# rival vs force



## footballcat (Jul 8, 2004)

whats the difference


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## Argentius (Aug 26, 2004)

I'm going to leave the "stupid questions" and "go to SRAM's website" bit right there, first, and then say --

Functionally identical. Force is lighter. 
Rival is essentially 100% aluminum with some steel.
Force has a lot of carbon, some mg and some ti.


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## mmorast (Oct 22, 2007)

Second on Argentius's comments. I have ridden both on the same model of frame. My Rival was just as smooth as the Force in operation. I noticed nothing different. My friend is actually rather peeved as he spent a lot more. Then again his is lighter and more has more of the bling factor.


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## footballcat (Jul 8, 2004)

so if i like the force and want a cheaper build up for another frame rival will work just as well, and i dont have to worry about a difference

dura ace vs ulterga there is a difference


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## Argentius (Aug 26, 2004)

Yeah, I think with the price difference you could even afford a shift key on your keyboard. Maybe even an apostrophe, but the question mark, that's pushing it.


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## footballcat (Jul 8, 2004)

???...?


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## Argentius (Aug 26, 2004)

See? Now you, your punctuation, and your Rival components can have a long, happy life.


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## footballcat (Jul 8, 2004)

Ill ride the force a little more this weekend, see if i need to replace my 2 year old dura ace.


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## mmorast (Oct 22, 2007)

My backup bike is a 9spd Dura Ace, and to tell you the truth I love my Rival so much more. Actually I tried the 10spd Dura Ace as I was comfortable with it, but the SRAM groups just operated and felt that much better for me. I can say that the Dura Ace 10spd felt much more crisp than my girlfriend's Ultegra 10spd group. I would say that if you want to save some money and not a weight weenie then the Rival will do you well. 

I want the carbon bling so I have ordered some replacement brake lever kits for Force. The parts are interchangeable with Rival. All the carbon, and my Rival levers will still be less the Force ones.


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## footballcat (Jul 8, 2004)

i have a full 10 speed dura ace, and my better has full force

Ill buy rival if i like it put it on my beater, and then put the force on my new racing frame


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## benInMA (Jan 22, 2004)

I don't know about Force but once thing I'm not crazy about with Rival is the finish on the shift levers. (Not the brake levers)

Those levers appear to be made out of plastic which I guess if perfectly fine for weight savings and expense. 

However after only about 2300 miles on my Rival this year my fingers have worn right through the finish on the outside of the levers.. doesn't make them look terribly nice. I've had 105, Ultegra, and DA levers in the past and none of them had wear issues like that.

I pretty small and insignificant thing in the grand scheme of things though. When you peel back the rubber hood and see how simple the mechanism inside SRAM shifters is you realize they are giong to be easy to clean and re-lubricate and should last a very very long time.


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