New ROSE BONERO Plus eBike on test – Does it make sense to put a motor in a hardtail?

Just hop on and have fun! According to the German manufacturer, the ROSE BONERO Plus eMTB hardtail was made to do just that – and much more. The TQ-HPR50 motor and 360 Wh battery should provide an additional breeze of artificial tailwind while you’re having a blast. With 29″ wheels and 140 mm suspension travel, the BONERO Plus hardtail has trail fun written all over it. We took it for a spin to see what it’s like.

“Hardtail or full susser?” might be one of the most commonly asked questions when it comes to buying a new eMTB. Hardtails are a particularly popular choice, because they’re versatile, simple and incredibly fun! Most of the time, the rigid rear end and lower system weight also make them easier to pedal uphill. But does it make sense to add an e-drive to a hardtail frame, or does it defeat the purpose? With the new BONERO Plus, ROSE want to answer exactly these questions. The German bike manufacturer isn’t new to the hardtail business, and the analogue version of the BONERO launched back in spring 2022, which our sister magazine ENDURO tested at the time. Like its analogue brother, the new BONERO Plus rolls on 29″ wheels and generates 140 mm of travel. Assistance is provided by a compact TQ-HPR50 motor, which draws its power from a 360 Wh battery. All of this is wrapped in a carbon frame. The BONERO Plus 3 variant we tested tips the scales at 16.9 kg in size L, retailing at a hefty € 5,799, which isn’t exactly a bargain for a hardtail. But is the ROSE BONERO Plus a smooth companion or just a wild ride?

The 2024 ROSE BONERO Plus in detail

For starters, the ROSE BONERO Plus hardtail looks pretty plain against a full-suspension eMTB. The carbon frame boasts a clean-looking, rectilinear silhouette, which ROSE’s developers didn’t have to spoil to accommodate a shock. The lack of moving parts ensures a lower system weight while minimising maintenance. The overall tidy appearance is underlined by the internal cable routing, which guides the cables into the frame directly through the headset, removing the need for conventional cable ports. However, the headset routing also makes it harder to work on the bike.

A tool mount on the underside of the top tube allows you to secure all your trail essentials directly to the bike. A plastic down tube protector shields the frame against stray rocks, while a chainstay protector prevents chain slap and paint chips.

The TQ-HPR50 motor system of the 2024 ROSE BONERO Plus

The ROSE BONERO Plus comes equipped with a TQ-HPR50 motor, which delivers 50 Nm of torque and 300 watts of peak power. In our in-depth motor test, you’ll find out more about how the TQ-HPR50 system works, and how it stacks up against the other motor systems on the market. The fist-sized motor is integrated discreetly into the frame of the BONERO Plus, while the small 360 Wh battery results in a very slim down tube. Overall, the ROSE BONERO Plus is harmoniously proportioned and almost looks like an analogue hardtail.

However, the battery is integrated permanently into the frame, which means that you’ll have to carry your bike into your house or flat if you don’t have a garage or basement with a plug socket. The charging port is tucked away discreetly between the down tube and seat tube, where it’s discreetly hidden and yet fairly easy to access. The battery can be expanded with an optional 160 Wh range extender which can be secured to the cage mounts. Unfortunately, this means that you’ll have to carry your water bottle in a backpack or hip pack when riding with the range extender.

The TQ OLED display is neatly integrated into the top tube and shows all the crucial riding data, including speed, battery charge status and the current support mode. The display also includes a power meter, which is a particularly interesting feature for sporty riders. The support level can be changed using the bar-mounted remote, which provides good haptic feedback and also looks pretty good.

Needless to say, all of the electric components have a major effect on the weight of the ROSE BONERO Plus which, at 16.9 kg in size L, isn’t exactly light for a hardtail. For comparison’s sake, SCOTT’s full suspension trail eMTB, the Lumen eRIDE SL, is 0.9 kg lighter despite using the same motor system.

The spec of our 2024 ROSE BONERO Plus test bike

We tested the highest spec variant of the ROSE BONERO Plus, which comes equipped with a RockShox Lyrik Select+ fork. This is extremely easy to adjust and delivers a similar performance on the trail as the top-tier Ultimate model.

The SRAM CODE Bronze Stealth four-piston brakes are paired with a 200 mm rotor at the front and smaller 180 mm disc at the rear, ensuring reliable and powerful deceleration, even on long descents. Shifting is taken care of by a robust SRAM GX Transmission electronic drivetrain, which relies on a direct-mount rear derailleur.

The 180 mm E*thirteen Infinite dropper post ensures sufficient freedom of movement on the trail. The American manufacturer also supplies the cockpit, which consists of a 40 mm Base stem and 780 mm E*thirteen Plus 35 alloy handlebars. Fellow Germans NEWMEN provide the BESKAR 30 Light wheelset, which is also made of aluminium, and combined with Schwalbe tires. You’ll find a Nobby Nic in the soft rubber compound at the front and Wicked Will in the hard Speedgrip compound at the rear, both in the Super Trail casing. While this tire combo might work well on dry, moderate trails, it quickly reaches its limits in wet conditions. We recommend upgrading to tires with a more aggressive profile, like a Schwalbe Magic Mary at the front and Hans Dampf at the rear.

Tuning tip: Tires with more aggressive profile and tougher casing

All available spec variants of the 2024 ROSE BONERO Plus

The ROSE BONERO Plus is available in a total of 3 spec variants, all of which come in a choice of two different paint finishes: the subtle grey splatter, and the rather bright lava orange, as you’ll see on our test bike. All spec variants come equipped with a TQ-HPR50 motor system and 360 Wh battery.

The entry-level model is the ROSE BONERO Plus 1. This retails at € 4,499 and comes equipped with the Base version of the RockShox Lyrik fork, which calls for compromises both in terms of trail performance and adjustability. Shifting is taken care of by a 12-speed drivetrain while Shimano DEORE four-piston brakes provide powerful deceleration.

Just below the flagship model we tested sits the ROSE BONERO Plus 2, which retails at € 4,999 and relies on a 140 mm RockShox Lyrik Select fork and Shimano XT 12-speed drivetrain. Braking is taken care of by Shimano SLX four-piston brakes.

The geometry of the 2024 ROSE BONERO Plus

The ROSE BONERO Plus is available in 4 sizes, S to XL, offering a suitable option for riders between 162 cm and 202 cm tall. The downhill-oriented geometry is on the aggressive side and relies on a 65° head angle. Our test bike in size L combines a very average 485 mm reach and 446 mm chainstays, which remain the same length across the board.

Size	S	M	L	XL
Top tube	582 mm	611 mm	644 mm	678 mm
Seat tube	400	430 mm	460 mm	500 mm
Head tube	100 mm	100 mm	115 mm	135 mm
Head angle	65°	65°	65°	65°
Seat angle	76°	76°	76°	76°
Chainstay	446 mm	446 mm	446 mm	446 mm
BB Drop	60 mm	60 mm	60 mm	60 mm
Wheelbase	1,186 mm	1,215 mm	1,253 mm	1,291 mm
Reach	425 mm	455 mm	485 mm	515 mm
Stack	632 mm	633 mm	646 mm	664 mm

The 2024 ROSE BONERO Plus on the trail

Climbing aboard, the BONERO Plus places you in a comfortable, upright pedalling position, and the stiff carbon frame efficiently converts each pedal stroke into propulsion. It makes short work of fire road climbs, even beyond the 25 km/h motor threshold. The minimal support provided by the lightweight TQ-HPR50 system is almost redundant, given that the bike climbs so well anyway compared to a full-susser, with the rigid rear end making it easy to pedal uphill even without support.
On the other hand, the rigid rear-end lacks compliance, and passes on impacts pretty much unfiltered, directly to the rider. When tackling steep climbs, the front wheel remains planted on the ground, but you’ll still have to shift your weight around rather carefully, because the shallow profiled Wicked Will tires quickly spin out of control in wet conditions – and that’s despite the weak support of the TQHPR-50 motor. The rigid rear end is partly responsible for this, as it can’t adapt to the contours of the ground, reducing traction.

When gravity takes over, the BONERO Plus lets you see even the most familiar trails with different eyes, making sections that you could ride blindfolded on a full suspension bike feel a lot more interesting. When riding over small roots and rocks, the fork absorbs the hits reliably, while the rigid rear end passes on the feedback directly to the rider. Needless to say, this requires a vigilant riding style and careful choice of lines, especially on rough trails with nasty, tricky root carpets and rock gardens. And while the BONERO Plus negotiates tight corners pretty easily, here it requires more input from the rider than a conventional, motorless hardtail, which is mainly down to the extra weight. The more flowing the trail, the more fun you’ll have with the ROSE BONERO Plus. On smooth trails, the rigid rear triangle allows you to generate tons of speed on rollers and berms. Here the ROSE proves to be great fun not only for experienced riders but also for newbies.

Who should take a closer look at the 2024 ROSE BONERO Plus?

If you spend most of the time on flowing trails and are looking for an electric hardtail, the ROSE BONERO Plus is a fun, agile companion, regardless of whether you’re a beginner or seasoned trail veteran. It’s also a good choice if you’re looking for new challenges on your local tech and don’t mind spending the extra money. Ambitious riders who are looking for a powerful eMTB for technical descents should get an eMTB full-susser.

Our conclusions about the 2024 ROSE BONERO Plus

The ROSE BONERO Plus impresses with a successful design language and excellent motor system integration. However, the trail hardtail eMTB concept is only appealing to a very narrow target group. The BONERO feels at home on flowing trails, while the demanding handling and shallow profiled tires slow it down significantly in more technical sections. In addition, the € 5,799 price tag puts it in a tough price war with some of the more powerful ebikes on the market.

For more info, visit rosebikes.de

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Words: Mike Hunger Photos: Julian Schwede