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SRAM vs Shimano

4K views 30 replies 20 participants last post by  dcp_nz 
#1 ·
This subject has probably been beat to death already but my $.02...

I've lusted over XT/XTR since their inception. I had 7sp XT thumbies, I still have a set of XTR cranks on my Kona (circa '98 for the cranks). Slowly over the last 5 years, all my new stuff has been SRAM, X9 to be specific.

After a season on X9, I rode an XT/XTR spec'd Kona HeiHei this past weekend.

I will never, ever go back to Shimano. Ever. The bike's spec is full XT/XTR with the exception of FSA hubs. The "new" XT hydro's didn't hold a candle to my Avid BB7's. That's right, my sh!tty mechanicals blew the doors off XT hydros. The rear der and chain combination reminded me of why I don't ride Sh!tmano any more: the drag and grind of the drive train. SRAM doesn't have this feature. I thought Sh!tmano had progressed passed this, I guess not. The shifting was slow. S L O W. The shifters were a poor, chinese-knock-off attempt of SRAM X7's. There are three ways to shift with the "new" XT, thumb, thumb or index finger. All three of these have a different pressure point required to move the lever.

Anyway, opinions are like ...... and this is one guy's experience, all the same, you've been warned.
 
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#3 ·
The bike was delivered to the LBS by the Kona rep in hopes of getting more 29'r sales. Was it set up correctly? I would tend to believe so but in the end, who knows. You are right this is just my opinion based on one ride last Saturday.

So....what's been your experience with both brands?

I don't mean to flame Shimano here, just disappointed more than anything.
 
#4 ·
bingemtbr said:
The bike was delivered to the LBS by the Kona rep in hopes of getting more 29'r sales. Was it set up correctly? I would tend to believe so but in the end, who knows. You are right this is just my opinion based on one ride last Saturday.

So....what's been your experience with both brands?

I don't mean to flame Shimano here, just disappointed more than anything.
I've used Shimano drivetrains for a long time (and on several bikes both road and mountain, generally XT, some XTR and Ultegra/Dura-Ace), Suntour before that (when it was good stuff). Don't like the feel of the SRAM shifters personally. Bad experiences with SRAM chains. Upper end Shimano and SRAM drivetrains both work great when setup correctly, though. If that was a new bike maybe the brakes hadn't been bedded in yet. I'm a big fan of BB7s but hard to believe the XT hydraulics suck that bad...

ps There was a time when I thought I would be leaving Shimano when they looked like they were going to jam crap like rapid rise and dual control stuff down my throat, but they learned...
 
#5 ·
The bike was delivered to the LBS by the Kona rep in hopes of getting more 29'r sales. Was it set up correctly? I would tend to believe so but in the end, who knows. You are right this is just my opinion based on one ride last Saturday.

So....what's been your experience with both brands?

I don't mean to flame Shimano here, just disappointed more than anything.
 
#6 ·
I would never use a single experience on a bike someone else set up to form that strong an opinion. SRAM and Shimano both sell a lot of drivetrains. Also, the pros using Shimano products never seem at a disadvantage to their SRAM competitors and vice versa. They feel different for sure and people will always have preferences for one or the other, but both are pretty good.

As for the brakes, I use previous-generation lower-level LX/Hone brakes that replaced a set of BB7s with Speed Dial levers. The Shimano brakes are every bit as powerful as the BB7s were but my hands are less tired after long descents and I don't get arm cramps anymore
 
#7 ·
My experience with both brands is this (only related to shifters/derailleurs) :

SRAM : Flimsy rear derailleur (broke multiple X9s in no-crash situations). Shifters are crisp, really feel good and are really set and forget. I personally don't really love thumb shifting (but that's personal preference) Shifters are compact and ca be out inboard or outboard
Shimano : Less crisp shifting, especially when down shifting. Tend to require more cable adjustment than SRAM but after 2-3 times of adjusting the barrels they tend to be problem free. Not all Shimano can be put inboard because of the stupid gear indicator (I removed them on my SLX but on my LX, I had to cut them and fill them with epoxy to get my shifters inboard. Derailleurs are built solid and last forever.

I'm never going back to SRAM again simply because of the flimsy derailleur issue. And when I say flimsy I mean it. I've bent one X9 derailleur by walking my bike in a very narrow section of trail (understand I'm walking at 2 km/h). In contrast, I've crashed multiple times and got some branches stuck solid on a single Shimano derailleur and it's still going strong. So for the value, it's Shimano all the way for me! The new SLX group is wonderful for the price, my personal favorite so far.
 
#9 ·
it's like beer discussion here ... every one have there own experience with both brand ... and have some preference ... it's important to compare apple to apple ... on my side i ride with a sram x0 drive train set up (shifters / derailleurs) but i use shimano dura-ace cassette and a taya chain and a fsa gossamer crankset ... so in my head i think i use all the best components from all brands ... so who is the best better or what ever ... if you comfortable with what you ride ... this is the most important ... imo
 
#11 ·
A lot of people say one or the other but I have used both and I kept Sram.I think it shifts faster and crisper and may need a little less adjustment.But thats all.Finger vs Thumb shift is a personel thing and both I think are the same as far as the cage being flimsy or not.I know people who have had both break.Overall both make good stuff and it will not matter in the end which one you use if set up right it will work well.Try both.Ride a friends bike and see how you like each and then decide.I use Sram and that is my thing.I will not say its really any better I just like the feel of them.I ride with friends that like Shimano they like the feel of those.No right or wrong answer here.
 
#12 ·
Sram!

I was a strong Shimano RD fan for several decades. Then came 9-speeds. I went all the way up thru XTR DCs before I finally tried SRAM X.9 and got simple, precise shifting. Sad thing is that I spent so much money & time on that Shimano stuff.

Front shifting is no problem with either, nor is the rear with less than 9 speeds.

I'm totally satisfied w/my XTR v-brakes & XT levers.

YMMV

jeff
 
#13 ·
FoShizzle said:
SRAM sux...its simply available for all the bandwagon MTBer (and roadies) who feel its yet another anti "The Man" statement they can hide behind to look like so many of the other sheeple. Shimano rules because I use and SRAM sux becuz I dont, the end.
wow ... what a logical man here !!! i use it so the rest is crap .... :thumbsup:
 
#14 ·
Shimano sux...its simply available for all the bandwagon MTBer (and roadies) who feel its yet another anti "The Man" statement they can hide behind to look like so many of the other sheeple. SRAM rules because I use and Shimano sux becuz I dont, the end.


HEHE!!!
 
#17 ·
I've ridden both and work on both and currently have SRAM on my Kona. Both work well, but I prefer SRAM over Shimano. Just a personal decision. I just love the precise shifting. I only had to tweak the shifting 3 times. 2 times due to cable replacements, 1 time due to a mistake on my part - low limit screw. Other than that, ZERO adjustments.

Shimano OHTH, is always a fine tune here or there. Doesn't seem to stay put for very long, BUT, shifting is very smooth when it is in proper tune.

But sounds like the bike wasn't setup correctly. Brakes were not bedded in, therefore feeling like $20 mechanical disc brakes instead of a higher quality hydraulics.
 
#18 ·
The only thing we learned here was that the guy who setup the Kona was incompetent. Honestly the differences between the two manufactures are so small these days it mostly comes down to personal preference.

Having said that it's generally been the case for a few years now that the best combination is SRAM shifters and rear derailleur with Shimano everything else. You will often see the guys who don't care about stickers and only about function and reliability running this combo.

Use what ever brakes feel good to you, but you wont win much cred bagging the current model XT brakes... lol

On a personal note I find the SRAM shifters to be a slower, less "snappy" shift. But the thing is they just keep working not matter what conditions you throw at them. Where as I find Shimano shifting, while awesome and snappy when new, needs more regular attention and adjustment and tends to play up in mud sooner etc.....
 
#19 ·
I've never had a need to try a lot of SRAM stuff although I do use their chains because I like the power link. Any issues I've ever had shifting have been because of my setup deficiencies. My Scott scale is the sweetest shifting bike I've ever owned with Shimano XTR 960 derailleurs and XT shifters. I've recently gone to fully enclosed cables (either i-Links, full length cables or small vinyl tubing between designed open areas) and that has made all the difference in terms of keeping everything shipshape.

Never had any brake issues and I've used both Shimano and Avid.

So for me it's always setup issues, I've never had a real problem with the components.
 
#22 ·
I've used both and I think it's a horse race. Each manufacturer has some parts that work better than the other guy's, and some that don't. E.g. I think the Shimano cassettes are better than SRAM's, and I prefer the SRAM quick link chains to the "magic repair pin" Shimanos. But otherwise it's a pretty close thing. My current MTB has a mix of SRAM & Shimano drivetrain, and Avid (SRAM) brakes, and it all works pretty nicely together.

Shimano annoys me because every couple of years they replace a perfectly good industry standard design (e.g. square taper bottom brackets, ISO disc mounts) with something that claims to be better but may not be, reinvent the wheel, and obsolete everyone's parts and tools. They're the only parts maker with enough market clout to do that. Stuff like that makes me root for SRAM and the little guys.
 
#23 ·
chucko58 said:
I've used both and I think it's a horse race. Each manufacturer has some parts that work better than the other guy's, and some that don't. E.g. I think the Shimano cassettes are better than SRAM's, and I prefer the SRAM quick link chains to the "magic repair pin" Shimanos. But otherwise it's a pretty close thing. My current MTB has a mix of SRAM & Shimano drivetrain, and Avid (SRAM) brakes, and it all works pretty nicely together.

Shimano annoys me because every couple of years they replace a perfectly good industry standard design (e.g. square taper bottom brackets, ISO disc mounts) with something that claims to be better but may not be, reinvent the wheel, and obsolete everyone's parts and tools. They're the only parts maker with enough market clout to do that. Stuff like that makes me root for SRAM and the little guys.
I dunno if SRAM qualifies as a little guy...wouldn't be surprised they're about same size as Shimano these days.
 
#24 · (Edited)
bingemtbr said:
The bike was delivered to the LBS by the Kona rep in hopes of getting more 29'r sales. Was it set up correctly? I would tend to believe so but in the end, who knows. You are right this is just my opinion based on one ride last Saturday.

So....what's been your experience with both brands?

I don't mean to flame Shimano here, just disappointed more than anything.
I love my BB7's, but if you found the XT hydros weaker, it sounds like there was something amiss, I would guess a bedding in issue. I've tried XT's on another bike, and I would take them over my bb7's.
 
#25 ·
kapusta said:
I love my BB7's, but if you found the XT hydros weaker, it sounds like there was something amiss, I would guess a bedding in issue. I've tried XT's on another bike, and I would take them over by bb7's.
gmafb..they must have been retarded XTs if the BB7s felt better. especially >= 2008 XTs, hellz yeah...like em better than the Hopes and Formulas (and yes i have owned BB7s and like em)
 
#26 ·
I think Shimano makes the best chains and front rings and cassettes, they have the shift ramp/pins thing dialed. I prefer the SRAM derailleur and shifter combos though and I tried everything (Acera-LX-XTR) from Shimano until I switched to X9/X0. I recently tried the twist grip XO shifter and I am in love, definetly my next purchase.

Everyone has their own preferences, to each his own.
 
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