rest of the shoe and is very difficult to fix, although I have made successful repairs on other shoes. This is a criticism of most shoes, that don't have a leather or plastic interior heal.

[CREPELLO]

BTW, I've just put in a small order with Rose for something I'd forgotten last night - those wide bar grips I might have mentioned above. Pretty good for £5.84. Again, these were ordered P+P free They give you two shipping options. This time I spec'd Royal Mail and it still came up post free.

[MikeF]

Only dealt with them once, but can only echo the positives. I'm intending to buy my spokes (DT Swiss) from them for all the wheels I'm building. They have an excellent customer service and offer the best prices for the spoke length I need, and that including the delivery charge.

I've found them good also. Great range of spokes, but I have found those measured in odd numbers seem to be more like the next lower even number, eg 255mm seem to be 254mm. Spoke nipples are also very cheap. Their wheel truing stand is probably one of the cheapest and not that sturdy, but I ignore the adjustable side guides and just use the hooked metal front plate. Good prices on generator hubs as well.

[Paulatic]

Bought a wheel with shimano n80 dynohub here over 3 yrs ago. Does 60ml a week and I've never had to touch it. Delivered in days also.

[mercalia]

Just got my first order from Rose bikes. Only took a few days to get here! and nice UPS delivery man. And they included a free gift - a Rose Gymbag 11. a sort of mini rucksack. Not sure have a use for it but could be use ful for some thing. Any way very impressed with speed of delivery and the general invoice documents.

[reohn2]

Another thumbs up for Rose(they grown on you ).
A pair of BB7's and a chainset ordered on 23 April arrived 30 April(w/end inbetween the dates) no problems and £20 saved on the cheapest UK supplier including Rose's postage costs

[Cunobelin]

I needed a new pair of sandals, and as for some reason no-one is stocking the Keen Commuter this year, I found them on RoseBikes.

48 hours after ordering they were here with a very nice heavy weight "shoe bag/ small rucksack" that my wife immediately stole!

Very impressed

[IanW]

48 hours after ordering they were here with a very nice heavy weight "shoe bag/ small rucksack" that my wife immediately stole!

I bought some B&M lights from RoseBikes and they too came with the "shoe bag / small rucksack" which my wife also immediately stole.

I wonder whether this is intended as the placatory gift to mitigate the consequences of yet more spending on bicycle bits'n'bobs?

If so, then it is a good ploy / sales strategy.

[Redvee]

I find their catalogue gives me a better chance at finding the item I want to search for as the search terms can vary. The only negative I can think of when dealing with them is paying postage when a lot of companies offer it free.

[Vantage]

I've noticed that both Evans and Wiggle are now charging for delivery. That's alongside Spa, SJS and I think CRC do it too.
I think freepost is long gone nowadays.

[TrevA]

I ordered a few bits from Rose and I'm well pleased. I ordered on a Friday evening, the goods were despatched on the Monday and I received them on Wednesday. i ordered a Saferide 80, Shimano BB and a set of Shimano long drop brakes. I was charged £5 postage but also received a free shoulder bag. The only downside was that the charger for the light came with a 2 pin plug, but it's a USB plug-in charger I've got plenty of 3 pin USB plugs.

The items were much cheaper than I could find elsewhere. The Saferide was £52, the BB £11 and the brakes £27.

I'd use them again without a doubt.

[RickH]

I've noticed that both Evans and Wiggle are now charging for delivery. That's alongside Spa, SJS and I think CRC do it too.
I think freepost is long gone nowadays.

That isn't all accurate.

CRC currently say free "standard" delivery on all orders over £9 on their front page (more info here).

Wiggle is free on orders over £10, again on front page. "Standard Delivery - This means that your goods will be processed as normal and shipped by Royal Mail Tracked48 or by DX courier service for larger parcels. Ordered goods will usually arrive within 4 working days for most of the UK mainland. Baskets with a total value (before vouchers and promotional codes are applied) of £10 and over qualify for FREE UK delivery. Baskets with a total value of below £10 will incur a £1.99 delivery charge." (link)

Evans say "Most UK orders are eligible for our FREE Standard Delivery service*. We also offer a Next Day and Saturday delivery service for customers that need their order in a hurry. *Some products are only available via our Click & Collect service" (here)

Rick.