Looking for feedback from SRAM users

I regularly switch between Ultegra and Rival, depending on the bike. I like them both, although they each have their strengths and weaknesses, as pointed out above.

It took me a couple of test rides on a Sram-equipped bike before I felt comfortable ordering one. Go do a bunch of test rides....it's the only way to know.

On a semi-related note, have you ridden any other 6700-equipped bikes and had the same issues? Sometimes it's not the drivetrain, it's the frame.... (Not trying to talk you out of a change, just thinking out loud!)

I've been riding the same Campy for almost 17 years. Absolutely love it. Short throw, easy to shift. I have arthritis in both hands, so easy shifting is a must. If/when I replace my bike/components, I'll go with Campy, hands down (pun intended :p)

If you have problems with pain in your hands, perhaps you should look at an electronic shifting system?

I would have to say the opposite of Denise.

SRAM is meant for smaller hands. Where I used to be in the drops(same bars) and barely be able to reach around my Shimano levers to brake and shift, SRAM is nice and compact and everything is right there.

I have ridden Shimano then SRAM then back to SHIMANO, played with Campy on a rented bike and then finally back to SRAM on the new bike(never wanted to go away from SRAM but when I bought the old bike, it came with shimano and the company I was working for went under- so $$ was tight).

I feel that SRAM may take a little getting used to from shimano- but once you do, you will wonder how you ever were without :)

Rode SRAM last night.

I have to use 2 fingers to throw my front chain to the larger wheel. And sometimes I use 2 fingers to get the reach for the shift on the R/D.

Another thing to note: On Shimano if you need to slightly adjust a shift, you can use the same lever. On SRAM, if I miss a shift or mess it up, I usually end up shifting the opposite of what I wanted due to it using the same lever. Hard to explain, but I don't feel I have the tiny "tweak" control on SRAM that I do on Shimano.

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Originally Posted by hulagirl

Rode SRAM last night.

I have to use 2 fingers to throw my front chain to the larger wheel. And sometimes I use 2 fingers to get the reach for the shift on the R/D.

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I have one of the earlier versions of SRAM, so forgive my ignorance...things may have changed. Do the SRAM shifters still have the pivoting feature in the shift lever? That is to say, I can pull the shift lever closer to me to get more "purchase" on it before making my shift and without activating the brakes... I have found that it really helps with the direction that has the more-forceful throw.

Thank you EVERYONE, for the valuable feedback! Clearly, there are lots of differing opinions on SRAM...which I fully expected. Like several of you have pointed out...I will have to try it out for myself to see if I like it.

To answer some questions that were asked -

@smilingcat - I've had 2 separate bike shops look at this issue. Between the 2 shops, there were 6 mechanics that actually looked at the bike and all of them agreed that there was indeed a problem, but none could offer a solution or fix. Between these 2 shop/6 mechanics, we tried new cable & new housing, new cassette, new chain, new shifters, and more RD adjustments than I can even recall. All of this was at my expense, except for the shifters, which were replaced under warranty by Shimano. I finally took the bike to an independent mechanic and he was the one who suggested lengthening the cable because there was such a tight loop right where the cable goes into the RD, that he felt it was creating a lot of friction..thus causing the hard to move shifter. He replaced the cable with a brand new one (and new housing) only in a longer length making the "loop" at the RD entry much larger. I immediately felt a difference in the downshifting. It's been about a month since then, and now it's starting to feel stiff again. I feel as though I've exhausted every option up to this point.

@blue_angel - I would love to consider Di2, or even the new Ultegra electronic that is due out soon...but the cost factor of electronic shifting is preventing me from doing so. Believe me...I have seriously contemplated it, but DH is standing in the way.

@hulagirl - What you just described in your last post about using 2 fingers to move the SRAM shifter....THAT is what I go through with my Shimano shifters. Infact, for the big ring...I require all 4 of the fingers on my left hand to move that lever...it is THAT difficult to move. And, on top of that...I either have to HOLD the lever in that position until the chain "catches" onto the big ring...OR...I have to continuously push the lever over and over again (usually as much as 3-4 times) before the chain goes onto the big ring. It gets to the point where if I'm approaching a hill, I just say "F it!" and stay in the big ring and mash my way up instead of dropping down into the small ring and spinning up the hill.

So...with all that said, my goal this weekend is to find a shop that has a bike on the floor equipped with SRAM (and maybe even Campy) in my size, and go ride it. I'll never know unless I try it for myself. I don't want to be stuck with another new bike, wondering if I would have liked another component group better than Shimano.

Linda

Linda,

I had the same issue with Shimano as you(needing to use 4 fingers!) So for me 2 fingers on SRAM is great.

And i forgot who asked about the ability to bring the lever in on the newer SRAM- that is still an option! which i why it is so great for smaller hands.

Linda - make sure you ask to ride the set that has the LEAST reach on the bars. I rode a few different Shimano sets that had such long hoods that I could barely reach the shifters. I know it's a matter of model on Shimano and it's probably the same with SRAM. So even if one SRAM doesn't work, another might. And what's even more apparent is the same SRAM might be different on different bikes. (frustrating!)

Try other Shimano as well - everything and anything they have. You just never know.

And keep us posted. This is fascinating stuff!

I just realized today (duh!) that I an running SRAM Via on my commuter. It's not a road group though, and doesn't use the double tap. That being said, I have had a significant number of jumps when shifting through the cassette. Shifting the chainrings has been fine.

This worries me. I am in the early stages of designing/thinking about a ti road bike with very low gears and couplers. The ideal set up would be the SRAM with the rear mountain gears in a compact, but truthfully, it sounds like I would have a lot of issues dealing with the jumping back and forth from that to Ultegra on my carbon bike. And, since I got the Ultegra short reach brifters, combined with a short and shallow bar, reach is a non-issue. I may have to go with an Ultegra triple and a different type of mountain rd.
I am not good with changes, either.

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Originally Posted by Crankin

This worries me. I am in the early stages of designing/thinking about a ti road bike

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<SLURP!>

I'm lusting after Litespeeds myself.

But, not to hijack the thread...

My LBS said that they like Campy because if something goes bad, you can take it apart, replace the bad part & put it together again. They said with Shimano, you throw it all away. I had to replace something in my shifters (springs? I'm not a mechanic at all) several years ago & they gave me this info. Don't know about SRAM, but replacing the one little part saved a bunch of $$.

That's what they told me. I have no idea if it's true. I'm sure I'll get corrected if it isn't! :D

So yesterday I was able to test ride a Felt F3 with SRAM Red and a Madone 6.1 with SRAM Force. Both bikes were too big for me, but that didn't matter as I was really only testing the components. I have no doubt in my mind that I am a SRAM convert. :p I loved everything about it. It felt smooth and easy to me. The best part was that I didn't find myself having to take my eyes off the road to look down and see if my chain was on the ring. I have no idea when or if it will happen, but my next bike will most definitely be SRAM. Makes it that much harder to get back on my Shimano-equipped bike, knowing that I love the SRAM stuff that much more. :D

Linda

SRAM is nice. I have it on two of my bikes.

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Originally Posted by nscrbug

So yesterday I was able to test ride a Felt F3 with SRAM Red and a Madone 6.1 with SRAM Force. Both bikes were too big for me, but that didn't matter as I was really only testing the components. I have no doubt in my mind that I am a SRAM convert. :p I loved everything about it. It felt smooth and easy to me. The best part was that I didn't find myself having to take my eyes off the road to look down and see if my chain was on the ring. I have no idea when or if it will happen, but my next bike will most definitely be SRAM. Makes it that much harder to get back on my Shimano-equipped bike, knowing that I love the SRAM stuff that much more. :D

Linda

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I did like SRAM when I tested it. At the end, I went with the Synapse 3 because I did not want to go over my budget. It is also lighter, at every level, than Shimano. SRAM is based in Chicago, so spare parts arrive pretty fast.