rose suckers

[busylizzee]

I know suckers usually come up from the ground - but since I pruned my rose it's produced new, much faster-growing shoots from the main stem of the plant but higher up and they're about 4 or 5 times longer than the rest of the new growth - also more thorny. Are they suckers?

[Lonnie]

Yhe general rule of the Thumb, is that Rose Suckers have seven leaves, no more, no less.

[Clanad]

Is the rose a hybrid tea rose or floribunda? If so, the "suckers" are coming from the common rose used to hybridize the plant. They will not produce blooms, and for all practical purposes, the rose is putting all of its energy into this fast growing sucker... I would dig the rose up and start over. Many new hybrids are coming on the market that are "self-root", meaning they are hybridized but on its own stock, which will avoid the problem you may be having...
If, alternatively, your plant is an established rose bush that's not hybridized, don't cut the suckers, but rather, pull them off as close to the main stem as possible. It may be a climbing type rose attempting to do what comes naturally, in which case they should be ignored. (I would probably disagree with my friend Lonnie's contention re: leaves, but true suckers do have pale green leaves, green stems and few thorns.)...

[Thunderbird+]

I've taken Lonnie's and Clanad's answers on board and think they may both be right but what I think could be possibly happening here is what I've been experiencing with some of the rose beds that I tend and put it all down to the extraordinary heat we've had so early in the year which seems to force up young branches more than usual.
I've had to prune some of mine back after being damaged by the wind due to their leggy growth, other than that I dont think there is much you can do about it. Good Luck Tbird+