http://i16.ebayimg.com/04/i/000/ca/e2/8481_1.JPG

Still need to score an RD before I can swap out my old Ultegra parts.

Ow, very naice!

I've been tempted to put rival shifters/RD on my current 105/dura ace setup, but the shifters are so expensive :eek:

eBay is your friend.

We're going to have very similar looking builds when it's said and done. I'm spec'ing rival, minus the rival crank replaced with ultegra sl, on my raw alu caad 9 frame. Should be done by end of Jan. Pics to follow, of course.

Congrats! You're gonna like it (promise!).

Congrats! You're gonna like it (promise!).

ditto. i put rival on my caad9 from the start and don't regret it at all.

ooh. eBay competition for Force gear

so all you need to make the leap from shimano to sram is shifters and derailers?

Yup. Actually just the rear derailler. (Edit: and the shifters, of course, my point is you don't have to change the FD).

GVHbikes has great prices on SRAM stuff.

GVHbikes has great prices on SRAM stuff.

Wheels too - just placed an order this morning - almost seems too good to be true... I'm keen for them to get here.

Wheels too - just placed an order this morning - almost seems too good to be true... I'm keen for them to get here.

Tell me how it goes.... If it's good I'm placing a large-ish order with them in early January.

UT Dude: I order from Tom from time to time. The stuff always comes quick and he is nice to chat with on the phone.

Congrats! You're gonna like it (promise!).

ditto. i put rival on my caad9 from the start and don't regret it at all.

Is it primarily the shifters you guys are happy with? What about the other SRAM components?

I was thinking of keeping a set of Chorus shifters I have and going SRAM (w/ a JTEK Shiftmate) on everything else.

If it's not Red you're Dead.

If it's not Red you're Dead.

Better dead than Red.

There's reds under the bed!

(but I'd prefer them under the tree)

:(

hey Red, get out of my thread.

UT Dude: I order from Tom from time to time. The stuff always comes quick and he is nice to chat with on the phone.

Sweet! I'm buying the naked Bottecchia (sp?) frame from the group buy, since I've wanted a backup bike forever. Thus, the "old" Force/Rival combo is going on that, and I'm going to order some SRAM Red shifters/Force everything else for the CR1 :rolleyes:.

In response to above: The Shiftmate absolutely sucks with the SRAM stuff. Either go all the way (with at least shifters and rear D), or don't bother. The shifters are (IMO) the best part. Better ergonomics, and snappier shifting, plus Double Tap is just amazing. The rear derailleur is super solid, and easier to keep in tune than my Ultegra stuff was. The whole thing's more forgiving with maintenance and tuning than Shimano was, really. The brakes are also surprisingly impressive. Enough so as to where that's all I have on my bikes now. I've also used their TT group on my TT bike, which is actually one of my favorite parts of the SRAM group. The TT shifters are light years ahead of anything Shimano or Campy has put out, and the brake levers have a really solid, nice feel, while staying small.

Yesterday I built up a brand new Giant TCR Composite with a brand new Sram Force group for a friend. Nice stuff! I really liked the way the cables routed for a very clean look. Too bad that he is recovering from surgery (collarbone shattered) and can't ride for a couple of weeks.

Is it primarily the shifters you guys are happy with? What about the other SRAM components?

I was thinking of keeping a set of Chorus shifters I have and going SRAM (w/ a JTEK Shiftmate) on everything else.

bad bad idea... everything i've read about the shiftmate says it's crappy. plus i don't really see the point since you'd still be shifting with the ergo-levers and double-tap is really what "makes" rival/force/red. only reason you'd want to even try a shiftmate is if you wanted to use sram shifters but keep your campy rd.

as far as other components: the brakes are stellar and the fd is a fd. can't comment personally on the cranksets, but rival and force use the gxp bb, which is notoriously crappy.

bad bad idea... everything i've read about the shiftmate says it's crappy. plus i don't really see the point since you'd still be shifting with the ergo-levers and double-tap is really what "makes" rival/force/red. only reason you'd want to even try a shiftmate is if you wanted to use sram shifters but keep your campy rd.

as far as other components: the brakes are stellar and the fd is a fd. can't comment personally on the cranksets, but rival and force use the gxp bb, which is notoriously crappy.

Hhhmmm... most things I've read about the Shiftmate have been positive, but I think those were comments on Campy/Shimano mixes. Thanks for the input -- I'll probably stick w/ all Campy on my current build as I've already got a set of paid for Chorus shifters. Maybe in the meantime I'll find a SRAM equipped demo bike.