# Thinking of moving from Ultegra to Force....



## tconrady (May 1, 2007)

Anyone done the same? Pros, cons, thoughts? 

I've always run Ultegra in both the 9 and 10sp flavors.  I've only played with the shifter action once but it was with a bike hanging on the race for just a couple of shifts. I don't think it'd be that big a deal to mover over.

I can get Force for with $20 of Ultegra...all new and from reputable sellers...and have been thinking about switching but admittedly haven't done much research.


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## skaruda_23 (May 8, 2009)

tconrady said:


> Anyone done the same? Pros, cons, thoughts?
> 
> I've always run Ultegra in both the 9 and 10sp flavors. I've only played with the shifter action once but it was with a bike hanging on the race for just a couple of shifts. I don't think it'd be that big a deal to mover over.
> 
> I can get Force for with $20 of Ultegra...all new and from reputable sellers...and have been thinking about switching but admittedly haven't done much research.



I would try to do a longer term test ride with SRAM components before you put down the cash. It'll be up to you if you prefer the shifting action and fit of SRAM levers over your ultegras.

I can objectively say that you can save a fair amount of weight by moving to Force, and that SRAM levers are more easily adjustable for reach than shimano. There are also more cable routing options compared to 6500 and 6600 series ultegra. Also, there won't be any possibility of shifting while you brake (like shimano) due to the double tap design. Keep in mind you can't use a shimano rear derailleur with SRAM shifters, although any shimano 10-sp cassette, crank, chain, and FD should all be okay.

SRAM shifters are rebuildable (like campy) if you're into that. One downside I can think of is that once you get to your largest cog and attempt to go even lower, due to double tap you will actually shift into a smaller cog. This can be frustrating on a steep climb but is certainly avoidable..

Unless you are set on getting Force, I would save money by going with Rival components, which are still lighter than Ultegra and less expensive than Force. Generally, the SRAM groupsets use similar mechanicals, but as you go up the line, they add carbon, titanium, etc. to save weight. Apart from slightly longer shift throws on lower-end groups and "zero loss" on the rear shifter on Red, most of the SRAM shifters will feel and perform similarly.

For this reason, I'd say try out Rival first and see if you can tell a difference from Force. In my opinion, Rival and Ultegra are direct competitors, whereas Force and Dura Ace are more directly comparable. This is after, of course, you test ride SRAM and decide you want to move away from your shimanos...


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## mikagsd (Mar 22, 2008)

I used to have a 2007 Tarmac Pro that I built up with SRAM Rival last year. I loved the shifting action on the Rival over the Shimano. The only issue I ever had with Rival was FD shifting, it was a little tempermental. But overall, I loved the feel of it and will go back to it next spring.


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## MarvinK (Feb 12, 2002)

If your SRAM shifters are adjusted properly, you should NOT shift into a smaller cog... but you will hear a louder shifting noise letting you know you're at the end of your line.


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## skaruda_23 (May 8, 2009)

MarvinK said:


> If your SRAM shifters are adjusted properly, you should NOT shift into a smaller cog... but you will hear a louder shifting noise letting you know you're at the end of your line.


Other people have had this issue too... I was fairly sure mine is set up correctly. It must be a cable tension adjustment then?


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## Firemedic510 (Jan 21, 2009)

I was just looking into doing the same thing. I am currently running 6600 Ultegra 10sp, and although I do like it, Id like a little weight savings and kind of prefer the double tap over Shimanos.

How about 6700 Ultegra vs. Force? Any opinions?


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## danielc (Oct 24, 2002)

I was running DuraAce 9sp for many years before switching to 2010 Force on my new bike. I test rode campy, sram and the new shimano stuff and liked both sram and shimano. I really liked the new shimano hoods but found sram just as comfortable. One thing to note though is that because of the flat transition of the sram hoods, your reach from saddle to hood is actually going to be extended if you are swapping out shifters. When I got my new bike, we took measurements from saddle to handlebar but when everything was installed, the reach was actually longer on the sram bike compared to my old shimano bike mainly because of the position of the hoods. One solution is to raise the hoods on the sram bike and it should be okay.
The other main difference is the noise level. I find my sram to be much noisier than my shimano and it was driving me crazy until I discovered a new chain lube. Now I have it much quieter. But I don't think shifting is better or smoother than my old 9sp duraace. My shimano pretty much runs silent and I've never had an issue with shifting while braking. I've only changed the chain a few times but I'm running original cassette, rings, cables, shifters and derailleurs at 13K+ miles. I wonder how durable my sram will be.
The double tap does take some getting used to. If you are on your lowest gear and try to shift, it will dump in to a higher gear. Or at least that's the setup that I have. I find the FD shifting not as quick as my old shimano. Again, this could all be due to adjustment/installation issues but I had my new bike built at a reputable LBS so it should be set up correctly.
Some things I like about sram are the adjustability on the reach of the levers and how you can pull back the shift levers and hold them while in the drops. The Force group also looks really cool with the carbon cranks and matching levers. 
I mainly chose sram this time around because I wanted something different, cheaper and lighter.


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## skaruda_23 (May 8, 2009)

Firemedic510 said:


> I was just looking into doing the same thing. I am currently running 6600 Ultegra 10sp, and although I do like it, Id like a little weight savings and kind of prefer the double tap over Shimanos.
> 
> How about 6700 Ultegra vs. Force? Any opinions?



Objectively, Force weighs 2200g as a group and costs $1310, Ultegra 6700 weighs 2306g and costs $1458. (taken from competitive cyclist)

Apart from my long post above, one thing I forgot to mention about SRAM vs. 6700 (not 6600) is that SRAM can downshift up to 3 cogs at a time, 6700 can only shift 2...

Test ride both though because the new shimano's have a flatter hood transition and the same cable routing options as SRAM

I'd say if you like the ergonomics of SRAM, go for it. It's a pretty good value as you could save over a 100 bucks and about a 1/4 pound. Plus IMO the aesthetics of the 2010 Force are unbeatable. I'm not a fan of the looks of the new-gen shimano stuff, but this all subjective.


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## XR4Ti (Jul 8, 2008)

skaruda_23 said:


> Objectively, Force weighs 2200g as a group and costs $1310, Ultegra 6700 weighs 2306g and costs $1458. (taken from competitive cyclist)


And if you shop around, you can find some good deals -- one of the online US retailers had Force for $809 last week. Not sure what Ultegra can sell for.


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## HurtLocker (May 5, 2010)

I have ridden everything from DA7900 to Red to SuperRecord 11sp, and I have the 2010 Force group on my race bike. The shifting is lightning quick and precise, thanks to the zero loss shifting. It's not as smooth as campy or maybe even shimano, but the stuff simply works. FD and noise issues have been nonexistent for me. I will only every ride SRAM or campy.


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## GoSharks (Jun 9, 2007)

danielc said:


> If you are on your lowest gear and try to shift, it will dump in to a higher gear. Or at least that's the setup that I have.


You can definitely tune that out. My 09 Rival doesn't do that.


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## skaruda_23 (May 8, 2009)

GoSharks said:


> You can definitely tune that out. My 09 Rival doesn't do that.


Is it a cable tension or limit screw adjustment? I haven't been able to fix mine.


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## GoSharks (Jun 9, 2007)

To tell you the truth, I don't really know. This was my first foray into tuning bikes.


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## bmxhacksaw (Mar 26, 2008)

I just went from Dura Ace 7700 9sp to Force last night. Tonight will be the first ride with it. I'll let you know after the ride but I do like that I knocked a lot of weight off the bike with the switch.


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## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

skaruda_23 said:


> Is it a cable tension or limit screw adjustment? I haven't been able to fix mine.


Limit. You need the inner limit screw to allow just a hair more movement than you'd think. It allows for a "false shift" on the shifter that leaves the chain on the big sprocket.


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## skaruda_23 (May 8, 2009)

robdamanii said:


> Limit. You need the inner limit screw to allow just a hair more movement than you'd think. It allows for a "false shift" on the shifter that leaves the chain on the big sprocket.


Thanks for the info robdamanii! I will try this out!


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## skaruda_23 (May 8, 2009)

robdamanii said:


> Limit. You need the inner limit screw to allow just a hair more movement than you'd think. It allows for a "false shift" on the shifter that leaves the chain on the big sprocket.


Just got it to work using this method. Sweet! Thanks a lot!


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