I do get why the pro teams are not riding SRAM this year "At least I have theories on it" but looking at major manufacturers like giant and specialized it seems that the only group being adopted is the RED 22 in their most expensive models.
Not long ago most of their models had 105, Rival, ultegra, Force, DA and Red counterparts. Does anyone knows if there is any reason why manufacturers would stay away from SRAM entry/mid point groupsets?

Motivation for the thread:
I've a GXP power meter and I'm considering either Rival 22 or Force for my groupset but the paranoia in me keeps asking myself if is there something wrong?

My thinking is that Shimano is pricing their gruppo's so cheap that its just too good to pass up. They offer Red because cyclists that know how good it is demand it.

I've only hear good reviews of Force 22, which is basically Red 22 with cheaper/heavier material.

Indeed the SRAM are more expensive to final customers, ~10% ballpark, but I assume manufacturers like giant have enough buying power to get the prices down, unless the cost of manufacturing of the SRAM is that much higher then Shimano that they can't price match even for big manufacturers.

I'm honestly leaning more towards Rival 22. From what I have been reading on the technologies, buzz-words, have been trickled down all the way to Rival and the only difference is weight "due to different materials"
I figured out Rival will last me a few years until the eletronic shifters become the standard and more accessible.

I had as 2012 Madone with Rival (10 speed) and replaced it with a Emonda with Red 22. I can tell you there's a HUGE difference.

Yes the 10 speed/11 speed are very different and even earlier 2011 speeds for that matter, but speaking for 2015 groupsets, they have trickled down all the RED technologies, including ergonomics, to the other two models: Yaw, DoubleTap, ZeroLoss and all the other extra buzzwords.

In terms of pros riding SRAM, you don't see it much in the peloton anymore because SRAM dropped sponsoring most pro teams. In 2015, SRAM only sponsored one World Tour team, AG2R. I don't think a lot of teams were happy riding SRAM, you were even seeing teams sponsored by SRAM dropping their groupsets and buying Shimano groupsets out of pocket. Their reputation in the pro peloton isn't that great, due to some very untimely chain drops.

Haven't used the 11 speed Sram stuff, but for me the thing was having "Zero Loss" on the right (back) back shifter. Red 10 speed had this and until somewhere in 2012/13 Force did not. I have Force and Red that have it and there is no difference in how they shift. Before that change the Force rear shifter was harder to use and mushy.

What ever "zero loss" is, it is good. If the Rival does not have that, I would pass.

I just started using Force 22 on one of my bikes. I'm still getting used to it, but so far so good.

Any pro peloton comments on this?

My theory is that red etap is/was not ready yet so they really couldn't compete with DA Di2. I assume they will be back in the mix in 2016 if eTap comes out in time.

Do you have problems up shifting when you actually wanted to downshift or vice versa?

When SRAM released their road components, they started paying teams to use it. When the stopped handing out checks, most teams went back to using Campy and Shimano because it works better.

SRAM sucks, but some teams will use it if they need the support($$$). I can't believe that some people actually buy that crap anymore.

A few times. The shifters work properly. It was just me getting used to the different system. I don't shift very often anyway.

The question of why pro teams don't use SRAM has been answered, however having just built my first bike with SRAM (2012 rival shifters, 2012 force RD, yaw 22 FD) I must say that I am damn impressed. Better ergos, better shifting, full range of gears and NO noise--I love it. Shimano 6700 has quieter shifts, but otherwise suffers by comparison in almost every way.

All sponsors pay for the teams to use their products, if they were not paid sponsors each rider would ride whatever combination of frame/wheelset/group he liked the most. You are dead wrong if you think Shimano doesn't pay them.

And I guess I'm somehow stuck with SRAM. My power meter is GXP based. so even if I go shimano, the crankset will be SRAM and that is where the dropped chain rumors come from.

This is experience switching from Shimano 10 speed as well.. with the "zero loss" caveat mentioned above.

There are lots of opinions about which is better on the internet, most of them based on a preference formed without experience. Best to try for yourself and form your own conclusions.

I personally wouldn't build a bike around a power meter. But you obviously had sram in the past and liked it? It's apples and oranges. I tried sram on one bike. It was only apex but I hated it. I could never get the front derailleur to shift consistently, it always took two or three throws of the lever to shift and yes I dropped the chain too many times. I have had several models and generation of Shimano that have all just worked. The current Shimano 11 speed groups got everything right in my opinion..but it's just opinions

No, never had a bike with SRAM, just the crankset was the Rival GXP one, shifters, cassette and derailleurs were 105.
Now I'm building a bike, so I've the option to choose between SRAM and Shimano, I've heard very good things about the YAW FD that made me curious about it.

Lol seriously? Everyone has their own opinion so here is mine. I used Force for the past 5 years and according to Strava data it has 39K miles on it and aside from the usual preventive maintenance (cassette, chain, cables etc) I've only had to replace the RD at 30K miles and the chainrings at 32K. So yeah, my opinion is that it's rock solid dependable and it'll go on my next bike.

sounds like crap to me.

30k miles and the dérailleur needed replacement? That is far too soon.

SRAM blows.

Wrong.

Whatever.

Shimano is mushy ****. I don't care. If that's what you like then use it. Replacing a $100 part at 30k miles makes the group bad? Uh, ok. I get it, you hate SRAM.

SRAM Sucks. There's no 2 ways about it. Sorry if you got suckered into buying it.

sounds like every tiered products line-up ever

OK I'll jump in. This is my limited experience with SRAM and Shimano. My Masi Gran Criterium (AL w/CF fork and rear) is 10 yr. old Dura Ace w/Ultegra crankset. My Guru (steel) is SRAM Red w/Force shifters. The Masi is about 12 yr. old and the Guru about 3 yr. old. I have no real preference for either but they are different. The SRAM engagement is more pronounced. The Shimano seems more fluid...slicker. Either is fine with me. Just different. Have not had reliability problems with either. Thankfully neither of them "suck."