APEX Vs. 105



brooksy647

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Sep 6, 2010
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I am about to buy a Roubaix and I am trying to decide between the Elite and the Comp. The only difference between the 2 is the Elite has the SRAM Apex and the Comp has 105's. According to the store guy the 105's shift faster and smoother, but to me the SRAM felt faster and smoother, while the 105 brakes were much more responsive. I am very torn and just looking for other experiences/opinions.
 
brooksy647 said:
I am about to buy a Roubaix and I am trying to decide between the Elite and the Comp. The only difference between the 2 is the Elite has the SRAM Apex and the Comp has 105's. According to the store guy the 105's shift faster and smoother, but to me the SRAM felt faster and smoother, while the 105 brakes were much more responsive. I am very torn and just looking for other experiences/opinions.

Well, since Apex is very new to the market, you won't find many opinions or experienced views of it at all. Neither is going to be a bad choice, so just pick the one that pushes more of your pleasure buttons. The opinions and claims of "store guys" can be at least dubious. If the Apex felt better to you, then that's all that matters. As for brakes, Shimano has the edge, IMHO, in brake design over SRAM, but that's not to say that SRAM stoppers suck. Also keep in mind that brakes can go from being okay to brilliant with just a change of pads.
 
brooksy647 said:
I am about to buy a Roubaix and I am trying to decide between the Elite and the Comp. The only difference between the 2 is the Elite has the SRAM Apex and the Comp has 105's. According to the store guy the 105's shift faster and smoother, but to me the SRAM felt faster and smoother, while the 105 brakes were much more responsive. I am very torn and just looking for other experiences/opinions.

I would go with the 105. shimano has been doing this for years.I tried the rival and i have to say it shifted very well.I don't think I would buy SRAM but the price is right. I welcome the competition but at the end of the day shimano makes great components.
 
The apex gives you a better choice of ratios the technology will have trickled down fron their other groups. Pedigree look at the podiums for the last three Tour d'France. SRAM groupsets all the way, they have very quietly become the major groupset in the peleton
 
wooliferkins said:
The apex gives you a better choice of ratios the technology will have trickled down fron their other groups. Pedigree look at the podiums for the last three Tour d'France. SRAM groupsets all the way, they have very quietly become the major groupset in the peleton

Well, I wouldn't choose a group because of any sponsor's efforts to sponsor as many teams as possible. When Campagnolo won 98% of the TdF did you use Campagnolo? When Lance started winning, did you switch to shimano. A truck full of spare parts and a legion of mechanics make any group work. BTW-Campagnolo sponsored more teams at thsi years TdF than shimano or sram. shimano more than sram. And it's pelOton.

shimano 5700 is very refined, works very well. Apex seems really cheap and cheezy. The other thing that has 'trickled down' from higher end groups is poor bearing quality(BBs), poor FD action and poor chainring durability. For the OP, shimano is a better, more long lasting group, IMO.
 
brooksy647 said:
I am about to buy a Roubaix and I am trying to decide between the Elite and the Comp. The only difference between the 2 is the Elite has the SRAM Apex and the Comp has 105's. According to the store guy the 105's shift faster and smoother, but to me the SRAM felt faster and smoother, while the 105 brakes were much more responsive. I am very torn and just looking for other experiences/opinions.

There is also a version of the Roubaix Comp with Rival if you prefer SRAM. I am also considering a new Roubaix and trying to choose between the 105 and the Rival. I like the way the SRAM shifters do not use the brake levers as shift levers, but otherwise, the Shimano looks and seems to work very well. I like the 105 crankset better than the SRAM 350 they spec on the Rival version (why not a Rival crank? :()

I value Peter's opinion, but that shifting with a brake lever thing has always bothered me and I have been very happy with my SRAM MTB components. :confused:
 
BluesDawg said:
There is also a version of the Roubaix Comp with Rival if you prefer SRAM. I am also considering a new Roubaix and trying to choose between the 105 and the Rival. I like the way the SRAM shifters do not use the brake levers as shift levers, but otherwise, the Shimano looks and seems to work very well. I like the 105 crankset better than the SRAM 350 they spec on the Rival version (why not a Rival crank? :()

I value Peter's opinion, but that shifting with a brake lever thing has always bothered me and I have been very happy with my SRAM MTB components. :confused:

Then get Campagnolo...I think sram MTB stuff is much more refined that their road stuff, at least right now. For ratio selection, get a sram 10s MTB/Apex cogset, any shimano MTB RD, shimano 105 triple group and bobs yer uncle. Triple, low gears, better shifters, group...