Mountain Biking - SRAM or SHIMANO

which one do you like/ride.

i noticed that specialized bikes are with sram now.

I vote rohloff.

Whatevers on sale but reliable. As long as it works good, and its somewhat cheap, I dont care what goes on my bike as far as driveterrain. But, if i could choose without money being an issue, Id choose Shimano probaly.

I have a Deore/LX mix on my current bike. I might give SRAM a shot next time around to see if I like it better.

Shimano, because SRAM doesn't offer low normal derailleurs.

If SRAM wins the popular vote can Shimano still be named victorious due to an archaic voting system? :D

I voted SRAM because I am really happy with my recent X.9 upgrade but I don't have a problem with any of the Shimano stuff on the bike or the other two bikes. If there was an option for either, I would have picked that.

sram for sure. i had shimano and switched, ill never go back

It's interesting... SRAM users are mostly the ones who switched from Shimano for some reason, including myself. But I don't know anyone who used SRAM first, and then switched to Shimano. Anybody?

Shimano, because SRAM doesn't offer low normal derailleurs.
Thank [insert religious deity of choice here] !
The only thing that should be "Rapid Rise" is yeast.

I like my pre Rapid Rise LX and XT drivetrains, but I'll be going to SRAM for the next build

Thank [insert religious deity of choice here] !
The only thing that should be "Rapid Rise" is yeast.

I like my pre Rapid Rise LX and XT drivetrains, but I'll be going to SRAM for the next build

:D :D :D

I found it hard to vote on this one fellas. I have SRAM Attack 8's on the very retro MTB and they are something else compared to Shimano's offerings of late which are double the price or more.

However, I don't like the way SRAM mechs are nearly all plastic, sorry, "Composite", when I can have a shiny XT one which is clearly stronger and looks nicer for roughly the same price.

Swings and roundabouts, hence I've got a mixture of the two.

:However, I don't like the way SRAM mechs are nearly all plastic, sorry, "Composite",
One piece doesn't make it "all plastic" mate even if the X.0 uses a carbon pulley cage on it's short and medium models
http://www.sram.com/_media/images/common/sram/mountain/components/x9/img_x9rearder.jpg

One piece doesn't make it "all plastic" mate even if the X.0 uses a carbon pulley cage on it's short and medium models
http://www.sram.com/_media/images/common/sram/mountain/components/x9/img_x9rearder.jpg

True. I wasn't referring to the latest ones to be fair, though. I don't have a problem with it per se, I just prefer the XT one. Sorry for offending anyone though :o

I'n my less than humble opinion, current Shimano is just shyte. Their new LX-XTR stuff is fugly, and doesn't work as well as SRAM gear. Their low end stuff is huge, bulky, and cheap looking. SRAM seems to improve their products to make them better. Shimano just makes it different each year so that the same fools get sucked into "Upgrading". If Shimano still made their older XT 8 speed stuff, there would be no contest.

I have seen the future, and it's not RR, it's 1:1.

True. I wasn't referring to the latest ones to be fair, though. I don't have a problem with it per se, I just prefer the XT one. Sorry for offending anyone though :o
No harm no foul. I'm all about the facts, and just wanted the correct info out there. :beer:

If Shimano still made their older XT 8 speed stuff, there would be no contest.

I have seen the future, and it's not RR, it's 1:1.
I don't know I think my last gen M570 and M750 parts are rather nice looking ;)

I don't know I think my last gen M570 and M750 parts are rather nice looking ;)

The M750's are ok, but 8 speed performance is still better than 9. The only chain I ever broke was a 9 speed one. The M760/765 are revolting.

The M750's are ok, but 8 speed performance is still better than 9. The only chain I ever broke was a 9 speed one.
I disagree. Also the only chain I ever broke was an 8 speed Shimano. 9 speed SRAM chains have never been an issue

Let me clarify. The only chain I ever broke was a SRAM 9 speed.

i'll have sram x.7 on my bike if i ever get it put together again.

My vote goes to SRAM. Unless one day Shimano decides to go to 1:1 ratio SRAM will be my only choice as far as shifters and rear derailleurs go. I am still using Shimano front derailleurs and cassettes though, hopefully SRAM will eventually put out some light weight cassettes and front derailleurs so I will be able to go completely shimano free. :)

what's this rapid rise and 1:1 thing?

Rapid Rise is Shimano's latest effort to get everyone to replace their drivetrain with something they haven't needed for the last 100 years or so.

1:1 is the cable actuation of SRAM's better equipment. Your MTB will shift smoother between service intervals, and under poor conditions, far better than Shimano.

1:1 thing. SRAM uses 1:1 cable pull, Shimano uses 1:2 cable pull. This basicly means that SRAM needs the cable to be pulled twice as far to shift the gears, however this is not noticed when shifting. It also means that the cable has to be out of adjustment twice as much to start getting ghost shifting and other bad shifts. This means that you can go much longer between tune ups and enjoy many more hours of problem free shifting by using SRAM. It really is a great thing to be able to ride for months without having a mis-shift or a ghost shift.

It's hard to believe that I was actually hesitant to switch over to SRAM. I just didn't see the reason to make the switch. I had grown accustomed to the problems I had been having with Shimano for years and just learned to live with them. When I built up my Truth I decided to go ahead and give SRAM a shot. Once I made the change I couldn't believe the difference. I built up my Enlightenment a couple of months later and I never even gave it a second thought, I immediately ordered SRAM for that bike too. It would have been much easier to just use the Shimano drivetrain I have setting on my shelf but I would honestly rather pay for SRAM then use Shimano for free.

Rapid Rise is Shimano's latest effort to get everyone to replace their drivetrain with something they haven't needed for the last 100 years or so.

1:1 is the cable actuation of SRAM's better equipment. Your MTB will shift smoother between service intervals, and under poor conditions, far better than Shimano.

ok that explained nothing.

Option 3, non of the above.

ok that explained nothing.

Perhaps this will help:

Rapid Rise is Shimano's term for a low normal derailleur. This means that the spring is the opposite of the derailleurs you're probably accustomed to, which pull the derailleur toward the smallest cog (highest gear) when cable tension is released. A RR derailleur pulls toward the spokes at rest (lowest gear normal is how I remember it). This means the triggers are also reversed, and pushing with your thumb takes you down the cassette into a higher gear. Pull with the index finger and the chain moves up the cogs into a lower gear. Less effort is required at the shifter with RR.

I have ridden them both and from my experience, RR allows smoother shifting under pedal loads. Also from my experience, the people who don't like RR are either 1) bike mechanics who get frustrated when they can't use their normal routine for adjusting derailleurs or 2) stubborn people who are too inflexible to relearn their shifting process.

Hope this helps.

so the action is like the front and rear shifters switched?

[snip] Also from my experience, the people who don't like RR are either 1) bike mechanics who get frustrated when they can't use their normal routine for adjusting derailleurs or 2) stubborn people who are too inflexible to relearn their shifting process.

Hope this helps.

Or 3) People that have tried SRAM, and realized that their triggers are easier to setup, use and maintain. There was a short adjustment period to get used to them, but I prefer them to the XT 9 speed on my Cannondale, and they perform at least as well, if not better, than the XT shifters/XTR derailleur setup they replaced on our tandem.

RR is probably fine if you've only got one bike. But when 4 of my 6 bike have derailleurs, it doesn't make sense to change them over to technology I don't need. And as I stated before, I don't see Shimano being as progressive as SRAM. The new X.0 stuff looks like it was designed by a cycling engineer, not a fishing reel engineer.

so the action is like the front and rear shifters switched?

exactly.

As far as I know, Saint is only available in RR configuration, and there is a RR option on both XT and XTR.

edit: and expatriate, of my two main bikes, one has RR and one has the old fashioned style. No big deal - If I do forget, I usually get it sorted out within a few hundred feet from my house. When the old fashioned one dies, it will be replaced with RR.

so the action is like the front and rear shifters switched?

No, you use your thumb to shift into a harder gear, and your forefinger to shift into an easier gear. It's supposed to take less effort, and be smoother under load. Also lightens your wallet.

Also lightens your wallet.

As do tandems, lol.

As do tandems, lol.

I misread the front/rear thing. I thought he meant the shifters, not the levers on the shifters. Custom titanium MTB tandems tend to lighten the wallet quite a bit. But when we built it, we were importing a lot of gear, so all it really did was cut into my margins. And I saved a lot on shipping by having the wheels and fork built in the states, and flying the family over there for a holiday to pick them and some other parts up. Like that logic? $20k for a holiday, but we probably saved $500 on shipping costs. :D

As do the 2006 specialized's.

I prefer sram. I don't like RR. I notice a big difference with 1:1. I am staying out of the debate :)

which one do you like/ride.

i noticed that specialized bikes are with sram now.

It's ALL about $$$$, trust me.
Been there, Done that....

Both are good, go for the sale price....

*TIME OUT*

oh, i am not planing on switching to sram. i just wanted to see the results i would get from a post like this. :)
and mybe learn some stuff about them, if i ever wanted to switch.

*OK CONTINUE*

I am staying out of the debate :)

Seems like the best thing to do.

What I would like to know is how many of the people that say either Shimano or SRAM is better have actually used both SRAM and Shimano for long enough (at least a couple of months) to have actually formed a fair opinion? It seems like most of the time when people say that one is better than the other it is because that is just what they have used, they haven't given the other options a fair chance.

Personally I used Shimano for years, I have only been using SRAM for about six months now. To me that is definately long enough to form an opinion.

Like that logic? $20k for a holiday, but we probably saved $500 on shipping costs.

Sounds reasonable to me, but then again, I can justify just about anything...




As do the 2006 specialized's.

...except for that, unfortunately. A demo 8 would fit nicely in my stable.




I am staying out of the debate

Yeah, we've covered it before, haven't we? I will break protocol and give you a smilie: :D


And for the record, I have never hated on SRAM, I'm sure it's fine stuff for beginners.










just kidding, heh heh.

And for the record, I have never hated on SRAM, I'm sure it's fine stuff for beginners.










just kidding, heh heh.

I remember. And hence why I put preference. I know people who don't even notice rr for example. Just depends on the rider. :)

Okay, let's debate something really important, like Ford vs. Chevy.

Nissan #1

TOYOTA!!! yah!

Toyota......definately Toyota!!! :D

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b148/LowCel/NewTaco.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b148/LowCel/000_3157.jpg

Yeah Right....

http://img422.imageshack.us/img422/8079/xterra0038ww.jpg

killer b has got you beat lowcel

that xterra is looking good.

killer b has got you beat lowcel

that xterra is looking good.


LOL, personal preference, just like the whole SRAM, Shimano thing. For me the Xterra would be useless, for him it is obviously perfect. It does look nice though.

Gastro - Beautiful.......not much more I can say.

ThankX,

I've added a grille guard since that pic was taken....

LOL, personal preference, just like the whole SRAM, Shimano thing. For me the Xterra would be useless, for him it is obviously perfect.

you are 100% right

Screw toyota and nissan.

Go International

http://www.internationaldelivers.com/assets/severe/CXT-2.gif

http://www.internationaldelivers.com/assets/xtfamily/img_truck_mxt.jpg

http://www.internationaldelivers.com/assets/xtfamily/img_truck_rxt.jpg

datson *****!