# Apex to Red



## redondoaveb (Jan 16, 2011)

Currently running Apex components with a Force crank. Had a low speed fall last week and tweaked my right shift lever. Was going to replace it with Apex but I got a good price on Red levers so I'm going that route. 

I priced a Red (black) rear derailleur with the levers and got I price that I couldn't pass up. Should I go ahead and replace the Apex front derailleur with Force or should I just go ahead and keep the Apex?

Also, I do most of my own wrenching but I've never replaced levers. Easy? Moderate? Hard? Rear derailleur install and gear adjustment is easy enough, just wondered about levers.


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## Camilo (Jun 23, 2007)

Installing levers dead easy.

The only POSSIBLE tricky part is threading the cables. Others report difficulty, but I recently threaded some Red shifters and it was just simple as any other shifters (meaning dead simple). Just download and follow the directions - mostly involving shifting the lever either full up or full down (can't remember).


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## redondoaveb (Jan 16, 2011)

Camilo said:


> Installing levers dead easy.
> 
> The only POSSIBLE tricky part is threading the cables. Others report difficulty, but I recently threaded some Red shifters and it was just simple as any other shifters (meaning dead simple). Just download and follow the directions - mostly involving shifting the lever either full up or full down (can't remember).


Thanks for the info. I didn't think it should be too hard, but you never know. Would it make sense to go ahead and change my front derailleur to Force or do you think my Apex is fine. Of course it works fine, just wondering.


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## redondoaveb (Jan 16, 2011)

Decided I'm going to add a Red (black) crankset along with the rear derailleur. Figured I might as well change the chain at the same time. 

Should I go with a Sram 1090R, Wipperman 10S1 or KMC X10SL? Looking for longevity but mostly quietness and function.


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## Chuckstyl5 (May 21, 2011)

From what I have heard go with the KMC and it also saves you a couple bucks compared to the 1090R


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## jermso (May 13, 2009)

redondoaveb said:


> Decided I'm going to add a Red (black) crankset along with the rear derailleur. Figured I might as well change the chain at the same time.
> 
> Should I go with a Sram 1090R, Wipperman 10S1 or KMC X10SL? Looking for longevity but mostly quietness and function.


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## Camilo (Jun 23, 2007)

For what it's worth....

I just converted my bike from Ultegra to Sram yesterday. This is a "nearly Red" group: everything's Red except the FD which is Force. Chain is 1091 and cassette is the notorious OG 1091. In spite of all the comments on the unsatisfactory-ness of Sram chains and the OG1091 cassette, I decided to go with the full designed group and was not disappointed at all.

I've only ridden it for 10 miles or so, but my initital impression is that both the supposedly noisy chain and cassette are really pretty much normal in noise level. Certainly not any noisier than the Ultegra group I had w/ dura ace chain and ultegra crank and cassette.

If there's a meaningful difference in noise between the 1091 cassette and chains and the Shimano I'm used to, it is lost on me. What I hear when I'm riding is (in order of decibels and irritation are: wind noise (by far the largest noise), traffic noise, tires on road noise and a distant 4th, the whirring sound of the chain and cassette. 90% of the time I don't even hear drive train noise (just like the Shimano) and the other 10%, it's just a typical whirring I've had on every bike I've owned. (except, interestingly enough, my commuter which has low-grade Shimano MTB drive train which is virtually silent, quieter than any other bike I've owned. I have no idea why).

So, based on my experience alone, you should just buy whatever chain you want - it really, doesn't make a hill of beans difference.


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## redondoaveb (Jan 16, 2011)

Camilo said:


> For what it's worth....
> 
> I just converted my bike from Ultegra to Sram yesterday. This is a "nearly Red" group: everything's Red except the FD which is Force. Chain is 1091 and cassette is the notorious OG 1091. In spite of all the comments on the unsatisfactory-ness of Sram chains and the OG1091 cassette, I decided to go with the full designed group and was not disappointed at all.
> 
> ...


I'm pretty doing the same thing, all Red with Force FD. I have a 1070 cassette though (not noisy, but even if it were, I wouldn't hear it). I'm going to try the Wippermann chain. We'll see how well it holds up.


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