SRAM users....discuss..

furiousox

Do you like it?
Would you say you prefer it to Shimano?
What's the quality of the components like?
Explain the 'double tap' to me, is it instinctive to use or annoying?
Is the shifting smooth?
Just a general fact finding mission, all comments welcomed.

Plastik

furiousox wrote: »

Do you like it?
Would you say you prefer it to Shimano?
What's the quality of the components like?
Explain the 'double tap' to me, is it instinctive to use or annoying?
Is the shifting smooth?
Just a general fact finding mission, all comments welcomed.

Yes. I have Rival.
Yes. My other bike has 105 and my last bike had Tiagra.
Fine. No problems yet in the 3,500km I've used it.
I found it very instinctive to use, one ride and I was converted.

happytramp

Also interested in this.... trying to decide between 105 and Apex white.

Mycroft H

If their chains are anything to go by, they're good.

furiousox

Plastik wrote: »

Yes. I have Rival.
Yes. My other bike has 105 and my last bike had Tiagra.
Fine. No problems yet in the 3,500km I've used it.
I found it very instinctive to use, one ride and I was converted.

Innaresting...thanks.

moby2101

Currently on dura ace, had ultegra also...I had a boardman pro that had Sram Force..

I'd go back on Sram in a heartbeat, loved the one lever system.,next bike will have to have Sram groupset.

Idleater

furiousox wrote: »

Do you like it?
Would you say you prefer it to Shimano?
What's the quality of the components like?
Explain the 'double tap' to me, is it instinctive to use or annoying?
Is the shifting smooth?
Just a general fact finding mission, all comments welcomed.

I have rival on my commuter, force on the race bike and x0 on the mtb.
I prefer it to Shimano - I had duraace 7700 previously. The double tap is very simple to get the hang of and the 1:1 shifting is smooth and precise. The only annoyance for me is the lack of trim for the bottom : bottom gear (which you aren't supposed to use anyway).
Double tap simply means one button / lever imagine the down shift on Shimano - click changes down the same way, click a bit further changes up.

Holyboy

happytramp wrote: »

Also interested in this.... trying to decide between 105 and Apex white.

I'm very sure you mean Campag'!! :-P

Eamonnator

furiousox wrote: »

Do you like it?
Would you say you prefer it to Shimano?
What's the quality of the components like?
Explain the 'double tap' to me, is it instinctive to use or annoying?
Is the shifting smooth?
Just a general fact finding mission, all comments welcomed.

I have a full sram red gruppo on my good bike and shimano 105 on my "winter bike", and have had Dura Ace and Campag. record in the past.
The double tap is really easy to get used to. I love it. Shifting is smooth as silk, brakes work properly. I've had the Sram setup since Autumn 2010 and have put about 10,000K on it. I have the ceramic BB, I've greased it 3 times, never any bother with it.
If I had the choice, I would go for Sram again.

Seweryn

furiousox wrote: »

Do you like it?
Would you say you prefer it to Shimano?
What's the quality of the components like?
Explain the 'double tap' to me, is it instinctive to use or annoying?
Is the shifting smooth?
Just a general fact finding mission, all comments welcomed.

I prefer Sram to Shimano for many reasons.
Quality of Sram components is a lot better than Shimano in the same class range.
Double Tap is simpler than the Shimano system - only one gear lever and no moving brake lever in all directions.
Shifting is smooth and more less the same as in other systems.

lennymc

i have sram on both good bikes, force and rival groupsets, the double tap takes a little bit of getting used to, but once you do, its like second nature. I havent had any problems with it at all. If you want a spin on a sram equipped bike give me a shout and we can go for a spin. Ill blag your canyon

furiousox

Interesting comments all, and no negatives so far!
I'm curious as I'm currently using ultegra 6700 and I'm finding changing onto the big ring to be a bit of an issue since breaking the left wrist.
The shift was always stiff due to the internal cabling but it's a bit of a slog now.
So to change onto the big ring with sram you tap the lhs shifter twice?

padjo5

Following in Eamonnator's mighty footsteps i have SRAM Red on the Racer and 105 on the winter bike!
For me, SRAM has much much more crips gear change, and feels more solid if that makes sense. The DoubleTap took about 10minutes to get the hang of, make 1 little push on the lever to go down a gear, make a slightly larger push to go up 1, slightly larger again to go up 2, and again to go up 3, in the one motion.....might sound complicated but it is very precise and accurate, unless you have bananas for fingers! One needs to be able to change up gears very quickly when trying to catch Eamonattor's wheel as he attacks on those steep bits every given Sunday!

Push the lever a little to change down to small ring, slightly longer push to move up...simples!

furiousox

lennymc wrote: »

i have sram on both good bikes, force and rival groupsets, the double tap takes a little bit of getting used to, but once you do, its like second nature. I havent had any problems with it at all. If you want a spin on a sram equipped bike give me a shout and we can go for a spin. Ill blag your canyon

Sounds like a plan lenny.
You blag my canyon.....I sell you a lightly used ultegra groupset!

Jawgap

Have SRAM (Rival and Force) on my bikes, except for one, and love it. Easy to use and so far hassle free after many 000's of kilometres.

The double-tap is easy enough - short flick to go up the gears, long sweep to go down. Two quick flicks gets you up two gears and an extra long sweep gets you two jumps the other way. I found you very quickly develop a sense of how far to sweep the lever to get a desired effect.

The only 'problems' I've had have been getting spares when I broke a lever (the bike fell over and smashed the brake and gear levers) - not many shops carry SRAM stuff and I had to order online.

The other point to note - and the most important one - is that the shape of the hoods is based on the control stick used in fighter aircraft!!! How true that is, i don't know, but it sounds good to me!

furiousox

Much of a difference between Rival & Force?

Seweryn

furiousox wrote: »

Much of a difference between Rival & Force?

I can't see much difference. There is very little difference between them.

Idleater

Seweryn wrote: »

furiousox wrote: »

Much of a difference between Rival & Force?

I can't see much difference. There is very little difference between them.

There is actually. Red and force share the same carbon moulds and tooling. The differences between them are in more titanium, ceramic other lighter bearing.
Rival and apex are more steel and aluminium. They share the same mechanism as force / red but very little material wise.

coastwatch

furiousox wrote: »

Interesting comments all, and no negatives so far!
I'm curious as I'm currently using ultegra 6700 and I'm finding changing onto the big ring to be a bit of an issue since breaking the left wrist.
The shift was always stiff due to the internal cabling but it's a bit of a slog now.
So to change onto the big ring with sram you tap the lhs shifter twice?

I think sram requires more effort than shimano to shift up, so it might not be any easier on your wrist. A more expensive option, but might be worth considering in your case, an upgrade to Ultegra Ui2

Good review here today.

Idleater

coastwatch wrote: »

furiousox wrote: »

So to change onto the big ring with sram you tap the lhs shifter twice?

I think sram requires more effort than shimano to shift up, so it might not be any easier on your wrist.

Furiousox, you press the one lever once but further than a down shift :-)
As regards effort, the difference is minimal. In theory 1:1 requires less effort but a further push to move the slight bit more cable if you get me. In reality, the sram shift is an arc rather than a linear push so it's actually less extension for fingers than shimano.

Bigus

+1 on ^ , because the lever you are pushing is shorter than the brake lever you might have a problem changing up from the small front ring to the bigger one with SRAM . Yes it's tap- push rather then tap tap, and the push can be quite sore on a bad wrist.

CramCycle

Chains are awesome compared to shimano but I have heard reports that cassettes and chainrings are not as hard wearing, not sure how true that is.

Junior

Do you like it? Yes

Would you say you prefer it to Shimano? No - it's different but better in differing ways than shimano so while they aim for the same market, they are ticking different boxes.

What's the quality of the components like? Fantastic if Mechanical

Is the shifting smooth? Yup, quick and direct also.

Bonus Points you can hold the lever while sprinting on the drops for an extra change, have a few issues with Schlecking myself due to a trim problem on the front mech.

Riding Sram Red and I'm comparing it with Dura Ace.

furiousox

coastwatch wrote: »

I think sram requires more effort than shimano to shift up, so it might not be any easier on your wrist. A more expensive option, but might be worth considering in your case, an upgrade to Ultegra Ui2
Good review here today.

Suppose I could justify it on medical grounds......:D

kenmc

Personally I like being able to brake and shift up the casette at the same time as you can with Shimano, since the brake is the upshift whereas you can't (?) do this with the doubletap.

Actually on the commuter I do this a fair bit, if I stop at lights in the wrong gear - front (rhs) brake on, kick the back wheel off the ground and shift up the cassette while pedalling slowly with one clipped in foot, to get ready to move off easily when the lights go.

I tried Doubletap once, wasn't comfortable with it at all. I'm sure you can get used to it, but I didn't like it.
YMMV

lennymc

furiousox wrote: »

Sounds like a plan lenny.
You blag my canyon.....I sell you a lightly used ultegra groupset!

I can meet up early next week if you want to have a look.