sram, shimano???

Peanutt
Peanutt Posts: 229
edited May 2008 in MTB beginners
Hi,

I'm slooowly building up a better bike for myself and have come to the drivechain part, what's the deal with sram and shimano, do they have different chain guages? what's better? can I use sram parts with shimano or should I stick to one particular make and model of parts. I've looked at the shimano range but there's so many it's hard to know what to go for. Tourney, Acera, XTR....... I have very limited budget so I'm looking at second hand parts.

Any ideas
No matter where you are, that's where you've been

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    personal choice. for feel keep the speeds the same. and keep the shifters and mechs the same brand and you will not do wrong.

    as to where things come in each range look at the new prices and that will give you and idea.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • z1ppy
    z1ppy Posts: 103
    deal with sram and shimano, do they have different chain guages?
    Between 7/8 and 9 speed chains yes but if you mean are shimano 9 speed chains a different guage to sram 9 speed, then no... theyre the same.

    As a basic rule Sram does not work with shimano and vs versa (there are exceptions to this but just go with this basic premise).
    If you want cheap and cheerful I'd personnaly go for deore or X5/7 as your base and upgrade from there
    (yes Acera & below does work fine, but it tends to be a lot heavier and a bit crap IMO).
    ************************************


    Sleep is for the dead, but I sure could use some.
  • Peanutt
    Peanutt Posts: 229
    thanks for the help guys,

    I'll probably go for shimano deore and work my way up from there.
    No matter where you are, that's where you've been
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    you wont go wrong with deore, nice shifting and will last forever. i bet for most people in a blind test, not may would feel the difference (cue the posts from people who know better.....)