Shimano to Sram - yay or nay!?

I have 11 speed Shimano XT and SRAM X1 (I think) personally I prefer the Shimano, but really only because of the shifter, the cable routing and the ability to replace the small cogs separately on an HG cassette. I’m terms of their general functionality they’re isn’t any great difference. YMMV.

I have small hands and struggle with SRAM mtb shifters, Shimano ones have a double sided up shift trigger.
Sram mtb mechs lock out, making rear wheel removal a lot easier however.
I think sram brakes have more feathering capabilities, Shimano are a bit more on/ off. Again, my small hands reduce the lever travel, so it’s maybe more how the bike needs to be set up for me?

I prefer SRAM, a LOT.... but my Slayer has Shimano... i just get on with it.

The biggest thing i miss about having Shimano though is the little pin to lock-out the mech for removing the wheel.... Why Shimano don't have that is beyond me.

I can swap between the two (plus Campag and Microshift) without giving the brand a thought.

Yes it's different but not enough I wouldn't buy for compatability/price over being wedded to a brand.

I like the lock forward thing on SRAM mechs.

I mildly prefer Shimano shifters.

Mostly though I just want gears that work.

Average height bloke with large hands so I probably don't get any of the reach / strength issues that may affect those or different builds.

<p>If you want to go from solid and reliable to plastic tat crack on.</p>

SRAM fan here, GX12 Eagle and Guide 2 RSC.

Prefer the feel of the brakes and the fact they may not leak then need throwing away and also the drivetrain and XD mount and shifter feel. And the little pin on the mech to help remove chains.

SRAM / Shimano both do a job but you might like the job doing a particular way.

Both work very well when setup. Saying that, I can't see past AXS these days as that just works brilliantly all the time.

Try it and see.

I tried SRAM on a bike I demo'd and hated it. Spoilt the demo and I didn't buy the bike. Bought a frame and built my own with Shimano.

Last bike was a GX build, this was swapped out when new for XTR with Hope brakes.

It's a no from me, but it's whether you can get on with it that counts.

I have Shimano slx 12 speed on one bike and sram 12 speed on another (they came like that).
I preferred the Shimano set up, mainly the shifter ergonomics seem all wrong on the Sram shifter with no dual action shifting.

Both work perfectly fine though.

My ex has switched to SRAM so she can share wheels/spares/whatever with her new bloke.

She hates it.

Even had SRAM brakes (code i think) on her big bike. Switched back to some spare M675 SLX that i had in a box, because after they had done a load of bleeding and swearing at home and taken a trip to our local SRAM tech chap, they were still horrible.

They both shift your gears when you need them to.

There's one huge major massive difference in use and that's with Shimano you can use your right index finger to shift. Fact that its usually occupied with the brake lever, well, that's how much of a difference it is.

I'm a Shimano man and I'm on a similar setup to you OP. I've carried it across to my current MTBs and will be staying 11sp for years to come.

But if I were a one-bike man and buying a new full bike, I'd probably just give the 12sp Sram a go. They seem to have got on top of the exploding GX mechs from the early 12sp days now, don't they?

And that big cog at the back would be nice now and then.

Nay. I swapped the crappy low rent 12 speed Eagle, which was extremely pernickety to set-up and index then didn't remain reliable for long to 11 speed Deore. Much more positive, reliable and better made. The travel adjusters on the rear mech were basically wood screws FFS, and cheap ones at that!

Just correct the original question and the answer jumps out at you.....

Shimano to Avid – yay or nay!?

I prefer Shimano, the kit seems better made and I prefer the ergonomics of the shifter. I am genuinely curious about the sram electronic stuff though, it seems like they may have got that right. The price however means I’ll stick with Shimano.

I've got XRT 12 mechanical on one bike and XX1/Xo1 AXS on the other - i can swap easily between the two.  Similar for gravel - Force/Red AXS 12s on one and Di2 11s on the other three.  I can easily swap.  The ergonomics are a bigger step on dropbar shifters than MTB, as oin a 1X configuration you can control everything from a single shifter on Di2, but it's not so simple for AXS.  For MTB - I'd crack on, but I'd be tempted to go AXS rather than just mechanical GX.

plus Campag and Microshift

I've never got on well with campag.  The way of setting up a derailleur is different and the cable pull on brakes is different but only a little different so stuff half works.  Hateful stuff

I wouldn't but my only experience of recent SRAM was 2022 SX 12sp which was awful. The better stuff might be less terrible?

For gears, I have SRAM on one bike and shimano on the other - doesn't really make any odds to me once I'm riding. For brakes I use neither but prefer SRAM feel to shimano.

The biggest thing i miss about having Shimano though is the little pin to lock-out the mech for removing the wheel…. Why Shimano don’t have that is beyond me.

Probably a patent or something like that? I agree though, I much prefer the SRAM setup there.

My hardtail is almost identically spec'd to the OP's old bike and my FS is GX/Code R.

The GX has a more positive feel, the XT works well but is a bit mushier, but then it is older and a mix of manufacturers parts.

As someone said above, how much you'll miss index finger upshifts is about as far as it goes. The clutch lock on the rear mech more than makes up for it.

yes you will regret it.

We have both SRAM & Shimano at home.

Drivetrainwise - GX Eagle performance is comparable compared to the Shimano counterparts. Like other said, the derailleur lock out for SRAM is better to allow wheel removal vs. Shimano.  The Shimano shifter is better designed ergonomically.

Breakwise - I personally hate SRAM brakes and would have anything other than SRAM. Currently on Shimano XT 4 pots.

Nay for me.

The one bike I had a full SRAM drivetrain on resulted in an exploding mech, whereas a lifetime of Shimano with very few issues. Mrs a11y's hardtail has SRAM NX 1x11 and I hate borrowing that bike. Preferred setup for me is XTR shifter, Deore/SLX mech, SRAM XG1150 cassettes (for durability) and whatever chain is cheap. Deore/SLX/Zee for brakes.

Finger-shifting on Shimano far more outweighs the rear mech lock wheel removal on SRAM. How many times do you benefit from the shifter action versus how many times do you remove a rear wheel?

I'll go against the grain - my bikes had always been Shimano but when I was building my current bike the only affordable/available 12sp kit was SRAM so I ended up with a GX drivetrain. I thought I'd eventually switch back to Shimano 12sp, and built MrsPs latest bike with XT 12sp. The XT 12sp has been far pickier & higher maintenance than my GX which has basically been fit & forget. I thought I'd hate the SRAM shifting but now I only use my thumb when I go back to Shimano. I'm not a fan of DUB cranks though.

I've always been a Shimano fan.

A bike I got came with SRAM NX, so pretty low level. I thought it would be awful and I'd have to replace it immediately, but it was perfectly serviceable for several thousand miles. Eventually the rear mech got sloppy so I replaced it with Shimano.

Prefer the Shimano but the SRAM was perfectly serviceable. Main difference was the Shimano gear changes are quieter whereas SRAM clunked when changing gears.

Edit: This is all 11spd, not tried 12spd yet.

<p>I have both and I’m happy using either. I’ve had GX and XO,  SLX and XT. If it come down to having to choose one over the other it would be Shimano. Lasts longer imo and cheaper. Dub bb’s are  absolutely pants</p>

I'm in the Nay camp. I've used a lot of SRAM over the years, all at the top end, but I've never found it quite as slick or polished as the Shimano equivalent. But I accept that that is mostly personal preference.

I do wish Shimano had a version of wireless like AXS though, that's brilliant.

I think my sram x01 is a lot more refined than the clunky 2022 XT 12 speed stuff on the other bike.

I am a sram fan though so look to fault shimano more.

nope!

got burnt by older sram tech years ago. Avid juicy anyone?!

have had sram shifters and brakes over the years but they've never been as good as shimano IMO

I used to be very much a Shimano fanboy, brakes, gears, everything, but over the years Shimano have given me too many reasons not to use their stuff, especially around standards. Things like six different versions of I-spec so your existing stuff is always incompatible. SRAM 11 and then 12 cassettes being way ahead on weight, range and durability, and then 12 speed eventually arriving with yet another freehub standard with none of the advantages of XD. Di2 being a joke. The appalling drop in quality of their brakes. Multiple chainring standards and BCDs. You even need an adapter to use your Shimano BB tool on a Shimano BB nowadays.

I have 5 bikes, and other than a set of Shimano rotors on the pub bike and maybe a length of SP41 for my dropper, I don't think I have a single Shimano part anywhere. Just can't be arsed with them.

(Dub BBs are crap, no argument there)

I've been using SRAM almost exclusively on my bikes since XX1 11 speed was released. I had Shimano on the commuter for a while but swapped to SRAM.

Current bikes are GX AXS or X01/Force AXS.

I'd not go back to Shimano at all, I can't see anything being an improvement on the AXS kit and I find the X01 level cassettes and chains last incredibly well.

I’ve been using SRAM almost exclusively on my bikes since XX1 11 speed was released. I had Shimano on the commuter for a while but swapped to SRAM.

This. When (if?) my road bike sells, I won’t have a single Shimano component across 5 bikes. Using XX1, XO1, GX and Force, all AXS

Shimano all the way. SRAM seems to use the first 2 generations of its products as beta testing on the public. I find the gears harder to set up and really like the option on shimano to do multiple shifts and the 2 way action of the shifter.  As for SRAM brakes they are super tricky to bleed imho even with the the bleeding edge tool.

I always end up swapping out to shimano

Was a Shimano fanboy, not any more. The X01 that came on my orange 4 years ago has been a total joy. Everything just works and continues to work impeccably.

SRAM brakes can get in the sea though.

Used Shimano for years, but switched when Sram pushed 1x11. Found Sram a bit easier to set up, and loved the compatibility across road and MTB. Still on GX 1x11, but would be tempted to give Shimano 1x12 a go when I replace the drive train. Only for curiosity though, I doubt there's any real performance or durability advantage.

Swings and roundabouts, I've got GX and Deore on two bikes.

SRAM shifters are more ergonomic.

Shimano still shifts better.

SRAM mechs are still made of cheese, slightly harder cheese perhaps than previously, Parmesan rather than Gouda. But a riding buddy just killed an X01 lifting his bike over a gate and putting an imperceptible bend in it, my Rival died from a small stick doing the same (and I swore off SRAM after the financial ruin of replacing 10s mechs so often). My deore on the other hand has massive scars from being clattered into rocks and still shifts perfectly.

The good news is apparently they're all interchangeable now, so if the mech dies, replace it with shimano and get the best of both worlds.

Brakes .........

They've not sorted the issue of lever pistons swelling and seizing*. The good news is a new set of metal ones costs about £10 from China and sorts it out, just needs a very thin set of circlip pliers to reach down the barrel. I still think shimano is better, but not better enough to be worth forking out to change them (and shimano have their own caliper leak issues).

*or if they have, after ~10 years of it I'm not going to believe it's changed in the last couple of years since my last set went bad based on some anecdotal evidence that someone has a good set.

Sticking with Deore here (with Saint shifter). Runs and runs and runs without any care or attention. No affordable Sram has ever come close in any regard... shifting, ergonomics, durability. Love the high end Sram cassettes as objects though... the work that goes into them is insane... but so is the cost.

EDIT: Oh, Sram deserve plenty of praise for shifting us to useable 1x drivetrains though, and I still use their chainrings and chains exclusively... quality stuff all the way down the range there (the Sachs legacy?) and it's a shame that the 12 speed stuff isn't interchangeable chain wise.

Was used to using XT for years - 9 speed through to 11 speed - but the latest bike came with SRAM GX Eagle and I love it. Very crisp shifting and has been bombproof for the past 18 months. Noticeably harder wearing chains, chainrings and cassettes. It's also nice to not have to relube the clutch (a fiddly job if there ever was one) every 6 months.

Much prefer Shimano brakes though, although the SRAM G2s have been functional.

Nay, unless it's top end and half price,  certainly wouldn't go with the equivalent to XT or pay SRAM top end prices. And wouldn't touch dub with a stick I've just used to remove something unpleasant off my tyre.

Some SRAM stuff is terrible but AXS , X01/XX1 has been fantastic for me - against my initial thoughts.

Still like Shimano gear but SRAM for shifting and cassette.

It’s also nice to not have to relube the clutch

What's this?

[ perhaps I don't clean my bikes throughly enough ]

I reckon I'd buy the bike if it was really 'the one' and immediately sell brakes.

I've had no problems with SRAM drivetrain and have gx 11 speed on one bike that is approaching 8 years of peak District thrashing. Only occasionally changed chain and cables. Never cassette mech or shifter

On the other hand I've never had SRAM hydraulic components not leak / fail within 1st year of ownership. Forks or MTB brakes or road brakes. All piss out oil or get sticky pistons in my experience. Plus they're a right faff to bleed compared to Shimano. Anecdotal of course but that's been my ride with it. Obvs you can warranty or whatever but when your brakes can't be trusted not to seize in middle of nowhere it's not really acceptable.

I was a confirmed Shimano user, so much so that when I bought my Spesh Enduro (XO1 12 speed and Code brakes) I had Shimano equivalents sitting in a number of online baskets ready to swap over the SRAM stuff I was sure I was going to hate.

I wouldn't go back to Shimano.

Personally I think Shimano have maybe one more shot at catching up to where SRAM are now, and if they don't then I think they can kiss goodbye to high end electronic and probably even good manual group-sets being specced on bikes. Mechanical XTR pricing makes no sense in a world where GX AXS groupsets exist. Shimano used to be the last word in cheap reliable brakes, and they've comprehensively ruined that reputation, there's no way I'd be tempted back to using Shimano brakes unless there was a total redesign. Code R may be lumpen things, but at least they actually do slow you down reliably.

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.

There’s one huge major massive difference in use and that’s with Shimano you can use your right index finger to shift. Fact that its usually occupied with the brake lever, well, that’s how much of a difference it is

You're usually shifting up when you want to faster, though - not much cross over in use with the "want to go slower" lever.

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