Anyone have the SRAM groupset yet?

I have seen it advertised all over the place, but does anyone actually have it yet? I'm just curious.

 

http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?id=tech/2006/features/sram_road_launch

http://willyoumaketheleap.com/

Based on going to the SRAM site and looking at the lastest cyclingnews report, seems it's not out just yet. Only select pros have it so far. I should be so lucky.

 

Agreed, I'm really curious as to how it is. Is the shifting the same as Shimano? I haven't really read or looked at anything real closely about it. Can't wait to see their set out there.

 

I happened to bump into one of the Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada's riders (Scott Zwizanski) prior to stage 4 of the Tour de Georgia and he was nice enough to talk to me about the new SRAM groupset.

He said he was really happy with the Force groupset. Said it had a really 'positive' shift to it - like you can feel it hitting the gear right on the money. He also said that the shifting action of the double tap levers was easy to get used to. In fact, he indicated "I raced the first day they gave me the new setup".

I took a look at it and the streamlined appearance of the shifters and the combo of carbon and alloys really gave a nice look. I would love to get a chance to try it out.

 

Anyone know if they're going to start producing some less expensive groupos after a year or so? Or are they going to stick to just Force? I would assume they're going to create some kind of "Ultegra" instead of "Dura-Ace". Right?

 

According to the following:

http://www.velonews.com/tech/report/articles/9723.0.html

and the above Cycling News article referenced by Insight Driver, they are going to produce a lower group called Rival at about a 2/3 price-point of the Force.

(I'll reserve judgment until I actually get to try them, but the concept of just pushing the same lever farther to perform the opposite action sounds like nothing but trouble to me, when one gets fatigued and sloppy at the end of a long day.)

 

^^^^ I agree

 

I don't see the point of the 'one-way' shifting, beyond differentiating from Campagnolo and Shimano. And it looks pretty ugly (IMHO, of course). Not too excited with the SRAM stuff being shown on the net.

So they are testing the stuff with pro riders... like Campagnolo and Shimano do every day of the year on about a dozen pro tour teams each...

Thank the Lord for Campagnolo.

 

SRAM Force with all its CF livery is positioned against DA & Record while the Rival is Ultegra grade.

 

Saw the SRAM Force other day at the LBS, actually. It's nice in that it's only one lever to shift. Looks and functioned very smoothly on the Orbea that I saw it on.

At a minimum, it will be nice that Shimano and Campy have an additional, viable competitor.

 

Havent had a chance to run through them yet, but I like the single shifter, and the carbon lever. I would like it if I could pick up a trick lever for my shimano.

 

if it's anything like the SRAM mtb stuff, it will be AWESOME. I have replaced all of my shimano xtr w/ SRAM x9 (i have 3 mtb's. absolutely amazing shifting and VERY low maintenance. I can't wait to give their road stuff a shot.

 

Looked at it today at a lbs, and it's pretty nice. The part I liked best is how it pulls back to the drops when you're in them, and quick shifts. Be very useful for sprints. It also seemed a little more ergo to my hands as well.

 

They have to differentiate in order not to infringe patents. A third groupset will only help prices. After all, we're paying for the joy of having the best, and Shimano Campy know it. If Suntour ever seriously rejoined the fray we'd see <$1000 DA groupsets!

 

If memory served me right I just ordered the following last week:

Rival shifters $200~ pr.

Fr. der. $25

Rr. Der. $50

This is at dealer cost btw.

 

I would love to know where you got them at these prices.

 

I have SRAM on one of my bikes. I am still getting used to it. I'm a Campy die hard, but the team I ride for was able to get a few sets in for testing. I was lucky enough to get it on my bike.

To be honest with you - I initially felt really weird shifting both up and down on the same lever. But with time it gets easier. I have 1000 miles on the gruppo, about a months time on them and I still feel awkward on them. I guess my Campy Shifting Instinct takes over when I start to climb or sprint and I misshift. Overall, the quality is really nice, but I am waiting on our 2007 Campy Record Gruppos to come in, then I'm switching back to what I know and feel most comfortable with. SRAM is a neat, but for me, it's not a keeper.

 

A friend from a LBS.

Not sure if that is the best rock bottom price, but it's cheaper than anything I can find on froogle.com

 

I haven't found anything cheaper than $350.- (I think that's MSRP, and some stores sell even higher) for the Rival shifters.
I guess the first shippment was taken mostly by the bicycle makers as OEM, the stores that got them as relacement parts have no reason to discount.

 

I have the Rival Crank and after a few days of riding it, I really like it. I got it for 135$ thanks to my friend at the LBS. YOur right about Sram being mostly sold out, we had alot of trouble just getting this crank in. (by accident, we got two of them so if anyone wants one let me know.) Its very beautiful, and works much better then any sub 150$ crank I'v ever used.

My only grievence is that when on the inner chainring, if I shift out to the 3 smallest gears on my cassette, the chain will rub against the inside of the outer chainring. I don't know if its because I am using a 9 speed chain or if the crank isn't designed to be used like that. It doesn't matter, on the outer ring I can access most of my Cassette range unlike when I was on my triple ring 105.

Here is a high Rez Piccy of the Rival crank(prolly better then any on the web.)



Oh Yeah, just to note, I put some clear tape on the crank arms because I have a tendency to rub my shoe against the crank arm and ruin finishes.