How do these dirt cheap 2x11 speed shifters from AliExpress perform, and can they rival similar offerings from Shimano?

Let’s face it, 11 speed groupsets from Shimano like 105, Ultegra, or Dura-Ace, are still pretty premium offerings, so I have always been on the lookout for a decent budget option for my carbon road bike. In early 2020 I tested out the Sensah Empire 2x11 groupset, and for only £80 I really wanted it to succeed, but after 500 miles the left shifter broke while I was out on a ride. Not particularly impressive. However, soon after I found an 11-speed shifter by a ‘brand’ called MicroNew on AliExpress.

They look identical to shifter produced by a Taiwanese brand called MicroShift, but MicroShift do not produce an 11 speed version in this particular design, so the lineage of these shifters is a bit of a mystery. However, I’ve been testing them for the last 4 or 5 months, and they have honestly exceeded all my initial expectations.

They are not quite up to the same standards as 105 R7000 shifters…