7800DA vs 09 Sram Force

BigUgly said:

Which one would you choose. The two bikes I have narrowed down have about the same ride, fit and feel. The one with Sram is $500 more, worth it? I have 105 now so either is a huge upgrade. I have tried the 7800DA and it was pretty darn smooth as for the Sram the frame I tested had UltegraSL but the one I'll order has Force.

Do one of the lever shapes suit you more than the other? Choose that one. If neither, I would choose DA/ I prefer the LH/front der shifter action.

Peter@vecchios said:

Do one of the lever shapes suit you more than the other? Choose that one. If neither, I would choose DA/ I prefer the LH/front der shifter action.

Why not consider the 2009 Campagnolo Centaur shifters/group, too?

BigUgly said:

Which one would you choose. The two bikes I have narrowed down have about the same ride, fit and feel. The one with Sram is $500 more, worth it? I have 105 now so either is a huge upgrade. I have tried the 7800DA and it was pretty darn smooth as for the Sram the frame I tested had UltegraSL but the one I'll order has Force.

Sram Force would not be worth $500 more to me vs the proven reliability of 7800DA. If all else is equal, I'd pick the DA-equipped bike and keep that extra $500 in my jersey to spend on bike trips in the spring.

I've heard that there's little difference between the Rival and Force groups to justify the higher price.

Have you tried the double-tap shifting? I've heard that also takes some getting used to, and is somewhat subjective to preference.

alfeng said:

Why not consider the 2009 Campagnolo Centaur shifters/group, too?

I also think that 2009 Campagnolo would be preferable but the 2 bicycles mentioned had Sram or DA7800.

Campagnolo still hasn't figured the whole OEM thing out.

DA all the way. Force is okay IMO, but I still don't feel at ease with the shifting. It sounds and feels a bit shaky/clunky to me - which may all be mental - but if we are comparing it to DA... shaky and clunky are the right words. DA hasn't ever let me down. If you're into the whole double-tap shifting thing, just go with rival. I can't tell the difference between force and rival... Save for the price tag.

Plus, you're on Shimano components right now. Are they bothering you at all? If so, compare the ergonomics between the two, as a previous poster advised. I think the 7800 hoods feel pretty good under my hand, personally. SRAM is nice if you want routed cable housing though. I kind of like the cable "reigns" on DA shifters, hahaha. I was sad to see them go on 7900.

Peter@vecchios said:

I also think that 2009 Campagnolo would be preferable but the 2 bicycles mentioned had Sram or DA7800.

Campagnolo still hasn't figured the whole OEM thing out.

I guess the question that has to be asked is "WHY do people settle for an off-the-peg bike if they are ponying up big bucks if the particular setup doesn't truly suit their fancy?"

The question for the OP is whether the FRAME on the bike that is $500 more is that much better than the frame on the DA equipped bike.

Presuming we're talking about a bike that costs more than $3000, I would buy the frame + components & wheels of MY choice.