# SRAM or Shimano?



## jlandry (Jan 12, 2007)

I want to purchase a CAAD 9. What do you suggest? The 5 with Shimano 105 or the 4 with SRAM Rival?
I read here that you can't go wrong with 105 but I'm just weighing the options.


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

SRAM

1) fits my hands better. You'll have to see which one fits you the best
b) SRAM can easily be rebuilt - Shimano can't.
#) SRAM is better (IMO)


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## Daren (Jul 25, 2008)

SRAM.

I too like the ergonomics


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

Another vote for SRAM, I prefer how you shift.


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## Hank Stamper (Sep 9, 2009)

Go see which feels better on your hands and which shifting technique you think you'll like.

Note that the 9-5 DOES NOT have a Shimano crank but the 9-4 has a Sram FORCE crank (you might want to double check that though to make sure I'm right). So it's not a pure 105 v Rival comparision and for this reason I'd go with the 9-4 if it's a tie with the shifting ergonomics. Same wheels on each I'm pretty sure.


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## georgewerr (Mar 4, 2009)

Hi jlandry,

I bought a 2009 caad 9 - 5 with 105, I love the bike but wish I waited for the 2010 to come out before buying I would have gone with the SRAM. That said you will enjoy either bike or you could buy both and give a first hand review on both. let us know what you deside


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## jlandry (Jan 12, 2007)

Thanks for all the info guys. I'm really surprised at the overwhelming support for SRAM.


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## jlyle (Jul 20, 2007)

Last year, I rode across the country (3,500 miles) with a group. The riders with Shimano equipment only needed minor adjustments; SRAM equipped bicycles didn't fare so well - equipment failures kept some of the riders off the road for a day or two.


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## Nacracer (Oct 27, 2005)

*Sram all the way!!*



jlyle said:


> Last year, I rode across the country (3,500 miles) with a group. The riders with Shimano equipment only needed minor adjustments; SRAM equipped bicycles didn't fare so well - equipment failures kept some of the riders off the road for a day or two.


I have two bikes one with Sram Red and One with Sram Rival. I have 3000 miles on one and 2000 miles on the other. Since I have installed the groupo I haven't had to even touch it! Both have stayed completely true to set up. Before when I had Shimano I could never had sad that!!


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## Daren (Jul 25, 2008)

I have around 10,000 miles on mine. The only issues I've had is when riding in the wet, there's a clunk if I'm in one of 2 gears, 15 and 17 I think, that feels like its not tuned right, and I broke a shifter cable in the middle of a century. That was with about 9000 miles on the cable.


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## coupon (Oct 14, 2009)

I bought the CAAD9-5 few months back, and wish I had gone for the SRAM now.


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## hendrick81 (Jun 8, 2008)

Sram....


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## Devastator (May 11, 2009)

My bike was mostly Shimano Ultegra mainly because the Systemsix 3 was onsale. If it were up to me I would gone SRAM, I like the shifters better. Currently I am running a 1090R chain and Force cassette, and am very pleased with how well they are wearing.


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## ajbuilder (May 20, 2008)

I prefer Shimano's ergonomics to Sram's. Shimano's been doing it a loooooooong time, but SRAM is "new" and perhaps "trendy". Ride em both, choose the one that feels right. You can't go wrong with either from a quality standpoint.


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## asad137 (Jul 29, 2009)

I also prefer the Shimano hood shape to the SRAM. It immediately felt comfortable to me. However, I liked DoubleTap shifting more than I liked the hood shape, so I went with SRAM on my bike. My hands have gotten used to the SRAM hoods.

Asad


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## learlove (Jan 18, 2009)

FWIW

I have a sram (rival) bike, a campy centaur bike and 2 ultegra bikes. I prefer the ultegra the most with the centaur a close second. I don't like the rival/sram. 

Part is my own retardidness with the shifting. I just can't get past pushing the same direction to shift diff ways. Like I said my own retardidness. 

Otherwise I felt it shifted ruff, no where near as nice as ultegra. Also the sram rival was more "finikey" to set up and adjust vs. ultegra where it seems like you bolt the stuff on and no matter what cassette or wheel combo the stuff works.

My rival bike was a caad9-4, I replaced most of the rival stuff with ultegra (sold the rivall stuff). If I were to buy another caad9 I'd get the 9-5 with shim.


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## MarvinK (Feb 12, 2002)

I prefer SRAM to Shimano, but like learlove mentioned... some people don't do well switching back and forth between Shimano and SRAM. If you don't have other Shimano road bikes, the SRAM stuff is great and only takes a few days to begin feeling natural. You'll get a substantial weight savings with Rival and it is rebuildable.

SRAM may be new to road, but they know what they're doing. Otherwise, why would new Dura Ace and Ultegra look like cheap SRAM knock-offs? SRAM forced everyone to massively redesign their shifters to be competitive ergonomically.


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## Hank Stamper (Sep 9, 2009)

MarvinK said:


> Otherwise, why would new Dura Ace and Ultegra look like cheap SRAM knock-offs?


Because you have SRAM?


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## djg714 (Oct 24, 2005)

Shimano. easy.


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## MarvinK (Feb 12, 2002)

Hank Stamper said:


> Because you have SRAM?


No--because Shimano hadn't changed their shifter style substantially in almost 2 decades. They felt the heat from SRAM, and decided to (finally) do clean cable routing, shorter lever throw, adjustable reach and put more effort into ergonomics of the lever (if you don't think that was a focus, go read Shimano's marketing for 2009+ Dura Ace or 2010 Ultegra). On top of that, they substantially dropped the weight (still heavier than SRAM) and started using carbon fiber (still very limited compared to SRAM or Campy). 

I think most Shimano or SRAM fans can acknowlege that SRAM has forced Shimano to pick up their game. Something Campy has never been able to do.

I'm not saying Shimano hasn't responded--they're obviously getting much more aggressive. Tubeless wheels, electronic shifting, better ergonomics. 

If you like the light shifting feel of Shimano, you won't like the crisp SRAM feel. I like the crisp feel of SRAM and prefer the ergonomics. The shorter lever throw, lighter weight and lower cost are just added bonuses. The benefits are just more pronounced in this case.. when you're comparing with the older Shimano technology in current 105.


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## zsir (Nov 14, 2008)

sram...double click is awesome and being able to pull the shift lever in while shifting is a big plus.....obviously weight is not a consideration to you :wink:


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## s2ktaxi (Jul 11, 2006)

I have DA7800 on one bike (15000 mi) and SRAM Red (8000 mi) on the other. 
Ergonomics - SRAM just fits better and is more comfortable
Shift level action - SRAM is more precise/mechanical feeling but does require a bit more effort. I always found shifting the big lever on the DA with wet fingers (rain or sweat) to be a scary proposition because of slip. Don't have that problem on the SRAM because the small lever has the indented shape (as does the small lever on the DA).
Noise - SRAM is a bit louder on the shiter "clicks" and also noiser when cruising from the rear cassette if you are using the 1090R (because the dome acts like a speaker cone
Maintenance - both are similar in terms of need for adjustment - which is basically non until you need a cable change

the only downside I can think off on the SRAM is the front der has been a little more likely to "catch" the chain and actually cause the chain to jam at odd scenarios (happened to me twice, compared to never on the DA)


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## ninjaslim (Apr 30, 2006)

SRAM always

Was racing Shimano 105 and Ultegra for 3 years, now have been on CAAD 9 Rival & System 6 Force for 2.5 years now, never going back. 

Great ergonomics, light weight, positive shifts, no 'flappy' brake levers. I hear that if Belgian mechanics have a choice they'll fit SRAM for the classics. as they're the most robust.


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## learlove (Jan 18, 2009)

zsir said:


> being able to pull the shift lever in while shifting is a big plus


this was one thing I really liked about the sram. wish the ultegra inner lever would do this, it would make sprinting better (shift wise).


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## zamboni (Sep 11, 2003)

There is no trimming on the SRAM left shifter beside Shimano grouppo is not that cheap, since they released the new grouppo prices has been increased over the year.


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## MarvinK (Feb 12, 2002)

2009/10 SRAM groups (Rival, Force & Red) all have trim on the big ring... but none on the small ring. The first couple years of Rival & Force had it only in the small ring.


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## Turt99 (Apr 25, 2008)

I'm curious about this as well. My LBS has the 4 at $400 CAN more then the CAAD 5. I assume I'm going to loose some weight, and my crank is going to be higher qualtity, but is it really worth $400 more?

I guess I need to try SRAM, which isn't going to be easy as all the LBS's around here seem to only stock the 105 version, so I would get fitted to that and then just special order the correct SRAM version. If SRAM feels better then thats another reason it might be money well spent.

I'm just thinking that with $400, I could drop weight with a wheel swap as instead and at 200+ lbs that might be a good idea.


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## MarvinK (Feb 12, 2002)

Lighter wheels probably shouldn't be a highest priority at 200+lbs.


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## Turt99 (Apr 25, 2008)

If I go with a custom hand-built wheels I could get 32 spoke wheels that are stronger and likely a little lighter then the RS10's. 

However I think I got ahead of myself, my issue is that if I want to get the SRAM version which according to all I read on this forum is a great value, I will need to stretch the budget. Or I could go with the 105 version which is still an upgrade on the Tiagra I ride now and be within the budget.


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## MarvinK (Feb 12, 2002)

105 isn't a real substantial upgrade... I would go at least Ultegra, Rival or Veloce... otherwise don't upgrade based on parts.


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## Turt99 (Apr 25, 2008)

MarvinK said:


> 105 isn't a real substantial upgrade... I would go at least Ultegra, Rival or Veloce... otherwise don't upgrade based on parts.


The upgrade is more for the frame, and to make sure the fit is correct. The upgrade in parts is just to make sure the bike is one I will enjoy for a long time to come.

My current bike is a parts bin bike and has parts all over the map (Tiagra Shifters, 105 RD, Sora FD, FSA Crank, Ultegra Brakes) I thought about just looking for a frame and moving the parts over, but if I look at upgrading any of the parts during the swap it starts making more sense to just go with a complete upgrade.


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## Hank Stamper (Sep 9, 2009)

Turt99 said:


> If I go with a custom hand-built wheels I could get 32 spoke wheels that are stronger and likely a little lighter then the RS10's.


I wouldn't worry so much about getting lighter wheels but would definitely worry about getting better ones. I weight 160 and ride on mostly good roads and still had trouble keeping the RS10s true. Overall, I though they sucked big time.

It wouldn't necessarily be due to the weight drop but wheels is probably where you stand to get the most bang for your buck with an upgrade.


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## yamura (Aug 12, 2007)

Last week I rebuilt my '07 CAAD9 3 (mainly 105) with SRAM Rival but use an Ultegra chain & cassette. 

Ergonomically seems to be largely an individual matter but I found the Rival hoods fit my hands better, and I can reach the shifters and brake levers a little more easily while on the drops.

Shimano seems to shift a little more smoothly & quietly. SRAM seems a little faster but noisier.


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