Which group set??

Cardiff kid

I can purchase two group sets at the same price but would appreciate some advice on which one to go for, SRAM APEX or Shimano 105.

cyberknight

I would go to a bike shop and try them both for feel , the hoods have slightly different shapes so see which one you prefer and the method of shifting is different with sram using one lever for double tap.
Apex does have the facility out of the box to run up to a 32 cassette on the back to give you a monster climbing gear .
105 seems to be the favourite of most reviewers as they reckon it offers the best compromise of cost and performance in the shimano range .
I ride a bike with apex and i have had no problems with it and i like the hood shape and easy adjustabilty of lever reach , having only used tiagra level kit i cant comment on 105 but i do prefer sram hood shape .

Grill

I'm a Shimano man myself, but SRAM is fine too. 105 is a quality groupset and you won't be disappointed by it. That said, go with whichever system you prefer.

bikingjohn

I prefer SRAM brake lever shape more than the boxy 105 levers.

Lightning

+1 for trying them out. It's a preference thing. If you can't try them out, pick the system you think you'll like better.