Sensah Empire Pro Carbon 2x12 photos and weights

[1Sigma]

For anyone interested, here are the weights associated with the Sensah Empire Pro Carbon 2x12 groupset.

This is from the Sensah Store on Aliexpess.
The cassette has been swapped for a heavier one after complaints of pre-mature wear from the lightweight one.  This has increased the weight by 160 grams, but still is in line with an equivalent 105 cassette.

The chain is YBN.

[curvenut]

Nice !

Please provide review and your thought on that brand and model !

[1Sigma]

Nice !

Please provide review and your thought on that brand and model !

Will do!  However, I won't be able to report back on the front derailleur or shifter, as I will be converting this to 1X.
Although, Trace Velo seems to think the updated FD works fine (now)

[carbonazza]

End of the month, I'm building a 2x and will report.
So far the unmounted components look great.

[Icyseanfitz]

Have the shifters got the metal leg for shifting as opposed to the plastic ones they used to have?

[1Sigma]

Confirmed it has the aluminum part.
I believe all the 2x12s are like this, and only older 11-speed Empires have the plastic mechanism

[svanimpe]

Did they not update the 11-speed too? I'd prefer 11-speed over 12-speed, mainly for compatibility reasons.

[carbonazza]

Did they not update the 11-speed too? I'd prefer 11-speed over 12-speed, mainly for compatibility reasons.

That is the general message available. They learned and replaced the weak part.
To be sure ask the seller where you buy.

I'm looking forward for this mount, as it changes the game, well a little.
But when an hydro brakes group arrives this will be something.

[svanimpe]

@carbonazza I just finished setting up a Sensah SRX groupset with Tektro MD-C550 brakes (looks functionally identical to TRP Spyre). I'm using Jagwire KEB-SL compressionless housing and cheap 160mm Shimano rotors, and getting good braking performance, much better than expected. My only complaint is that the shape of the Sensah shifters doesn't facilitate braking on the hoods.

[1Sigma]

That is the general message available. They learned and replaced the weak part.
To be sure ask the seller where you buy.

I'm looking forward for this mount, as it changes the game, well a little.
But when an hydro brakes group arrives this will be something.

Correct. And they also mentioned that they'd ship you the metal part if you received the plastic one.
However, there are a lot of vendors on AliX selling Sensah now, and I wouldn't be surprised if some are still carrying old stock with the plastic part.

On top of hydro, id be interested in the first electronic group as well!

[Icyseanfitz]

If a Chinese company created wireless groupsets for MTB/road I'd be all up for being a guinea pig

[svanimpe]

Correct. And they also mentioned that they'd ship you the metal part if you received the plastic one.

Are you counting on after-sales support from AliExpress sellers :p ?

I've had nothing but rude reactions from sellers. They usually just blame the customer (for what? not following the unexisting manual?), or reply with "we've sold a lot of these, and no problems reported".

[1Sigma]

Are you counting on after-sales support from AliExpress sellers :p ?

I've had nothing but rude reactions from sellers. They usually just blame the customer (for what? not following the unexisting manual?), or reply with "we've sold a lot of these, and no problems reported".

YMMV with AliX vendors.  Responses tend to be better from stores selling their own brand.
While other are very much, "you knew what you were getting into shopping here"

[1Sigma]

So, I gave the bike a spin with the Empire Pro Carbon today
Big caveat - I tested it in 1X set-up, so I cannot speak to the FD performance.

Rear Derailleur:
Set up was straightforward and easy.  H/L Limit screws and B-screw are nice and long allowing for a broad range of adjustments
Rear Derailleur
For some reason, there is no H/L markings (or at least none that I could see)
Oddly, the cable anchor area does not have any indentation indicating where the cable should go.
Without using the barrel adjuster to tweak tension (I left cable tension at hand-tight), shifting is quick and clean. 

Shifters:
The lever clamps are standard, but in mine the left shifter bolt seemed a little rounded already
Brake lever reach can be adjusted.
Using the shifter is simple.  1 click in to downshift, 2 clicks to upshift, 3 clicks to downshift 2 gears.  This defers from my MicroNEW paddles, but was instantly intuitive
I don't know the deal is with people complaining about how far the throw is with the shifters.   I did not find it excessive, and have no problem whether on the hoods or drops.  But then I do have larger hands.
I replaced the provided shifter cable with a teflon one.  I found threading the new cable kind of fiddly, as it needs to make a tight u-turn around the ratchet mechanism

Bonus - 1X Set-up Performance:
I am using a Pass Quest 1X chainring with 0 Offset.  The Velobuild 168 has a short chain length of 410mm. 
This provides an ideal chainline in the highest gears, but audibly crosschains in the lowest 2 gears.   I live in Toronto, where it is not particularly hilly (and no mountains), so this is fine by me.
The Sensah Empire Pro, so far, seems to work fine in this configuration
Why 1X for me?  I currently run a 2x7, 52/39, 11-28 configuration.  I have 8 useful gears.  Anything under 2.5% grade I am 52Tx 2-18T, otherwise I am climbing in 39Tx18-28T. I rarely use 39Tx28T.  Compared to my current set-up, I now have 12 useable gears, with a slightly faster high gear, but my lowest gear is 8% higher.   Also, I don't need to deal with the big gap shifting between 52 and 39T.  The aesthetic and weight savings are a bonus.
 
I've only put a handful of kms on the new set-up, but will report back if anything unexpected (good or bad) manifests
 

[Txapa80]

Will do!  However, I won't be able to report back on the front derailleur or shifter, as I will be converting this to 1X.
Although, Trace Velo seems to think the updated FD works fine (now)

Hello,
Would you be interested in selling the front shifter and derailleur?

I bought a 1x11 sensah srx groupset and I was thinking about to build it 2x11 I I instead.