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