SRAM > Shimano. What bits fits?

G-Wiz

Currently toying with moving from SRAM Red to Shimano Dura Ace on my posh bike after riding Shimano for a while on another loaned bike. The SRAM stuff just feels flimsy now and not worth the weight saving.

The SRAM bits I like are the brakes, Chainset/rings and the one-piece cassette (noisy as hell but I've not ripped through a freewheel yet like I have on 'normal' cassettes before)

Could I keep any of these and just get the levers and derailleurs from Shimano?

Grill

You can keep the chainset and cassette, but the brakes use a different pull ratio. Nothing quite like a DA cassette though...

G-Wiz

Thanks. Shame, the braking is outstanding. Less outright power than DA, but much more control.

Is the DA cassette one-piece? The problem I've had with the normal individual ring setup is cutting through the freewheel splines on the climbs. The one-piece design spreads the load better.

Grill

No, but it has much tighter tolerances than other cassettes and is eerily quiet. You won't be cutting through splines with it that's for sure.

G-Wiz

Did a quick trawl about the brakes, does this mean they'll be too grabby or too soft?

Expensive experiment to do by trial & error!

Grill

You won't be able to pull enough cable so it will feel very on/off and you won't have as much peak stopping power either.
DA brakes have excellent modulation especially using Swissstop pads.

turnerjohn

I prefer SRAM cassettes - seem to last longer and look better (tart I know !) for longer tho can't beet shimano for shifting. I use SRAM chains as well....far tougher then shimano...everything else is DA :-)

One thing I would say is your brakes will probably be ok.....I ran 7800 brakes with 7900 shifters (according to shimano incompatable due to lever pull) for a while and yes braking wasn't brilliant and 7900 are definately better but not the massive amount I was hoping for (and they run Swiss stop pads) if your short on cash try and see

holiver

Thought I would resurrect this thread as my question is very related.

How much can you chop and change between SRAM and Shimano?

I was thinking for a new build running SRAM shifters and rear mech, with a Shimano front mech (would need a 28.6mm band which SRAM don't do), cassette and chain (much cheaper than the SRAM offerings).

I have a FSA chainset already.

Would this work well together?

mfin

turnerjohn wrote:

I prefer SRAM cassettes - seem to last longer and look better (tart I know !) for longer tho can't beet shimano for shifting. I use SRAM chains as well....far tougher then shimano...everything else is DA :-)

One thing I would say is your brakes will probably be ok.....I ran 7800 brakes with 7900 shifters (according to shimano incompatable due to lever pull) for a while and yes braking wasn't brilliant and 7900 are definitely better but not the massive amount I was hoping for (and they run Swiss stop pads) if your short on cash try and see

I use the opposite. Shimano DuraAce Chain and Cassette on an otherwise Sram setup, I do this as shifting is better and things run smoother in my experience than the Sram offerings. I wouldn't use anything else from a Shimano groupset though for various functional and aesthetic reasons.

mfin

holiver wrote:

Thought I would resurrect this thread as my question is very related.

How much can you chop and change between SRAM and Shimano?

I was thinking for a new build running SRAM shifters and rear mech, with a Shimano front mech (would need a 28.6mm band which SRAM don't do), cassette and chain (much cheaper than the SRAM offerings).

I have a FSA chainset already.

Would this work well together?

You can always get a braze on adaptor (£5 ish I'd guess) and then buy and use a Sram braze on front mech.

holiver

Yeah, but that would be an additional cost. 105 front mechs are so cheap!

Bar Shaker

I seem to recall the front mechs have a different pull ratio but the rears are interchangeable, so your front mech would have to match your hoods.

I am running Di2 on SRAM Force cogs and think this is way better than the Ultegra cogset. Just as stiff, must prettier and much lighter.

DiscoBoy

Bar Shaker wrote:

I seem to recall the front mechs have a different pull ratio but the rears are interchangeable, so your front mech would have to match your hoods.

That's the wrong way around.

Bar Shaker

I am happy to be corrected.

G-Wiz

Interesting, I'm rebuilding a project with the SRAM Red stuff but want to ditch the front mech.
They're so lightweight they have too much flex, and shifting under power is useless.

Are you saying I could use a Shimano front mech instead of forking out for a SRAM Force one?

mroli

Yep - front derailleurs are the same pull, only need to match shifters and rear derailleurs...

StillGoing

G-Wiz wrote:

Interesting, I'm rebuilding a project with the SRAM Red stuff but want to ditch the front mech.
They're so lightweight they have too much flex, and shifting under power is useless.

Are you saying I could use a Shimano front mech instead of forking out for a SRAM Force one?

Get a Force Yaw 22 FD. Works with SRAM 10 speed shifters and much smoother than the standard Force FD and much sturdier than the Red FD. It's also much cheaper than the standard 10 speed FD for some unknown reason.

G-Wiz

Thanks for that,found on for 33 at chain reaction

mpatts

so a related question....can I stick a wheel with a Shimano Ultegra cassette on my force equipped bike?

StillGoing

SRAM and Shimano cassettes use the same hub, so are compatible with either manufacturer.

StillGoing

G-Wiz wrote:

Thanks for that,found on for 33 at chain reaction

One thing I didn't mention is Yaw 22 can be problematic with BB30 for some reason. I originally tried a Force Yaw 22 FD with a full Force 10 speed groupset on a bike with a BB30 bottom bracket. Couldn't get it to work satisfactorily no matter how many hours I spent adjusting it minute turns at a time. Switched it to my other bike with 10 speed Red swapping the standard Force FD. The standard FD worked fine with the BB30 bike and the Force Yaw 22 works fantastically well with the British thread bike and GXP bottom bracket.

DiscoBoy

mpatts wrote:

so a related question....can I stick a wheel with a Shimano Ultegra cassette on my force equipped bike?

Yes (assuming it is the correct speed).