Thanks for your great content! I want to find an endurance frame with relaxed geometry for us old guys. Everything I see looks like race geometry. Is there a good source for endurance geometry frames or gravel that is not low and long cyclocross geometry? Thanks
I have got this Sensah 11 x 2 Groupset several months ago and I really amaze with how this Groupset works!! The front mech isn't bad, it works great! It is very easy shifting up to big chainring. I admit that the built quality is equal with the price but I have no problem with that 😀. I installed this groupset on Giant TCR Advance SL and the bike weight is around 7.2 kg.
A tip for mounting your front mech when you don't have a barrel adjuster: back off your low limit screw by one full turn, set your cable, then reset the limit screw. Letting yourself temporarily go past the ideal lower limit will help you pull more slack out of the cable. Of course, depending on the set-up, a full turn on the limit screw might be more/less than you need, but keep it at some easy fraction, so you can quickly set it back afterwards.
Got mine 10 months ago for my gravel bike and I would say its very good. Shifting is smooth and easy, also very easy to adjust the rear derailleur. I'm running 1x setup so I have nothing to say about the fd. Im running 11-34 cassette, no problem at all. Bang for the bucks. Cheers!!!
Yeah... if you wanna build up a bike thats gonna get thrown around in the team van, and then possibly hit the tarmac and bend some derailleurs. This is a great groupset. Light enough that it won't harm your performance, enough gears that you don't have to compromise, and cheap enough that you can keep braking parts without braking the bank. Throw this on a 2nd hand Allez Sprint frame and you're good.
I lived in China for 7 years manufacturing cycling apparel and activewear which also morphed into doing research for cycling components in Xiamen and golf bags in Dongguan. In general most products are very good pending the manufacturer. There are cheap manufactures that really shouldn’t be allowed but impossible to monitor. For moving parts I personally would stick to lower grade Shimano. I have the CVR crankset and it is good after 3500km.
I would also be glad if they start selling a 3x front chain and crank set. A lot of us who have very steep hills and aren't that strong still need the granny gear, although I think a lot don't like to admit it.
You have my respect!.. I have been watching your channel for a year and noticed that you are not a shill for OEM and other manufacturers. The tragedy is that most people do not look and listen carefully to your reviews. they may blow you off for their social prejudices and then hop on their mega dollar bikes that sport the SAME components that you show us.. much respect to you!!
Thanks Keith! Yeah, I just say what I see, some people assume if I say lots of good things about Chinese companies I must be a shill - they don't stop to think maybe there are just lots of Chinese companies making good things. I always call out any weaknesses or disadvantages of products too. Like the front derailleur on this Sensah groupset.
Just a remark on the set without front derailleur. I can confirm the left shifter is Not dead. Because of your review and others i bought just shifters & r.d. with my own R7000 105 f.d. and it works great. So far so good and nothing like what happened to Trace Velo
I have had it for months and got the lightweight cassette recently. If you tune it then its above 105 no problem. Highly recommend getting the ceramic bearing jockey wheels as well. You are literally talking about a savings of over 600 bucks easily. This thing is off the charts for value and it most certainly is competition ready.
It's great that it works for you. But many commenters here have problems with this set. Mainly the front derrerilleur pull and 32 tooth wheel. I don't have much confidence in it.
It's great value for money. RE: Sitous issues, I think the front derailleur you can just buy a super cheap 2nd hand 105 derailleur and on the off chance your frame doesnt clear the 32T, you could use a 11-30 cassette or use a rear derailleur hanger extender.
I have the 9speed version. Issue -sti hoods are easily worn out (not if you take real good care of them -RD and FD are trash That is why I have mine mixed with sora rd and fd You pay for what you get tho
I was glad to here this b cuz i actually pulled the trigger on this a month ago for a carbon budget build the plan is to build it under 1,000 US dollars. Looking in to those cranks and cassette too BIG THANKS!!!!!!!!👍👍👍
1,200 is reasonable with full carbon T1100 frame. Set out to build the best for cheap. With everything top of the line in latest Chinese tech. 1,600 bucks gives you room to play with for the wheelset. 600 top of the line T1100 frame 400 to 500 dollar wheelset with carbon spokes and the rest for everything else. Get the Chinese hubs that are the latest.
@@thiosemicarbizidebenzoylal2921 any experience with these frames do you own one .I actually have some of these frames on my list the t1100. Direct-mount
@@mikespringer7894 I own two awesome complete road bikes and the decasen t1100 xc hardtail as well. The bikes are full carbon and the XC bike has LTWOO 1x12 with chain guide. ITS AWESOME. All i build is pure competition bikes and this stuff is off the charts a great deal IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR LOOKING AT. Its all over Europe, and these are 8 to 10k bikes normally for dirt cheap. Expect some grams over the equivalent bike but thats it.
@@thiosemicarbizidebenzoylal2921 could you please share more details on your bikes? Interested in a good climbing frame with matching wheels for road racing. 6'01''(182cm), 158 lbs(72kg).
great review. I'm by no means poor but I just don't like spending a lot of money on bike stuff, so for sure I'm glad when I see some lower priced yet still good parts coming to the market.
Bruce, its simply not the point of wealth. The bike industry from a LBS standpoint is highway robbery. People have been getting taken to the cleaners for years.
@@thiosemicarbizidebenzoylal2921 the local bike shops wouldn't be closing if they didn't overprice everything, they tried selling me £3 inner tubes for £7...
@@ChinaCycling I don't know anything about patent law, but I'm sure you are in the right ballpark on that. Off topic, but I appreciated your review of Yoeleo wheels. I did more research after your video and eventually bought a pair with DT Swiss 240s. They were delivered today, which was only 10 days after I ordered them (impressive considering I live exactly in the middle of the USA.
Bill R. I’m looking to buy a pair of yoeleo wheels (with 240s hubs) myself. I tried China Cycling’s code; but it’s only like 3% off. Did you get a better deal?
@@eugeneanisko833 Eugene, I bought mine via Amazon for US $1,159. (Disk brake 50mm with DT Swiss 240s). I didn't receive a discount, but I have a line of credit via Amazon that allows me to pay the balance off in 12 months interest free. Great deal as opposed to dipping into a savings account. As an aside, I had several questions before purchase and "Leo" from Yoeleo was quick to respond via the Amazon site.
I do see one listing (Yumaj Bike Store) at $260 for the full groupset. Cheapest 105 groupset is around $450. But the Sensah shifters+mechs groupsets list at $140. I do not see any at $100
Complete 105 r 7000 is 400 bucks or twice as much. That's a 100 percent or more increase for less as a groupset fully modded. Its still cheaper with carbon ceramic jockey wheels included.
@@satpalmodinagar7172 Sensha is about 110 Euros and 105 155 Euro. 40 Euros wouldn't worth for me to take the risk in relation to my income. However I appreciate that in some countries , 40 Euros are much more. I recently build up a bike for my sister with Claris R2000 and a used Ultegra Crankset, 8 gears can be for beginners enough, and the bulk of the weight of most groupsets is at the crankset.
If you want to compare apples with apples, lets say you just need the mini-groupset which is the RD-SS (rated up the 32T), FD and controllers, R7000 105 costs USD187 which is the lowest I've seen on Aliexpress. The Sensah mini-groupset is USD151. This is without shipping. That extra USD37 might mean a lot of some people but then again it might not. If you already have a chainset and brakeset, perhaps getting the R7000 105 mini-groupset is better. If you are getting a complete groupset, the Sensah Empire is value for money.
Just finished installing my Sensah Empire upgrade kit. No problem at all with the FD... I even had too much tension on the FD. Shifting need a bit of getting use to, but awesomely performed well!
those CVR cranks don't seem to be a thing anymore, right? sadly can't find them on aliexpress. (liked them pretty much.. not so flashy as other offerings)
All FDs are easier to set up using a barrel adjuster! And there's nothing between brands groups in terms of difficulty in setting them up. Essentially the only possible issue in groupset setup is the front mech set up process which is often a nightmare/verging on impossible should you not have a barrel adjuster installed. I found Shimano 105 (5800) front mech set up was impossible to get right without a barrel adjuster. I think this was because I was approaching the job with older front mech set up in mind where you could do it without a BA, the 105 wouldn't play ball at all but the moment I installed a BA it was immediately sorted!. So I'm not convinced that the Sensa front mech is actually rubbish! I think one shouldn't make a judgement until it's been set up with a BA installed right from the start. I would have reviewed the Shimano 105 (5800) as being junk had I reviewed it without a BA set up! It'd be interesting to do a follow up review using a BA from the start.
I have 105 R7000 and Sensah Empire 2x11. Anyone who is not familiar with Empire might miss a gear if they press it wrongly because the single lever but after getting the hang of it it will be just fine. And its not easy to install use cable to the shifter because there a bend hole inside it, new cable just fine. Solid shifter click sound, strong rd spring, shorter rd, fast shifting. Rubber hood just good but 105 better. At this price point, sensah always the winner. For those who are racing maybe shimano shifter will be better because you will not miss a gear especially on sprinting. Just my 2 cents.😁
I bought this set and had the same problem with the front derailleur, even with a barrel adjuster it felt like the cable pull just wasn't enough, no matter what I did. Even pulled the cable as hard as I could with pliers.. I just gave up in the end and switched it out for a Shimano derailleur
thanks for the great review! i noticed the brake pads on the front brake are upside down. the little wings are intended to guide the wheel into the brake opening. be sure to swap the pads left/right so the wings are on the bottom and the opening on the back of the brake pad holder is facing the rear of the bike.
I acquired one of these groupset and use it on grand fondo and on trainings here in philippines i even used in on a criterium race smooth shifting and good performance and very affordable price !
The best thing about these videos is always the comments. If I have success with a product, I think "Is it only me?" then in the comments I see lots of other people also loving the product. Makes me satisfied.
I have personally found all 11 speed front mechs need a inline adjuster, I personally would not even think of doing a build without them.. Thanks for the review, china is certainly making progress..
It worked fine with a SRAM Force rear D, so can't see why it wouldn't work with Ultegra. (That's a roundabout way of saying 'yes, but I haven't tried it myself.')
If you think that left /front STI is anywhere near lower end shimano you have zero experience of using SORA or even Claris, Tiagra 4700 series is akin to 105/5800 except for one fewer sprocket. I also have small hands and I can see that that inward shift means you having to twist your hand massively inward to get the derailleur to shift the chain, that does not happen on low end Shimano, not even from 25 years ago! Whilst it's obviously dirt cheap the hand throw is a massive issue for me and there's no long term use to know what the robustness is like.
I used Sora for about 2 years when I was starting out. The left hand shitter always needed a hard push. Obviously this lever has a lighter action, but you have to push it further. it's always a trade-off.
@@ChinaCycling Sounds like you had a really bad set up and sticky cable. I used older Sora 20 years ago on a pub bike and it was easy - those older ones had the inside mini lever (similar to Campag) to return to the inner ring and main lever to upshift. The latest R3000 Sora is a huge step up and neither has the extreme hand movement of this system, not even close. Yes it's inexpensive but frankly I'd be sticking to Sora or Tiagra instead of buying this as they have known longevity and exceptional functionality/ease of use, especially when you look at the issues you had with the FD. The rear derailleur looks to be very good however, what was the chain life like as some unbranded chains are made of cheese and need replacing after a short period.
Nice vid, but the problem you describe with the front derailleur is not manufacturing, it's you not being able to tighten it correctly, I had this long ago with 105. solution? put a barrel adjuster on your cable under the handlebars, its also a practical position. do the same for the rear. you can adjust as you peddle.
i think this is for those who are starters in riding a Road Bike, combine it with a cheap price makes it faster for someone to build one. i'm and MTB user so this vid helps me specially i'm planning to build a road bike and beat the hell out the 1h 39minutes long ride record of mine.
I bought a CVR crankset to replace a triple crank on another bike after watching this video. Did you run into any issues with a poor chain line when installing? Have the supplied spacer on the drive side BB but the crank is still a few mm inboard to where it should be compared to the back.
Hey ! Just a quick question, what’s the actual value of the brake that are supplied with ? I’m a bit sceptical about putting my life into Chinese calipers’s hand 😅
These shifters are literally the worse part of both Shimano and SRAM combined... On Shimano the big blades get 'rattley' because they also have to shift so they get sloppy, whereas SRAM's big blades are just pinned and stay tighter. The double tap system on SRAM is also a deal breaker for many long-time Shimano users. Couple that with reports about the front derailleur being junky, brake calipers not as powerful as Shimano, unconventional chainring design, no shadow technology, etc, it's does have some big knocks. It looks good on surface, but people who've used any of the cheaper x800 or x000 Shimano groups, it's a tough value proposition.
Could you suggest a groupset upgrade for a 27.5 MTB, with Shimano Tourney, 3x8 setup. 12-32T, 170 MM crank, 24x34x42T, Shimao Altus shifters? I am looking for a upgrade to this, something with higher ratio is better, I can go for 1x setup also.
Front derailleur can be shimano or sram, rear derailleur only sram is compatible due to cable pull. I own a fully carbon frame carbon wheel 11 speed with sensah shifters and rear derailleur and all the other parts are 105 r7000. My winter bike I just upgraded from full ultegra 6500 9 speed to new sensah ignite shifters and zrace dual pivot brakes. Both derailleurs and crank are still ultegra. bikes run like a charm
Yeah, I like the design. Also tempted to use it for a 1x buiid. STONE has some chainings that mount directly onto SRAM GXP 3-bolt spindles, that would make a cool looking 1x crank.
Is the Ultegra group set from China,the same product as a Ultegra set from a local bike store. Is the Chinese Ultegra group set product that did not pass Quality Control? I'm thinking of buying a complete group set from China.What's you're opinion.
It keeps changing names! Haha. I think CVR was a pre-production name. I don't know the new name either. Find a seller that has the Sensah, they'll probably have this crank too.
Always like your vids, my next project is going to be a 1 X 11 road bike, I want a cheap group set as a starting point, this seems great as the left lever looks right, you know, no extra levers and the front chain set can be modified. Any chance of a link so I can purchase and import to the UK? Carry on the good work.
Yeah, I think it's great for 1x11 builds, as the main weakness is the front D. Try it with the stock derelleur and a drelleur hanger extender and you should be able to run a 11-42 or something crazy. If you have any issues with chain drop, just swap our a SRAM MTB of Force/Apex 1x rear D with a clutch.
I've decided to build a flat bar 1 X aero bike, bought a Planet X aero frame, going to use mountain bike rear derailleur and shifters, disk brakes and aero flat bars FROM CHINA obviously 😂🤣
I just bought a 2012 Polygon Helios 800x di2 frame and forks, I was going to put 105 groupset on it because I'm no racer think I'm going to have a look at UK prices. Also want a combo handlebar & stem but seen the flex people are having with cheap ones does anyone know of a solid Chinese one ?
Check out my review of The One bar. I really like that bar. I used to think it was super super stiff (On par with Specialized's) but last week I saw a bar from a company called Winspace and DAMN that bar was stiff. Stiffest bar I've ever felt. But not cheap!
What rim brakes would be recommended with Sensah groupset? As far as I know, they don't make any brakes, so if you buy whole kit on aliexpress, you'll get some cheap, generic garbage brakes. Looking for rim brakes with enough clearance for 28mm tyre and rim.
Why have you cut your (Carbon?) handlebar? And now when you still did it. Why not all the way upp to the brakelevers? What is the short bit left under the brakelevers good for, I mean? Just curious :-)
The bit under the brake levers is probably useless. I was worried about individual carbon fibers being damaged when cut, so wanted to stay a bit further away, but it probably makes no difference.
It's a shame that they have such a bad design for the shifters, I think SRAM's doubletap shifting method is by far the best. Moving the entire brake lever (in Empire and Shimano) is so much effort compared to Doubletap, especially if you have small hands or are a smaller rider. You would think that as they've combined both methods into one lever that it would be lighter and it would be worth buying but it's not. If only they made an electronic groupset with 2 buttons for shifting up/down and put it at a price point of ultegra or force...
Hi... I have been following your channel for awhile now.. is there any China direct drive Trainer that you can recommend.. as good as those branded ones?
Some buyers on AliExpress complained that they weren't able to make the 32 cassette working and stated that the maximum size of the cassette should be 28 instead of the manufacturer's recommended max size of 32. So, are you happy how your 32 cassette is working with this groupset?
Thanks for posting! Keep them coming! Sensah has a 1:1 mtb derailleur rated for 10 speed, could you try to see if that works with a huge 50t cassette AND those shiters (chep gravel setup, but you can try on that road bike of course)
They have a new MTB groupset which is 1x12 I think... 11-52t cassette or something monster. At Shanghai they mentioned they'd send me one. Video will probably be a while though, I like to "share the spotlight" between different companies.
@@ChinaCycling Do you know if the RD is 1:1 as well, to use monster cassette with drop bar shifters? I wonder why those companies dont make road 12s if the are capable of doing mtb 12s! Even if the minimum cassette size is 36 because of wheel dishing, why not? People use 11-32 on road bikes already, that would only add another sprocket.
@@ericoschmitt since the shifters work with 11speed SRAM road RD, likely you could use them with the 9speed microshift advent RD as that has the same derailleur ratio, maybe (not sure). And yes, probably any 10spd SRAM compatible RD.
No link to buy - but you can search for 'Sensah Empire' on Aliexpress. I didn't give a link, because I genuinely don't know which seller is best, etc.
what was the name of the sister company that made that 11-32 cassette?
@@coopersimson4440 ztto slr2 road
Thanks for your great content! I want to find an endurance frame with relaxed geometry for us old guys. Everything I see looks like race geometry. Is there a good source for endurance geometry frames or gravel that is not low and long cyclocross geometry? Thanks
I think Pardus is pretty relaxed, but maybe still not quite relaxed enough for what you're after. I'll keep my eyes open.
Please do a 👞 review! I want to see some cheap light carbon shoes plus a road speed suit
I have got this Sensah 11 x 2 Groupset several months ago and I really amaze with how this Groupset works!! The front mech isn't bad, it works great!
It is very easy shifting up to big chainring. I admit that the built quality is equal with the price but I have no problem with that 😀. I installed this groupset on Giant TCR Advance SL and the bike weight is around 7.2 kg.
Mardeinse Dharma Do you have some tips for installing the front derailleur? I can’t get it to shift to the big ring
A tip for mounting your front mech when you don't have a barrel adjuster: back off your low limit screw by one full turn, set your cable, then reset the limit screw. Letting yourself temporarily go past the ideal lower limit will help you pull more slack out of the cable.
Of course, depending on the set-up, a full turn on the limit screw might be more/less than you need, but keep it at some easy fraction, so you can quickly set it back afterwards.
Thanks, I had this issue actually.
Got mine 10 months ago for my gravel bike and I would say its very good. Shifting is smooth and easy, also very easy to adjust the rear derailleur. I'm running 1x setup so I have nothing to say about the fd. Im running 11-34 cassette, no problem at all. Bang for the bucks. Cheers!!!
Hi, do you use any special hanger ?? The descripcion say only 11-28
do you think you could fit a 11-36?
I appreciate your channel. It is refreshing to see reviews from other brands than Sram and Shimano.
Yeah, there's plenty of info about those two brands, so, I try to show something different!
If a chinese brand would release a electronic groupset...
That would be killer!
It would be a complete gamechanger! I have heard that it's a lot more work than it seems though. Maybe they don't have the R&D money of the big boys.
I think they working on it ;)
it will happen just a matter of time, just take a look at mobile phones and electronic gadgets.
Killer as it will explose?😂
Phil Adams
They just haven't hacked and stolen the info from shimano or sram yet
dude this is awesome. gonna spread the words.
i think this groupset will hit home with those weekend crit racers
Yeah... if you wanna build up a bike thats gonna get thrown around in the team van, and then possibly hit the tarmac and bend some derailleurs. This is a great groupset. Light enough that it won't harm your performance, enough gears that you don't have to compromise, and cheap enough that you can keep braking parts without braking the bank. Throw this on a 2nd hand Allez Sprint frame and you're good.
@@ChinaCycling or super old caad from 2004. and throw in some ali's 80mm wheelset too haha
hadzrayarchitecture why would crit racers care?
@@aaron___6014 because its cheap to replace. you tend to crash more in a crit race, and break parts like shifters and RDs. imho
@@ChinaCycling i just buy one for my only bike, i hope will be better than the claris that is installed
I lived in China for 7 years manufacturing cycling apparel and activewear which also morphed into doing research for cycling components in Xiamen and golf bags in Dongguan. In general most products are very good pending the manufacturer. There are cheap manufactures that really shouldn’t be allowed but impossible to monitor.
For moving parts I personally would stick to lower grade Shimano. I have the CVR crankset and it is
good after 3500km.
I would also be glad if they start selling a 3x front chain and crank set. A lot of us who have very steep hills and aren't that strong still need the granny gear, although I think a lot don't like to admit it.
Bro Froome uses 'pussy gears '. Its 2019 so cadence is king. Always has been but now is common knowledge.
As someone who used empire, that right shifter if it clicks once its hard gear, clicks twice easy gear, clicks thrice two jumps easy gear..
You have my respect!.. I have been watching your channel for a year and noticed that you are not a shill for OEM and other manufacturers. The tragedy is that most people do not look and listen carefully to your reviews. they may blow you off for their social prejudices and then hop on their mega dollar bikes that sport the SAME components that you show us.. much respect to you!!
Thanks Keith! Yeah, I just say what I see, some people assume if I say lots of good things about Chinese companies I must be a shill - they don't stop to think maybe there are just lots of Chinese companies making good things. I always call out any weaknesses or disadvantages of products too. Like the front derailleur on this Sensah groupset.
There is a version with carbon levers and rear cage on aliexpress right now.
it's still really heavy...
Just a remark on the set without front derailleur. I can confirm the left shifter is Not dead. Because of your review and others i bought just shifters & r.d. with my own R7000 105 f.d. and it works great. So far so good and nothing like what happened to Trace Velo
Something to keep in mind for when they release electronic for sure! In the mean time will keep my 105 and Dura Ace bikes tho.
I have had it for months and got the lightweight cassette recently. If you tune it then its above 105 no problem. Highly recommend getting the ceramic bearing jockey wheels as well. You are literally talking about a savings of over 600 bucks easily. This thing is off the charts for value and it most certainly is competition ready.
It's great that it works for you. But many commenters here have problems with this set. Mainly the front derrerilleur pull and 32 tooth wheel. I don't have much confidence in it.
It's great value for money. RE: Sitous issues, I think the front derailleur you can just buy a super cheap 2nd hand 105 derailleur and on the off chance your frame doesnt clear the 32T, you could use a 11-30 cassette or use a rear derailleur hanger extender.
I have the 9speed version. Issue
-sti hoods are easily worn out (not if you take real good care of them
-RD and FD are trash
That is why I have mine mixed with sora rd and fd
You pay for what you get tho
Hei, did you use the 32T cassette in your test?thx!
I was glad to here this b cuz i actually pulled the trigger on this a month ago for a carbon budget build the plan is to build it under 1,000 US dollars. Looking in to those cranks and cassette too BIG THANKS!!!!!!!!👍👍👍
1,200 is reasonable with full carbon T1100 frame. Set out to build the best for cheap. With everything top of the line in latest Chinese tech. 1,600 bucks gives you room to play with for the wheelset. 600 top of the line T1100 frame 400 to 500 dollar wheelset with carbon spokes and the rest for everything else. Get the Chinese hubs that are the latest.
@@thiosemicarbizidebenzoylal2921 any experience with these frames do you own one .I actually have some of these frames on my list the t1100. Direct-mount
@@mikespringer7894 I own two awesome complete road bikes and the decasen t1100 xc hardtail as well. The bikes are full carbon and the XC bike has LTWOO 1x12 with chain guide. ITS AWESOME. All i build is pure competition bikes and this stuff is off the charts a great deal IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR LOOKING AT. Its all over Europe, and these are 8 to 10k bikes normally for dirt cheap. Expect some grams over the equivalent bike but thats it.
@@mikespringer7894 Read the reviews and get a proper fitting before buying. My price of 1,600 is reasonable for top of the line competition bikes.
@@thiosemicarbizidebenzoylal2921 could you please share more details on your bikes? Interested in a good climbing frame with matching wheels for road racing. 6'01''(182cm), 158 lbs(72kg).
great review. I'm by no means poor but I just don't like spending a lot of money on bike stuff, so for sure I'm glad when I see some lower priced yet still good parts coming to the market.
Bruce, its simply not the point of wealth. The bike industry from a LBS standpoint is highway robbery. People have been getting taken to the cleaners for years.
@@thiosemicarbizidebenzoylal2921 the local bike shops wouldn't be closing if they didn't overprice everything, they tried selling me £3 inner tubes for £7...
@@albr4 Agreed. Its a ongoing scam that needs to stop.
Thanks for the review. Are you aware of a Chinese groupset that is electronic (e.g., Shimano Di2)?
I don't think there's one at the moment, but you have to imagine someone is working on one. I think electronic groupsets have so many patents though.
@@ChinaCycling I don't know anything about patent law, but I'm sure you are in the right ballpark on that. Off topic, but I appreciated your review of Yoeleo wheels. I did more research after your video and eventually bought a pair with DT Swiss 240s. They were delivered today, which was only 10 days after I ordered them (impressive considering I live exactly in the middle of the USA.
Hope you enjoy them! Mine are still going strong.
Bill R. I’m looking to buy a pair of yoeleo wheels (with 240s hubs) myself. I tried China Cycling’s code; but it’s only like 3% off. Did you get a better deal?
@@eugeneanisko833 Eugene, I bought mine via Amazon for US $1,159. (Disk brake 50mm with DT Swiss 240s). I didn't receive a discount, but I have a line of credit via Amazon that allows me to pay the balance off in 12 months interest free. Great deal as opposed to dipping into a savings account. As an aside, I had several questions before purchase and "Leo" from Yoeleo was quick to respond via the Amazon site.
The Grouppo you are showing is $298 US . includes BB and Chain...
yup, i'd rather buy 105
I do see one listing (Yumaj Bike Store) at $260 for the full groupset. Cheapest 105 groupset is around $450. But the Sensah shifters+mechs groupsets list at $140. I do not see any at $100
After building a new lightweight bike for a few months, this stuff looks HEAVY! Back to reality!
I'm going to order this though for my cheap bike.
anyone seen any lightweight versions around?
The front derailleur is indeed absolute trash, nightmare to set-up. I can’t get it to shift properly. I think I will replace it with a SRAM one.
The only problem I have , 105 is on Ali Express almost the same price
Complete 105 r 7000 is 400 bucks or twice as much. That's a 100 percent or more increase for less as a groupset fully modded. Its still cheaper with carbon ceramic jockey wheels included.
Oh really 100 $ for 105 please send one for the I will pay you 10$ extra to you
@@satpalmodinagar7172 Sensha is about 110 Euros and 105 155 Euro. 40 Euros wouldn't worth for me to take the risk in relation to my income. However I appreciate that in some countries , 40 Euros are much more. I recently build up a bike for my sister with Claris R2000 and a used Ultegra Crankset, 8 gears can be for beginners enough, and the bulk of the weight of most groupsets is at the crankset.
If you want to compare apples with apples, lets say you just need the mini-groupset which is the RD-SS (rated up the 32T), FD and controllers, R7000 105 costs USD187 which is the lowest I've seen on Aliexpress. The Sensah mini-groupset is USD151. This is without shipping. That extra USD37 might mean a lot of some people but then again it might not. If you already have a chainset and brakeset, perhaps getting the R7000 105 mini-groupset is better. If you are getting a complete groupset, the Sensah Empire is value for money.
Just finished installing my Sensah Empire upgrade kit. No problem at all with the FD... I even had too much tension on the FD. Shifting need a bit of getting use to, but awesomely performed well!
Great to hear! Maybe they tweaked it.
Affordable biking for all should be the mantra of all bike manufacturers!
Do they sell the metal version of the actuator part?
those CVR cranks don't seem to be a thing anymore, right?
sadly can't find them on aliexpress. (liked them pretty much.. not so flashy as other offerings)
All FDs are easier to set up using a barrel adjuster! And there's nothing between brands groups in terms of difficulty in setting them up.
Essentially the only possible issue in groupset setup is the front mech set up process which is often a nightmare/verging on impossible should you not have a barrel adjuster installed.
I found Shimano 105 (5800) front mech set up was impossible to get right without a barrel adjuster.
I think this was because I was approaching the job with older front mech set up in mind where you could do it without a BA, the 105 wouldn't play ball at all but the moment I installed a BA it was immediately sorted!.
So I'm not convinced that the Sensa front mech is actually rubbish! I think one shouldn't make a judgement until it's been set up with a BA installed right from the start. I would have reviewed the Shimano 105 (5800) as being junk had I reviewed it without a BA set up!
It'd be interesting to do a follow up review using a BA from the start.
Marco Paganotto I have a barrel adjuster but it’s still a nightmare to set it up
I have 105 R7000 and Sensah Empire 2x11.
Anyone who is not familiar with Empire might miss a gear if they press it wrongly because the single lever but after getting the hang of it it will be just fine. And its not easy to install use cable to the shifter because there a bend hole inside it, new cable just fine. Solid shifter click sound, strong rd spring, shorter rd, fast shifting. Rubber hood just good but 105 better. At this price point, sensah always the winner. For those who are racing maybe shimano shifter will be better because you will not miss a gear especially on sprinting. Just my 2 cents.😁
Does it work with Shimano 105 R7000 crankset?
I bought this set and had the same problem with the front derailleur, even with a barrel adjuster it felt like the cable pull just wasn't enough, no matter what I did. Even pulled the cable as hard as I could with pliers.. I just gave up in the end and switched it out for a Shimano derailleur
I needed 4 hands to get it installed. holding the derailleur slightly outboard while pulling the cable and clamping the bolt.
my friend put a force front deraileur on , works perfectly
Just use the L stop screw!
Good honest review 👍
Great! More content like this.
Thanks! You guys ask I (slowly) deliver!
Thank you for the review. Very interesting.
thanks for the great review! i noticed the brake pads on the front brake are upside down. the little wings are intended to guide the wheel into the brake opening. be sure to swap the pads left/right so the wings are on the bottom and the opening on the back of the brake pad holder is facing the rear of the bike.
I acquired one of these groupset and use it on grand fondo and on trainings here in philippines i even used in on a criterium race smooth shifting and good performance and very affordable price !
The best thing about these videos is always the comments. If I have success with a product, I think "Is it only me?" then in the comments I see lots of other people also loving the product. Makes me satisfied.
pwede kaya i mix tong sensah empire groupset sa shimano rd fd? kahit 105 5800 lang kasi panget daw yung fd rd ng sensah
I have personally found all 11 speed front mechs need a inline adjuster, I personally would not even think of doing a build without them.. Thanks for the review, china is certainly making progress..
Sir will you make another review for long term use of that groupset? any minor or major issues? plan to buy that groupset.
The bike this groupset is on I'm not riding at the moment. Not much chance of doing a long term review. Sorry!
Now we have a carbon fiber version. I look forward to your introduction.
Those shifters look huge. Interested in that cassette
Hi, do you have test the pro version? Will be interesting to know about the differences between groups and quality
Yup! Reviewing coming the next few days.
@@ChinaCycling im pending for your review and very interested in this versión because i have bought it but not received yet
Love the Chinese option. Great video. A money saver for budget riders!
Is it bat friendly
could you please tell us if you used the 32t cassette in your test? thanks!
What is the capacity of the rear derailleur? Will it work with a compact crankset and a 11-32 cassette?
according to ali express it should.
Have they fixed the front drrailleur based on various feedback online being too soft.?
After all, what is the problem with the 11-speed front derailleur? I intend to buy, but I was in doubt when
saw your comments.
ua-cam.com/video/IPYsfe79zbc/v-deo.html
See this video and your question will be answered
you're using the 11-32 cassette?
Will that "posh" CNCed cassette work on ultegra rear derailleur?
It worked fine with a SRAM Force rear D, so can't see why it wouldn't work with Ultegra. (That's a roundabout way of saying 'yes, but I haven't tried it myself.')
Hi! Great content! I've got a question: do you know of any non-shimano brand levers that can replace the hideous 105 disc group ST-RS505 levers?....
sensah official website..?
If you think that left /front STI is anywhere near lower end shimano you have zero experience of using SORA or even Claris, Tiagra 4700 series is akin to 105/5800 except for one fewer sprocket. I also have small hands and I can see that that inward shift means you having to twist your hand massively inward to get the derailleur to shift the chain, that does not happen on low end Shimano, not even from 25 years ago!
Whilst it's obviously dirt cheap the hand throw is a massive issue for me and there's no long term use to know what the robustness is like.
I used Sora for about 2 years when I was starting out. The left hand shitter always needed a hard push. Obviously this lever has a lighter action, but you have to push it further. it's always a trade-off.
@@ChinaCycling Sounds like you had a really bad set up and sticky cable. I used older Sora 20 years ago on a pub bike and it was easy - those older ones had the inside mini lever (similar to Campag) to return to the inner ring and main lever to upshift. The latest R3000 Sora is a huge step up and neither has the extreme hand movement of this system, not even close. Yes it's inexpensive but frankly I'd be sticking to Sora or Tiagra instead of buying this as they have known longevity and exceptional functionality/ease of use, especially when you look at the issues you had with the FD. The rear derailleur looks to be very good however, what was the chain life like as some unbranded chains are made of cheese and need replacing after a short period.
I can't seem to find that crankset sold separately on Ebay, AliX, or elsewhere.
I've had no issues with the FD, works great for me
Are you still using it? How the performance by the way
I agree with Al, any reviews mate?
Nice vid, but the problem you describe with the front derailleur is not manufacturing, it's you not being able to tighten it correctly, I had this long ago with 105. solution? put a barrel adjuster on your cable under the handlebars, its also a practical position. do the same for the rear. you can adjust as you peddle.
Where do I order the CVR crank to add to group set? Does the crank come in 172mm length?
Everything is Chinese, Sram, Shimano. Or is it made in China or some other place in the world where labor is cheap
Team is mostly made in Taiwan. High end Shimano is made in Japan, low end is usually made in Malaysia.
i think this is for those who are starters in riding a Road Bike, combine it with a cheap price makes it faster for someone to build one. i'm and MTB user so this vid helps me specially i'm planning to build a road bike and beat the hell out the 1h 39minutes long ride record of mine.
Got mine for 80 euros (+cassette and pedalset) Amazing quality...
I bought a CVR crankset to replace a triple crank on another bike after watching this video. Did you run into any issues with a poor chain line when installing? Have the supplied spacer on the drive side BB but the crank is still a few mm inboard to where it should be compared to the back.
I don't have the bike in front of me to check, but I don't think I had any issues. I think that bike is a BB86 frameset.
Hey ! Just a quick question, what’s the actual value of the brake that are supplied with ? I’m a bit sceptical about putting my life into Chinese calipers’s hand 😅
These shifters are literally the worse part of both Shimano and SRAM combined... On Shimano the big blades get 'rattley' because they also have to shift so they get sloppy, whereas SRAM's big blades are just pinned and stay tighter. The double tap system on SRAM is also a deal breaker for many long-time Shimano users.
Couple that with reports about the front derailleur being junky, brake calipers not as powerful as Shimano, unconventional chainring design, no shadow technology, etc, it's does have some big knocks. It looks good on surface, but people who've used any of the cheaper x800 or x000 Shimano groups, it's a tough value proposition.
Game to play, everytime he says "Set" you take a drink
Maybe replace that with super!
Will this work on my wife's Jamis Renegade? It currently has 2x8 with disc breaks. The breaks are my concern. Thank you.
I heard that the earlier Brifters had a plastic part that broke easily. Do you if this was addressed?
They upgraded that piece to metal, but I don't know from what date the change was made.
Thanks for the video! I have a questions, in quiality, this groupset will be similar to shimano .... torney, tiagra, sora or another?
This is the SRAM Force groupset from 2007.
Could you suggest a groupset upgrade for a 27.5 MTB, with Shimano Tourney, 3x8 setup. 12-32T, 170 MM crank, 24x34x42T, Shimao Altus shifters? I am looking for a upgrade to this, something with higher ratio is better, I can go for 1x setup also.
How much for the group set of sensa empire without the break caliper. ??? Just crank set, deruirler front and back and the sti lever??!
Is there a Chinese electronic groupset? Or do you know of one coming?
Can that Hardrock crankset is used with a 9 speed sprocket?
Wonderful. I was waiting for this video, i'm cheap and wanted to buy this or tiagra so, Thank for the video and the effort!
Thanks for watching!
Can you change its pulley?Im planning to buy one and pair it with not so expensive ocersize pulley.
So which Shimano or Sram rear derailleur are compatible to Empire shifters? Thanks.
Front derailleur can be shimano or sram, rear derailleur only sram is compatible due to cable pull. I own a fully carbon frame carbon wheel 11 speed with sensah shifters and rear derailleur and all the other parts are 105 r7000. My winter bike I just upgraded from full ultegra 6500 9 speed to new sensah ignite shifters and zrace dual pivot brakes. Both derailleurs and crank are still ultegra. bikes run like a charm
Can I replace the left crank zrace crank with a shimano 105 crank with a 4iii power meter?
Nice video. That crankset looks good.
Yeah, I like the design. Also tempted to use it for a 1x buiid. STONE has some chainings that mount directly onto SRAM GXP 3-bolt spindles, that would make a cool looking 1x crank.
@@ChinaCycling Praxis use that bolt pattern as well.
@@ChinaCycling Do you have a link to that crankset (taobao or otherwise?), can't find it after searching online
Is the Ultegra group set from China,the same product as a Ultegra set from a local bike store. Is the Chinese Ultegra group set product that did not pass Quality Control? I'm thinking of buying a complete group
set from China.What's you're opinion.
Would this work on a gravel bike? (Probably not on a cyclocross bike, with this type of brakes...)
Can't find the CVR crankset on ali express :(
It keeps changing names! Haha. I think CVR was a pre-production name. I don't know the new name either. Find a seller that has the Sensah, they'll probably have this crank too.
Always like your vids, my next project is going to be a 1 X 11 road bike, I want a cheap group set as a starting point, this seems great as the left lever looks right, you know, no extra levers and the front chain set can be modified. Any chance of a link so I can purchase and import to the UK? Carry on the good work.
Just spotted another post with info.
Yeah, I think it's great for 1x11 builds, as the main weakness is the front D. Try it with the stock derelleur and a drelleur hanger extender and you should be able to run a 11-42 or something crazy. If you have any issues with chain drop, just swap our a SRAM MTB of Force/Apex 1x rear D with a clutch.
I've decided to build a flat bar 1 X aero bike, bought a Planet X aero frame, going to use mountain bike rear derailleur and shifters, disk brakes and aero flat bars FROM CHINA obviously 😂🤣
Thanks for testing the shifter cable pull. If you could do similar tests with other Chinese components that would be great!
I just bought a 2012 Polygon Helios 800x di2 frame and forks, I was going to put 105 groupset on it because I'm no racer think I'm going to have a look at UK prices.
Also want a combo handlebar & stem but seen the flex people are having with cheap ones does anyone know of a solid Chinese one ?
Check out my review of The One bar. I really like that bar. I used to think it was super super stiff (On par with Specialized's) but last week I saw a bar from a company called Winspace and DAMN that bar was stiff. Stiffest bar I've ever felt. But not cheap!
What rim brakes would be recommended with Sensah groupset? As far as I know, they don't make any brakes, so if you buy whole kit on aliexpress, you'll get some cheap, generic garbage brakes. Looking for rim brakes with enough clearance for 28mm tyre and rim.
Why have you cut your (Carbon?) handlebar? And now when you still did it. Why not all the way upp to the brakelevers? What is the short bit left under the brakelevers good for, I mean?
Just curious :-)
The bit under the brake levers is probably useless. I was worried about individual carbon fibers being damaged when cut, so wanted to stay a bit further away, but it probably makes no difference.
It's a shame that they have such a bad design for the shifters, I think SRAM's doubletap shifting method is by far the best. Moving the entire brake lever (in Empire and Shimano) is so much effort compared to Doubletap, especially if you have small hands or are a smaller rider.
You would think that as they've combined both methods into one lever that it would be lighter and it would be worth buying but it's not.
If only they made an electronic groupset with 2 buttons for shifting up/down and put it at a price point of ultegra or force...
Hey, could you post some link??
between this brand and ltwoo which one did you prefer for mtb use?
Try to put a sram force yaw front mech on. That with make this group amazing
Hi... I have been following your channel for awhile now.. is there any China direct drive Trainer that you can recommend.. as good as those branded ones?
Magene Gravat is great value for money.
Some buyers on AliExpress complained that they weren't able to make the 32 cassette working and stated that the maximum size of the cassette should be 28 instead of the manufacturer's recommended max size of 32. So, are you happy how your 32 cassette is working with this groupset?
I use it with Shimano 105 5800 11-32t, works perfect
No problem here. Didn't even touch the b-screw. Maybe some frames have a rear derailleur hanger that's too high? But I thought that was standardized.
it is a short cage only, i guess u can still put a roadlink to make it work, but 28 is what it was designed for.
Is the rear deralleur compatibile to a shimano 11s cassette?
Hello.
We have a bike shop in Spain.
Where can contact with the manufacturer of this group. ??
Question could you just buy shimano 105 shifters and use those for this groupset?
Nope, needs to work with SRAM shifters.
Thanks for posting! Keep them coming!
Sensah has a 1:1 mtb derailleur rated for 10 speed, could you try to see if that works with a huge 50t cassette AND those shiters (chep gravel setup, but you can try on that road bike of course)
They have a new MTB groupset which is 1x12 I think... 11-52t cassette or something monster. At Shanghai they mentioned they'd send me one. Video will probably be a while though, I like to "share the spotlight" between different companies.
@@ChinaCycling Do you know if the RD is 1:1 as well, to use monster cassette with drop bar shifters?
I wonder why those companies dont make road 12s if the are capable of doing mtb 12s! Even if the minimum cassette size is 36 because of wheel dishing, why not? People use 11-32 on road bikes already, that would only add another sprocket.
@@ericoschmitt since the shifters work with 11speed SRAM road RD, likely you could use them with the 9speed microshift advent RD as that has the same derailleur ratio, maybe (not sure). And yes, probably any 10spd SRAM compatible RD.
PLSSS REPLY!!!!!!WHAT IS THE BRAND OF 11-32T CASSETTE
How's for a 11 speed groupset?? Is it good??
Thank you for the review!
I got the crankset recently based on this review and they didn’t fit. The arms bent inwards and hit the frame.
What can you say about the sagmit system one groupset?