ahibbs7

First Post Here...

Started cycling a few months ago and have become addicted. I have Shimano Sora groupset and would eventually like to upgrade. Can someone give me a quick crash course in Shimano and SRAM groupsets? Maybe list "worst" to "best". Also, knowing all parts are important, what is the MOST important piece to the groupset if they are mixed and matched?

Thanks for the help in advance...

FullGas

this explains most of the differences for the upper-tier Shimano stuff...

Choosing a Shimano road groupset. Dura Ace, Ultegra or 105?

don't have, and will never likely develop, any knowledge of SRAM prod.

rpenmanparker 

Also Tiagra is slotted in just below 105. It comes in 10-speed only, but it does have aero routing of the brake and shifter cables along the handlebar like the higher groups.

SRAM decreases in features and price in the order Red e-tap (wireless electronic shifting) 22, Red mechanical 22, Force 22, Rival 22, Apex. Roughly equivalent to Dura-Ace down to Tiagra.

thin_concrete

Go Campy and be happy!

Full disclosure - I have one Super Record bike and one Ultegra 6800 bike - love both and the 6800 is my main bike. But riding my Campy bike occasionally is a different experience in all the good senses.

fietsbob

Adequate is the word .. Price point cost is the difference as you spend more you get more expensive components in the Group .

Campagnolo also has several groups at various price points ..

They have a Factory in Romania to lower production costs for the cost conscious Shopper.

scuzzo

go dura ace 10sp used.. .. its cheap built super well and it has those wonderful perches... that why i went away from campy the hood are just so dinky.. i like the dura ace hoods.. sti.. i will stay away from 11sp for as long as posible... there is no real benefit to it.. its thiner.. wears out quicker..

dksix

Isn't the shifting limited because of the release levers that protrude from the sides of the hoods? How do you reach that when in the drops and do you ever trip it inadvertently where it's placed? I've considered trying an Athena 11 speed but fear I'll hate that feature.

redfooj

campagnolo super record > record > chorus > athena > veloce > sram etap > dura ace > ultegra > 105

something like that i believe

redfooj

from hoods, i prefer it to shimano.
from drops, i prefer shimano. but i rarely ride drops now on current bikes.

err never

thin_concrete

It's just a thumb lever to switch, and if you're on the hoods or in the drops, it does take a conscious effort to hit it. No doubt there's a learning curve (and I'm trying to learn SRAM now), but I don't think it's that steep with the Campy, but it's a completely different feel.

dim

read this ...

Art's Cyclery Blog » Shimano Road Components ? Where to Spend Your Money

GlennR

You forgot EPS.

ahibbs7

dim

Thanks for the help. Article was exactly what i was looking for...

dksix

I don't like the brake lever being a shift lever and with that I looked for something different than Shimano. I didn't think I'd like the SRAM double tap and since I have an Italian frameset that originally came with Campy that would be the way to go but thought the side lever was a bit cheesy. Incidentally I ended up with a set of cheap MicroSHIFT STI's and love the mechanism but hate the side exiting cable and lack of refinement. Unfortunately the latest MicroSHIFT with rear exiting cables have the Campy type side lever.

thin_concrete

I'm not entirely sure what you tested, but on my SR bike, there's an inner lever that switches gears and the thumb lever that changes gears the other way. On the other hand, my Ultegra bike has the inner lever, same as the Campy, but to cog up, you have to use both the inner lever and the brake lever. I guess I'm not sure what you're saying.

How does the MicroShift thing work?

Doug28450

Good grief. Another groupset

Guy asks a simple question and some have to start throwing firebombs.

ltxi

Brakes. Followed by front der. Imo, anyway.

dksix

It's placement that's different. MicroSHIFT has a dedicated brake level that doesn't move sideways, a lever to pull the cable and a short lever that releases the cable. This auction has several pictures. In some you can see the short lever just above the long lever, pushing either shifts but it's with the same basic movement. I like these, the action required isn't hard and they work great.
New Microshift R10 3X10SP Road Racing Shift Levers Set 430G Shimano Compatible | eBay

dksix

I like my Ultegra brakes, even on my CF wheels I never worry about stopping power.

Chris0516

I went from a Shimano Claris 3x8 groupset that I had been using for ten years. To the Shimano Tiagra(4700) 2x10 groupset. I only lost four gears in the change. But better components. I have also upgraded on the tires. I no longer use simple road racing tires. I use only Continental Gatorskin tires. Simple road racing tires blow too easy.

FullGas

^this.

just picked up a up a low-mileage 7800 DA group for $500. it's very, very nice. silky smooth shifting / braking.

no interest in 11-speed.

Camilo

You have the information you asked for, but just buy whatever group is in your price range that fits your hands the best. They all shift and break well, even the cheapest (in my experience - having used both Sora and Apex)

rms13

I've only had Campy for about a week but so far it hasn't been an issue. Because of the shape of the levers and position of the thumb button I have not problems reaching it with my fingers when I'm in the drops. It's also nice to be able to hold the paddle when in the drops but you can also do that with SRAM and have easy access to up and down shifts. With that said, having now ridden all three I still like the overall feel and performance of Shimano shifting

caloso

Ultegra is the minimum spec for racing? I know lots of guys racing on 105, Force, and Centaur. Not to mention mixed and matched parts.

dksix

I pieced together my 5700 group just finding deals on eBay. While I was watching for parts the MicroSHIFT shifters I'm using came up on auction that I won for ~$30 shipped. With 5700/6700 shifters selling in the $125-$175 per set I thought these were worth a try because of the different actuation and ended up really liking them, except for the side exiting cables. Compared to the only other STI's I've used (Claris 8 speed) these are far more sturdy and even smoother requiring less effort to make shifts but nothing what I expect from the newer and higher level STI's such a 5700 or better.

I mean to upgrade and use my current 10 speed group on a resto I want to build but I'm very indecisive when it comes to spending significant amounts of money. 5800 is a great value, 6800 is better but is it worth the extra cost for me and I'd really like to go electronic but when I start thinking about the cost of that group I'm deep into the cost of a 4.5 Domane which I think would be the perfect bike for me. And then it comes back to I'm really liking the bike I just built and I don't want to spend $2500. Being trapped in an analytical creates some vicious cycles, lol.