Haven't bought any since 2004 (XT shifters & XTR rear mech, XT hollowtech 2 Crank, XT cassette)
After a ride on Saturday in the wet I was plagued with horrendous chain suck and now need to bite the bullet and change the drivetrain, shiters and mech ok but I'm fancying a move to SRAM X0 shifters and mech with shimano cassette, or XTR shifters and Mech.

Any opinions?

Shimano, no competition. I went through a ton of sram X0 and X9 stuff over the last few years, and the move back to XTR has been great. M970 is superb.

Shimano more durable then?

The ergonomic advantage with thumb triggers is less of a USP now Shimano have two way release, however I quite like the positive (some call it "clunky") shifting of SRAM setups.

Not to mention they're far more tolerant of ham fisted cable adjustment. It's easier keeping my SRAM geared bikes shifting sweetly than my g/f's Shimano bike.

i'm in a state of flux with my loyalties here…

i've found SRAM derailleurs/shifters more reliable than my old shimano kit, but the new shadow mech stuff does seem to work very well.

(the direct line for the gear cable makes lots of sense to me)

i've just bought some SRAM bits for my Hemlock, next time my wallet comes out it'll probably buy me shimano stuff.

Don't know about X0 but I've given up on Shimano – have one bike with it on and it's a nightmare, after each ride the indexing is all over the place. I've run X9 elsewhere and (as above) I like the positive engagement and it needs far less faffing with.

I do admit my gear-setting skills leave something to be desired. But I can get SRAM to work!

Apparently the “anti-corporate” choice is SRAM…

If so then call me a corporate Whore;

Shimano stuff works and that’s that, never really been bothered about actuation ratios, flashy looking carbon cages or any of the other crap that apparently matters on SRAM stuff, the fact that you’ve had the same drive train for ~6 years should tell you something…

You could just overhaul your current drive train, new rings/cassette/chain/cables and a good clean/re-grease can do wonders, if the mech’s and shifters all still work, why change them?

Shimano for me, but then I'm a low-normal fanboi 🙂

cookeaa – I see your point although I have to admit i've not riffen it much in those 6 years 🙁
I fancy something newer, however like you say the cheaper option is to stay with the shifters and mech.

If I went for SRAM what tyoe of X0/X9 rear mech?! medium or long cage? SRAM ok with Shimano cassette?

I find that SRAM is much less picky, easy to set up and works better through mud. having said that Ive had problems with some x9 stuff, bearings in the jockey wheels seizing and generally the mech returning slowly on its spring, disappointing given the high price.

I think the 1:1 pull design of SRAM is better but Shimano is probably better value for money overall

that'd be ridden not "riffen"!!!

You can mix and match Shimano and SRAM chains and cassettes to your heart content, although it's also worth looking at other chains too, I'd choose KMC or SRAM chains over Shimano's actually, and I've had cassettes from both and I struggle to tell the difference in terms of shifting performance or durability, others will always tell you one is far better than the other but in reality I believe it is pretty marginal, maybe use the old weight Vs Cost equation as your guide instead…

SRAM all the way – nothing can compete with the speed of change when you really need it to change going up a trail. X.0 with X.9 shifters

Shimano shifters & mechs
Middleburn rings
SRAM Cassette & chain

Been running shimano for years on all my bikes. Picked up an enduro a few months ago with sram x0 stuff. All i can say is wow.. much much better. Very positive

I run Sram X0 Cassette, Mech and shifters and i think they are brilliant, really smooth gear changes and there is a sutible clunk to let you know its in gear and to put the power down. Still get chain suck with it though, which i have had recently.

I've been running xt on my hardtail and sram x-9 on the full sus for the last year or two. I much prefer sram and I totally agree that it's less "picky" and more durable than xt. I also prefer the definite "clunk" in the gar changes

blah blah blah.. here's a tip for everyone who has gears on their bike, SRAM or Shimano, because both work really well if set up properly.
Trim the cables and sleeves slightly long at first and then use it for a good few rides. Take the cables out and pop off the end caps. Cleanly cut off the ends of the sleeves (which should by now have the internal wires poking out some).
If you reassemble them after this and give the cable a good tug to settle it down then they should be super sharp, no matter what it says on your rear mech.

I've had SRAM X.9 gearing in my last 4 bikes, but the new one has XTR shadow. I regret deciding to try Shimano again even though there is a clear improvement to what it used to be like. Shimano has copied some of the features Sram has, but I miss the more distinct clicking from sram, and find the new "push or pull to change" to be somehow awkward and have a strange middle spot where the shifter is kind of slightly stuck.

But both work, and change your gears. If I had to choose again I would take Sram, but I don't think I'm going to switch back until this dies.

Imho based on going from shimano to having 2 sets of x9 then going to xt shadow (because it was significantly cheaper) – I'd love to say sram sram sram but honsetly much of a muchness.

Both have positive gear change, both easy to set up (i'd say shimano front mech is easier to set up) and I like the 2 way change on the xt.

With my second set of x9 I have had issues… the rear mech was a devil for sticking and had to go back under warranty (was a prob with them that year), my front mech shiftr lever bent in a fairly lightweight craqsh and sram chains have really let me down.

For my money i'd buy either again, which would depend on which one was cheapest.