Off topic, but does anyone have experience with Rival 10spd? Came across this mint '07 Roubaix. It has a Chris King wheelset and the seller is asking less than what the wheelset would cost brand new. I have no experience with SRAM.

No offense but hijacking a thread is both rude and usually not helpful to answering your own question. It is much better to start your own thread regarding your specific topic. That way when folks see it displayed in the topic list, they will help out if they can. You won't have to depend upon someone stumbling across your question when reading another topic and just fortuitously being able and willing to help you out.

In this case I can tell you that the Rival 10-speed you show in the photo is their older stuff before it switched to carbon. I have early carbon Rival and if works absolutely great. Better even than older Red. Really good stuff. Different in feel than 105, but every bit as good.

There was no need for your snobbish lecture, but thanks. I think.

I like Red and Rival 10 as well as I have ever liked anything from Shimano, and I have had it all, even Sante. If you never heard of that, don't worry, you are just too young. I like the shifting feel better than Shimano and the ergonomics. And I really like the double tap system far better than two moving levers. Never had a reliability issue with either.

I will never go back to a Shimano mechanical group. My 2012 Force 2 X 10 has been more reliable and easier to keep in tune than my Ultegra group was, and Doubletap shifters are so much better IMO. Firm brake levers, not the mushy side-to side floppiness of Shimano.

Regarding the pro peloton, aren't 99% on electronic groupsets nowadays? Kind of eliminates SRAM rom the running, at least until this year when SRAM got the wireless groupset up. Will be interesting see the next evolution of eectronics, do you think everyone will go wireless?

All component makers have products that will shift the chain to a different gear ratio, without any major issues. I prefer the action and ergonomics of my SRAM Force22 gruppo because I can be sloppier with my shifting technique. First, I prefer a mechanical groupset. Second, I can't stand pushing a brake lever to shift (I rode with 6600 for 6 years). To each their own, though.

I'm coming from 105 5700 to force 22. I personally liked the 105s better.

The Force 22 set seems "clanky" when shifting and I'm still getting used to double tap. There was no learning curve when I first started riding 105s (leisure cyclist on a mtb beforehand) but there seems to me to be a huge learning curve with double tap. Up shifting works beautifully I will admit but down shifting I struggle with a lot. I miss gears, sometimes it up shifts when I want it to down shift, because I didn't swing the lever far enough, etc.

I don't really have an issue with the front derailleur like someone else mentioned, actually downshifting works probably better than it did on my 105 set.

Again, most of this might be learning curve but it's been about 500 miles in the past month and find it frustrating. I do like the way the cranksset looks though, aesthetically speaking.

there is nothing snobbish about his lecture.

I've been using Sram for years and I still miss downshifts, it's just kind of the nature of the group. You'll get better at it though.

That's what I'm worried about It's probably not fun to upshift when going up a hill when you you actually needed to downshift.

Nope it's not fun at all, bet here's the thing about that. Going uphill it's safe to say that you're putting some watts down. This increased tension on the drivetrain means you really shouldn't be changing gears "hard" or "fast". Ideally you want massage the chain up to next gear so you'll be throwing the shift lever much slower and methodically. I almost never miss a shift while climbing, only when I'm tired and/or being lazy about it on a fast group ride.

edit: Your GXP power meter shouldn't and doesn't mean a thing for what your group should be. Your crank will work just fine with any group so don't let that sway your choice unless you're one of those "it all has to match" types.

Since when have I ever let need drive what I post? It is all about want.

SRAM RD is definitely not very good for cycloscross; the last thing you want when you want to downshift to get up that big hump is for it to upshift which is what SRAM rear shift will do when it runs of gears.

Ive never understood the argument about the brake lever. I have never had my Shimano lever move to the side unless I made a an effort to shift. I have never once tried to brake and accidentally shift.

That is correct, I currently run a 105 5600 with the a Rival 50/34 crankset. But I'm building a new bike, I've the frame and BB/Crankset defined because of the PM. Now I need the rest of the components and there is no reason not to take SRAM into consideration. I think my only concern is getting the up/down shift wrong. On the shimano side, I honestly find it clunky to downshift from the drops.

never happened to me either, but It did happen to me to accidentally brake while trying to downshift from the drops.

Yeah, that doesn't sound fun.

It's probably a case of people repeating a complaint, that someone wrote about the possibility that it could happen.

I have Force on one bike (CX)

& Red on another.

If anything, the Force shifts better.

Excellent choice, IMO.


Regarding SRAM vs Shimano,

Missed shifts about the same amount as braking-while-shifting,

& I don't miss the long throw/ wrist twist.

I always love the "my opinion is fact" arguments.

If you saw the amount of failed SRAM road components and Avid disc brakes that I have, you would realize that it's a fact(not an opinion).

The funny thing about anecdotes is that they're easily refuted by an anecdote of the opposite experience. Empirical data FTW!

You'll be hard pressed to find a mechanic that won't tell you about the higher failure rate of SRAM components. Luckily SRAM has great customer service, and they usually replace failed components(even beyond their warranty period). Ask around at a few shops, and be sure to speak to mechanics with several years of experience.

You've been consistent about your feelings re: SRAM stuff for a long time, and I respect that. I know you come by that position honestly. You see a lot of failed stuff. I think that it is understandable, however, that they don't look so bad from the user's viewpoint. IOW the failure statistics don't matter a whole lot to me as long as my experience is positive. And a lot of folks will say that it has been positive. In truth I have had to replace a Red right brifter that I broke some of the plastic internal on. Really can't say where the blame lay, but as I got a good deal on the replacement and did the work myself, it was all part of the hobby aspect of cycling. So I can't say SRAM has been flawless for me, but it does continue to be my preferred shifting system. I just like it better.

Unless Sram changed it for their 1x11 group that statement isn't true. On a properly adjusted rd when you are on the tallest gear and you try to downshift to a taller one the shifter will just click through and not shift. Your cable is too tight.