Posted at: Jan 27, 2021
This article summarizes the lineup of brake and shift levers for road bikes from Chinese manufacturer SENSAH, which are said to be compatible with Shimano's STI levers, their compatibility, and points to note when purchasing them.
Table of contents
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Brake and shift levers compatible with 2x11, Shimano’s upper model gear shifting. These are compatible with Shimano’s 11-speed components. This is a different model from EMPIRE, which is also 2x11 speed, and EMPIRE is SRAM compatible.
There is no mention of it on the official page, but the description from an online retailer says that it is a component of a grade between 105 and ULTEGRA in terms of Shimano components.
It is supposed to be compatible with Shimano’s current 11-speed components such as 105, ULTEGRA, and DURA-ACE.
It is said that the 2x10 is compatible with the current Shimano TIAGTA 4700 series. There is no compatibility between the old 105/5700 series and ULTEGRA/6700 series components, which are the old 10-speed series, and the TIAGRA/4700 series, so it is safe to assume that the SENSAH QUANTUM is also not compatible with Shimano’s old 10-speed series.
Brake and shift levers compatible with 2x9 and 1x9. Believed to be current Shimano/SORA compatible; SRAM compatible is unknown, but Shimano’s 9-speed and SRAM’s 9-speed (2:1) are compatible.
As with the current Shimano R generation, the bracket is small and not of the antennae type, so this shifter can fulfill the request “I want to change only the STI lever while keeping the Shimano components”. Another feature is that there is a front single model, which is not available in Shimano.
Brake and shift levers compatible with 1x8 and 2x8. Believed to be Shimano’s current CLARIS compatible; SRAM compatible is unknown, but Shimano’s 8-speed and SRAM’s 8-speed (2:1) are compatible.
Like the IGNITE, this model is chosen as an upgrade from the old ST-2400, which was an antenna type. Another feature of this model is that it has a single front model, which is not available from Shimano.
Brake and shift lever compatible with 1x7 and 2x7. Compatible with current Shimano Tourney. Note that the current Shimano Tourney has a 3x11, but the SENSAH shift lever does not have a 3x11. SRAM compatibility is unknown, but Shimano’s 7-speed and SRAM’s 7-speed (2:1) are compatible.
Current Shimano STI levers, with the exception of Tourney, have a cable construction without antennae, so if you want to use a brake/shift lever without antennae on Tourney components, this is your only option.
This is the top-of-the-line model of SENSAH brake and shift lever, compatible with 12-speed rear gears. It weighs only 218g, making it super light.
It is compatible with SRAM 12-speed components, but not with Shimano components.
A 2x11 shifting brake and shift lever, the same as Shimano’s higher-end models. A 1x11 model with a single front is also available. It weighs 320g, which is considerably heavier than the top-of-the-line EMPIRE PRO model.
There is no mention of it on the official page, but the description from an online retailer says that it is a component of a grade between 105 and ULTEGRA in terms of Shimano components.
It is compatible with SRAM 11-speeds, but not with Shimano components.
The brake and shift lever is 1x11 and has the same configuration as Shimano’s gravel series GRX. The weight is slightly heavier at 320g.
Although similar in configuration to Shimano’s GRX gravel series, SENSAH’s SRX PRO is SRAM compatible and therefore not compatible with Shimano’s GRX components.
SENSAH’s compatibility and compatibility chart for brake and shift levers for road bikes
| Series | Speed | Compatibility for Shimano | Compatibility for SRAM | Wieght | Techs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EMPIRE PRO | 2x12s | x | ○ | 218g | 3 in 1、Lever Lock Mechanism、Left trim |
| EMPIRE | 1x11s 2x11s | x | ○ | 320g | 3 in 1、Lever Lock Mechanism |
| TEAM PRO | 2x11s | ○ | x | - | - |
| QUANTUM | 2x10s | ○ (4700 series only) |
x | - | - |
| IGNITE | 1x9s 2x9s | ○ | ○ | - | 3 in 1、Lever Lock Mechanism |
| REFLEX | 1x8s 2x8s | ○ | ○ | - | 3 in 1、Lever Lock Mechanism |
| R7 | 1x7s、2x7s | ○ | ○ | - | - |
| SRX PRO | 1x11s | x | ○ | 320g | 3 in 1、Lever Lock Mechanism |
All current SENSAH brake and shift levers are equipped with a 3 in 1 function that allows you to upshift and downshift with a single lever.
The operation of the gear shift is as follows.
It also has a mechanism to lock the shifting operation during braking. According to the official page, only the top-of-the-line EMPIRE PRO seems to have the left trim.
In the case of Shimano components, there is a big price difference depending on the grade, but in the case of SENSAH, there is little difference in construction and technology between the higher and lower models, and the main differences are in shifting and weight.
In this sense, it is a brake/shift lever that is easily chosen as an STI lever upgrade from lower grades such as Shimano’s CLARIS and SORA.
In terms of replacing Shimano’s current and STI levers, there are five that you should keep in mind: TEAM PRO (11-speed), QUANTUM (10-speed), IGNITE (9-speed), REFLEX (8-speed), and R7 (7-speed).
Since all models have a front single brake and shift lever lineup, they are candidates for a front single brake and shift lever set.
However, some user reviews on the Internet say that the construction of the 1x left lever was the same as that of the 2x left lever, so in the sense of “a brake/shift lever that does not pull the shift wire,” it is the same as Shimano’s STI lever.
It is sold online as a “Shimano STI lever compatible lever”, but there is no mention of compatibility with Shimano components in either the SENSAH catalog or the official manual.
SENSAH Road Drivetrain System Manual English
On the contrary, SENSAH’s official page shows “Compatible with SRAM Shifter” and “Precision and smooth 1:1 technology design” in the specs of 11-speed and 12-speed rear derailleurs, so the corresponding Since the specs of the 12-speed rear derailleur say “Compatible with SRAM Shifter” and “Precision and smooth 1:1 technology design”, the corresponding shift and brake levers are probably SRAM compatible. (1:1 is the shift standard used by SRAM)
Most of the reviews on the Internet say that the SRAM compatible EMPIRE PRO, EMPIRE, and SRX PRO models “could not be used with Shimano”, so these are considered to be Shimano incompatible.
Also, since this is just a brake/shift lever before using SENSAH components (derailleur, etc.), it is best to use SENSAH front derailleur and rear derailleur straightforwardly.
Shimano’s STI levers are available in NEW SUPER SLR and old SUPER SLR models, and the old SUPER SLR models cannot be used with NEW SUPER SLR brakes.
As for the SENSAH brake and shift levers, there are reports of operation on 105/5800 series and CLARIS/2400 series, but since the operation reports are mainly on the shifting system, the amount of brake pull is unknown.
Some reviewers say that it is probably compatible with the Shimano old SUPER SLR.
SENSAH is still a new company, so how durable it is compared to Shimano’s STI levers is an unknown. I have seen some reviews on the internet saying that they broke in a few months, but the number is less than I expected, so the durability may not be that low.
If you buy from an online retailer, you may not be able to get help if something goes wrong with the product, or you may be told to “contact the manufacturer yourself,” so make sure you buy from a store that offers a good warranty.
If you want to use all SENSAH components, there is no problem, but if you want to mix with Shimano components, check the reviews on the Internet to see if they work properly.
SENSAH brake and shift levers can be purchased for about half the price of Shimano’s equivalent grade STI levers. They are very attractive, but be sure to understand that there are some concerns about compatibility and durability before you buy them.
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