Well, now that things are finally starting to hit the seasonal slowdown I have some Chorus 2x12, Ekar and even Sensah parts to install on various personal, Endpoint, and OP customer projects. Looking forward to finally getting some first hand experience with all of these.
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The Sensah 2x11 group I put on my trainer frankenbike does not feel super great until I remember it was $175 shipped for levers, FD, RD, a cassette and two chains.
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So are Microshift/Sensah what’s up for the rider who definitely needs some gears but doesn’t need anything particularly new or fancy?
Back when it was easy to get Shimano stuff super cheap from Europe, it was admittedly my jam, but now that I’m mostly trying to keep cargo/commuter bikes operational, I’m not sure the group matters that much anymore.
My main dead-ender gripe is that I’d like to upgrade my old LHT to get discs and thru-axles, but I wouldn’t mind keeping bar-ends and a triple and that then requires a weird grab-bag group. But I understand that like 6 other people want this so whatever
I’m skeptical of 10 or 11s stuff really filling a void given how relatively inexpensive Apex1 is but for dead ended or sub $1200 new bikes maybe?
I feel like the sweet-spot is right where Advent sits. 9s is easier to get “precise enough” for anyone who isn’t counting cogs.
But I did get a 1x11 and 2x11 partial group to put on a sample frame for testing.
Durable enough 11s chains are relatively expensive still so it seems that sticking with lower number of speed systems would ultimately be better for the end user.
Time will tell. I think it was State that specced Sensah on a bike already and there’s lots of Microshift out there (Marin Nicasio Plus).
I hear there is already a v3 version of the Sensah 11s shifters as the company seems to be quickly reacting to early mistakes.
Certainly interesting.
I’d love to somehow make a 1x11 Sensah equipped Endpoint “party wagon” to compete with Fairdale someday.
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Speaking of cheaper-tier parts and such, I’m going all-in on Bolany/Sunshine cassettes. Put one on my special lady friend’s bike a while ago and it seemed fine, so I’ve now got one on my road bike and will soon have one on the NFE. The teeth profiles seem to be pretty close to Shimano, and the shifting is great. Will be interesting to see what the durability is like.
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this. surdly buttways and all. when i see stuff like sensah srx the gears turn on finding some old bike boom bike and doing it because i can. but i don’t commute anywhere so i don’t need a cheap microballeur bike so it never happens.
but if you could market a “designed in RVA, made from global components” endpoint jr that would be sick. people like stuff made locally even if it’s only coordinated locally.
Anyone know if the Sensah left shifters can also be easily modded into dropper levers?
I picked one up one a while back too. I forgot, it’s on my Ocoee! No complaints so far.
Only just tonight I noticed the Alivio rear derailleur on my wife’s new ebike appears to be partially made of plastic. Should I be worried?
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I just don’t understand what’s up with Shimano’s supply chain. Deore 1x10/11/12 should be the obvious budget choice for a lot of people’s wants/needs, but it’s unobtanium and has been for months. I just helped a friend spec and build a cheap bike for riding around SF and ended up going with 1x9 Microshift Advent because it was what we could actually get our hands on.
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At least the new Specialized CX/Gravel bike has a screw-in BB.
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Looked at it but the price point is absolutely absurd. Also I think I’d rather give Hambini money than Mike Sinyard to solve the BB “problem,” but why do those have to be the options?
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Yeah. Very true. Consumers sure get sold some crap under the guise of newer is better.
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Did shimano rebuild their burned-down factory yet?
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DQ: if you’re after 9s why not just buy used stuff like old Ultegra or XT?
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Have any of you touched any LTwoo stuff? About to slap some on a customers bike because it’s available from a reputable distributor.
Edit: should have put reputable in quotes
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Have some sensah 10s mtb stuffs on the basketbike. Shifter and rd feel cheap, work well enough…and were $60 w/cassette and chain.
I have Empire 12sp carbon stuff on one bike that’s getting transferred to another nu bike soon. It’s been pretty great tbh. The front throw is kinda long, but fine. The f shifter also has 4 or 5 points of trim kinda like the old Campy. Great for crosschaining.
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Does it trim in both directions? Or does it click all the way up and you have to microrelease it?