Sensa Archives

Bye Trentino, Hello Domane

December 7, 2022July 13, 2020

Just in time for my Giro d’Italia 2020 and/or my birthday, the Treasury Secretary has sanctioned the purchase of a new bike for expeditions like that: a Trek Domane.

My Sensa Trentino CDX was purchased at the time as an excuse for not having a bike suited for ‘mountaineering’, or the occasional off road trip.

While it has served me well during my ‘Tour de France’ of 2017 and last year’s ‘Tour de Suisse’, I only occasionally took it to roads that would be inaccessible on a ‘normal’ road bike.

And to be honest, it’s probably a cross/gravel bike well suited for its purpose, but for 95% of my rides, it’s just not the right fit.

Sensa Dura Integra – First Impressions

February 25, 2022June 7, 2018

Introduction

(Not interested in the ‘how the Dura Integra came to be’? Jump to the actual review)

Earlier this year, while at the LBS for some preparations on my Sensa Trentino, I was going through the latest brochure of Sensa Bikes.

As you (probably / should) know, I have modified my Giulia G2 to look like a TT bike, by replacing the standard handlebar and aero bar clip on with a 3T Vola cockpit.

However, I quickly found out that this meant I couldn’t (comfortably) ride any serious mountain stages, so I got the Trentino.

And as it also didn’t quite fit the profile of a true TT bike, the pages in the brochure with Sensa’s TT and Tri bikes, caught my eye.

Sensa offers two bikes in that segment: the Dura Integra and the Dura Triathlon.

While I figure(d) the triathlon bike will offer a slightly more comfortable geometry and position because of the length of the courses you will ride with that, I didn’t quite like the look of it.

Not that it would matter much, because surely there was no way in hell the boss would allow the purchase – or even trade in – of my just over a year old Giulia, right?

Wrong…

Sensa Trentino CXD – First Impressions

February 25, 2022May 11, 2017

My Sensa Giulia G2 has evolved in such a way, that it is actually no longer suited for long rides in the mountains, as I have fitted it with a 3T Vola cockpit to make it look like a TT-bike.

It’s fine for the short bursts uphill in the south of my country or the neighboring Ardennes and Eifel, but when I visited the Vosges last September, I didn’t feel very comfortable during the long climbs and descends there.

3T Vola Team Stealth

February 25, 2022May 11, 2016

Having enjoyed our holiday in the ever sunny beach resort of Hurghada – average temperature around 32 degrees Celsius, 11 to 12 hours of sun per day – we returned to a ridiculously cold hometown.

With temperatures between 2 and 8 degrees, I felt like having landed somewhere in the Arctic and cycling was resumed on the trainer once again.

I’m lucky enough to have multiple platforms to chose from, ranging from Zwift, to CVT and Tacx (TTS), but even so I eventually feel like the BTC is collapsing on me.

Besides, the Batbike was standing in the corner of the living room, like one of the many statues of Egyptian gods we have collected over the years and I was feeling more guilty every day for not taking it out.

Sensa Giulia G2 – First Impressions

February 25, 2022March 21, 2016

Update: the Batbike has since been fitted with a 3T Vola Team Stealth – read about it here.

As I obviously did not want to get my brand new Sensa Giulia G2 dirty – God forbid! – I continued cycling indoors on my demoted Element all through January and February.

Well, I did get out on the Bulls a couple of times, but other than that, I was honing my skills on the various indoor cycling platforms (mostly Zwift and CVT though).

Not such a bad way to spend time on zee baik, and I totally disagree with those ‘bad ass’ riders who argue that indoor rides amount to next to nothing, but I do agree that a real outdoor ride has it’s own unique merits.

Between those indoor rides, I was ‘finetuning’ my Batbike, with clip-on aerobars, an ‘all black’ saddle* and a Stages PM, waiting for the weather to change.

And one week after my frosty tour of Flanders, it finally did and I took the Sensa Giulia G2 for a spin.