Following a solid two seasons at Doug Ryder’s Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, Irish National Road Champion Rory Townsend signed another two-year deal, this time with the new kids on the block, the French-licensed, Dutch-owned Unibet Rose Rockets. Having recently earned a wild card to the 2026 Giro d’Italia, the disruptive ProTeam and its bikes proved popular with fans at Opening Weekend in Belgium, with none other than Rory Townsend’s Rose Shave FFX causing a rubber-necking frenzy in the team paddocks ahead of Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne.
Townsend’s Rose Shave FFX uses the greens and oranges of Ireland’s flag, set upon white-marble backdrop
(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
While Townsend crashed out of the 195km Spring Classic with a fractured tibia in an over-the-bars incident, we managed to catch up with him and his new race rig ahead of the start. For 2026 and 2027, the Unibet Rose Rockets will ride Rose Shave FFX aero bikes constructed from Torayca M40X carbon, claimed to combine stiffness with low system weight. Having recently returned to the UK after a six-year absence due to Brexit, Rose Bikes will hope to improve visibility across the board – most notably on the sport’s biggest stage and Grand Tours.
The bike is built around a Red XPLR AXS 1×13-speed groupset with a 54T aero chainring and 10-46T cassette
(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
Unlike his teammates, who rode team-themed colourways underscored by dark navy, cyan and magenta machines, Townsend’s bike was outfitted in an equally bold design fit for a National Champion. While his bike retains much of the team bike’s design language, it’s been flavoured with the greens and oranges of Ireland’s flag, set upon an all-white canvas with a marbled undertone. There are some shamrock glyphs stamped on the handlebars and fork, and a green barber-poled design on the fork and seatpost. It’s very well executed.
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As a SRAM-sponsored team, Townsend’s Shave FFX is built around a Red XPLR AXS 1×13-speed groupset with a 54T aero chainring and 165mm cranks that drive a 10-46T cassette – this was a popular gearing choice employed by teams throughout Opening Weekend. Matching the yellow Rose wordmark logo on the downtube are a pair of 60mm Vision Metron RS wheels shod with Vittoria Corsa Pro 30mm tubeless road bike performance tyres. The cockpit is a one-piece affair, measuring 380mm centre-to-centre, and paired with a 130mm stem.
While 172.5mm was by far the popular option, Townsend elected to use 165mm crankarms
(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
The balance of the build comprises Tacx Ciro bottle cages, Time XPro pedals, and the Selle Italia SLR Boost Pro Team Kit Carbonio Superflow saddle, and a Wolf Tooth chain guide to ensure retention over the cobbled sectors of Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne.
The single 54T aero chainring keeps the chain line aero and ditches the front derailleur for a less complex setup
(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
Put on our scale of truth, Townsend’s Rose Shave FFX weighed 7.5kg in size M/L in Classic trim, where ‘comfort’ favours all-out performance.
60mm Vision Metron RS wheels help with aerodynamics, while the 30mm Vittoria Corsa Pro tubeless tyres provide some semblance of comfort for the cobbles
(Image credit: Aaron Borrill)
Specs
- Frameset: Rose Shave FFX, Carbon
- Fork: Rose Shave FFX, Carbon
- Cockpit: Rose Shave integrated handlebars
- Seatpost: Rose Shave Carbon
- Groupset: SRAM Red XPLR AXS 54T, 10-46T
- Wheelset: Vision Metron RS 60mm
- Tyres: Vittoria Corsa Pro 30mm
- Saddle: Selle Italia SLR Boost Pro Team Kit Carbonio Superflow
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