Jeffrey Day Posted May 5, 2009 Report Share Posted May 5, 2009 I'm thinking about getting a new road bike in the near future and was just curious if anyone out there is riding the Sram Force and/or Rival double-tap shifters/group? I'd love to go with a Campagnolo group, but they're hard to come by, already spec-ed on a complete bike and I'd rather not get Shimano. Shimano, for me, holds the same feeling as many of us have for Burton. But just for different reasons! Thanks for any input! Ride on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C5 Golfer Posted May 5, 2009 Report Share Posted May 5, 2009 My GF has SRAM Rival --- brand new build a month ago. She loves the way the back shifts..but the front shift is very poor--- very stiff and not too positive. Quite often misses a shift to the Big Chain Ring. She loves her front shift on her other road bike with Shimano -- We have had it into to two high end shops and they try this and that but both say that is just about how it is with these. One thinks that it may be many things even the large Chain Ring being too flexible, Wants to replace the current SRAM with a Shimano Ultegra Compact Crank and Bottom Bracket. I have not ridden a Campy equipped bike - only Shimano -- I like the way my Serotta Legend which is Ti shifts and rides and no sore joints or butt after a long ride. We have been doing about 100 miles and 5000 feet of elev lately - getting her trained for her big ride coming up in July. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eajracing Posted May 6, 2009 Report Share Posted May 6, 2009 Shimano, for me, holds the same feeling as many of us have for Burton. But just for different reasons! Amen. The friend I ride the most with is riding on Rival, and every ride its more of the same about how its better than ultegra etc etc etc..., but he's the guy that whatever he's on is better than yours. Interesting to hear the comment about the front chainring being too stiff and hampering shifting performance - i've heard that elsewhere. i have a litespeed built up with 10 sp Dura Ace, and a Merckx with 8 sp Record ergo carbon. The best way I heard the difference between the two was that once installed new, the Shimano wears out while the Campy starts to wear in. My personal is that Campy will last forever (still running an early 80's super record on my olmo), and stay in better tune longer than my Shimano bits (provided cables are stretched, all else being equal, newtonian laws apply blah blah etc etc etc etc ). Between those two bikes, the Campy on the Eddy is still doing fine, and has been since '96 (changed chain, cassette and rings once, i forget how many 1000's of k's later). The dura ace gets the job done. well. But i dont see it lasting 10+ years. I did get a chance to demo the new electronic dura ace, and man is that ever sweet. I'd never buy it (i remember the mavic zap), but i cant recall riding a bike just staring at the front mech for so long. I'd love to have the discussion re: sram in a few years. As a mechanic when grip shift first came out and shimano started to 'push' cables back trather than rely on return spring, I hated them for a while too. Now, I get ostensibly aroused looking at the Force cassette..... mmmmmmmmmm...... machined titanium..... At then end of it, I just like watching shimano feel uncomfortable. I think the new SRAM XX full set will be deadly, and the truvativ (sram) internally geared crankset was nothing short of 'why the _____ didnt i think of that - YEARS AGO!!!' Love it. but this is from a guy who's stable is as big and varied as his quiver.... i know i got problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawndoggy Posted May 6, 2009 Report Share Posted May 6, 2009 friend had force right when it came out two years ago. He was (and still is) racing lots. Stuff blew up on him several times in the middle of long rides. Exploding rear deraileurs and shifters are no fun. For the money ultegra can't be beat IMHO. I'm on 10 speed dura ace. This will be the fourth season on it. Works great, but it's definitely sensitive to cable tension, which means changing cables and housing a bit more often than when I had 9 speed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Prokopiw Posted May 6, 2009 Report Share Posted May 6, 2009 I ride Shimano now as it's what comes on our Scott bikes but Campy Centaur is reasonably priced and on a par with new Ultegra.Complete Centaur bikes are fairly common.I was a dedicated Campy fan for years until the top end became stupidly expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kent Posted May 8, 2009 Report Share Posted May 8, 2009 Really depends upon the application...and usually most important, cost. SRAM Rival (by a long shot) is the best combination of performance/price/features on the market today. Of course, that is comparing the wholesale price as your LBS price may be different. If I were building a budget bike, it would be full Rival with a Force rear derailuer (but take into consideration some LBS don't mix and match groupo). SRAM went from 0% to 35% market share of OEM bike sales in a matter of 3 years. THREE YEARS. wow. Red isn't getting chopped apart (minus the front derailuer - as it's a bit flexy b/c its lighter). Shimano 7900 cranks haven't been living up to the ole 7800 vintage and the new Ergo of Campy has been met with some resistance to those who don't bleed italian. Do you go to 11? Innovation typically means there is product improvement and SRAM is the only company meeting that promise. (No, I don't work for SRAM) For TT/Tri, I'd stay with Shimano as the SRAM levers "suck" and the new ones cost an arm and a leg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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