# Supersix evo rival 22



## Cpvieira (Jul 19, 2015)

Hi, 

I was looking for the ultegra version but I have read some nice reviews about this rival 22 groupset. It is 420 pounds cheaper and the frame painting is much better than the "ultragreen" from the ultegra version.

Can you please let me know if this version of supersix is a good aquisition or should I skip this one and pay the extra money to get ultegra?

Thanks


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## ph0enix (Aug 12, 2009)

It's a matter of preference. Force is as good or better than Ultegra if you like SRAM drivetrains. I believe it's also a little lighter but I'm a SRAM guy so I might be biased.


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## Cpvieira (Jul 19, 2015)

Hi, thanks for the reply. In fact I am more interested in the rival version so I would like to know how is its performance


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## jnbrown (Dec 9, 2009)

I don't have any experience with Rival, but I bought the EVO 105 version and replaced all the groupset with Campy Chorus 11 speed and better wheels. It made a big difference in the weight and ride quality. I bought the 105 version because it was the lowest cost and I liked the color. The Ultegra version also comes in black/white.
If you are interested in the Rival version you should take it for a test ride.


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## ph0enix (Aug 12, 2009)

In terms of performance you're not losing anything by choosing Force over Ultegra. From what I know Force performs very well. Many say that it's as good as Red (SRAM's top end groupset) except for the shifters which actually aren't bad at all - just not quite as good as the Red shifters. There are plenty of people who use Force and just swap out the shifters for Red.


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

It often comes down to personal preferences as ph0enix said. Some find the SRAM lever shapes more confortable, the Double Tap shifting more intuitive and/or like the crispy, more 'feelable' clicks of the shifters... Others prefer Shimano's smoother action, less noisy clicks, or the way Shimano levers are shifted or their shapes. They both work very well, shift as fast, they just have a different feel, there's no right or wrong.

Generally, Shimano shifts feel smoother but may lack the clear feelable feedback. SRAM is usually lighter, and you can feel exactly what's going on at the derailleurs through your fingertips, but it feels more like it's made of plastic, Shimano is built more like a tank... Personally, I used to prefer SRAM levers (both their shape and the way they're shifted) but having both, I'm starting to lean more toward Shimano... maybe because these day, I spend more time with my Shimano built bikes.

Then there's Campagnolo, perhaps the best of both worlds. 

Seriously, you can't really go wrong and personally, I can get used to whatever (I have a bike with mechanical Dura-Ace, one with Di2 Dura-Ace, one with SRAM Red, one with Campy Record and one being built with SRAM CX-1) as long as it's well adjusted, I'll be fine.

Maybe it would be nice to just get your hands on both, try them would be even better.


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## Cpvieira (Jul 19, 2015)

Dan, thanks for the reply - you have all 3 brands so you are in a good position to say pros and cons of each brand.

Actually I am kind of new to this road bike world and I have just one bike that served me well so far ( fuji roubaix) It is a full 10 speed and overall I like shimano, as you said, it is built more like a tank, can't complain about durability. However I have a complain about the shifting - Derailleurs themselves work fine, but the shifter that controls front derailleur has a very long course of action. While to change the gears from rear derailleurs I just need to quick tap on the right shifter, to change the front I have to press it more than I would like to. Not sure it is just an adjustment issue but I was just complaining to a friend that has 105 and he has the same feeling. 

On the other hand, I always heard that SRAM shifting is very fast, but it is very hard to find SRAM bikes in my country - shimano has the market, so I can't say for sure.

Do you have the same feeling or this is someting adjustable? Also, it is difficult to find Rival 22 reviews, but the ones I found they say the functioning is flawless. Any experience with this groupset?

To be honest, at the end of the day, all these questions are to determine whether or not I should spend extra 450 pounds to get Ultegra/Force. 

Thanks


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## ph0enix (Aug 12, 2009)

Rival is a proven groupset. My previous bike had Rival - not 22 though. It was the previous model (2011/20 speed). It worked very, very well. The paddle on the right shifter broke after 6 or 7K miles which is pretty common (take a look in the SRAM forum) but my shop negotiated a warranty replacement even though the bike was more than 2 years old at the time so it wasn't a big deal. I also had an issue with the Force crank that the bike came with it and it needed to be replaced. My shop and SRAM took care of it as well but I had to wait a week for the new crank. Luckily the shop was able to lend me a crank so I was able to keep riding.

Before that I had a bike with Shimano 105 and it simply wouldn't stay tuned. The derailleurs needed to be adjusted every other ride. Switching to Rival was a big improvement.


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