SRAM Red or Shimano Dura-Ace 9000

wacka

Looking at the Giant TCR Advanced SL range and they have a SRAM Red Spec at £4799 and a Dura-Ace 9000 Spec for £4999. Can anyone advise on the better spec for the price please? Or shall I just go for the Advanced 0 with Di2 Ultegra for £3499?

ligfietser

SRAM = good
Shimano = bad
(in my not so humble opinion)

Regards,
Walter - X.0 everywhere

smidsy

Depends if you can get on with the double tap operation of SRAM.

I personally can not and therefore prefer Shimano.

SRAM is generally lighter if that is important to you.

DA is silky though.

But you could do an awful lot with £1500 saved if you go for the DI2.

bendertherobot

I adore SRAM Red but would not kick DA out of bed.

That £1500 though. That saving is some serious wheeleage.

charlie_potatoes

I was faced with the same dilemma.
100gm or so weight saving vs 11 speed cassette.
I went for the Dura-ace for the extra cog and I am already used to Shimano.
Also I perceive (rightly or wrongly) that shimano is better quality

stueys

Everyone had their favourite. The honest answer is there isn't a great deal of difference between the two, SRAm is slightly lighter and the self trimming piece looks nice, shimano has better rear shifting I think and looks lovely. Personally I'd go Dura but I don't really like double tap, both are great group sets.

Strith

Basically go try them both and buy whichever one you find the hoods comfiest on. They both perform excellent, personal comfort is the only real thing that seperates them.

ShutUpLegs

Red

Grill

DA 9000 is the stone cold nuts. Nothing smoother or more reliable.

ddraver

Strith wrote:

Basically go try them both and buy whichever one you find the hoods comfiest on. They both perform excellent, personal comfort is the only real thing that seperates them.

This is the only answer the thread needs

passout

Tough choice but electronic shifting does look novel, so that. Otherwise Red.

Mccaria

The mechanical 9000 is a fantastic piece of kit. The hoods are slimmer than on the 7900, much more in the style of the Di2 hoods. The shifting is very smooth and interestingly (probably due to going to 11 speed), they have brought back the FD trim function for both front chainrings (on 7900 it was just on the small chainring), of course with electric you get auto trim ! Shimano have standardised the chainsets to 110 BCD on the 9000, so theoretically you could just change chainrings between standard and compact, but I am not sure how many people will actually do that.

I haven't tried the Ultegra electronic, but do have a bike with Di2, I really dont think 9000 loses out to Di2. First few rides with Di2 there was a tendency to change gear more often, we do ride for fun after all ! After a while that urge settles down and you do just ride the bike.

Have no experience of Red.

racingcondor

Assuming that you plan on keeping it for a couple of years then I would go DA. Seems likely to me that SRAM will be releasing an 11 speed Red soon so 3/4 years down the line 10 speed may become a liability.

If you expect to sell in 2 yeasrs then 11 speed may hold value better for the same reason.

If neither of those is a worry then which ever you prefer the method and hood shape (for me SRAM). Both work brilliantly as you would expect of pro quality kit.

Gabbo

I'm also thinking Dura Ace 9000, for the very point point racingcondor has mentioned. SRAM Red will surely be releasing an 11-speed groupo, whereas Dura Ace 9000 will probably be popular for another 3/4 years. It's added weight, I know, but Shimano shifting is what I am use to.

Both look beautiful nonetheless

warrior4life

I've been using sram for years and i love it but the dura 9000 shiftes smoother than any sram ive used.
The front mech is fantastic.

Theyre both great, Red's lighter, 9000 a little smoother changing and 11 speed.

I think i'd go 11 speed as it'll be the industry standard in a year or two.

ricky1980

ddraver wrote:

Strith wrote:

Basically go try them both and buy whichever one you find the hoods comfiest on. They both perform excellent, personal comfort is the only real thing that seperates them.

This is the only answer the thread needs

not quite, a 5min test ride on a turbo is not going to give you much settling in time to get to know each groupo. plus if one is setup properly and another isn't then it will be a biased conclusion.

anyway, i used to ride shimano and have red shifters and red front drivetrain setup on my carb, the red shifting mechanism is superb. the down shifter is far snappier and quicker than shimano can ever achieve. the upshifting is probably more or less the same. only had 1 mis-shift so far as i was suppose to upshift 1 instead downshifted one. so I guess if you are concerned about that then stick with shimano, otherwise sram.

one caution, changing gear cable on sram shifter is an art form! patient and jedi like sense is required. this is because the way the mechanism works. It is the real downfall of the sram stuff.

Di2 might be a good option consider it is that much cheaper. the auto trim function is a really nice feature, almost a must have. tho the Sram red has Yaw front mech which means you don't need to trim as it guarantees no chain rub

Bar Shaker

I am using Di2 with Force and love it. It's lighter than Ultegra, if that is aconsideration and I think it looks nicer than the Ultegra chainring.

I contemplated using a full Red set up for about the same money but think I have the best of all worlds for my riding. Red was my other choice/option after using and liking Double Tap on my last bike for 3 years.