Sensah Team Pro + Shimano 105 - The ultimate budget groupset???

[@TraceVelo]

So one quick correction, I mentioned at the start the cable pull ratio for 11 Speed Shimano road stuff was 1.7, but it's actually 1.4. Once again the comment section keeping me on my toes! Shoutout to 666Gothicgirl for pointing it out! 👊

[@-Gothicgirl-]

No problem!

[@WashichawbachaW]

Correct! So you can pair that with Tiagra 4700, GRX 10/11 speed RD too. Had one customer with Shimano 105 R7000 paired with Tiagra 4700 RD an it works flawlessly. Also had an acquaintance using GRX 10 speed RD with 105 shifters. That should work for the cheapest road/gravel build.

[@peterharrington8709]

@@WashichawbachaW Oh that's interesting. So, 10 speed derailleurs working as 11 speed yeah?

[@VanDungLe2510]

@@WashichawbachaW Wait, so you can attach 11 speed shifter with 10sp derailleur?

[@the318pop]

@@peterharrington8709 no, only late 10 speed (tiagra) has the same geometry as 11 speed. 10 speed DA, Ultegra and 105 all worked on the same ratio as prior 8 and 9 speeds.

[@coffeepot3123]

The amount of times this guy has disassembled and reassembled his bike he'd be the ultimate tour de France mechanic

[@TraceVelo]

My true calling is ripping bikes apart by the side of the road 🤣

[@simoncbr900rr]

The reason is because so much crap is tested on the bike 😂😂😂😂…….Luke must be able to dismantle his bike blindfolded

[@leedorney]

@@TraceVelo Luke I've been soo fussy on the stem position I've adjusted the spacers on the headset before now lol..

[@patrickparisienne1917]

@SlaveLaboringKid definitely not, as the mechanics build up the bikes from bare frames, they don’t receive complete bikes…

[@zo25]

@SlaveLaboringKid man, you seem hella salty. Chill man.

[@MrLeftshoenick]

I'm running something similar: 11 speed Team pro shifters, 11 speed 105 RD, (old) 10 speed Ultegra FD. Super budget setup with mixed and matched parts, but everything works perfectly. I took the plunge with Sensah shifters based on Luke's earlier review of the Empire group set. I was pretty nervous ordering the "Team Pro" which I hadn't heard much about at the time. I quadruple checked that the internal shifting levers were aluminum, not plastic. Overall, I'm super happy with these shifters. I've put about 2400 km on them and shifting feels more precise and crisper than any other shifters I've used, which include Sora (2016), Ultegra (2001) and Sram Rival (2008). I don't think I've had a single missed shift. Despite (or maybe because of) the 10 speed FD, the chainring shifting is amazing and the trim positions are perfect, unlike every other setup I've ever had. And yes, I'm a dirty cross-chainer! On a separate note, I love road cycling and racing but it can be prohibitively expensive and the bike culture can be very snobbish. It's great to see this content which allows people to get into the sport or upgrade their setup without spending thousands, or feeling bad about mixed groupsets. I'm so unimpressed by $10,000 bikes that get ridden 250 km a year. Also, major props for the vaporwave aesthetics!

[@TraceVelo]

Nick, what a fantastic comment! Really pleased your Sensah setup is working nicely, once it is all dialed in, Sensah Shifters can definitely compete with the best of them! But you have nailed my whole ethos too. Getting into road cycling can be SUPER expensive if you go down the traditional route, but if you are willing to put a bit of work in, you can get an incredible bike for SO much cheaper.... As for the snobbery, not much i can do about that, but i do love rocking up to the lights next to a bike that costs 4X as much, when I know my setup is just as capable and probably lighter too...

[@sabertoothmeowsi]

hello, im still not sure but to move the chains downward (smaller cog) you need to double click?

[@iane2983]

With major bike brands like shimano basically killing mechanical groupsets I am happy sensah exist. I hope they continue to improve their products and hopefully a fully hydraulic groupset soon!

[@TraceVelo]

My thoughts exactly Kristian! Competition in the marketplace is always good for the consumer, and Sensah are really filling a void left by Shimano and SRAM in my opinion!

[@davidgarza2267]

I think we’ll be seeing rebranded Sensah on entry or even mid level bikes soon.

[@whataname955]

@@davidgarza2267 It's already happening! Check out State Bicycle's lower end drop bar bikes - they're using Sensah customized with their own logo on it.

[@glennicol1361]

It already exists... It is called Retrospect... Rebranded Sensah

[@michaelrowave]

I am keen to try the Sensah cable actuated hydralic brake after a recent brake failure with hydralic line. Luckily I was able to stop when it happened but at speed it could have been terrible.

[@andrei-desu5361]

I find that mixing shimano and sensah is the ultimate budget groupset. Shimano's shifters are extremely expensive compared to other parts in the groupset. Used to run sora with sensah ignite shifters, now using 105 mechs and sensah team pro shifters. Budget friendly and extremely good shifting!

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah I agree, you can pick up Shimano derailleurs pretty cheap second hand, but Shimano _shifters_ are a different story. These Sensah shifters definitely make for a great substitute, and once you get used to the double tap shifting, it's a fantatic setup!

[@sybreeder86]

I've recently got front dura-ace derailleur dirt cheap :D Ideal combination woth Sensah Team Pro. When i got sensah i was a awesome price. Now is not that cheap unfortunately. around 1/3 more expensive. I've paid 63EUR in 2021

[@fennec13]

aand if you are running disc - add some cable -actuated hydro disc brakes and you have an amazing setup.

[@sybreeder86]

@@fennec13 I'm running ZRACE BR-005. I've seen that @Trace Velo will probably test them as well from short video that he made

[@82majkel]

The problem is that Shimano is well tried and tested and will last for years

[@boyacki]

Even with criticism and skepticism, you're so humble and unbiased in your response. Thank you for making my week! 😊 Always love the material, depth and obviously, the funnies!👍👍👍👌🏾

[@TraceVelo]

Thanks P Wan, what an awesome comment!!! This has made my day 😊

[@doesitgame]

Gorilla Tape works as a substitute for vinyl packaging, for anyone interested. Also worth pointing out that this works with Tiagra 4700 as well - 4700 uses the same pull ratio as 11s. Even cheaper mix-n-match 11s!

[@jedunboxing4127]

you mean sensah team pro is compatible with tiagra 4700 rd ?

[@guandasin3099]

Man Luke, for all the effort you took into letting them know about specific built problems they had before, you deserve some real credit from them as well. Luke Trace Velo as an Ambassador for Shensaaaaaah! Hate to see the MicroNew leave the staple though. Its been a good ride seeing them. Oh by the way, you could just post a video of you riding your bike for 30mins to an Hour, we'd be happy to see something like that

[@TraceVelo]

Cheers Guan! Yeah it's really good to see Sensah listen to feedback and make legitimate improvements to their products! But the MicroNew's have been great, I'm definitely sad to see them go, but the Team Pro shifters are a worthy replacement that's for sure! Anyway thanks for the comment, maybe if i quit my job and do this KZbin stuff full time, I'll try some more vlogging type content, who knows!?

[@joe_tha137]

Been running my sensah ignite 2*9 2yrs now 12000km works like a charm except for the rattling sound really good shift mechanics being it's one lever best design I'd say thanks for saving my wallet trace 😍

[@TraceVelo]

I think if you check the grub screws, and also those nuts on both shifters you'll be able to track down the rattling. I know how annoying noisy shifters can be, and the fix is usually pretty simple with Sensah stuff, so def worth a go if you ask me! Glad you are getting on well with the Sensah stuff tho!

[@andrei-desu5361]

my ignite mech was really bad which is why I swapped it out for sora, having any issues with yours?

[@joe_tha137]

@@andrei-desu5361 yeah the rear mech died after 500km got a campag now it's fine 👌

[@andrei-desu5361]

@@joe_tha137 Oh lol, thanks! campag parts here in my country are extremely rare, shimano dominates the market here unfortunately.

[@stephenbetley9596]

I'm increasingly hearing just how good Sensah are now, from Francis Cade as well as you and others. Shimano had better either continue the R7000 and lower the cost, or bring out a mechanical 12spd 7100 group set. It's only going to take companies such as Ribble to start using them on budget bikes before they go really mainstream. If Sensah decide to go 12spd mechanical +/- hydraulic which they will do eventually, then Shimano have an issue.

[@whynotride327]

I love mine. It was odd trying to get used to the longer lever throw but it is second nature now. BTW, the shift cables are the easiest to replace on any shifter I have used with hidden cabling.

[@brianmccallum7749]

solid tip about lightly greasing the cables for less friction. Thanks . Will try soon.

[@AlexeyDyachenko]

What I really want is hydraulic Sensah. Really tired of quality and housing problems of mechanical/hybrid brakes. A set of MT200 is about 60$, but a set of cheapest Shimano shifters and calipers is over 1k$, it's crazy.

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah me too! I heard one is on the horizon, but who knows when they will release it...

[@michaelmechex]

That's exaggerated a little bit, but yeah, a pair of Shimano 105 7020 shifters with calipers is around 500 bucks, around 300 if you use those hideous rs505 levers

[@paoloyamsuan4589]

Heard from sensah it will be on 2023. 🙂

[@MrThearijal]

That's why I still stick to hybrid, road frame and wheels + mountain groupset as I can have hydraulic for cheap

[@audax333]

That is exactly my problem. I bought a bike with 105 and mechanical disc brakes a few years ago. I really hate mechanical disc brakes and swapped them out for hybrid brakes. Still, it is not nearly as nice as real hydraulic disc brakes. I could justify new brakes for the bike, but because I have to change the shifters as well, this is suddenly a 600€ job.

[@jaredlash5002]

One thing that has really impressed me about Sensah is that they seem to take feedback and iterative improve their products.

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah exactly. For a small company, it's pretty impressive tbh!

[@lastfm4477]

@@TraceVelo That's why they listen - do you think Shimano gives an F about you and I?

[@Paddyhudson]

To be fair, Shimano does all their R&D before they release a group whereas with Sensah, we’re beta testing a little bit.

[@JoshuaTootell]

And yet tons of reports of XTR shifter failures and wandering bite point brakes @@Paddyhudson

[@helicart]

Sensah are going to have phenomenal growth over the coming years, as Shimano attempts to push everyone onto electric shifting. They have the opportunity Suntour had in the late 1960s.

[@youloveulises]

I used to run my Sensah Empire group with a 105 r7000 front derailleur. I preferred this setup to full Sensah or even Sensah with a SRAM Force FD. I've never felt better front mechanical shifting than the 105 FD with Empire shifters....so, so crisp and fast.

[@robinrai4973]

Very cool that they offer both pull ratios, nice video as always

[@TraceVelo]

Cheers Robin!

[@affordabletechsolutions6917]

I picked up a classic Schwinn Roadster frame for ~$40, and wanted to do a budget build on it. I assembled a groupset that is nearly identical to your bike: 2x11 TeamPro brifters, Tiagra front mech, used 105 (5800) rear from ebay, an old 105 11-28t cassette ...and a new FSA crankset. The whole setup works great together. I have not put many miles on it but the initial impressions are great. So good to see more viable alternatives hitting the market.

[@koli154]

Very underrated contents 💯 it really helps us people who dont have that much budget in building bikes. Nice contents keep it up 😁

[@rascal1234]

I’ve built up a Trifox MFM 100 (Full sus) mtb. I can say, it’s my best XC mtb bike I have owned. I did try the XRX shifters and derailleur. The shifters were good, except when changing out a new cable. The derailleur worked, but definitely needs a cutch and a heavier duty spring. I switched the derailleur to a SRAM GX. The cassette is a sunshine 52 tooth and the crankset is a ZRace. Everything else was fantastic.

[@JoooooooJo]

My experience with this exact combo was very poor. Maybe I got a bad unit, but after a total of 800km my left Team Pro shifter started dropping gears and unfortunatly with great timing, during a 200km Local Gravel Challenge, so my last 70km were very skow and noisy with me stuck at 24 front chainring. Anyway, just sharing my normal aliexpress experience, more than 30 days passed, so, no one replies. So my answer to your title is no :), in any case it is very entertaining to watch your videos, because of it I managed to get a few fun/thinkering hours with the project. Congratulations on your channel. Now it's just a setback, I will try to sell the levers to any 1x cycler so that I can aford the proper Shimano levers, hopefully in time for the next challenge.

[@kanuto6745]

clocked 13k km on my team pro+105 RD. I only adjusted it once. never been out of tune. Definitely bang for the buck.

[@TraceVelo]

Nice! Cheers for the comment Kenn. Good to hear some more Sensah success stories!

[@calebgonsalves2970]

tuning your gears is an effect of your gear cable stretching by being broken into, aside from that if your gear cables are properly mounted to the derailleur and shifter it should be 100% ok

[@antoniosoikonomou1429]

Had the same issue with sensah empire 11sp shifters about after 1.5k kms with the bolt coming loose. Tightened it and everything is fine now.

[@jonburnell532]

I'd be interested to see how Sensah have been doing over the last year (sales wise), as a lot of KZbin cyclist channels have been using them with positive thoughts.

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah, i'd be REALLY interested too! What I will say is that recently they are bringing out a hell of alot of different models of shifters and groupsets, and a broadening the product offering like that is not cheap...

[@Adanteh]

One pain is the long waiting period to be honest. Really gotta make a plan to use them for a specific build. I've used my Sensah Empire for about 2 years now and really enjoy it, I actually switched to a different bike that came with Ultegra (R8020) and I miss the very clicky shifting of the "cheap chinese knockoff" which to me I really like. If I build a bike from scratch again I will be using the Sensah sets for sure (Even perfectly okay with cable actuated disc, mainly because they're easy to service)

[@core2zero]

@@Adanteh usually the things i buy in aliexpress spend longer times in the local postal service than in their way to the country, got a headset that spent 7 days in it's way to the country, and took 15 days in the local service,

[@Velo757]

Love the channel and your 100% honesty and transparency with everything so thank you for being real and looking forward for more videos!!! Cheers mate

[@lauriebarr2623]

Another great review, with feedback on flaws that may occur from the factory and how to fix them. Just scored a set of shifter, plus an Empire FD to upgrade a bike build, in part due to all of your videos on Sensah and Bike builds. Thanks for all your vids, very informative and helpful. Goes to show anyone can build a pretty impressive bike for not a lot of $$$ or prior knowledge. Great choice on the music too, awesome album! Keep doing what your doing.

[@TraceVelo]

Thanks Laurie, really appreciate it, and good luck with the build!!!!

[@basedneeble7350]

You originally sold me on getting the sensah empires gen3 and Ive been so pleased with them for the past year and a bit. For the price they cant be beat. The pros look like a cool upgrade to do with a shimano derailer in the future!

[@mystudy6183]

a friend told me that that empires's RD is not good and had to be replaced.What's your thought about this ?

[@basedneeble7350]

@@mystudy6183 Well it hasnt affected my groupset from 1.5 years ago. Its also common for companies to make changes to their engineering departments right I dont worry about that. I think they offer the best option for mid range groupsets.

[@kalleandersson916]

I bought an entry-level road bike (Tiagra/Sora) when I started cycling and have been searching for the right next step to improve the bike (most value for the money). Electronic shifting is super cool, but honestly, it might not be something you need to spend your money on. Since I also ride gravel, which also requires its share of investment, I've been searching high and low for affordable options. So getting this for just over $300 is really great. It wouldn’t have been possible without your research. Big thanks!

[@RobSchlumpberger]

Just came across your channel. Thanks for the reviews and insights on products that don't get enough mainstream press. Well done!

[@delcampojohnspencer9458]

Just bought a Team pro shifters and a 105 rd because of this! Thank you so much!

[@sabertoothmeowsi]

How is it?

[@fennec13]

lol - amazing video as always Luke - very interesting to see that Chinese brands like Sensah will more than likely be the inheritors of 11 speed mechanical shifting! Also - kudos on Rumors by Fleetwoos Mac - a truly amazing album

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah i think you are right. Now Shimano have laid their cards out with 105 Di2... Leaves the door wide open for Sensah and others!

[@chimdegu]

you be doing the sensah a huge favor you be the voice of the people in which sensah uses to update the flaws that they have

[@SyLens1]

I hope sensah will become a mainstream brand like shimano and sram one day. Only if they keep the prices low like they are right now.

[@jedkoh]

Man what a great Fri-yay evening over with uploads from my favorite channels, especially yours! Good to know they have improved shifter hoods, really facing loose hoods after quite some time of use

[@enuazeal]

so now we are waiting for Sensah electronic groupset :)

[@Necromonger69]

It was fate to find your channel. I am thinking of building my own bike and while searching for groupsets I realized they are expensive then here you are. Been looking for affordable groupsets that are inexpensive. Thanks

[@jeanne-michaelduplessis]

Learnt something new today, never knew WHY people said "You cannot mix and match Shimano and Sram". all makes sense now. Cable Pull Ratio

[@Sir-Prizse]

I'm starting next week at a large premium online shop for cycling equipment as a media designer to make, retouch and "beautify" product images and gonna see the most beautiful and newest bike tech... which I can't afford at all. 😂 That means I will continue to follow this channel and look forward to every video! Of course, it was another great video today.

[@TraceVelo]

Best of luck in the new job!!!

[@vitmakarov353]

Every bartape from Fouriers brand that I have tried is perfectly awesome. There are also dualcoloured finishes.

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah looks really nice actually, I had not idea Fouriers made bar tape. Thanks for the tip Vit!!!

[@jonathankirwan5757]

Love the content! Sorry for shouting at you randomly at Hampton court station yesterday, it was very hot and the kids were very demanding!

[@TraceVelo]

DUDE, it honestly made my day!!! Thanks so much for saying hi, always love meeting people that watch my stuff! But yeah sorry I didn't hear you at first, I'm trying out these new glasses with speakers in, so was cranking out My Chemical Romance while waiting for the traffic lights 🤣

[@jonathankirwan5757]

@@TraceVelo it's funny, I saw the bar tape and was like, I know that bike, but surely not....

[@TraceVelo]

@@jonathankirwan5757 Yeah it's really annoying, I wish they still made that bar tape 😔

[@durianriders]

I sold my 12spd di2 dura ace. It is too heavy. Im back on 7800.

[@luigibirillo6629]

I also still use 7800. The smoothest shifting. These Sensah shifters are 7 g lighter than 7800. That's good news. We get good alternatives to the extremely expensive new stuff.

[@glennt9716]

Just a tip, if you have no locktite, nail varnish works just as good and it comes with a nice little brush to apply it. I just "borrow" it from my Wife.

[@eLpELoNdeJaPoN]

Myself mixed up Sensah empire ( normal version or non carbon) shifters and Shimano Ultegra front derailleur. So far very pleased. I also installed an 11-25 sunshine cassette.

[@belverticale]

I have the Sensah Quantum shifters which match with Tiagra 4700 (2 x 10). Love them, look and feel great. I hope Sensah come out with some hydraulic stuff in the future.

[@TraceVelo]

So many people are asking for Hydraulic Sensah shifters!!! It's only a matter of time I think...

[@andyamos8594]

Another epic World reference episode for chinese bike parts! Keep them coming please!!

[@mapgeek6]

I use Sensah Empire shifters with a SRAM Rival 1 rear derailleur. They work very well and save a ton of money.

[@kantongkresek3261]

im using this mixing with ultra budget setup. Sensah Empire 11s brifter + Tiagra FD + 105 RD + 105 Sprocket. So far shifting flawlessly for almost 6000 km in dry and wet condition

[@TraceVelo]

Awesome, great to hear!

[@goonzjav]

The more I watch your videos the funnier you get mate. Quality stuff.

[@FPLMikkel]

A little tip if need to run internal cables without and have to start from scratch, just tape over all the holes exapt the ones you are routing and use a string and suck it through with a vacuum. Then attach the string to the cable or routing cable and pull that through. Usually works.

[@slowbikerdavao4412]

This is kinda brilliant. Thank you.

[@michaelmechex]

Love the video! By the way, the plastic bit on top of that nut seems to be commonly called 'name plate'. I was looking for a new one and knowing the proper name made it significantly easier.

[@TraceVelo]

Ok nice, cheers Michael! I actually need one for my 105 shifters, so this is def going to make my life easier searching for it online 😂

[@cyclingsfatsuma9808]

@@TraceVelo I got a pair off Ali for about £15 delivered for my Shimano105 hydraulic shifters. Check out Chaser Store. Only two weeks to NZ which was handy as only I could only get one side here. I should have gone with that as Now I've discovered the shifter has a hole in them which is leaching fluid and seems to be sucking in air. A previous owner crashed it and scraped them and two years later looks like they have failed. I will get those microwhatever shifters though. My old trek has old 105 sti shifters with the same cable out the side set up (4200 I think) but the hoods are rotten and can't be replaced and they could be a good option. Hopefully they do them in 3x9. Have you done any conversions from 3x to 2x and any advice to offer?

[@Adanteh]

Imo the small service requirement is worth it massively, especially for people getting into biking who don't mind getting their hands a bit dirty. Cycling is not a cheap sport to get into (Not just the bikes, but clothing costs a lot too) and I think having some understanding of your bike is a good idea as well. You can make older bikes absolutely great with a groupset update like this. My carbon trek from 2005 that I put Sensah Empire 2x11 on shifts better than my Giant Defy with Ultegra from 2020, but it's because I haven't really touched my giant at all service wise, whereas on the Trek I really spend a fair bit of time to get the shifting spot on. Esp Shimanos recent choices when it comes to releasing groupsets, a company like Sensah should have a bright future. I did wish some aliexpress sellers had better 'full' packages. The rim brakes that came with my 2x11 were awful. The NUTT ones for mech disc brakes also seem very bad. Meanwhile the crank (Same hardrock you got on) and casette have been a-okay

[@TraceVelo]

Totally agree with you, getting to know a few basics about how your bikes works can save you LOADS of hastle tracking down small issues, and keeping your bike running in tip-top condition. It's also really rewarding knowing that you have setup the bike yourself, and its working well bceause you put the work in. The NUTT brakes though... they were awful!

[@dubpilot1]

I don't think that you get cherry picked parts because thats how I know what not to buy and saves me the headaches on the road .So Bravo to you Luke 😎👍

[@sylvaingilson7091]

I had the same rattling sound on mines thanks for finding where it comes from !

[@TraceVelo]

No worries, glad I could help!

[@sabertoothmeowsi]

Can you check the rattling sound before installation?

[@breeekazoidd]

I'm using 105 r7000 groupset with team pro shifters for almost a year now. And in never failed. So awesome. Mine doesnt have that rattling sound tho.

[@TraceVelo]

OK awesome, good to know Breee!!!

[@chrislavelle1987]

Brilliant video as usual 👏🏻👏🏻

[@TraceVelo]

Cheers Christopher, glad you liked it!!!

[@filipbronola536]

Excited for your sroad cassette review! Have one on order for myself in 11-32, seems to be a better value than Sram red, but probably more durable than the full alloy cassettes like bDop, and all at the same time light weight.

[@MasteringGrappling]

Nice cabling tip using the cable to pull the housing thru the bar.

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah, makes life SO much easier!

[@montanajones8393]

Trace's earlier video where he mixed the Empire shifters with the Rival rear derailleur noted that while the shifting was really good, it wasn't perfect. As he said that there was the occasional misshift that happens. I've been running a mullet build of Empire shifters with 105 front & Sram 10 speed mtb rear that works flawlessly with a 11-34 Sunrace 11 spd cassette on my gravel bike. I had the complete Sensah groupsset but the rear that was sent was mis-aligned & would not shift properly no matter how adjusted. This setup shifts just as well as any of the brand name complete groupsets.

[@abedfo88]

I dont honestly think there is much cherry picking going on. My experiences with ali express gear are pretty similar to yours Luke, the better known brands tend to supply good quality gear for the price. The only items I find that are consistently shite are the included bolts in things like cleats. They are always guaranteed to round on you or weld themselves to threads.

[@TraceVelo]

Once again Mr Bedford, we are in total agreement! With the bigger AliExpress 'brands' like Toseek, LTWOO, and Sensah, I'm usually pretty impressed, but yeah cleat bolts are seemingly always crap. I mean the ones I got with my Costello pedals were bascally unusable!

[@jovenlindaya1573]

Thank you for this great detailed review on sensah team pro, big help!🙂 Shimano has been too expensive since the pandemic.

[@TraceVelo]

No problem, glad you found it helpful

[@edudutra]

Can't wait for them to launch a hidraulic STI/groupset. Hopefully this is something in their plans. Anyways, kudos for them for improving the quality of their products and for being open to send their products to people that do honest reviews like you.

[@elorz007]

just don't buy their first iteration

[@yurimow]

12:50... oh, a gentleman of culture and great taste, i see.

[@Sierramike524]

I had a plan to use the Team shifters for a Shimano gravel build with a GRX derailleur, but I'm such a cheapskate that I felt bad just taking off my perfectly working Shimano Tiagra 9 speed shifters. I ended up finding a Sunrace RDM900, the only clutched derailleur I know that works with the old 1.7 standard, and a 11-46 9 speed cassette, it feels pretty goood.

[@trevekneebone369]

A very personable chap you are too - enjoyed this 👍

[@TraceVelo]

Thanks Treve, glad you liked it!

[@darrengarvie8832]

Another excellent show Luke I really enjoy your review's of parts especially when the big brands think people won't buy cheaper parts from China, I think the big brands need to wake up and smell the coffee or be taken over by the Chinese brands. Now I'm wondering could you do a power meter review that would be interesting 😁😁😁

[@TraceVelo]

Cheers Darren! Yeah i agree, Shimano and SRAM are really pushing towards a more premium price point, and these Chinese brands are definitely filling a void atm! Also regarding cheap power meters... This has been on my Episode to-do list for AGES, I'll try and get round to it!

[@darrengarvie8832]

@@TraceVelo I follow another KZbinr he lives in China but he is from here and no it's not China cycling lol he is doing a fitness more and zwifts but has started doing some reviews on kit and tech. He is for doing a review on the magene (I think that is how it is spelt) power meter and also done a radar the other day too 😁

[@jempanuncialman9361]

Very accurate review. Now I wanna buy a Sensah Shifters. So I subscribe your channel to follow your reviews.

[@TraceVelo]

Welcome aboard!

[@jempanuncialman9361]

@@TraceVelo great. 😁

[@jinnij.caiman]

My all time favorite album, Stevie.. she has the most beautiful voice, also my dads favorite

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah, SUCH an incredible album!

[@snigs5T5]

Ack! You shouldn't use Loctite Red (262). You're going to need heat to break those screws loose. Use the low strength purple (222) for this application, but the medium blue (242) could work too. Otherwise, love the information about these inexpensive component options!!

[@tomreingold4024]

You offer useful information, and thank you for that. But you take a long time to say it. If possible, my suggestion is to tighten it up. I know it takes more time, but when you multiply the savings by the number of viewers, it's quite considerable. Sorry for complaining, and I do appreciate what you do.

[@simonsaville9962]

You wait for ages and then 2 "fettling"s turn up, together, out of the blue! And who doesn't like a bit of fettling, love it?!

[@jesseluckett998]

Using the gear shift cable to pull the housing thru is sweet!... love the mechanics tip!....👉💢.....rumors album is amazing too!. ....sad to hear about C. McVie!..🧡

[@mickchaganis6607]

From my own experience with Sensah, I definitely believe you have NOT been sent cherry picked parts..... My Sensah experience in order:- First gen Empire 11 speed shifters using with SRAM rival derailleurs PERFECT Empire pro 12 speed groupset on my Merckx PERFECT Empire pro 12 speed groupset to go on my Giant Cadex 980c resto mod. Not fitted yet but on examination PERFECT Front and rear derailleur on my TT bike to use with SRAM bar end shifters misprint of 'SENSAH' on rear derailleur cage, sanded and buffed this but mechanically perfect. So one minor cosmetic in all of those.......Maybe they cherry picked for me 🤣😂

[@TraceVelo]

OK amazing, good to see some more Sensah success stories! I like what sensah is trying to do, so comments like this are good to see!

[@mickchaganis6607]

@@TraceVelo thank you. I would quite happily pay 10 percent extra for better investment in quality control.

[@marzocchi705]

Tiagra 4700 also uses the same pull ratio as the 11speed stuff so is compatible too. Just a thought if you’re on an even tighter budget.

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah, I didn't realise this until a few days ago tbh... I think I have a spare 4700RD in the cupboard, so might have to give this a go!

[@marzocchi705]

@@TraceVelo it’s not very intuitive at all, you would think it would be the same as the older 10 speed stuff. Does make it easier to go 11 speed with that groupset though, clear upgrade path.

[@MoiseCoulon17]

Great content,welldone Luke for your channel, love your videos and transparency. Would be great to see a review of the SRX 12s Pro shifters and rear mech combined with a 9-46 cassette and say 44 teeth ring. This would give an awesome range for both fast road rolling descent (ie tt bike use) and all the way to great climbing gear, and with 12 speed less differences between gears (compared to 11). This could potentialky be an ideal do it all gear ratio on future expensive road bikes, and it would work for gravel too.

[@YogeshPatel9]

Older groupset on my bike,. But sensah ignite shifters pair up with a Sora 9s with no issues. I believe the ad back when I got it said Shimano compatible too.

[@hzmeister9596]

I wished you showed shots of the shifters while shifting. It would have been nice to see how long the lever swing is and how they operate.

[@alejandrorestrepo2142]

That would be nice to see

[@Metal-Possum]

Uh... my boss and I have been mixing Sensah with shimano derailleurs for the past year or so... I'll have to check what model shifters we were using because they worked fine. Edit: We've been using 9/10 speed stuff, which probably explains it.

[@mikefreitas1331]

i really believe i can buy 10 rims, 10 groupsets and 10 whatever and they will have diferent quality and diferent defects on all of them. Great videos with honesty and lots of those Steven Seagal moves :)

[@mark_rallye]

I really like the Supacaz bartape. Same grippy texture as the lizard skins and also available in some two tone colours. Maybe it’s a good replacement for your current tape as well?

[@leedorney]

2 things - i ride Miche cassettes which're steel and last waay longer then shimano's variants and also the shifters i used to ride the same side cabled sti's and found that shifted the derailleurs better than having the gear cable along the handlebars 👌

[@jaro6985]

Shimano uses steel, as do most of the cheap ones, unless you are talking MTB.

[@leedorney]

@@jaro6985 Well the Miche wears better + customisable...

[@JacobWilson]

thank you; I had noticed the noise of the rattling especially when I'm going on gravel but couldn't find it; I didn't even think to check the adjustment screw. all I had to do was take it out and put it back in and it stopped moving around. just for note I have the SRX pro 12 speed.

[@TraceVelo]

OK awesome, glad you found a solution!

[@sabertoothmeowsi]

You mean it is loose at the beginning?

[@JacobWilson]

@@sabertoothmeowsi yes. It is just a really poor fit

[@markk527]

Wait, Siroko Clothing has a Jersey called SRX Pro? Just like Sensah SRX Pro, my favorite gravel group set. Coincidence? Interesting, that the reach adjustment screws are loose. I had a similar problem on my Sensah SRX Pro. The screw started to tighten up during breaking and closed the brake over time. That happened at around 50km during a 200km marathon ride. I couldn't reach the screw with my multitool, so I had to disconnect the front brake and ride 150km without it. Since I’m not using the reach adjustment, I removed the screws. That saves at least 1,2g ;).

[@TraceVelo]

*X-Files theme plays* 🎵

[@spinnetti]

Funny, this vid just popped up in my feed today. I'm literally, today, putting the team pro levers on my wife's bike along with a 105 cassette and rear mech (upgrading from 9 speed) along with a new carbon aero bar. Its about the same size as the 105 levers but a lot louder. Getting to the clamp bolt is a bit of a PITA.

[@ariffau]

BONUS CLIP the final weigh in doesn’t seem impressive at first. Until, we did the calculations and realised how much he actually spent for it.

[@johnsmithers284]

On my race bike I use Ltwoo R9 front and rear derailleurs with dura ace ST-R9100 shifters with 105 FC-5700 chainring. Works perfectly. I would have used the included r9 shifters but i found the dura ace ones for 40 dollars at a swap meet.

[@thegearboxman]

I've just bought a pair of these to put my 'runabout' bike back together. It was hard to justify a pair of 105 shifters for a spare bike, so after seeing this video I spent the princely sum of £56.36 with Aliexpress to get a pair of Team Pro shifters. Well, I guess you get what you pay for. They rattle like mad, and it has nothing to do with the reach adjuster screws or spurious nuts rattling around inside. The mechanism is just fundamentally loose and noisy. Shifting on the rear is fine when going up the gears (shifting to a smaller cog on the cassette) , but shifting to a lower gear (bigger cog) is very hit and miss. The lever travel is very long, which doesn't help, but the biggest problem is the double shift function that makes It extremely easy to make one and a half shifts, and then you have to make one click back down to settle the derailleur onto the desired cog. I guess it's something I'll get used to but it requires an element of skill to shift accurately, and it's just not comparable to the precision of a Shimano STI shifter. The front shifting is equally hit and miss. My shifter appears to be made for a 3-speed chainset as there are 3 full positions! It's not like having 2 positions and then a small 'microshift' that you can use to eliminate chain rattle when you are cross-chaining. Like I said, you get what you pay for. I guess they're OK for a 'spare' bike like mine, but I certainly wouldn't put them on my 'first' bike, or second bike for that matter! I don't think Sensah will be challengine Shimano or Sram any time soon.

[@reginaldscot165]

You live in the UK, so really you should be using British/Moto style brake cable set up. It’s also better in every way, lighter, safer and looks better. Next time you modify your bike please do give it a try! 👍🏻🙂

[@01FozzyS]

Luke, you might want to look into Supacaz bar tape. They have some two-colored versions.

[@ShoreDog]

I run a full 105 R7000 set up and the shifters used to rattle, on investigation I found a similar situation as the Sensah so I wouldn't be too hard on Sensah for their quality control.

[@Mavczers]

Yep, a few days ago my sensah phi (Tiagra 4600 compatible) started to rattle. Im wondering if self-locking nut would help. Will try it out and see. Thanks for making reparing manuals for all chinese bike stuff. Without you I'd be thinking about buying original Tiagra or old 105 shifters and feel sad with two shifting paddles. Now my Marin has: Sora Crankset FC-R3000 Front derailleur 105 FD-R7000 Ultegra 6700 Chain back derailleur 105 RD-5700 Ultegra 6700 10 speed 12-30 cassette with 11T cog changed to XT 16T. Needed to buy 13T cog from Ultegra 6600 too. With Sensah Phi Shifters. And it works fine. Having 13;14;15;16;17;19;21;24-27-30T gives me cadence with reach when riding up.

[@bushsons100]

Velo 2 things about siroco 1. What size was the jersey you we were wear, and what height/weight are you. 2. Can you ask them to make a triathlon suit

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah so I'm 6ft 2inches and 75kg. I wear a medium jersey, and a large bib shorts. As for the Tri suit, I can definitely ask!

[@micw8422]

7.3 kg is really good. Nice job as always.

[@Jin_KX]

I really wanted this Sensah Team Pro with Shimano derailleurs combination to work since I love the double tap shifting and snappy response. Unfortunately I've been experiencing unnecessary cable tension loss way too frequently on both the front and rear which is highly unusual compared to my 105 shifters. Indexing the front derailleur is also impossible to get right for some reason despite following Shimano's instruction. Had no choice but to go back to Shimano 105 shifters after tinkering endlessly with Sensah Team Pro for almost 2 months.

[@akshaypatel3998]

That initial reason you thought the shifter was rattling, that lever that prevents shifting while breaking wobbles on mine causing a rattle. Any ideas on a fix?

[@madyogi6164]

And I thought, I'm the only dinosaur that deals with shifter cabling sticking to the sides. Glad to hear/know there are few more! 😁 I got my bike (2010) with Tiagra 4500 and still keep it 9 speeds, just to fit old Tiagra or Ultegra spares I collected. Way too poor for a modern rebuild. Who knows, maybe one day...

[@Paddyhudson]

Hey Luke, I’ve been researching the Sensah SRX 1x groupset and I have a couple of questions based on forum posts. First, some people have noted that the derailleur barrel adjuster has no bump stops and can’t hold tension over vibration, is this true of your group? Secondly, some people have had trouble with the shift lockout not engaging while braking, how’s your set for this? Thanks, love the vids!

[@Fatbutnotflat]

i use a tiny o-ring to stop the derailleur changing setting on the SRX rd.

[@Paddyhudson]

@@Fatbutnotflat Hey, I’ve been meaning to get back to you on this. How exactly are you using a little o-ring, where do you have it placed?(just ordered an SRX group)

[@starwarscommando555]

One question, would you rather recommend the mix of sensah team pro with Shimano derailleur or a complete set of sensah empire? Both as 11s groupset. Also I really enjoy your videos

[@anaxa4883]

Fantastic video as always👍

[@wtfiswiththosehandles]

So is it better to run Sensah Empire groupset (shifters+derailleurs) or this mixed Sensah + Shimano deal? Is there any real world advantage the 105 has over Empire RD?

[@rickgreham6559]

Trace, try the rubbery black insulating tape next time for clamping on carbon fiber pars. I have wrapped those around my carbon fiber handlebar for the shifter and its just amazing grip and absolutely no moving of the shifters.

[@markdurdle7710]

My left shifter has been making noises like that since I got the group set a year ago. I just put up with it, but good to see there is an easy fix. Will have to pick up some loctite. 👍