SRAM Apex - Goodbye

markdavidhill
markdavidhill Posts: 279
edited October 2011 in Workshop
I'm a fair to reasonable fettler but after 1700 miles on Apex, I'm bored with continually tuning and re-tuning Apex to keep it on top of the game. I replaced the rings with Red, the chain with Red and the cassette with Rival, but it all got worse.

No matter what I did today, when moving up at the front, the chain ended up on the crank AGAIN.

Limiters were perfect. Height was perfect. Angle was perfect.

Two bike stores including Primera couldn't cure this phantom.

I'm not entirely convinced that SRAM is cross compatible across the range.

I just want to ride.

So I'm going Ultegra.

From MY experiences, I cannot recommend SRAM Apex.
Team Madison Genesis Volare & Condor Super Acciaio

Comments

  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    Never tried Apex, but SRAM Red is easy to set-up and requires next to no tinkering.
    More problems but still living....
  • Pseudonym
    Pseudonym Posts: 1,032
    likewise - I'm coming up to two years on Force with no issues whatsoever....
  • meanredspider
    meanredspider Posts: 12,337
    I have some sympathy with the OP. Get the Apex set up on the front ring - 20-30 upshifts just fine then Bam - chain off. Then 20 or 30 more shifts without issue.
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • racingcondor
    racingcondor Posts: 1,434
    markdavidhill wrote:
    Limiters were perfect. Height was perfect. Angle was perfect.

    Sorry but I really doubt this.

    I use Force and find that it needs a lot less tinkering than Ultegra once it's set up. I've also found that I can't set it up right, luckily I know a mechanic at a local shop who seems to be able to get it flawless in about 30 seconds (whech is great, apart from my self esteem :wink: ). I know Force isn't Apex but I haven't heard many bad things about it yet so I'm going to have to fall on the side of the same user errors that I commit.

    EDIT - That said, you can't go far wrong with Ultegra. I hope you enjoy the change.
  • Heffen
    Heffen Posts: 11
    Got Rival on my verenti and it work´s super :)
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    markdavidhill wrote:
    I'm a fair to reasonable fettler

    sounds like the problem.

    nothing wrong with apex works fine if you know how to set it up. just like any other gear set.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • markdavidhill
    markdavidhill Posts: 279
    nicklouse wrote:
    markdavidhill wrote:
    I'm a fair to reasonable fettler

    sounds like the problem.

    nothing wrong with apex works fine if you know how to set it up. just like any other gear set.

    Not the case. As the original post says, even Primara couldn't correct it.
    Team Madison Genesis Volare & Condor Super Acciaio
  • gin0rm0
    gin0rm0 Posts: 40
    Sounds like the front mech cage could be bent. Had lots of problems with rival front mech and had to tweak the mech back into shape with a wrench. this would only be a temporary fix until it bent again, the alloy isn't strong enough imo.

    Switched to shimano mech and no problems since.
  • markdavidhill
    markdavidhill Posts: 279
    gin0rm0 wrote:
    Sounds like the front mech cage could be bent. Had lots of problems with rival front mech and had to tweak the mech back into shape with a wrench. this would only be a temporary fix until it bent again, the alloy isn't strong enough imo.

    Switched to shimano mech and no problems since.

    That's all it can be. I thought about upgrading to a Red front mech. I'm sure it looks slimmer and tougher.

    Just got back from a ride on the Secteur. The Shimano on that is perfect, and you can buy the whole bike for £470 in the current sales!
    Team Madison Genesis Volare & Condor Super Acciaio
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    Run 1*10 apex so feels smug!
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,827
    Replacing the bottom groupset with parts from the most expensive sounds like you have a bling problem rather than a poor groupset problem to me.....
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • spinndrift
    spinndrift Posts: 185
    Got Apex on the Dolan and had it since April.

    I've done over 3.5K miles on it and hardly had to touch it.

    However on the cross bike I have Rival and that does need frequent fettling but the cables are along the top tube which creates so much more drag.
    Cheers

    Andy
    Cyclist, Massage Therapist & Ice Cream Genius
    Andrew Creer Massage
  • cycologist
    cycologist Posts: 721
    I also run Apex on my Dolan. First two thousand miles with little problem but last 3 hundred or so have been a bit more of a faff having to regularly adjust front mech - which reminds me that at the moment it seems to have an issue with changing up to big ring (again)

    Sram took some getting used to initially and even now the shifts seem very chuny most of the time.My ancient Shimano 105 was much slicker and smoother.
    Two wheels good,four wheels bad
  • juankerr
    juankerr Posts: 1,099
    I had similar problems with my Rival FD, but after setting it counter-intuitively a little off parallel it's not miss-shifted once in 18 months.
  • cycologist
    cycologist Posts: 721
    juankerr wrote:
    I had similar problems with my Rival FD, but after setting it counter-intuitively a little off parallel it's not miss-shifted once in 18 months.

    Tail end in wards or outwards and by how much ?
    Two wheels good,four wheels bad
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    markdavidhill wrote:
    gin0rm0 wrote:
    Sounds like the front mech cage could be bent. Had lots of problems with rival front mech and had to tweak the mech back into shape with a wrench. this would only be a temporary fix until it bent again, the alloy isn't strong enough imo.

    Switched to shimano mech and no problems since.

    That's all it can be. I thought about upgrading to a Red front mech. I'm sure it looks slimmer and tougher.

    Just got back from a ride on the Secteur. The Shimano on that is perfect, and you can buy the whole bike for £470 in the current sales!

    Oddly, a lot of people actually downgrade from Red to Force front mechs.

    The Red mech is a tad bit softer (ti I think?) and the Force is SS.
  • phy2sll2
    phy2sll2 Posts: 680
    gin0rm0 wrote:
    Sounds like the front mech cage could be bent. Had lots of problems with rival front mech and had to tweak the mech back into shape with a wrench. this would only be a temporary fix until it bent again, the alloy isn't strong enough imo.

    Switched to shimano mech and no problems since.

    +1 This was my experience too.
  • Feetsocks
    Feetsocks Posts: 15
    "Oddly, a lot of people actually downgrade from Red to Force front mechs.

    The Red mech is a tad bit softer (ti I think?) and the Force is SS."

    Is it because Force has a trim on the front mech that Red doesn't?

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