Groupset News

[StiffWeenies]

Hey all, just wanted to share that L-TWOO has released their RX 2x12 road groupset.

I'm not sure if they've addressed the main criticisms surrounding their R9 2x11 road groupset (bad hoods, bad shifter clamp, etc.) but hey, an extra cog never hurt anyone!

Linked here are their two explainer videos detailing the shifters and derailleurs:
youtube.com/watch?v=epC3W9dV5bc
youtube.com/watch?v=I3B0vKva52k

[RDY]

I'll be interested to see what gets announced by either them or others at the Shanghai Bike Show in May.  Pretty sure we'll see commercial availability of wireless electronic MTB drivetrains announced by a couple of brands.  Maybe 2023 for road.

[FullCarbonAlchemist]

I'll be interested to see what gets announced by either them or others at the Shanghai Bike Show in May.  Pretty sure we'll see commercial availability of wireless electronic MTB drivetrains announced by a couple of brands.  Maybe 2023 for road.

Off brand wireless shifting and dropper posts sound great, given the insane prices SRAM is charging. Almost $900 for a seatpost?! GTFOH.

[Schumo]

I'll be interested to see what gets announced by either them or others at the Shanghai Bike Show in May.  Pretty sure we'll see commercial availability of wireless electronic MTB drivetrains announced by a couple of brands.  Maybe 2023 for road.

I'm also interested to see. Some company (otherwise unknown for shifting-stuff I think) had a wireless MTB groupset prototype on last years show, but shifting quality wasn't the best, and the price wasn't that much lower than a GX AXS iirc.

[StiffWeenies]

I'll be interested to see what gets announced by either them or others at the Shanghai Bike Show in May.  Pretty sure we'll see commercial availability of wireless electronic MTB drivetrains announced by a couple of brands.  Maybe 2023 for road.

According to Onirii, Sensah will release a groupset with electronic shifting and hydraulic braking in 2022.

[RDY]

I'm sure that Chinese wireless electronic drivetrains will quickly be nearly as good Shimano & SRAM at a fraction of the price.  The problem I see is road disc ... There's no evidence they're anywhere close.  They'd be wise to concentrate on decent lever feel and reservoir, and make them work with Shimano or SRAM or magura calipers. Not an issue with Road Rim or MTB though.

If they were smart they'd get JuinTech or TRP to design the disc side of things. But I doubt it'll happen.

[cramy]

do we have more news aout this new sensah groupset?

[1Sigma]

Really interested in seeing if anything electronic or (road) hydraulic comes out of Shanghai this year.
I used to travel to China for work (not related) at least once a year, pre-pandemic, and kept hoping to squeeze in the bike show. 

I feel that we are finally getting to a critical mass of Chinese brand that can hold their own internationally, but just need to build better awareness and branding

[StiffWeenies]

In a comment on this Bili video, Sensah themselves have confirmed that hydraulic braking will come in 2022.

I imagine hydraulic braking will be paired with their existing mechanical groupsets for the time being. Electronic shifting still feels rather far away imo and there is no guarantee of great implementation such as the absolute dud that was FSA's K-Force WE groupset. In any case, expect to hear more news in May at the upcoming bike show.

[StiffWeenies]

Here is a rather revealing interview with a Sensah rep conducted at last year's bike show

Electronic shifting should arrive in rudimentary form sometime in 2023 and will take until 2026 at the latest to properly mature. The problem with hydraulic braking right now is that the factories are still preoccupied with fulfilling export orders for big name brands and there isn't enough capacity to do a run for Sensah. They're also working on a carbon crankset that is optimised for improved FD shifting performance. Exciting stuff!

[1Sigma]

Here is a rather revealing interview with a Sensah rep conducted at last year's bike show

Electronic shifting should arrive in rudimentary form sometime in 2023 and will take until 2026 at the latest to properly mature. The problem with hydraulic braking right now is that the factories are still preoccupied with fulfilling export orders for big name brands and there isn't enough capacity to do a run for Sensah. They're also working on a carbon crankset that is optimised for improved FD shifting performance. Exciting stuff!

Thanks for the info. Keep it coming@

[RDY]

Here is a rather revealing interview with a Sensah rep conducted at last year's bike show

Electronic shifting should arrive in rudimentary form sometime in 2023 and will take until 2026 at the latest to properly mature. The problem with hydraulic braking right now is that the factories are still preoccupied with fulfilling export orders for big name brands and there isn't enough capacity to do a run for Sensah. They're also working on a carbon crankset that is optimised for improved FD shifting performance. Exciting stuff!

I think others in China will easily beat Sensah to the punch with both MTB and Road electronic.  I hope to be wrong, but Road electronic with hydraulic disc may be a shit show for a while if you can't swap in one of the usual suspects' calipers.

[StiffWeenies]

I think others in China will easily beat Sensah to the punch with both MTB and Road electronic.  I hope to be wrong, but Road electronic with hydraulic disc may be a shit show for a while if you can't swap in one of the usual suspects' calipers.

Yes. Sensah groupsets aren't very good to begin with. The general quality and performance of the Empire Pro is around the level of Tiagra 4700 and 105 5800, let alone 105 R7000. Electronic shifting and hydraulic braking will require a lot of R&D and investment that I don't think Sensah is willing or able to commit. And seeing prior attempts at hydraulic braking like Zoom's HB-875 doesn't inspire confidence to say the least.

Caliper compatibility shouldn't be an issue though. IIRC pretty much every mineral oil caliper out there excluding SRAM is interchangeable. What can't be swapped out however are the master cylinders in the levers.

[RDY]

The lever / master cylinder / hose connection is what concerns me ... If it's good and reliable then likely little problem using a third party caliper, as you say.   But if it's poor or finicky, and I expect the first attempts to be really poor, then what's the point?  Could be totally wrong and some of them knock it out of the park on the first try ... We'll see.  Either way I'll be quite happy to leave behind €1500-5000 groupsets.

Re: Sensah I've no idea what their funding situation is.  But their strategy so far has clearly been stack them high and sell them cheap.  There's definitely money behind a couple of other Chinese companies working on electronic.

[StiffWeenies]

The lever / master cylinder / hose connection is what concerns me ... If it's good and reliable then likely little problem using a third party caliper, as you say.   But if it's poor or finicky, and I expect the first attempts to be really poor, then what's the point?  Could be totally wrong and some of them knock it out of the park on the first try ... We'll see.  Either way I'll be quite happy to leave behind €1500-5000 groupsets.

Re: Sensah I've no idea what their funding situation is.  But their strategy so far has clearly been stack them high and sell them cheap.  There's definitely money behind a couple of other Chinese companies working on electronic.

Indeed. I have far greater confidence in Wheel Top than Sensah or L-TWOO. Their 2x10 prototype electronic groupset from 2016 was pretty promising.