# Shimano 105 vs Sram Rival



## tooomey (May 13, 2012)

I am sure this has been beat to death but sense I am new to this forum I will ask for myself. I am looking at Specialized Roubaix Elite which has choice of 105 Group or Rival Group for same price point. $2750.00. Please don't answer with which ever one feels better. On my test rides of both they both felt good. Im looking for reasons why I may want to pick one over the other? Experiences with either being good or bad?


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

It really is up to you. 
I wouldnt ride Sram. I dislike the double tap. Iwould take Tiagra over any sram. Unless i could sell the sram and get something better.

Thats just me. To each their own. Shimano fits me well and works flawlessly.


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## cruud (May 11, 2012)

I always liked the way Rival looked and the weight is certainly attractive. My team's experience has been subpar, but SRAM has been excellent with replacing parts. Shimano, in my experience, is more durable.


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## psycleridr (Jul 21, 2005)

In addition to the double tap they have different shapes to their voids and levers. So it comes back to whichever you like. I have a bike with each (Ultegra and Force) and like both for different reasons. I would not say one is any better than the other


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

if you know this has been beat to death, you know everyone will have their own favorite, and most of them will tell you to get what you like the best. some people have bad experiences w/ both, obviously most have great experiences. you really need to try them both and make up your own mind. you know that shimano is a lighter action, more smooth feeling shift. you know that sram is a notchier, more positive and slightly louder shift. which do YOU want?


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## sirrahd (May 14, 2012)

tooomey said:


> I am sure this has been beat to death but sense I am new to this forum I will ask for myself. I am looking at Specialized Roubaix Elite which has choice of 105 Group or Rival Group for same price point. $2750.00. Please don't answer with which ever one feels better. On my test rides of both they both felt good. Im looking for reasons why I may want to pick one over the other? Experiences with either being good or bad?


You're dealing with the same situation I'm in (although it involves two different model bikes as well).

Let me just preface all of my comments with the fact that anything I say is only a repeat of what I've read in various threads and may be right, partly right, completely wrong or just the views of the original posters.

I have always had Shimano but it was on my mtb. So the whole road bike is a new experience, one in which I am comfortable with both SRAM and Shimano since I'll be learning a bit. I have read some comments that say you are able to "work on" SRAM while Shimano is either working or not. How true that is, I'm not sure. Both offered different tweaks. I was shown how you can bend back the shifter (pull it toward the bar) while in the low position so all it takes is a flick of the wrist to shift, which seems pretty handy. Of course you would only want to really utilize that on the rear shifter. 

Other than that, it really seems to be a matter of preference.I've either had someone swear by one or give the whole "it's not an apple to apple comparison but rather an apple to orange". If that doesn't seem to help you could probably compare the two losely to...let's say a Chevy and Ford. Both have an engine that is comparible, the Ford 350 and Chevy 351, but you have people that swear by one or the other. 

Like I said, I'm on the fence with the two bikes I'm looking at. In your case, the only thing different is the SRAM/Shimano piece. I know you said not to say it but just try to take them for longer rides, maybe up/down hills and switch your gears as much as you can to see what you like, maybe what is more comfortable, and how it feels to you. 

Wish I could have honored your wish as I know I have been pondering the same thing as you. Best of luck!


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## tooomey (May 13, 2012)

cxwrench said:


> if you know this has been beat to death, you know everyone will have their own favorite, and most of them will tell you to get what you like the best. some people have bad experiences w/ both, obviously most have great experiences. you really need to try them both and make up your own mind. you know that shimano is a lighter action, more smooth feeling shift. you know that sram is a notchier, more positive and slightly louder shift. which do YOU want?


Wish I new?? I like the look of Sram, the weight and the idea of it that the break don't move but I don't like that the upshift is so far. I could be wrong but it seems that a lot of people are moving from shimano to sram? I am a little concerned about durability even though sram seems to fix issues with no hesitation. I would rather not deal with issues! So again I wish I new? I guess I am looking for some responses with bad experiences with either?


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## tooomey (May 13, 2012)

sirrahd said:


> You're dealing with the same situation I'm in (although it involves two different model bikes as well).
> 
> Let me just preface all of my comments with the fact that anything I say is only a repeat of what I've read in various threads and may be right, partly right, completely wrong or just the views of the original posters.
> 
> ...


"I have read some comments that say you are able to "work on" SRAM while Shimano is either working or not."

I don't understand what you mean by this???


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## sirrahd (May 14, 2012)

tooomey said:


> "I have read some comments that say you are able to "work on" SRAM while Shimano is either working or not."
> 
> I don't understand what you mean by this???


Again, I was hoping you would see that I prefaced that comment with...

"Let me just preface all of my comments with the fact that anything I say is only a repeat of what I've read in various threads and may be right, partly right, completely wrong or just the views of the original posters"​
I will try to find the original comment and provide that to you. In the mean time, try this out. It's some info I have come across and may give you something to consider.

"If you are using road shifters instead of the time trial shifters there's a larger difference in the group sets. Rival offers lighter shifters with fine tuning for the brake lever and an individual lever for the ergonomic shift lever to bring it closer to your hand and not interfere with the brake lever. This is much better for smaller hands as the shift lever follows the natural arch the hand creates during the shifting phase."​
Again, the above quote is not my own but just a piece of info I came across.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

ok...
both you guys are new so let me preface this a bit. i'm a mechanic. i do it for a living. i've worked for many pro teams. as for a brand favorites, i ride sram. BUT...i think all 3 major brands work very well if they're set up correctly. the way i see it is like this...
sram will work better when 'slightly' out of adjustment or dirty. the spring tension is stronger and the (basically) 1:1 cable pull:derailleur movement makes for a pretty reliable system. the shift feel is 'notchier' and more positive than shimano. there were some problems w/ earlier rival shifter paddles breaking but i haven't ever dealt w/ it, and it was quite a while ago. i don't see sram shifters wearing out cables as quickly as shimano or 10 speed campy. 
i think that shimano is a little more finicky about being set up perfectly and having good cable routing. not a problem w/ most bikes, and if you have a good mechanic, you have no worries. some people have complained about sram front shifting, mostly the ti red derailleur. the apex/rival/force derailleurs work great and are not any different to set up than any other brand. i have seen very few warranty issues w/ shimano or sram road stuff lately. sram warranty is amazing, and they're probably the reason that shimano warranty service is getting better. both brands are very reliable, but sh*t happens...it may happen to you, but probably not.
all you really need to figure out is which shifting system you prefer. that is the most important thing, not what anyone hear thinks. 
and for god sakes, learn how to use the proper spelling of the words you're using...it's "knew", not "new". and "brake", not "break".


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## Dresden (May 26, 2009)

I'm a SRAM fan. I took Ultegra off of my main bike and replaced it with Rival. Rival has worked great for me (as has the Apex I used when I converted one of my road bikes to flat bar, though I don't have many miles on the Apex yet.) I think it would take Di2 to get me away from SRAM, and I'm just not willing to lay out that much $$$ yet(and may never be.)

I moved the Ultegra to my back up bike. Shifting with the brake lever has always struck me as a crude solution to shifting from the hoods or drops, but there's no denying that it does function just fine. And it's still light years better than the downtube shifters I had on my back up bike.


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## MoPho (Jan 17, 2011)

cxwrench said:


> all you really need to figure out is which shifting system you prefer. that is the most important thing, not what anyone *hear* thinks.
> and for god sakes, learn how to use the proper spelling of the words you're using...it's "knew", not "new". and "brake", not "break".



It's "here", not "hear" and for god's sake (apostrophe "s" after god and no "s" after sake) capitalize "I" and the first letter at the beginning of your sentences :cornut:


Good advice otherwise :thumbsup:


.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

MoPho said:


> It's "here", not "hear" and for god's sake (apostrophe "s" after god and no "s" after sake) capitalize "I" and the first letter at the beginning of your sentences :cornut:
> 
> 
> Good advice otherwise :thumbsup:
> ...


me=fail


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## victorscp (Nov 8, 2011)

i just switched from shimano to sram and i love the way that sram is notchier than shimano. makes each shift more positive reassuring 
probably not a far comparison but i went from sora to apex 
another benefit of sram is when downshifting you can downshift 3 cogs at a time and with out that much movement, where as the soras would only go down 2 cogs but i was twisting my wrist and holding it for it to shift


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## Mr_Clean (Feb 12, 2012)

I like the positive shifting of SRAM - the 1:1 actuation ratio is spot on. Shimano's work well, but the so called "light action" can get sloppy when tuning is even a wee bit off. Shimano's build quality on the other hand is more "robust." Their cranks are also stiff and bombproof. Unfortunately, I can't say much about warranty issues since I'm from Manila . I guess there is no correct answer to the OP's question... which explains the never ending debate between SRAM and Shimano.


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## royta (May 24, 2008)

sirrahd said:


> let's say a Chevy and Ford. Both have an engine that is comparible, the Ford 350 and Chevy 351


 you've got them backward, dude.


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## r.shoemaker78 (Feb 23, 2012)

sirrahd said:


> Both have an engine that is comparible, the Ford 350 and Chevy 351, but you have people that swear by one or the other.


Sorry I just read that and as a longtime motor head, I have to correct you. Ford has the 351 Windsor and Cleveland motors while Chevy has the 350...I feel better, now back on topic.

I ran into the same dilemma and ended up going with the SRAM Rival full group. I previously had 105 and it was super dependable and only needed minor adjustments but after riding the Rival group I was hooked, I like how I can pull the shifter towards the handle bars, the quick snap of each shift and the weight difference is a nice bonus. I think if I was going for a more plush touring type bike I would have gone with the 105/Ultegra.

Just my .02


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## serrone (Dec 21, 2011)

105 is very good goupset!!!!


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## jpick915 (May 7, 2006)

Just to be an ass...buy either, remove, sell on ebay, and buy a Campagnolo group.


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## LouGubrius (May 15, 2012)

I have been considering the 105 and Rival options on the CAAD10 and, from what I've gathered here, both seem to be solid options. My LBS only has the 105 on hand and I haven't had a chance to give it a ride. I'm well aware that either one will be a huge change from the flat bar Tiagra I've been riding for a while.

So, my question for those who have experienced both is how they handle under hard pedaling. Specifically, one of my biggest complaints is when I am climbing and spinning isn't cutting it, I have to soft pedal like crazy to shift my rear derailleur into a higher gear before I can get out of the saddle. I know that ideally you should shift in advance of the road and no shifter can be expected to work as smoothly under that kind of stress, but are either 105 or Rival better/smoother/less likely to feel like the derailleur is going to explode off the back of my bike than the other?


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

no, they're both the same...let up on the pressure on the pedals when you want to shift.


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## LouGubrius (May 15, 2012)

So this is basically a bad habit that I have to break myself of?


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## vagabondcyclist (Apr 2, 2011)

LouGubrius said:


> So this is basically a bad habit that I have to break myself of?


You got it.


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## jct78 (Dec 12, 2011)

tooomey said:


> I am sure this has been beat to death but sense I am new to this forum I will ask for myself. I am looking at Specialized Roubaix Elite which has choice of 105 Group or Rival Group for same price point. $2750.00. Please don't answer with which ever one feels better. On my test rides of both they both felt good. Im looking for reasons why I may want to pick one over the other? Experiences with either being good or bad?


i have the 105 version of the bike you are looking to buy and i'm very pleased. shimano was logical for me since all my other bikes have shimano groups so i can replace parts fairly seamlessly with stuff i already have.

the other thing to note is that the SRAM equipped bike has a larger cassette in the rear with an 11-32t. if you're gonna be climbing a lot you may opt for the SRAM.


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## JPN_halfblood1 (Apr 26, 2012)

support japan and the earthquake , go with shimano.?...hope that swayed you a lil toward the shimano.. lol


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## skhan007 (May 18, 2012)

I bought my first road bike about a week ago. I was going back and forth between two brands/models, where one had 105 and the other had Rival. I found the Rival group to feel great, but the shifting took getting used to. The 105 group was more intuitive for me and I felt that when I need to shift on the fly, I was much faster at doing so, becuase I did not have to do the double tap thing. I'm sure over time, I would get use to the SRAM, but I went with 105. Purely personal preference based on "feel."


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## J.T.D. (May 8, 2012)

I test rode a Tarmac with Ultegra a few weeks ago. Guy from the LBS came along on a Roubaix with SRAM Force. After a couple of miles we switched solely for the reason of trying a slightly different geometry setup (we didn't bring tools and I felt the seat was too high on the Tarmac). 
I wasnt sure I liked the SRAM shifting action at first, but after riding it for a little longer, and going back and forth from the SRAM to the Ultegra, I decided it fit me better (that's the main reason people will tell you to try both and decide what YOU like better). 
I've logged about 300 miles on my new Force group set, and have dialed in the reach on the shifters and brake levers, and I can say I probably won't ever go back to Shimano.


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## SBard1985 (May 13, 2012)

I personally really enjoy the zero loss shifting from sram. Like jct78 said, the sram has an 11-32 cassette, that may sway your decision, but cassettes can be swapped out easily. Sell it on ebay before you use it as a "new take-off" if you don't need that super granny gear.


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## davegregoire (Apr 9, 2012)

I own a 2011 look 566 with rival and a 2011 felt with 5700 105. I strongly prefer the feel of shifting on the shimano gear, especially the front shifting. I do like the hoods on the SRAM stuff better and feel they look better. I just feel the shimano is smoother and significantly quieter. I am not a fan of the double tap though I do feel shifting is easier in the drops with SRAM due to being able to pull the double tap to the bar and shift from there.


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## cory15000 (Apr 16, 2013)

Same sort of situation, but two entirely different set ups. I'm more or less looking for advice on which bike has better components, and is a better bang for the buck, therefor a better bike.

older aluminum Cramerotti cyclocross size 50x55
Sram Rival 10s shifters
Sram Rival 10s rear derailleur
Shimano Ultegra front derailleur
Shimano Ultegra cassette
KMC gold 10s chain
Shimano Dura-ace crank and BB
Deda 44cm bar
Ritchy post
Avid BB7 brakes
all new cables
Brand new Fizik superlight 2mm bar tape
Alex disc specific wheels (23mm wide)
Bontrager R3 folding tires
Bontrager RXL Stem


OR

Redline R760 Road Bike size M/L or 53cm
Race proven frame technology built with butted 6061 aluminum, coupled with carbon fiber 3K weave rear seatstays. 
Redline Carbon Technology (RCT) carbon fiber fork with 3K weave, alloy steer tube, and alloy dropouts with eyelets. 
Frame and fork specifically designed for fenders and 700 x 28c tire clearance. 
Shimano 105 10-speed shifters and derailleurs ensure efficient shifting. 
FSA compact drive (50-34T) Omego-EXO crankset provides wide range gearing. 
Race ready, lightweight XERO CXR-6 wheel set.

both in the approx $600-750 price range.

Thanks!


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## jbinbi (Jan 7, 2013)

Specialized roubix with sram. Was a longtime shimano guy.very happy with sram.


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## MikeWMass (Oct 15, 2011)

according to the Specialized website, the Elite has 105, the Elite Apex has Apex (not Rival), and MSRP is $200 less for the Apex than 105. As mentioned, the lowest gear is lower on the Sram equipped bike.
Personally, I prefer the feel and sound of Shimano, and if I needed that low a gear I would prefer a triple, but all these threads strike me as equivalent to arguing whether blueberry pie is superior to apple pie!


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## Camilo (Jun 23, 2007)

I know you're looking for some definitive answer, but at this point, you're just over thinking it. Both are excellent in function and durability. The differences are simply in the shifting method and the shape and ergonomics. Period. You have to decide which you like better and quit looking for some magic answer. I'm just kidding, not intending to sound harsh.

I have both, and both are great. Next set I'll buy will be Sram if I have a choice because it works better for my hands. But if the bike I want happens to have Shimano instead, so what, it works great too.

If the bikes are different colors, pick the one you like best.


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