Rose Root Miller Plus 3 in Long-Term Review

For a long time, when it came to my work tools, I was a big fan of minimalism and bio-bikes; because being light and without range limitations means maximum flexibility. And while that still applies to my camera equipment, the increasing battery range, charging infrastructure, and generally the ever-improving performance of e-bikes have now made me opt for an e-MTB more often during photo shoots and even our regional reports.
The Rose Root Miller Plus was my "Partner in Crime" last season, fun and work tool at the same time - and as pragmatic and accessible as one can expect from a good tool. But more on that after the technical facts.

The matte-shimmering, green color appeals to me on my Backroad as much as on the first day, and also suits the carbon frame of the Root Miller Plus excellently.
The cables are neatly sorted and run through the headset into the frame, as is the modern way to build. Not quite as progressive is the geometry, which, instead of following the "longer and slacker" trend, appears rather modest and conservative - but this does not stand in the way of good all-round riding behavior. A pleasant side effect: With some modern E-MTBs, I now have to remove the front wheel to fit them into the VW Transporter; not so with the Rose.

While battery life on long photo days on the Biobike is not an issue, the weight of the equipment remains a significant factor in terms of performance. An E-MTB may have a limited range due to the battery, but when packing the photo backpack, you can go all out. A second, a third lens, a few spare batteries, drone, rain protection, and warm backup clothing are all no problem - the Rose will carry it! Should the battery ever reach its limits, with the Bosch motor you have the best chances of coming across a free and compatible charging cable somewhere on the way.

The second major advantage for me as a photographer is that you can not only keep up with fast photo riders like NoBrain, Lukas S., or Gabriel W., but you can overtake them in a caterpillar-like manner, photograph, overtake, photograph, overtake again, photograph, ... .

The Bosch CX provides the strong support that one is accustomed to from Bosch. Although the motor modulates quite well in eMTB mode depending on one's own performance, it doesn't hurt to have a finger ready on the rear brake in steep terrain.
The tendency of the bike to rear up in very steep terrain is naturally also due to my compact, relatively upright sitting position at size M (180 cm). Depending on personal preference, a larger frame size could also be considered. I prefer it more compact and lighter, and with the heavy camera backpack on my back, I am still thankful for every gram that I don't have to haul over some rocks in push mode in case of doubt.

The noise level uphill is now perfectly fine, no comparison to the previous version or some other screeching drives. The tires provide solid grip.

Writing about battery ranges makes little sense from experience, as it depends extremely on the total weight, power level, outside temperature, elevation gain, and much more.
625 Wh are what they are and in my case, they last for nearly 1,000 meters of elevation gain and 27 km under extreme conditions (-6°C, Turbo mode) or ideally for just under 2,000 meters of elevation gain (Eco and Tour mode with a lot of personal effort). Somewhere in between is where most people in my weight class (74 kg) will find themselves.

I like manageable bikes. I believe I wrote something similar back when I made my decision for the Mondraker Foxy, where I also chose the smaller size (M) between two sizes. The more compact form seems to give me and my backpack a bit more room to move downhill.
Although this goes a bit at the expense of high-speed stability and performance, it offers me a tad more leeway in tight turns and steep terrain... especially when you have the extra weight of an e-bike under your butt.

Thus, the Rose downhill is a lively, responsive e-bike, and the Rock Shox suspension also provides ample feedback from the ground. Nonetheless, especially considering the potential target group of everyday and all-round bikers, it offers plenty of reserves in all situations.
So, I had no difficulties on my home trails, but also on some technical downhills or at the key sections on the Anninger, which might also have been due to my moderate speed.

The Rose has held up last season exactly as I hoped it would. The Root Miller Plus might not offer the most progressive geometry or overall appearance, not the fanciest technical details or gimmick features; but the bike's foundation is solid. The frame, the workmanship, the cable routing, the removable battery, the installed components including a good mix of proven Shimano and Bosch technology, robust wheels, and the RockShox suspension make the Rose a great all-rounder.
Thus, the bike was a reliable companion for me on many photo shoots and the odd longer tour, where, thanks to Bosch, you never have to look far for a charging opportunity.

With the mullet setup (29" wheels at the front, 27.5" at the back) and the compact size M, the Root Miller Plus weighs in under 23 kg and feels quite responsive and agile on the trail, in my opinion.
Sure, some parameters leave room for optimization here and there, but the overall package was convincing and exactly what I, pragmatically as I am, had imagined for a reliable work tool.