During the 2024 China Cycling Expo, Magene showcased their electronic groupset. For those unfamiliar, Magene is a leading manufacturer in cycling technology.
While electronic shifting has long been associated with major brands like SRAM, Shimano, and Campagnolo, other players such as Ltwoo, Wheeltop, and now Magene have entered the market with their own electronic shifters.
This surge of competition among bicycle technology manufacturers is driving a push for lower-priced electronic shifters. In this post, we'll take a closer look at these Chinese brands and share our thoughts on their offerings.
One of the primary deterrents to electronic shifting has been its cost, along with expensive replacement parts in case of crashes. With Chinese manufacturers now producing more affordable electronic shifters/groupsets, it's possible that major brands like Shimano, SRAM, and Campagnolo may consider lowering their prices or offering more budget-friendly alternatives.
Ltwoo introduced their ERX/ER9 semi-wireless electronic shifters last year (2023). Featuring a semi-wireless design similar to Shimano Di2, it includes a battery on the seat post and completely wireless shifters powered by their own coin cell battery.
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However, they encountered some issues with the groupset and subsequently released another version with "improvements." Recently, the auto trim feature was removed due to Shimano's patent.
Wheeltop, established in 1951, has a long history of supplying global OEM bicycle brands. In 2022, they launched the EDS OX, a wireless shifter for MTB, followed by the Wheeltop EDS TX in 2023, a wireless electronic shifter. Notably,
Wheeltop's offerings are compatible with 7-13 speed drivetrains and include a rim brake option, breathing new life into older rim brake road bikes.
[2016 Prototype electronic shifters for Wheeltop]
I recently acquired the latest version of Wheeltop's electronic shifters and plan to install them on my road bike for a review.
The newest addition to the market is the Magene QED 12-speed groupset, boasting a semi-wireless configuration and compatibility options for rim brakes. Expected to hit the Chinese market this year and globally in 2025, I'm eager to test it out. Magene has been supportive of our brand, providing opportunities to test and review their products.
Another brand I'm eagerly awaiting for an electronic groupset release is Sensah. I've had a positive experience with their mechanical groupset and am excited to see their electronic update.
While initially hesitant about electronic shifting, especially given my preference for external cable routing in mechanical setups, my experience with aero frames featuring fully internal cable routing changed my perspective. Installing shifter cables alongside brake cables in fully integrated handlebars proved challenging and affected shifting performance. Transitioning to a Shimano 105 Di2 semi-wireless electronic groupset was surprisingly simple and performed flawlessly, making me a believer in electronic shifting.