Does The Velduro Rogue R Deliver?

There’s a palpable buzz in the mountain biking world right now around e-bikes that genuinely blur the line between pedalling efficiency and electrified, ascend-and-descend dominance, and the Kiwi-born Velduro Rogue R is very much at the centre of that conversation.

Velduro launched in 2025, and the brand’s first enduro offering – the Rogue R – is the kind of bike that promises not just assistance, but transformation. It’s a bike that turns familiar trails into a new experience – lighting a fire to ride your regular trails in a completely new way.

The Rogue is a bit of a chameleon. We tested the bike with a mixed-wheel setup in Standard mode (170mm/170mm). The Rogue, however, can also be configured as an All Mountain machine (160mm/160mm) or set up in Enduro mode (180mm/170mm) – making it a versatile frame option for someone who may be looking for a bike capable of days filled with blue flow descents or big hits on the downhill track. 

The Rogue is available in four sizes: small, medium, large, and extra large. As a side note, the Rogue has passed internal testing for category 5 rating ( downhill certification), meaning you can feel confident getting your jollies at your local downhill race if that’s your jam. Note this does not mean dual crown forks but the frame is built to take big hits.

To unlock the extra modes, Velduro has specced the Rogue with a flip chip at the top of the seat stay and on the shock. Simply flick the chip at the shock mount to alter rear travel and progressivity. The Standard mode prioritises pedalling efficiency with 165mm, while you can flip the chip to unlock an extra 5mm of travel (up to 170mm with a 27.5″ wheel and 172mm with a 29″ wheel). The seat stay flip chip allows use of a 27.5” or 29” wheel without changing geometry.

Riding this carbon-bodied, high-tech machine through the dusty, raw, and punchy terrain of Brisbane’s Gap Creek Trails reveals a bike that’s far more than just another e-mountain bike. This is a trail-devouring platform that feels alive under power, constantly encouraging you to ride harder, climb further, and push deeper into terrain that would normally sap your energy.

From the first few metres of trail, it becomes clear that the Rogue R isn’t trying to imitate a regular mountain bike with a motor bolted on. Instead, it feels purpose-built around the idea of maximising what an e-bike can be: efficient on climbs (no doubt aided by 120% odd anti squat in the earlier part of the travel), composed under load, and seriously capable when gravity takes over.

First Impressions on Velduro Rogue R

Out of the gate, the Rogue R presents a clean, purposeful aesthetic. The carbon enduro frame carries aggressive angles and muscular lines that hint at its intentions long before the trail begins. It looks fast standing still, and once rolling, that impression comes alive underneath you.

A pretty standard 466mm reach is paired with a 634mm stack in our size medium demo: a skerrick longer than recent test bikes like the Santa Cruz Vala and the Specialized Turbo Levo (albeit with the Rogue sporting 10mm more travel), and longer still than the similarly equipped Trek Fuel EX. 

Despite the small difference, the length of the bike is something immediately clocked out on the trail, but more on how that translates to ride feel, coming in AMB 216, on shelves in March.

A 78º effective seat tube angle allows for centred and composed climbing on even the steepest of trails, while the 1255mm wheelbase keeps things tidy and in control when things get steep and deep.

In terms of the build, premium componentry adorns the Rogue, reinforcing the sense that this is a no-compromise machine designed for serious riding, and at $15,469, it’s what I would expect.

The Fox Factory suspension stack immediately stands out. Up front, the 170mm Fox 38 Grip X2 fork delivers immense stiffness and small-bump sensitivity, while the Fox X2 Factory shock at the rear balances that travel with a calm, controlled feel. Together, they provide plush movement without ever feeling wallowy or compromising small-bump sensitivity. Whether launching into a berm, compressing into a G-out, or threading through Gap Creek’s tighter, more awkward sections, the bike remains composed and confidence inspiring.

The four-bar, mid-pivot i-Track suspension differs from some high-pivot options we have seen on the market by locating the idler on the chainstay, meaning that its position changes as you progress through the travel. This allows for higher anti-squat and pedalling efficiency early in the travel but reduced anti-squat and suspension performance unaffected by chain tension deeper into the travel.

Mounted up for the ride with the OneUp dropper set at 210mm (perfect for my 173cm height and trail-oriented riding style), the cockpit feels immediately dialled. The geometry strikes a rare balance between sprint-friendly efficiency and gravity-ready stability. 

The SRAM GX AXS Transmission shifts crisply even under load, eliminating hesitation on steep pinches, while the SRAM Maven Silver four-piston brakes paired with massive 220/200mm rotors deliver authoritative stopping power with excellent modulation. When the terrain steepens or the surface turns loose, you always feel in control, never rushing or grabbing for a last-minute eke of braking power when things get too spicy.

For our full review and take on the Velduro Rogue, subscribe to AMB here.