Better or same?
I'm not bothered about snobbery, after all neither are Campy 
Bike Forum
Sram Apex & Rival - how do they compare to Tiagra and 105?
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Posted 4 months ago #
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Sram is lighter Shimano is smoother.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Any reliability/longevity differences?
Posted 4 months ago # -
I just bought a road bike also! I was strongly advised to steer clear of the SRAM double tap system because it's so hard to get used to it. You use the same lever for up and down shifts and all too often you end up in a higher gear when what you really needed was a lower one.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Ah. This is what I want to hear..
Posted 4 months ago # -
SRAM DoubleTap is hard to get used to?
That's cobblers - it took me one ride to feel at home with it. The brake hoods are very ergonomic and the lever action is great.
The only bad thing I can find is that SRAM don't seem to know how to make front derailleurs. The shifting on the frt derailleur was lazy and sometimes wouldn't shift completely to the big ring. This, no matter that it was perfectly - and I mean perfectly - aligned.
A quick test by swapping a spare Campag frt derailleur onto the bike and hey presto - frt shifting is perfect. SRAM have been renowned for cheesy frt derailleurs on MTB's for some time and that appears to have carried over onto the Road side too.
Posted 4 months ago # -
I have got rival on my road bike. The double tap does not take long to get used to. Took me about 10mins on first ride. I really like it. But yes it isn't as smooth as shimano However I love it and will be upgrading to force when I can
Posted 4 months ago # -
Double post. - bloody phone
Posted 4 months ago # -
I had a rapid rise for a while on the mtb and am still confused months later, but have never had issues with the double tap.
That said 105 is just nicer to use.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Hang on, I once had a rapid rise rear mech. I hated it on sight. Couldn't get my head round it. The Sram double tap is rapid rise? (its early for me, apologies for confused state).
Posted 4 months ago # -
I was strongly advised to steer clear of the SRAM double tap system because it's so hard to get used to it.
I'm afraid whoever told you that must be a complete simpleton! It's 1 lever on Sram that you push either a little bit to go down the gears or a bit more to the 2nd click to go up. not exactly rocket science...
I used to be a die hard Shimano man but I now don't own a Shimano kitted road bike, I prefer the shifter shape of the Sram levers and I like the short throw to change gears, you hardly have to press them. I also like the fact that if you break the Sram levers you can get spares to fix them, with Shimano it's practically bin fodder.
I use Force on most of my bikes but have Apex on my commuting/training bike and bar a bit of weight the shifters all feel the same in action.
Posted 4 months ago # -
I have SRAM Apex and there amazing! Quite a bit lighter than the 105.
Double tap is ace, and means you can break and shift at the same time (if your good).
I've had no problems with my set, and can highly recommend them.Posted 4 months ago # -
I must admit it took me about one ride to get used to the SRAM on my CX bike, but bearing in mind i've done thousands of miles with it now I have to say I think it's fantastic. It isn't as smooth as say 105 or the Ultegra equivilent but It's massively reliable, even in muddy conditions (hence CX bike). Very quick downshift and light upshift. I wouldn't say it's better than shimano, but its at least as good, surely that's enough?!
Posted 4 months ago # -
I've got Tiagra on my winter bike and find it pretty crap! Even with new cables etc the shifting's nowt special. I'd be inclined to try SRAM if you get in with the ergonomics of the shifters, which like the MTB parts, is what it really boils down to.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Quick question on gearing - I was thinking 50/34 and circa 11/32 as its hills etc - to help a newbie climb. Good idea?
Posted 4 months ago # -
You won't need 11/32 on the back, 11/25 is plenty. Believe me, if I can get up Ventoux on it, it's plenty.
A road bike is much, much lighter than an MTB, so you just don't need the teeny twiddly gears.
[EDIT]Plus you want the gaps between ratios as close as possible to maintain steady cadence
Posted 4 months ago # -
difference between Tiagra and 105 is marked - 105 is noticeably better in terms of shifting.
Posted 4 months ago # -
I just bought a road bike also! I was strongly advised to steer clear of the SRAM double tap system because it's so hard to get used to it
Really?
My cx bike has Sram Rival and was unsure about how easy it would be to use. (I have both Shimano and Campag on othe bikes)I took all of about 2 minutes to get use too. I really like the double tap, very easy to use compared to the other two but as said, it's not as smooth as Shimano or Campag.RE. Gearing. 11-25 will be plenty with a compact. Anything higher and you'll get horrible jumps between gear ratios. I live in a *hilly area and when I used a compact I never found myself wanting for other gears.
Typical climbs, anything form 10-17%
Posted 4 months ago # -
I've never used SRAM on the road so can't comment on a comparison, but my 105 5600 shifters work fantastically on and off road (they've been on the road bike then CX bike). new 5700's on the road bike which I've not tried yet, but the hood shape and lever feel on the workstand feel different to 5600 105. I really don't like Tiagra shifters - very long lever through and a bit clunky feeling.
Anyway, gearing - depends where you're going to ride. I'd consider a 11-32 if your rides will entail lakeland passes and the like - far steeper than most stuff you find in the alps.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Mulletus Maximus I'm a newbie though and everyone will tell you climbing on a mountain bike involves me riding up slower than walking pace
Posted 4 months ago # -
I'm not the best climber either but it's so much easier to maintain a steady rhythm on a road bike. 11-27 is another option if you're unsure.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Me too. SRAM Rival here and no problems with the double-tap system or the quality of shifting from the derailleurs.
Such is the ease of the system - my training bike is Sora based and I have absolutely zero problems switching between the two.
I believe SRAM pitch their groupsets between the Shimano ones. So something like Apex falls between Tiagra and 105.50/34 and circa 11/32
This is massive gearing. You need to consider what you will be climbing and the spread of those gears. That said SRAM do something called Wi-Fli which is simply a long-cage derailleur with an MTB cassette.
Try using a gear calculator like the one of Sheldon Brown's site.Posted 4 months ago # -
Won't SRAM give Hora the choice of using a larger cassette if he want's?
Not 100% certain, but I thought I read that SRAM can cope with 32t.Anyway my race bike is being rebuilt with Force for the season as we speak.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Yep, the Apex group includes a larger cassette, or you can use a medium cage MTB mech as the cable pull's the same. David Millar (among others) ran an XX 11-32 block at the Giro (or the Vuelta?).
Posted 4 months ago # -
SRAM double tap system because it's so hard to get used to it.
nonsense. took me 2 minutes of riding a mates bike to get used to it. this was from previously only ever riding shimano.Posted 4 months ago # -
It took me a while (like quite a few rides) to get used to the doubletap shifting on my Rival-equipped bike, but I am a bit of a simpleton.
I tried a bike with 105 and much preferred the shifting action, but the bike I wanted came with SRAM and it is lighter so I will happily put up with it.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Thanks guys. I'll probably plumb for the Rival groupset. Next question (wheels):
Mavic Askium, Kysrium Equipe (extra £100) or Cosmic Elite? (+150)
Posted 4 months ago # -
The Double Tap levers are so bloody expensive - Apex is stupidly expensive IMO, particularly compared to the others, I'm not sure why SRAM struggle so much with a sensible pricing hierarchy - X.0 and XX are the same, virtually identical on various parts!
I'd not get Aksiums, probably plump for the Equipes from that. Or Hope Hoops on Open Pros or sommat.
Posted 4 months ago # -
To backtrack slightly I could always go for the 105 instead of Rivals (same price) but I'd need to have feel of the ergonomics.
Its all new to me. On my mountain bike my rear mech's a 11yr old XTR and the shifters are Attack's so shifting has never been on my radar
Posted 4 months ago # -
Road stuff lasts about 5 times longer, so you'll probably get half a century out of whatever you choose!
Posted 4 months ago # -
Prefer Shimano myself due to the hood shape vs SRAM. Double-tap is easy to get used to though, only takes a couple of minutes
Posted 4 months ago # -
Go for a ride on double-tap before buying. I don't like it really, but still considering it, because weight is a really important feature for me. If 105 was the same weight and price as Apex, it would be an absolute no-brainer for me.
Unfortunately Apex-equipped bikes are usually priced similar to Tiagra and that makes the weight difference pretty huge.Posted 4 months ago # -
I've got Tiagra on my winter bike and find it pretty crap! Even with new cables etc the shifting's nowt special.
I've had my tiagra-equipped bike for a couple of weeks now and may tend to agree. Whilst the proper STI levers feel better than the old Sora ones I had, I don't feel that the shifting is any smoother. I wouldn't say I find it crap though, just probably not as good as everyone seems to say it is.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Go for a ride on double-tap before buying. I don't like it really, but still considering it, because weight is a really important feature for me. If 105 was the same weight and price as Apex, it would be an absolute no-brainer for me.
Unfortunately Apex-equipped bikes are usually priced similar to Tiagra and that makes the weight difference pretty huge.Confused. 105 is alot lighter than Apex or vice versa?
Posted 4 months ago # -
I wouldn't say I find it crap though, just probably not as good as everyone seems to say it is.
Having ridden my Dura Ace (only 7800) bike yesterday I'd say it's crap! Definitely worse than Deore vs XTR. I ought to change all the cables, and it certainly needs new jockeys, but even so!
Posted 4 months ago #
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