Hi folks,

Anybody on here knows what the comparative groupsets are between Sram and Shimano. eg. is Sram Rival the equivalent of Shimano 105. Looking to get a cyclocross bike in the near future and stuck between Boardman's Rival groupset bike and Kona's 105 specced machine.

Thanks in Advance

Carl

You forgot Campag dude – how could you forget Campag. 😉

Not found a cyclocross with campag specced. Any names spring to mind ?

Rival is approx = Ultegra.

Cheers crazy-legs, the Boardman seems good value then compared to the Kona and is the same price as most 105 specced machines.

Seen a mailshot for that Boardman, very nice. Be quick though..limited numbers.

I thought:

Rival sits between 105 and Ultegra.
Force sits between Ultegra and Dura-ace.
Red = Dura-ace

I've got campag on both my cross bikes. Centaur 10 with the new levers works very well – shame that I don't.

Gradually shifted from shimano to Sram groups on my road bikes. Took a bit of getting used to re the different shifters, but not much. Just put rival gears on an old Major Jake. Works well, gearing is easier to set up than shimano, and hopefully is more mud friendly.

Rival's more like Sora quality, Ultegra price. Looking at the two in the flesh and using them you can really tell that the Sram is inferior. While Force and Red are impressive, Rival uses a lot of cheap plastics and isn't as nice to use as 105. We've had a demo set of Rival loaded onto a Giant TCR, replacing the 105 that was on it and it's just crap. Lighter, though.

The biggest problem I have with the Sram road stuff is the shifters because if you are a bit lazy on a shift it just won't work whereas Shimano just does.

Rival's more like Sora quality, Ultegra price. Looking at the two in the flesh and using them you can really tell that the Sram is inferior. While Force and Red are impressive, Rival uses a lot of cheap plastics and isn't as nice to use as 105. We've had a demo set of Rival loaded onto a Giant TCR, replacing the 105 that was on it and it's just crap. Lighter, though.

I totally disagree…….. I had rival, but sold it to fund something else, and went back to 2009 Ultegra, and it is no where near as good as the Sram, so i have gone back to Sram, all shimano road stuff i have is up for sale…..and as for looking inferior, and using cheap plastics…….not a chance. Rival equiv to Ultegra in comparison, but doesnt compare, far better.

I went from Rival to Ultegra SL. Rival is very clunky, long shifter throws take definite effort. Surface finish is poor too, levers were wearing through the anno, and the mechs had surface corrosion. Oh, and cable changes on the shifters were a nightmare for some reason. GXP bottom brackets suck too.
Ultegra is *much* more refined, only the lightest touch required. I wouldn't got back to Sram now.

im talking about the carbon Rival, not the alloy rival..

i use the new DA 7900 and if i had my time again i'd defo would have gone for Sram Red. DA is okay but build quality is a beet cheap for such an expensive group, i prefer 7800. Sram stuff is nice and just gives you a bit moe than the shimano equivalents.

I went from Dura Ace 7700 to Red and the shifing is not as good although I have read reports that DA 7900 is not as good as 7800.

Anyway I can't imagine that Rival is really as good as Ultegra. Is it? I would have thought

Rival = 105
Force = Ultegra SL
Red = Dura Ace

is more simple. No?

oddjob……..dont fancy a swap do you?

i'm serious email in profile 😀

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/components/groupset/road/product/rival-09-33871

So, there you go then, go for what you like best. Whichever one you go for, you'll have made entirely the right/wrong (delete as appropriate) choice, depending who you ask.

I tried Shimano and Sram, on balance, I prefered Sram.