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The only thing I’ve got now on my bikes is SPDs, and that’s only because it worked first time, and they left it alone.
Funnily enough, that's one of the two shimano things i'll never buy. Can't deal with the rocking, rattling and clicking of the cleats.
The other thing is their chains, had 5 or 6 back in the 9/10 speed days (all factory fitted) snap randomly. Then didn't use them for ~10 years then had two new bikes (11 speed) both of them snapped shimano chains within a couple of weeks of delivery.
My ideal setup would be Shimano XT or above shifter, whatever Shimano mech, XD cassette, KMC or SRAM chain.
As it is I can't get past the price of Sunrace cassettes on a HD freehub. XD equivalents are pisstakingingly expensive.
SRAM X01 has got to be the best most durable mechanical groupset SRAM have ever put out!
Microshift FTW. 😜
We're a Shimano bike shed. I had too many issues with SRAM - bb's that lasted a month, brakes a pain to bleed, shifters with a design that allows cable end 'past' the stop to jam, mechs that just get super sloppy...
Shimano isn't perfect - just look at cable route into a rear mech - but it just works* and continues to.**
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*12sp excluded
**12sp further excluded
I've always used Shimano gears and never had any issues, I like the feel and I've never really had to do any maintenance to my old SLX drivetrain which must be coming up to 10 years old now.
For brakes I wasn't a fan of the SLX set I had though. Felt very wooden and on/off. Might give them another try when it's time for new brakes though as it's nice to have matching stuff. Had lots of issues with my old Acid Juicy brakes, but the Elixir 3s are still going strong for me and I like the feel of them.
I had a SRAM equipped bike, but, as was said earlier, Avid Juicy brakes were terrible and put me off. XT all the way now. Shimano cranks are a breeze to take off if you need to get to the BB too.
I ended up back on SRAM in 2017 because of the range of the eagle cassette when Shimano didn't have anything comparable.
Slowly, but surely, my componentry is migrating back to shimano. Not because SRAM doesnt work, but because, cassettes and X01 chains excluded, it doesnt last as long and is more expensive.
GX mechs baggy in a year. GX chains bursting every month. DUB bbs eating the soft crank axle before you notice the bearings are a bit rough, and being generally less tolerant of BBshell alignment.
I do miss X-sync2 chainrings. That tooth profile is excellent, and the cassettes last for ages and are light, so I still use them and X01 chains, but my mechs are now XT, as are my cranks/BB, with Unite chain rings.
I wouldn’t run SRAM brakes (or Shimano) but touch wood, the 3 SRAM GX 12 speed drivetrains I have are absolutely brilliant. Bombproof cranks, solid (if not spectacular shifting performance) and in my experience excellent durability and ease of maintenance makes them spot on for me.
The ability to lock the derailleur makes a good product even better. Shimano have got the lower end stuff sorted (NX is pretty poor), but have got a lot of catching up to do at the top end. Shimano Saint excluded.
I think I'd switch for the wireless leccy shifting more likely on road or Gravel..
Wasn’t that long ago that people said that XTR is only for dentists etc. Now it seems relatively economical given the batshit prices people are prepared to pay to get rid of 1 cable and put up with poorer quality slower shifting, more weight and poorer ergonomics.
Have a go with Dan's Sram on his HT and keep your Hope brakes, put the Sram brakes on the old bike before selling!
I have considered that Sam!
If you are used to downshifting with your index finger and doing multiple upshifts in one push, moving to SRAM may feel a bit like a backwards step.
I ended up pairing a SRAM 12 speed drivetrain with a shimano shifter for this reason. I also moved the hell away from a Dub crankset/bb as soon as I had the opportunity.
Funnily enough, that’s one of the two shimano things i’ll never buy.
@mert, could I ask what you use instead?
doing multiple upshifts in one push, moving to SRAM may feel a bit like a backwards step
You sure you haven't got an e-mtb shifter pod? The X01 on my orange multi-upshifts fine, but the otherwise identical e-mtb-specific X01 on my whyte e-bike is restricted to one shift at a time, to prevent mech mangling issues from full torque shifts.
@mert, could I ask what you use instead?
Chains or pedals? 😀
Pedals is various generations and models of Time ATAC. (And Time on road too)
Chains is mostly Wipperman or SRAM.
Now it seems relatively economical given the batshit prices people are prepared to pay to get rid of 1 cable and put up with poorer quality slower shifting, more weight and poorer ergonomics.
Tell me you've not used AXS without telling me you've not used AXS.
Mleh, group-sets are intensely personal, you either like the way either Shimano/SRAM feels or you don't, but I certainly don't recognise "poorer quality slower shifting" as a valid criticism, any more than lightweight, and vague is for Shimano. The only thing I miss from Shimano is the two way trigger.
@mert, thanks, it was pedals.
I've tied TimeATAC, didn't get on with them - why I went with SPD in the first place. I was thinking of trying the Hope ones.
You sure you haven’t got an e-mtb shifter pod? The X01 on my orange multi-upshifts fine,
My only experience was a GX drivetrain, didn't appear to be a multi-upshift in the short period I used it. I missed the index finger downshifting more though.
@nickc You may not recognise it, but Chris Porter, James Huang and others sure do.
Ridden it on a mate's bike. It's not for me.
All the SRAM pods do multiple up shifts (certainly both my GX and XO1 )
I would say that if you want mechanical, Shimano are the best on balance. For electronic, SRAM.
For brakes and bearings (including bb), I would look elsewhere altogether and Hope is not a bad starting place.
Hopefully that’s a simple answer?!
For me electronic is worth the premium but if the budget won’t stretch, Shimano seem to have perfected mass produced mechanical shifting. All you really pay for with Shimano as you spend more is finish and lower weight rather than functionality. It all performs brilliantly and would definitely pass the blindfold test.
Shimano continue to innovate in mechanical shifting whereas SRAM seem to have stopped investing in mechanical. As such their mechanical stuff is starting to show its age.
Hopefully that’s a simple answer!
Spot on, I think.
I stick with Shimano brakes for cost reasons and I can generally keep them running well, but if I had more dosh I might try TRP or Hayes - which are both said to be very reliable.
Having said all of that, if you are considering a bike fully built, I wouldn’t let SRAM mechanical put you off. It all wears out eventually so you can always swap over time if you don’t get used to it.
Code brakes, I think really depends on the level you get. RSCs have been bombproof for me, RSs not so much.
I've run GX and XO Eagle, fine with both of them. I wouldn't use GX chains though, they get surface rust too easily.
Always been a Shimano man, and found Sram mtb a bit clunky...
but I recently fitted Sram XPLR 1x to my road bike and it is by some way the best shifting I've ever had*.
* that's up against Shimano 11, 12, mechanical, Di2, road and mtb.
Mix and match is the answer for me. SRAM cassettes and chains with Shim shifter and mech.
Normally Shim BB but my DUB is lasting forever.
Put off shimano brakes due to leaks and warranty is a pain in the backside, and I had too many ruined rides.
Drivetrain I’m happy with either really. Shimano spds.
Bb easy to replace on shimano, but my experience of sram bb is that they last ages - have one with 2k miles still going strong. Shimano one on another bike lasts less than 500.
Personally I'm still very much a Shimano fan, I was SRAM up until about 7 or 8 years ago, then switched because it just kept getting more and more expensive & I haven't seen anything which makes me want to go back
The exploding mechs issue from SRAM was a pretty poor piece of design and I had a couple of mates have it happen to them, one had it two weekends in a row, second time was a brand new mech
I'll agree that the arrangement for disengaging the clutch for wheel removal is better, but that's it. I had 6 days on a rental ebike earlier this year which had a SRAM drivetrain and at the end of it my verdict was I prefer Shimano