sram force 22 vs Ultegra di2 6770

brearley

Looking at fitting out my training bike with the above.
I'd like to try Ultegra di2 and think it would be ideal for a winter bike as the crap that gets into your shifters and mechs would no longer be an issue.
The issue is finding it cheap enough for my budget.
The other option I now have is to buy Sram Force 22 mechs and shifters and a fully sealed cable set brand new and that would be inside my budget.
Question is, functionally which is better or which would you get for the purpose I'm looking at.

imposter2.0

Not sure about anyone else, but I've never had an issue with 'crap getting into my shifters and mechs' while riding through 20+ winters.

Your question on functionality is fundamentally flawed, because the function of cable and electric groups are entirely different, by definition.

The only useful thing I can add is that Force and Di2 are both massively over-spec for winter use, but it's your money...

Tjgoodhew

I have ridden both as I had a similar decision to make on a new bike purchase.

I went with the SRAM Force for a couple of reasons. I just prefer mechanical shifting and out of all the groups i like the mechanical nature of double tap and found the ergonomics suited my hand shape

The electronic gearing, altho perfect on every shift i just didnt like it. The only way i could explain it was like an automatic and a manual car. I also think the mechs look extremely ugly.

I can imagine both would be perfectly suitable for the purpose so its a decision on mechanical or electronic

brearley

Well as the Di2 would be second hand the Sram has the advantage there.
My budget for it is £300 so I wouldn't say I'm wasting my money.
If I'm going to be riding my bike for 1000s of miles during the winter I want something that will work and carry on working.
Electronic is something I've wanted to try. I'm getting a new bike for next season so I guess it could be an option there.

imposter2.0

brearley wrote:

If I'm going to be riding my bike for 1000s of miles during the winter I want something that will work and carry on working.

Any groupset can do that, if you look after it. Statistically, there's probably a higher chance of failure for an electronic groupset in those circumstances, ironically...

chanjy

I doubt you are going to get either for £300? Let me know where if you do find it though, I could be tempted by a Force 22 groupset at that price!

brearley

I'm not talking about a full groupset.
I'm talking about shifters and rear, front mechs.
Force shifters from Wiggle at £220, mechs from Fudges at £85.

keef66

If I was building up a winter bike I'd have the outgoing 10 speed 105 groupset from Merlin at just over £300. Or maybe Veloce.

I'd choose Tiagra but the side exit shift cables get in the way of the lights.

brearley

My road bike is on Super record 11 speed so all my wheels are 11 speed campag at the moment.
They would be compatible with sram 11 speed so I wouldn't need any cassettes.
I've broken 4 shimano 105 LH shifters, all replaced under warranty but I don't want to bother again, also the shimano mechanical groupsets look crap.

keef66

Now I understand your preferences and appreciate you're a bit further up the food chain than me!

I'd agree with you about the Shimano groupsets not being exactly easy on the eye though.

cougie

Go fixed wheel for winter - then there's much less to go wrong.

FWIW my cables have never let me down in decades of riding. Why would I swap to Di2 and introduce the battery element ?

matt-h

Sounds to me like you have already made your mind up

Matt

brearley

I think I am swaying towards the Sram 11 speed.
Now got me wondering whether to go for rival or force shifters.
My understanding is the only discernible difference is the levers are carbon on force and alloy on rival.

backo

have owned and tried in the past apex, rival and red shifters.

Can honestly tell very little difference between apex and red other than slightly crisper shifting but nothing that warrants the gulf in price. And definately no difference what so ever between apex and rival. I know there is weight differences but we are talking grams.

For a winter bike I would go with apex every day of the week, indeed that is what is on my winter bike currently.

rickeverett

105 is a wise choice for top level performance in winter. Sora and Tiagra as they are cheap to replace as winter crud eats away.

sloppyschleckonds

Ultegra weighs half a tonne, force 22 is a lightweight groupset, probably too good for a winter bike.

markyone

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

Ultegra weighs half a tonne, force 22 is a lightweight groupset, probably too good for a winter bike.

I have sram red on my winter 2nd bike :oops:

norvernrob

brearley wrote:

I think I am swaying towards the Sram 11 speed.
Now got me wondering whether to go for rival or force shifters.
My understanding is the only discernible difference is the levers are carbon on force and alloy on rival.

Rival are carbon too unless they've changed it?



Fwiw I had rival shifters and force everything else on that bike, and full Red on the new one - I can't tell the difference in shifting quality. In fact if anything the Red rear derailleur is more finicky.

kingstonian

I love my Ultegra Di2, if/when I get another bike I'd go for exactly the same again.

passout

For a winter bike I'd get SRAM Apex from Merlin, but of those two then Force.

Bar Shaker

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

Ultegra weighs half a tonne, force 22 is a lightweight groupset, probably too good for a winter bike.

Ultegra even looks heavy.

I have 6870 Di2 on a Force drivetrain. The Force chainrings and cassette are up there with the best Campag rings for looks, with lovely carbon arms to match.

Di2 just makes it the best of all worlds.

davidwilcock

Apologies if this is a stupid question but...

Can you have Di2 if you dont have internal cable routing on your frame?

Bozman

Ultegra 6800 shifters and a Sram chainset and calipers, that way you end up with the best mechanical shifting around plus you'll get a lightweight chainset and calipers.

sloppyschleckonds

The heaviest part of SRAM comparably is the chainset.

Bozman

What's the point in buying sram then? Save a couple of ounces and gain a bag of shite shifting and FD issues.

The Mechanic

davidwilcock wrote:

Apologies if this is a stupid question but...

Can you have Di2 if you dont have internal cable routing on your frame?

Yes you can. You just fix the cables on the outside of the frame as you would both external mechanical cables. Wouldn't look as neat but doable

brearley

I've decided on Sram force mechs for now. I'll be buying the shifters at a later date where I'll decide whether to buy force or rival. Chainset may be the last thing I buy as I'm potentially looking at buying a Quark.

passout

This may interest: https://player.fm/series/cycle-systems- ... -part-1-of