SRAM - A little bit crap

[fossyant]

Things wearing/not working well is down to maintenance. My SRAM X9 has been faultless in 4 years. Shifts started not to be perfect, which was resolved by new cables, perfect again - it's an MTB so runs in mud almost permanently. The only issues I've found are the commonly known ones. Jockey wheels need re-greasing regularly as does the GXP BB - fairly obvious when they are battered by mud fling constantly. The GXP BB has been upgraded to Parxis Works, but it did last nearly 4 years and just became rough.

 

[winjim]

I’ve never had an issue changing just one gear on apex or rival. Be more delicate!

With an 11sp cassette there's very little point in only changing one sprocket up or down at a time. That's why Campagnolo Ultrashift goes 3-up, 5-down. Of course if 5-down at once is a bit too much then you can go 2-down by simply going 3-up first.

 

[vickster]

With an 11sp cassette there's very little point in only changing one sprocket up or down at a time. That's why Campagnolo Ultrashift goes 3-up, 5-down. Of course if 5-down at once is a bit too much then you can go 2-down by simply going 3-up first.

My most ridden bikes are 10 speed

 

[Exlaser2]

This isn't helpful. Your and the bike's age are not a measure of durability. Mileage on the other hand, is.

Neither is your attitude. Are you rude to everyone who has a open mind about SRAM, or is it just me ? For the record. Of course it’s not as durable as the campag I have on my other road bikes or the 90s LX shimano I have on my mountain bike but it works perfectly well and is a lot cheaper . Parts are about a third the price of the campag and about two thirds the price of the shimano. So you pays your money and takes your choice, but neither choice is wrong or bad.

 

[Eziemnaik]

In my exp sram hrd brakes are just as powerful as shimanos, with much better modulation - it may seem like brakes are not biting as quickly as japanese but it is simply gentler curve

 

[rovers1875]

I have SRAM on my MTB 1x11 and SRAM rival on the road bike and I love them they are a bit clunky on changing gear they have alway been precise and have never needed adjustment. They just work.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Neither is your attitude. Are you rude to everyone who has a open mind about SRAM, or is it just me ? For the record. Of course it’s not as durable as the campag I have on my other road bikes or the 90s LX shimano I have on my mountain bike but it works perfectly well and is a lot cheaper . Parts are about a third the price of the campag and about two thirds the price of the shimano. So you pays your money and takes your choice, but neither choice is wrong or bad.

Have you actually looked at what I wrote? I didn't express an opinion on SRAM products. I said that quoting durability (or the lack thereof for that matter), in time rather than mileage doesn't contribute to the conversation. We see plenty of it around here - "my Aunt Edna hasn't had the same chain on her bicycle for 40 years" in each and every chain discussion. Mechanical items only see usage and are oblivious to time.

BTW, the quote above about Campag, Shimano and the 1990s, also proves nothing.

 

[Gunk]

If you go further up the range the quality is as good as anything else.

This is SRAM XO and it’s top quality, the shifters are stunning, much nicer than the XTR I replaced them with.

The SRAM TLM brakes IMO are far superior to anything Shimano produces. The old XTR brakes just grabbed too much, the TLM’s are super-smooth and progressive.

 

[jay clock]

Who cares what SRAM performs like? All that matters is that it's not farking Shi**no.

genuine question, what is wrong with Shimano?

 

[Exlaser2]

Have you actually looked at what I wrote? I didn't express an opinion on SRAM products. I said that quoting durability (or the lack thereof for that matter), in time rather than mileage doesn't contribute to the conversation. We see plenty of it around here - "my Aunt Edna hasn't had the same chain on her bicycle for 40 years" in each and every chain discussion. Mechanical items only see usage and are oblivious to time.

BTW, the quote above about Campag, Shimano and the 1990s, also proves nothing.

You really do have a very inflated view of your own opinion don’t you ? I am just giving my own view of the groups sets I own and have used in a real life situation. If you don’t agree with it that’s fine but I can do with out all the passive aggressive tosh .

 

[mickle]

Shi**no are well dodgy. Over the years they've done all sorts of unethical shenanigans. They are very aggressive in their domination of the cycle industry. They got their wrist slapped in the 90s when, in an attempt to destroy Gripshift they changed the spring rate on all their derailleurs. They were found guilty of breaking anti-competition rules and were fined. The compensation paid to Gripshift allowed them to rapidly expand at which point they rebranded as SRAM and the rest is history. A few years earlier they were busy trying to destroy Suntour. Suntour launched their Microdrive mountain bike drivetrains - to great acclaim - which reduced weight and improved ground clearance and shifting. The following year Shimano launched their Compact drive. Identical in every way, except that they reduced the BCD of the granny ring by TWO MILLIMETRES to avoid paying Suntour a licencing fee. Their insistence that bike manufacturers must fit complete groupsets (marketed as Shi**no Total Integration) which drove tons of little companies out of business. There's a ton of similar stories. I just think I'd rather support anyone else but.

 

[BurningLegs]

Thanks @mickle thats an interesting perspective. Based on what you’ve written there I’d be inclined to agree!

My own experience is of SRAM X5/X9 on MTB and Shimano Sora/Tiagra on road. No complaints on any of it functionally, it all just works. I’d say I do have a preference for the feel of the SRAM - I would understand if people described it as clunky but to me it feels direct and punchy

 

[Gunk]

Thanks @mickle thats an interesting perspective. Based on what you’ve written there I’d be inclined to agree!

My own experience is of SRAM X5/X9 on MTB and Shimano Sora/Tiagra on road. No complaints on any of it functionally, it all just works. I’d say I do have a preference for the feel of the SRAM - I would understand if people described it as clunky but to me it feels direct and punchy

Personally I think their strength is MTB groupsets, and my LBS (Specialized dealer) had the same view, the XO rear mech and replacement TLM brakes were both their recommendation, my MTB is almost now all Sram and is utterly reliable, but my road bike is 105 5800 which I do really rate.

My son has Shimano XT on his Giant MTB and it isn’t as good as the Sram XO, I’ve already swapped the Deore SLX brakes for SRAM TLM’s as they are just so much better.

 

[winjim]

Shi**no are well dodgy. Over the years they've done all sorts of unethical shenanigans. They are very aggressive in their domination of the cycle industry. They got their wrist slapped in the 90s when, in an attempt to destroy Gripshift they changed the spring rate on all their derailleurs. They were found guilty of breaking anti-competition rules and were fined. The compensation paid to Gripshift allowed them to rapidly expand at which point they rebranded as SRAM and the rest is history. A few years earlier they were busy trying to destroy Suntour. Suntour launched their Microdrive mountain bike drivetrains - to great acclaim - which reduced weight and improved ground clearance and shifting. The following year Shimano launched their Compact drive. Identical in every way, except that they reduced the BCD of the granny ring by TWO MILLIMETRES to avoid paying Suntour a licencing fee. Their insistence that bike manufacturers must fit complete groupsets (marketed as Shi**no Total Integration) which drove tons of little companies out of business. There's a ton of similar stories. I just think I'd rather support anyone else but.

It does surprise me, that there are only three major manufacturers of gearsets, with one achieving near total market dominance. It's not exactly rocket science*, it's just shoving a roller chain sideways off a sprocket.

But I guess then you get into subtle differences like indexing compatibility, and BCD. I wonder how things would be if it were a more regulated industry with defined standards. Even more reliant on marketing BS and who's got the best looking but ultimately pointless bit of carbon fibre in their parallelogram I suppose.



*Rocket science being just ejecting mass out the back of things.

 

[jay clock]

Shi**no are well dodgy. Over the years they've done all sorts of unethical shenanigans. They are very aggressive in their domination of the cycle industry. They got their wrist slapped in the 90s when, in an attempt to destroy Gripshift they changed the spring rate on all their derailleurs. They were found guilty of breaking anti-competition rules and were fined. The compensation paid to Gripshift allowed them to rapidly expand at which point they rebranded as SRAM and the rest is history. A few years earlier they were busy trying to destroy Suntour. Suntour launched their Microdrive mountain bike drivetrains - to great acclaim - which reduced weight and improved ground clearance and shifting. The following year Shimano launched their Compact drive. Identical in every way, except that they reduced the BCD of the granny ring by TWO MILLIMETRES to avoid paying Suntour a licencing fee. Their insistence that bike manufacturers must fit complete groupsets (marketed as Shi**no Total Integration) which drove tons of little companies out of business. There's a ton of similar stories. I just think I'd rather support anyone else but.

Thanks, and fascinating. I thought your reply might have been some spurious reason as to why they were technically crap, but not all. Thanks for explaining your view. If you have the inclination you should update their Wiki page (with references) as it currently is fairly bland