Shimano V SRAM

[steveindenmark]

I have only ever had Shimano gears on my bikes.

For those who have had both, is there any difference between the two?

 

[Twizit]

Have Ultegra on my summer bike and have had 10 speed 105 previously. Both work extremely well, have never needed tweaking. Ultegra super smooth. 105 a little more clunky, but we're into nuances here.

Have got 1x11 SRAM Force on my CX / winter / commuter. Definitely more of a "clunk" when changing gears, but seems to work extremely well and despite reservations I've quickly got used to the double tap / single gear lever set up. Have no trouble switching between SRAM and Shimano. SRAM hoods a lot more comfortable than Shimano (this might be linked to hydraulic disc set up too - not sure), although my Shimano is 10 speed Ultegra 6700 so newer might have improved.

Overall then... Shimano more refined, but SRAM hoods more comfortable. Other than that I'm happy with either!

 

[vickster]

For me, hood shape (I cant comfortably brake from Shimano (at least the 4600 and 5700 variants) due to length of fingers and shape of hand) and the way the levers work

Depends which ranges you are comparing in terms of the real life differences

 

[Oldbloke]

Only had SRAM on one bike, Apex on a Boardman. Worked well enough but always felt a bit "workmanlike" and clunky.

Ultegra 6700 10 speed had very comfortable wide hoods; 6800 less so.

Ultegra Di2 on a Propel had (for me) very narrow and uncomfortable hoods.

Can't really comment on the technical working of either manufacture's offerings, I now use Ultegra 6800 which I can't fault.

 

[Hacienda71]

I have had both. Shimano at equivelant level is smoother when you change whereas Sram is a more positive almost a clunk rather than a seamless move. I quite like that in Sram. The transition between the different levers isn't a problem when you are used to riding both. I prefer the double tap of Sram rather than sweeping the whole lever across with Shimano, but only slightly.
Would love to try to the new Sram wireless which seems to be getting rave reviews.

 

[vickster]

Only had SRAM on one bike, Apex on a Boardman. Worked well enough but always felt a bit "workmanlike" and clunky.

Ultegra 6700 10 speed had very comfortable wide hoods; 6800 less so.

Ultegra Di2 on a Propel had (for me) very narrow and uncomfortable hoods.

Can't really comment on the technical working of either manufacture's offerings, I now use Ultegra 6800 which I can't fault.

Narrow hoods work much better for me. @steveindenmark needs to try to see what is preferred all other things being equal on the bikes

 

[Grant Fondo]

Non disc hoods are more comfortable for me. Got Shimano ST-RS685 on new bike, but previous Tiagra were more comfortable tbh

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I'd never used SRAM until just over 2 years ago. It only took me one hill to get used to the shifting. SRAM does seem ''clunkier'' but I'm comparing Shimano on a steel frame with SRAM on carbon, which has an altogether clunkier kind of sound (I think there's more air inside the fame than inside the narrower gauge steel and hence more reverberation). No problems with either.

 

[Grant Fondo]

Only had SRAM on Boardman MTB, gears great, bike cr*p...luckily it was C2W so made a few bob!

 

[steveindenmark]

Ive been looking at adventure bikes on the internet and it appears a lot of them are fitted with SRAM.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Ive been looking at adventure bikes on the internet and it appears a lot of them are fitted with SRAM.

1x11 drivetrains w/ hydro levers.t

 

[ianrauk]

@martint235 has used both

 

[jowwy]

I was always a shimano fan, up until i tried the new sram zero loss levers. Even though the are i little clunkier i do like the feel of the instant shift and less paddle movement of the sram double tap system.

But everyone is different

 

[NeilM]

I've got several bikes with Shimano, because they came that way new, and I use SRAM on almost all the bikes I build up.

I am not sure what people mean by clunkier, I have found shifting on my Force set ups to be fast and positive, further down the range things can get a bit more vague and a well worn set of Apex shifters I have seem to need to pull an awful lot of cable, regardless of how I set them up. Sram can also be a little more fussy to set up, needing very tiny adjustments of the rear mech to get shifts perfect, but, once set properly they very rarely need to be touched again.

I like Shimano too and certainly ranges like 105 can be a bit more slick to live with that the comparable range of SRAM.

I have never has a slightest issue moving between bikes, maybe the occasional nudge on a SRAM brake lever, but it is kind of like moving from an auto car to a manual, you just change technique with the bike.

My personal preference is SRAM, I just like the way it works.

 

[TheJDog]

Would love to try to the new Sram wireless which seems to be getting rave reviews.

I bleedin' love it. It's a faff making sure everything is charged, but it's great. I do find that I very occasionally change down on the front when I'm on my commuter when I mean to change down at the back, apart from that, no problem. The do both to change the front is easy to remember, and it's also easy to hold on to one of the levers after a front change to shift a few at the back. Installation was a doddle.