The roots of the Dutch manufacturer Sensa go back to the 1980s. Starting out as an importer of mountain bikes, racing bikes have also been built in Almelo for almost 20 years. In Germany, 14 dealers currently sell the brand, most of them in the north and west of the country, with one in Gmund am Tegernsee. One special feature is the custom programme: the Giulia Supremo, the latest addition to the range, can be individually equipped like the other platforms for road and off-road.
Sensa Giulia Supremo: Expensive components with little effect
Sensa almost stretched the budget for the test: The base price of the test bike with electronic 105 (4299 euros) includes wheels and one-piece cockpit from Sensa's own Supra brand, giving the Supremo a race-like look. In the laboratory, wind tunnel and in practice, however, the carbon components hardly pay off. With 223 watts at 45 km/h, the Sensa struggles to keep up with the peloton and is on a par with lightweight bikes that are not exactly streamlined. Both the frame set and the 50 millimetre high wheelset slow the Giulia down. With fast Zipp 404 wheels, the competition bike makes the biggest leap of all the candidates - the € 799 surcharge for the rather heavy carbon wheels could therefore be invested more sensibly.
Despite being fully equipped with carbon parts, the Sensa pays tribute to the aero-optimised frame set and, like most of its competitors, weighs over eight kilograms. The Dutch company has gone its own way with the geometry: the combination of a long head tube and short handlebars puts the rider in an upright riding position, which is comparable to comfortable marathon bikes. The gear ratio with compact cranks and mountain cassette is also less geared towards racing; it can only be changed in the configurator for the more expensive versions. The seat post and handlebar/stem unit are in contrast to this design, with both contact points with the rider proving to be very unyielding. The Sensa can only be ordered with electronic Shimano drivetrains; the pre-configured models range from 4299 euros to 7299 euros.
Sensa Giulia Supremo
- TOUR grade: 2,7
- Price: 5497 Euro
- Weight of complete wheel: 8.4 kilos
- Aerodynamics: 223 watts
- Frame sizes: 50, 53, 55, 58, 61 (test size bolded)
Geometry
- Seat/top/head tube: 520/550/163 millimetres
- Stack/Reach/STR: 580/385 millimetres/1.51
- Stack+/Reach+/STR+: 647/563 millimetres/1.15
- Wheelbase/caster: 995/61 millimetres
Equipment
- Drive/gear shift: Shimano 105 Di2 (2 x 12; 50/34, 11-34 t.) | Shimano 105 Di2 (2 x 12; 50/34, 11-34 t.) Grade: 1.0
- Brakes: Shimano 105 (160/160 mm) | Grade: 1.5
- Tyres: Vittoria Rubino Pro, 28 mm (eff.: 30 mm) | Grade: 2.5
- Impellers: Supra RFC 50 Elite
- Impeller weights: 1347/1868 grams (front/rear)
Advantages and disadvantages
- Plus: Many options in the configurator
- Minus: low aero performance, relatively heavy, little spring comfort
Julian Schultz
Editor
