Shimano to SRAM advice

brh77

Totally childish and vain, but I want a black groupset for my new frame, and Ultegra SL is not quite dark enough for how I want it to look. Is the transition from Shimano shifters to SRAM double tap hard? Am I petty to be looking at what the groupset looks like?

Do not want to go with Campagnolo- do not particularly like the thumbshifters.........

hopper1

It's not petty... Added bonus that SRAM is better than Shimano, too.
I have Ultegra 6700 on my winter bike, and SRAM Force on the 'best' bike.
DoubleTap is very precise, and I don't find any problems, even when changing between the two bikes...

Evil Laugh

I swapped 105 for force.

I'm just about getting on with force now but there are some issues I have with it. It took a good few goes for my lbs to get it set up right. The double tap on the r mech was particularly mushy though this is getting better now. I'm not too keen on the hoods, I find them a bit small and knobbly, they put more pressure on my hands. I prefer the soft shifting of shimano over the clunky shift of SRAM although it is very positive. I also prefer the difference in up/down shift on shimano in that I used one finger for up and one for down. I find SRAM cramps up my hand a bit always using the same finger.

A lot of these issues are personal and therefore I think it's wrong to just come out and say SRAM is better. It's not better it's a personal preference and for that reason and the above I put dura ace 7800 on my new bike.

bendertherobot

I'm about, hanger replacement willing, to embark on a 100 mile charity bike ride with my new SRAM Force fitted.

I may get a chance to test it on my street before then.

So that might well be very interesting.

racingcondor

Go on, Make the Leap!

I've ridden 105 and Ultegra for the last 3 years, just got Force and after the first couple of rides I prefer the shifting system and general feel. Don't have any problems swapping between bikes either now that I've got used to both.

Plus, Force looks great.

Stevo_666

brh77 wrote:

Totally childish and vain, but I want a black groupset for my new frame, and Ultegra SL is not quite dark enough for how I want it to look. Is the transition from Shimano shifters to SRAM double tap hard? Am I petty to be looking at what the groupset looks like?

Do not want to go with Campagnolo- do not particularly like the thumbshifters.........

Go with whatever floats your boat - if that's the reason who cares?

I have Shimano XT - on a MTB admittedly, so not directly comparable in several respects - and Rival on the road/commuter hack. Both are good for me but in terms of the SRAM I prefer the 'one lever each side' set up. On my set at least (flat bar) it allows you to do all the gear changing with one thumb and keep the brakes covered with your fingers. Different for drop bars obviously.

london-red

I'm just about getting on with force now but there are some issues I have with it. It took a good few goes for my lbs to get it set up right. The double tap on the r mech was particularly mushy though this is getting better now. I'm not too keen on the hoods, I find them a bit small and knobbly, they put more pressure on my hands. I prefer the soft shifting of shimano over the clunky shift of SRAM although it is very positive. I also prefer the difference in up/down shift on shimano in that I used one finger for up and one for down. I find SRAM cramps up my hand a bit always using the same finger.

I agree with most of this.

I'm running Rival/Red on my good bike and 105/Tiagra on the commute. I have to say that while Shimano is a little less positive, if I'm climbing I much prefer upshifting with Shimano as I find Sram can sometimes be a bit clunky (although a retune might well be overdue).

I also find upshifting and braking at the same time a real pain in the backside if, say, I'm breaking hard towards the bottom of a hill and want to pull off in a reasonable gear...

If I was to buy again for a best bike, I'd be sorely tempted by Shimano. I think.

gregster10217

I was using Shimano on my previous bike (an old borrowed Dawes Giro 400) and it was my first experience of brake/gear shifting and it was a revelation. I then got my Boardman Team Carbon and was a little apprehensive about using the double tap system initially. Within 5 minutes of using it, I'd forgotten about Shimano and haven't looked back. I've found it very easy to use, and very precise in the shifting. I didn't get it for how it looks, but how it works.

pbt150

I've just gone to SRAM Rival from Shimano, albeit Sora so not the full 'experience'.

I found switching to double-tap very easy, but made a couple of small mistakes changing gears on the front and back at the same time, on the first hill I came to. Since then though it has become completely natural, and I wouldn't want to go back.

I've also tried friends' bikes with Campag Centaur and Shimano 105 and of the three I find the SRAM the most precise in terms of feedback and feel, and the shifting is spot-on and really easy to set up.