# New to SRAM



## adjtogo (Nov 18, 2006)

I've done what I said I was never going to do, but a bike fully equipped with SRAM. After years of riding Shimano Ultegra, I decided to buy a new bike, and the price was something I couldn't resist, a 2012 Giant Defy Advanced 1. It has SRAM FORCE on it. Is there anyone who has any pointer for me on shifting? The bike won't be here until next week.


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## wetpaint (Oct 12, 2008)

Congrats. Shifting is basically the same as Shimano just on the same lever. A short click will move to a smaller cog and a longer throw of the lever will move to a bigger cog.


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## RC28 (May 9, 2002)

You can Google "how to shift sram double tap". Plenty of links there.

I made the "leap" to SRAM back in late 2007 (after using Shimano since 1988) and do not regret it at all!

Congrats on the purchase


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## NJBiker72 (Jul 9, 2011)

I'm assuming that has Red shifters. I am also new to SRAM since August upgrading from Shimano Sora. I tested a bunch of different systems both Shimano and SRAM and really like SRAM, especially the Red. Compared to the Rivals and the Apex, they seemed very smooth. Light taps, just a little further for the double.


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## highroader (Jun 26, 2011)

Took me about 10-15 minutes to get comfortable with the change from shimano to sram. Congrats on the new bike..she's a beauty


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## K&K_Dad (Dec 10, 2008)

when you get it just straddle it and push the shifter a little. Notice the click. Push it further. Notice the different click. Boom, you're done learning to shift. I don't know why everyone who 'makes the leap' has the fear about SRAM shifting. it's the easiest thing to shift all around. No moving your thumb and no switching levers. Keep your fingers on the same paddle and you're all good.


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## adjtogo (Nov 18, 2006)

So, basically, what you're saying is that the right lever upshifts and downshifts, just depending how many times and how far I push the lever? I won't be getting my new Defy until next Thursday. UPS will be delivering it next Wednesday afternoon, but I won't be able to make it until late Thursday afternoon. Should be easy, by the way it sounds.

So, does SRAM Force shift real smooth? Is it quiet? Do you have the carbon crank? Any problems with power with it? I've read good and bad things about SRAM, so I was a little reluctant to go SRAM. I've always ridden Shimano group sets, but I did have a problem with their 105 front derailer and ended up paying to upgrade it to Ultegra. I heard SRAM is #1 in customer service.


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## NJBiker72 (Jul 9, 2011)

adjtogo said:


> So, basically, what you're saying is that the right lever upshifts and downshifts, just depending how many times and how far I push the lever? I won't be getting my new Defy until next Thursday. UPS will be delivering it next Wednesday afternoon, but I won't be able to make it until late Thursday afternoon. Should be easy, by the way it sounds.
> 
> So, does SRAM Force shift real smooth? Is it quiet? Do you have the carbon crank? Any problems with power with it? I've read good and bad things about SRAM, so I was a little reluctant to go SRAM. I've always ridden Shimano group sets, but I did have a problem with their 105 front derailer and ended up paying to upgrade it to Ultegra. I heard SRAM is #1 in customer service.


Mine has the Red but it shifts incredibly smooth. Almost effortlessly. That is a bigger change for me than the Double Tap. Tap lightly to go up. Tap lightly but further to go down. Basically, the further tap is the second bar or thumb shift on a Shimano.


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

For waht it's worth, I tried Sram for the first time today while testing carbon bikes at the LBS and it took less than five minutes to get comfortable and I probably will never go back to Shimano.


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## Tripleblack (Apr 13, 2011)

K&K_Dad said:


> when you get it just straddle it and push the shifter a little. Notice the click. Push it further. Notice the different click. Boom, you're done learning to shift. I don't know why everyone who 'makes the leap' has the fear about SRAM shifting. it's the easiest thing to shift all around. No moving your thumb and no switching levers. Keep your fingers on the same paddle and you're all good.


While this is VERY true, I did have a little 'trouble' going from Rival shifters to Red shifters since the sweep is so much smaller with Red shifters. At the beginning I would constantly 'click' the shifter 3 times and jump over 2 gears instead of 1 and would suddenly over spin the pedals, haha...:mad2:

I would compare that to driving a car with a stock shifter and then trying to drive the same car with a short throw shifter with tighter spacing.


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## swierszcz (Mar 11, 2007)

SRAM shifters, particularly RED are awesome, and I would not go back to Shimano, but SRAM groups have some weak points:
1. On my 2007 Rival the crank, and BB, were quite useless: BB had to be replaced after 500mi and the chain rings were rather soft. I run Ultegra cranks with both Rival and Red is it works great.
2. I would avoid the 2011 Force clamp on FD - the cage is for some reason 1mm wider than either Rival or RED - impossible to setup properly. I "downgraded" to 2011 Rival FD and it works. For some reason the braze on Force FD is OK.


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## Camilo (Jun 23, 2007)

Switched from years on Ultegra to Sram (red) last spring and it was a non-issue. Yea, it's different, but it's not something you have to rehearse or fret over. Get on the bike, ride and mess around with it. I really like it, fwiw, but they're all good these days.


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## red elvis (Sep 9, 2010)

yeah. srams are awesome. i used to have shimanos on my bike when i started, not anymore.


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## adjtogo (Nov 18, 2006)

Glad to hear the switch was very easy. I'm looking forward to getting out to ride it when it comes in.


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## NextTime (Oct 13, 2007)

*2011 Force FD vs. 2012 Force FD*

Quote from above:

"I would avoid the 2011 Force clamp on FD - the cage is for some reason 1mm wider than either Rival or RED - impossible to setup properly. I "downgraded" to 2011 Rival FD and it works. For some reason the braze on Force FD is OK."

Ayone know if the SRAM 2012 Force FD is any better than the 2011 Force FD? I've read a few negative comments on the 2011 FD.

Thanks


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## Tomtama (Jul 29, 2011)

swierszcz said:


> 2. I would avoid the 2011 Force clamp on FD - the cage is for some reason 1mm wider than either Rival or RED - impossible to setup properly. I "downgraded" to 2011 Rival FD and it works. For some reason the braze on Force FD is OK.


I've had just the opposite experience. The clamp-on 2011 Force FD on my Litespeed works better (smoother and quieter) than the braze-on 2012 Red (Ti) FD on my Kestrel. The Force FD allows me to shift through the entire cassette while on the small ring. The Red FD will only allow me to shift to the third from the smallest rear cog on the small ring before it rubs loudly on the FD. Both are setup properly.

The one thing I miss about Shimano shifters is the ability to trim on the small or big rings. Other than that, I like SRAM better.


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