0:33 Shimano vs SRAM 1:54 SRAM (Grip shift and beginning) Scott Ray And Sam 3:58 Marketing 4:46 1x 5:04 Cage Lock 5:26 Shimano XTR 6:20 if picking by Price Point - Shimano Deore 6:35 if picking any choice of things 6:46 If picking one: Shimano XTR 7:14 NEWS Santa Cruz and VPP Virtual Pivot Point 9:00 Starling Stainless Steel bike 12:06 Tech 14:55 Comments 19:00 Top Mods 24:49 Bike Cave
So thank you for the love. It was a lot of work over the winter. As far as the graphics on the bike go they are actually not decals that is all stencil work and The reason they match the white so well is it's the same paint.
@@Aliencreep369 Sram SX is just the shit of the shit, I rather go fo microshift . Why the F waisting plastic if the product ever works out of the box............why the f would u want to use plastic in the first place.
SRAM drivetrain and Hope brakes for me. I do love Shimano brakes but Hope have me hooked. I binned two sets of SRAM brakes, I won’t be going there again.
Just recently upgraded my old NX Eagle group set to a mix of SLX and XT 12 speed and I'm so glad that I did! My first bike had Shimano Deore from like 2005 and the feeling of the new XT shifter is almost nostalgic.
Shimano brakes no question. Love the bite and quietness of them (oh and a using mineral oil over dot). SRAM for drivetrain. Love the positive and reassuring click and gear switching. Shimano is smooth and great, but I find I have to recheck to make sure I changed gears whereas with SRAM I click and feel the change in gear (even under load).
I've been mountain biking since the thumb shifter days. Back then, what Shimano really had going for it that was miles better than anything else, was the hyperglide cassette. Then they set about trying to force us into an all-Shimano group in order to run hyperglide. They tied the brake levers to an inferior (push-push) shifter, indexed front shifting which meant you had to run their pinned-and-ramped front chainrings, nonstandard brake cable pull which meant you had to run their brakes. We found the Suntour XC-Pro thumbshifters and derailleurs shifted better on hyperglide than Shimano's but they were becoming impossible to get. Then Sram arrived with grip shift, and Shimano ligthened the rear derailleur spring because that hurt Sram shifting more than it did Shimano's trigger shifter, but it made even a full-Shimano setup less reliable. People cobbled on a "bass worm" to make it work. Then Sram then came with their own rear derailleur, 1:1 cable pull that was so much easier to keep going in bad weather. Nuke Proof came with a freehub, and we could finally start ditching everything Shimano. I don't argue Shimano makes nice stuff, but I'm so loathe to run any Shimano parts on any of my bikes. I'll always support the little guys, even if they are not so little anymore.
I've been a Shimano user for literally decades and recently picked up the GX AXS upgrade set. I really wanted to try the wireless shifting and the reduction in cable-clutter. The AXS shifter integrates wonderfully with the Shimano levers I run. Shifting with a Shimano 12 spd cassette & chain is perfect.
Flashing branding around is not important at all when it comes to riding. On the other hand, branding shows that you have faith in a company. It's nice to support good companies.
I had the good fortune of having a SRAM XX1 and a Shimano XTR on my MTB. I really loved them both. Both were reliable and shifting was flawless. I do prefer XTR brakes
Thank you for blessing me and featuring my Bike Cave on the show. I am continually building my tool set as needed... The show is definitely helping me in that endeavor. Oh yeah, I am in the Dallas, Texas area. Sorry for not including that. 😀
I prefer Shimano brakes so I don't have to mess with DOT fluid, and at least in my experience their calipers seem nearly bullet proof in comparison. One feature I constantly use on SRAM derailleurs is that locking feature for wheel removal. Such a simple concept, but incredibly useful. Overall though, they're both so good that I don't really care which a bike comes with, I'll happily use either especially considering just how good mid and even "low" end group sets have become.
I just updated my 2013 Giant Trance drivetrain from 2x10 to 1x11 groupset. The original was the budget X7 SRAM groupset, and it held up well for over 14,000km of riding. So no complaints about SRAM. However, hunting around online I wanted a budget 1x11 groupset, and found the Shimano Deore M5100 1×11 Speed Upgrade Kit, with chain, derailleur and cassette for about $275cdn. I bought a new 30t chainring from the local bike shop for $100, and kept the SRAM crankset. What a fantastic upgrade! Deore stuff works just fine, shifting is nice and crisp. Last year's top tier is this year's budget set. So shop wisely!
I think with mountain biking it is all about feel and how the bike handles on the trail. I’ve settled on a SRAM GX groupset with XT 4-piston brakes. It goes to show that you can’t just pick one and both companies make great products.
Ha! I'm running the opposite, lol Have you tried XT drivetrain? I just upgraded my 2x10 system to a 1x11 XT and it's incredible. Never had a good SRAM set up to compare, but that's coz I prefer mineral oil to dot fluid, not because I don't like SRAM. ... current bike came with SRAM guide 4pot brakes and they're pretty damn good.
Am running XTR on one bike and AXS on the other. Probably prefer XTR really - just the AXS has a bit of bling and needed to try it! If I was 1 bike only would be full XTR spec for anything but a hard enduro/bike part bike which would be cheaper XT.
I came from X1, GX, X01, Now on XT. There is no competition. XT works better than X01. Sure, SRAM is quieter, flashier, but Shimano shifting under load is phenomenol. It just works. And the best thing is you can mix deore, SLX and XT parts to save on cost and it still works great! If they had 12 speed Di2, I bet they will grab a huge market share in thst segment fairly quickly.
You summed it up so well, Shimano such good value, I'm not spending hundreds on drivetrains when Deore and SLX work so well for so cheap compared to even GX. I bet Axis and XO are amazing but I'd rather invest in suspension than drivetrains as long as drivetrain works. And I like feel of Shimano brakes way more and they so reliable and easy to bleed.
I love the branding on my bike but very subtle. No end of people stop and ask what it is. It’s the Hope HB none factory so black logos on bare carbon 👍🏼 it’s been sent to the vault as well like every other week 😉
I had shimano, went for sram xx1 eagle for the bling, but damn shifting hurts after getting used to shimanos hyperglide +. i sold the cassette off immediately.
@RollinRat Sram and shimano are priced evenly. Just given the choice nobody’s going to pick shimano that’s why it’s always found in the bin online or otherwise it won’t sell and sram is always in high demand so there’s no reason to reduce from rrp prices. Money well spent though. Sram works so much better than shimano and lasts so much longer that it ends up being cheaper in the long run.
@RollinRat pre 2015 shimano was the best but unfortunately sram have got a lot better since then and shimano have massively gone downhill. The quality and performance on shimano products just isn’t good enough anymore. £200 for a cheap stamped monkey metal cassette or you could pay a bit more and get a machined x01 cassette which lasts years and shifts way nicer. It’s money well spent. Never heard of the issues with sram brake. Don’t know anyone who’s suffered with it. Might be something in the dirt around where you live that’s not playing nice. My codes and guides are years old and have been bled once. So reliable and the performance is way better than shimano. I have been through 7 callipers in two years personally where the ceramic pistons have leaked over my rotor. Can’t even warranty them because shimano will leave you without brakes for month. Forced to buy a new calliper each time. At least if you have issues with sram they give you a replacement within a week. Actually everything about shimano sucks from customer service to the actual shitty products they sell. Sram isn’t perfect but they’re doing a much better job than shimano. Shimano’s nee 12 speed drivetrains are a joke and now even pinkbike’s calling them out on the performance of their brakes.
Shimano since my childhood. It's what was on my Schwinn Continental 10 speed in my teens (early 1963). But basically, as a Grandpa wanting to go riding with the 3 youngest Grandkids, I simply bought a
I’m a Shimano guy all day long when it comes to MTB (Campagnolo only on the road). I too remember lusting after XTR in the late 90’s early 2000’s. For me the durability, ease of setup/maintenance, and price point that Shimano offer can’t be beat. I’m on 11spd XT right now and love the clean, crisp, defined shifts. I’m just waiting for wireless shifting from Shimano and then I’ll be a happy camper!
Either or for me! I’ve had both brands fitted on various bikes over the years and think they’re pretty much the same. That said, I’ll give Shimano the edge on the lower spec group sets.
I've always had Shimano and tended to avoid Sram, probably just because I didn't really know it or understand their products and the hierarchy. I hated Gripshift when it came out, had a go on some bikes with it on and found it difficult to get used to, probably been Shimano biased ever since. My last bike came with Sram GX though and I'm fine with it even though I thought the shifters were a bit weird, I've got used to them now and not fussed either way, shimano or sram is fine with me. Feels similar to phones, I've always had Android smartphones and never been a fan of iPhones due to the cost and the lack of tweakability. Nowadays, probably not too fussed between the two, both do pretty much the same thing.
I will say I agree with Doddy. I have personaly had good and bad experiences with both. My first Sram X0 folded itself & the bike was a day old. but then on the same frame with an SLX groupset, the same happened. I run XT now and have had no issues.
In 1995 I was running XTR rear derailleur after market SRAM spring in and a SRAM Worm (I think it was called a worm) on the cable to make my Gripshift X-Rays return properly. Loved those X-Rays!
Rode grip shift back in the day, because there were no single shifters to accomodate for my Magura HS22 Raceline. Hated it. Don't know how often I misshifted on steep uphills. Also it was quite hard to shift and got worse over time. Then my Magura started leaking, while on a bike trip through Scotland. Going down the Highland Pass at 70 km/h is no fun with a malfunctioning brake. So when Shimano released V-Brakes and single shifters I didn't look back. Now after a big pause in mountainbiking I'm still quite sceptical of Sram. Don't want DOT in my brakes for one and I kind of love the shifters Shimano does.
I would do the original decals so it looks og, aspecially when you get a result like the two bikes you showed. Make it look factory in a color no one can order the bike in. 😇👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 Love it
Love the shimano setup, easy to use, easy to service and bomb proof. I'm on XT, my other half is on SLX and the eldest kids are on Deore. Having said that, our 6 year old is on Hope V2, BLING!!
Something about the SRAMs shifting ergonomics just fit my hand way better than Shimano (GX vs XT). I also love the derailleur lock switch on the SRAM stuff for taking the rear wheel off. Two things i miss now that I have XT.
I'm still pretty old school- and own and run both- but my all time fav is gripshift running an XTR 952 drivetrain, w/ Middleburn crankset, and Magura brakes. Verrrrry nice...
Eh. At the mid-tier and high end Shimano & SRAM perform well in my experience, it's just preference at that point. I still can't stand SRAM brakes though (but then again Shimano still has weird fiddly calipers that can cause wandering bite points in their brakes).
I’ve used both and you’re spot on, both are great. I do find SRAM gearing harder to set up though with very fine tolerances on the b screw and get more squeal from their pads in the wet
I have the Shimano XT 8120 4 piston calipers on front and back with the XT 8100 brake levers. I have bent or snapped 3 brake levers. I ended up purchasing the Pro Flo replacement levers, I had my first crash with them today and they did not break, they flexed backwards like they were designed. I think Shimano needs to relook at their design, it has a weak point where the lever narrows. I realize this is probably the design to save the brake lever but Shimano needs to take a look at Pro Flo levers and beef up their design. Big plus, super easy to install and the spring inserts into lever not outside of it. I also replaced the factory pads with the MTX gold, great stopping power.
Hi doddy, For me it has to be shimano, just installed a full deore m6100 12s system on the hope pro4 microspline hub and actually enjoyed fitting it ,minimal indexing even straight out the box...it was ...no pun intended a doddle...take the lunge doddy repaint your stead step by step I think it's a challenge a man of your skill can easily achieve....can't wait see your choice of colours/finish....how about a hydro dipped gmbn montage ? Cheers doddy.
Why to love Shimano, for the most part, it is the brand that introduced us all to mountain biking or cycling in general. The way they've made their way to every price point, even the frustrations that some of the entry level brings, its impossible to forget the brand Why to love SRAM, for trying what nobody else tries, being bold enough to go the other way and making the industry move forward. Yes, Shimano makes great products at the top level and is constantly innovating, but it feels more incremental. SRAM seems to try new approaches more often.
subtlety is a must for my everyday ride. have the blacked out canyon strive and love going under the radar. it is nice though when the branding is smaller. If larger, have them artistically camouflaged. Some ways: hologram on chrome, pattern or drawing on letters, hue change with similar color, stickers under a transparent down tube guard, transparent frame protection skin, heat activated.
Huge fan of Aftershokz. I've had the Aeropex for almost 2 years now and probably use them on average 4 hours a day, including for all sorts of sports (mountain biking, skiing, trail running, rock climbing, you name it). They are amazing and fit under every helmet that I've encountered. I quite often forget that I'm wearing them. Highly recommended!
I personally found the older gen Shimano products to be better than newer. I ran 10 speed xt on one bike and 11 xt on another and the 10 felt smoother than the 11 speed 🤔 I've since moved to SRAM and haven't looked back never had any issues and even on 12 speed, the shifting feel smooth like the xt 10 speed even with the larger ranging and no need to worry about the clutch lock out switch, for me it just works with less faff
I had''t been on a bike for years until last year. I'm amazed by how good the deore 1x12 is on my new bike. Never used hydraulic brakes before and wow, the modulation available is sensational and the speed of the shifts! We've got it very very good. Reminds me of driving a proper track car after my old Nissan. Also, shimmy shimmy yaw shimmy yeah shimmy yeah
Shimano XTR 9100 all day! But I miss the cage-lock ... Sram did great! Especially when you do big Trip's. You can get a cable everywhere in the world if something happens...
I have Shimano parts on bikes that came with them, like a park bike with Saint, but I prefer SRAM drivetrains when building up my own, dating back to the original Grip Shifts. I do all the maintenance on our family's many bikes and I favor AXS drivetrains/seatposts, I9 wheels and Hope brakes on our mountain bikes because of how well they work and how durable they've been. Especially being able to ditch cables here in the dusty desert Southwest...priceless!!
For now I have a mixed drivetrain with Shimano Deore 10S derailleur and lever + Sunrace cassete and crankset + KMC chain. It works prefectly and it cost me a lot less than a full Deore groupset here in Brazil. The ideal for me would be a full groupset focused on durability and reliability. Something like the new Shimano Deore XT Linkglide, but with 12 speed if possible.
Nice work Doddy, a good and fair look at a pontentially controversial issue! I like the Mac/PC analogy, it works. Also, if anyone accuses you of fence sitting, they probably haven't ridden both systems. Experienced riders probably have their preferences, but it doesn't mean the other way is trash. Healthy competition has made everything pretty good these days. Pretty good. Not perfect though. When SRAM/Mac drivetrain is new and shiny it's great and feels like nothing is better. Fast, sharp, precise. A few years down the line when bits are replaced with and everything is a bit worn, Shimano/PC feels better to me. Also, you get more features with the blue S. Multi release shifting and hyperglide+ are actually really useful. Also I find shimano easier to set up and index, especially with cable wear, muck, etc. Sram GX and above is great. Whereas with Shimano even Deore is really solid. With brakes, it's similar. New perfectly bled SRAM brakes are good, mushy year old ones less so. Shimano brakes feel better, although I've had too many wandering bite points to give a wholehearted shout! Not tried AXS yet, wonder if it follows the analogy?! It's interesting that the competition has led to open cross compatibility going to closed systems where you have frustrating multiple standards. Oops. I went there, didn't I?! Both are really good these days. If I had to call it on a split decision I'd say Shimano for both drivetrains and brakes, especially in the long run and if you use up stuff with lots of riding and/or need good budget options. That said, my current bike is 100% SRAM out the box, interestingly the OEM war seems to have gone their way over the years. As I said, it is great new. A few thousand K's in, less so, and when it wears fully it may be time to go Japanese again! If they have sorted the bite point thing. Please. 😅🙈😅🙈! Keep up the good work.
In terms of bike branding: Not important for me in person. But I like to help companies, that provide me with stuff I like to use. And if I can make one more person think of buying stuff from a particular brand, because they saw it on my bike - glad I could help. ^^
I'm in the shimano drive train camp all the way. I have shimano on my hard tail and SRAM on my full sus (wanted shimano but wasn't available due to covid). While i have mostly adapted to the SRAM experience there are still 2 things that get me. 1) the jump from the largest chain ring to the second chain ring is significantly more dramatic with SRAM. with the introduction of the 52t chain ring this is even more pronounced. 2) As a result the shift into the lowest gear is not nearly as smooth and seamless as it is with Shimano. Bonus: the hyperglide shifting of shimano creates even more of a gap between the two when it comes to shifting feel when shifting from high to low.
Brilliant doddy. Love the way you have phrased the discussion. I personally love sram for their innovation. However I like Shimano for price of after market parts and also think the current deore is amazing.
I had to choose SRAM. I developed inflammation in my hands and the thumb shift is a killer and SRAM's grip shift is wonderful. So I have SRAM GX transmission in my FS Commencal, including SRAM's GX grip/twist shifter - love it. Thank you Doddy for your excellent explanation. P.S. For those of you who don't know, Shimano does not make a grip shifter for their 1x12 systems. But my daily rider Trek 29" has Shimano 3x9 with SRAM grip shifters. :)
Totally get this video 😂 25 years for an excuse to get an XTR mech installed, epic! HOWEVER @GMBNTech please advise; 14 months on a 12 speed SLX drivetrain, 650km covered, muc off cleaned after every ride. The chain and cassette has needed to be replaced with the new mech. 10/12 cogs are worn out. Heading on 1mm chain wear. Granted drivetrain wear is subjective...but I’m pretty amateur! Thoughts?!
Most of SRAM's early stuff was invented by others and absorbed into the brand- thank Sachs for the drivetrains and hubs- pretty good stuff for the day!
Yeah, I've been wearing Aftershokz while riding (and even at work) for ages. Not the highest sound quality, but I can listen to music or podcasts & still hear co-workers, the phone or squealing brakes
I've gone for the SRAM GX on the new bike, always been a shimano guy, but with the difficulty in getting XT these days, still went Hope on brakes n wheels tho. It's my 1st switch to 1x12 so I thought I'd go with the originator. Looking forward to the simplicity of it all and a LHS under bar dropper switch!
Well, as for stuff, it depends on the price. Of choice(if i have cash for it) shifters: shimano XT - it has few gears down and 2 or 3 up. Cassete/chain/derraileur/front - SRAM - from my experience is working better ( SX/GX at least is) and its easier to regulate then shimano. Brakes: shimano starting from MT200 from 2020 or newer. if u want something tested or older: SAINT. Shimano brakes from 2019 or older if its mt400 or weaker its not as good.
I use Deore shifters, XT derailleur/s and chain, LX or XT crank. Performance and reliability are great. Price, too. Also, using paraffin wax on the chain instead of oil has advantages namely, lifespan of drive-train greatly extended and cleaner.
Shimano for me, I typically run XT, it's the workhorse. Durable, relatively lightweight, and not extremely expensive. One of the things I consider is price to replace parts, and the price of a Shimano cassette compared to Sram, Shimano wins.
Shimano > Sram for shifters - just feels better, and I like that I can upshift multiple clicks on shimano; Shimano > Sram for brakes - every sram I tried had my hands getting tired on steeper descents, and couldn't slow me down fast enough (although I may not have been riding codes)
I had a Stevens Sonora XO from 2018 that was equipped with Sram XO1 Eagle and i really didn't get the feel for it was to hard to shift or sometimes when shifting upwards it was like it always was stuck in between 2 gears at the same time. Then i moved to a Trek procaliber 9.5 with the new Deore 12 speed and holy sh't it was so much better. The shifts is just crisp and smooth!
Every industry needs a “STAM”! Yes. Both are great, without question but with out someone pushing you and forcing you to step out of the proverbial BOX (no pun intended), it is natural for a person or a company to become stale and complacent! Weather you are a bike component company or an individual, we all need to be pushed and this is what SRAM has done, making them a very important part of the equation! Bike, in general, are great because of Shimano and even better because of SRAM! Today, I run SRAM Eagle GX and I love it but I am looking at XT on my next bike. We shall see!
I tried SRAM. The failure mode on the brake pads running out was some braking to nothing. No front brakes half way down a trail. Fun! SRAM out, Shimano on. No regrets.
Both Shimano and Sram are in my stable. When I built up a 3rd bike, Sram is what I chose for both brakes and drivetrain. I don't have anything against Shimano as it works fine, I just prefer the way the Sram components feel personally.
I have both on my bikes but i like SRAM more for the snappy clean shifting and only thumb shifting no issues with Shimano either but if i had to choose i would go for SRAM again.
i wouldn't change sram for the same level of shimano, but starting from scratch i'd always take shimano. my dad gave me his old bike with a stx rc from 1999, and it still runs really nice. my new deore xt gives me so much confidence for that reason
I prefer SRAM. I have 3 bikes, one hardtail, one hybrid, and one recumbent. At one point all three had SRAM. Now the hardtail has a 2X10 setup with Shimano FD and crank and SRAM X5 for the rest, the hybrid has a classic 3X7 setup with Shimano FD and crank and SRAM X3 for the rest. The 'bent had a SRAM 3.0 setup when I got it, but it had those 3.0 Gripshifts on there from 20 years ago and they were worn out so now it has a Shimano EZ fire 3X7 shift/brake combo with a Deore Shadow RD. But overall I enjoy the crisp 1:1 actuation ratio shifts that SRAM is known for.
Started with SRAM (came on the bike), never looked back. Tried Shimnao on a test bike - XT level, did not like the feel of it, since I am on X0 for the past 8 years (maybe more), I think it is the best value for money - more expensive than Deore or XT but much better, MAYBE not good as XTR or XX! but less expensive and the durability of this group set is AMAZING, so for me SRAM all the way. The paint jobs that you showed, amazing effort, love the "battle ship" grey! As for big name brands, depends the color popping, I am a fan showing the brand but not like a billboard, I own a Devinci Marshall 2017, and if you do not know the brand or model ,you can only see what it is if you are standing by the bikes :)
Shimano brakes for me, had slx m675 for ages, bleeding is the most straight forward, I like the bite feel of them, with metal pads even an e-bike that has 160nm of torque stops fast, sometimes too quick lol, price wise Shimano is king. I'm not the biggest fan of Shimano derailleurs, I went to Microshift and really impressed, their cassettes are top quality too.
I do enjoy my SRAM GX but I'm really undecided on my G2 R brakes. Great modulation but on a long descent arm pump becomes apparent due to the amount of lever force required.
I am trying now a garbaruk 12s micro spline cassette, on the surface best of both worlds. (1 piece steel construction, eliminating teeth wear vs xtr alu and titanium, micro spline bite, wonderful design and hopefully functional hyperglide +. Sram XX1 cassettes look great, but without hyperglide plus it feels like cheap crap compared to a shimano cassette. I run Shimano Deore on my Ultralight 10k USD crosscountry hardtail atm, for looks and performance.
I have always loved Shimano, but hearing how Shimano handled a new competitor in their monopolized market makes me like them even more! Not enough to buy a microspline hub adaptor though haha
From the distance, the Starling bike looks like a $99 deal out of Walmart! This plain design was in fashion around year 2000 when a lot of Al frames were offered unpainted. The singles pivot point suspension was also offered mid 90 ties on cheap bikes and ended up as a department store design. As for drive trains, Shimano all day long! However, the XT respectively Ultegra levels last longer than XTR /Dura Ace.
Sram 100% just because of the cage lockout! Love that feature. Hate dealing with the Shimano clutch, not in the market of having to rebuild my derailleur clutch. But I thank them for designing it because it's a constant money maker for LBS now and a lot of people love Shimano.
@@felderosa wow so you think hundreds of thousands of bikers aren't capable of installing grips? Your not saying much for the intelligence of the biking community
I like SRAM 5 gear cable pull to bigger/slower uphill gears, I like Shimano XT double gear to faster/tougher downhill gears. I like SRAM's "clunky" positive gear change feel, I like Shimano cassette ratios, especially changing 45t to 51t
0:33 Shimano vs SRAM
1:54 SRAM (Grip shift and beginning)
Scott Ray And Sam
3:58 Marketing
4:46 1x
5:04 Cage Lock
5:26 Shimano XTR
6:20 if picking by Price Point - Shimano Deore
6:35 if picking any choice of things
6:46 If picking one: Shimano XTR
7:14 NEWS Santa Cruz and VPP
Virtual Pivot Point
9:00 Starling Stainless Steel bike
12:06 Tech
14:55 Comments
19:00 Top Mods
24:49 Bike Cave
The hero we need but don’t deserve
Specialized Epic or Trek top fuel 8?
So thank you for the love. It was a lot of work over the winter. As far as the graphics on the bike go they are actually not decals that is all stencil work and The reason they match the white so well is it's the same paint.
Fair play mate 👏🏼 done a top job there looks the business and that stencil work is amazing 🤙🏼
Amazing paint job and upgrades
Nice job!
Wow, stencil paint job !👍 Very nice and not easy compare to decal. God bless and thank you for sharing it with us.
@Andrew Dodd thank that means a lot coming from you 🙏
I have SRAM drivetrains on both my bikes and I can honestly say Shimano.
Lol ya sram sx
@@Aliencreep369 Sram SX is just the shit of the shit, I rather go fo microshift . Why the F waisting plastic if the product ever works out of the box............why the f would u want to use plastic in the first place.
Ya just went from Shimano to SRAM and I'm greatly disappointed 😞
Shimano brakes and SRAM AXS drive train would be the way I go if money was no object.
SRAM AXS derailleur, shifter, crankset, and dropper with Shimano cassette and chain. Brakes-wise, Shimano XTR if 2-pot, TRP DHR-Evo if 4-pot.
@@vomErsten I'm running AXS derailleur with a shimano cassette and chain works just fine :-)
SRAM drivetrain and Hope brakes for me. I do love Shimano brakes but Hope have me hooked. I binned two sets of SRAM brakes, I won’t be going there again.
If money does not matter, go for Trickstuff Maxima brakes. The best brakes money could buy.
Why are Hope brakes so popular, Or Magura for that matter? I'm looking for the best performance brakes, cost is irrelevant.
Just recently upgraded my old NX Eagle group set to a mix of SLX and XT 12 speed and I'm so glad that I did! My first bike had Shimano Deore from like 2005 and the feeling of the new XT shifter is almost nostalgic.
Shimano XT 8100 & 8120!🔥🔥🔥🔥
Shimano brakes no question. Love the bite and quietness of them (oh and a using mineral oil over dot). SRAM for drivetrain. Love the positive and reassuring click and gear switching. Shimano is smooth and great, but I find I have to recheck to make sure I changed gears whereas with SRAM I click and feel the change in gear (even under load).
Exactly.
The mineral oil vs DOT doesn't get brought up enough. Mineral oil so much better to work with, and bleeding/burping is pretty painless.
Indeed
That GT was stunning 😍
I shift with SRAM and brake with Shimano.
I've been mountain biking since the thumb shifter days. Back then, what Shimano really had going for it that was miles better than anything else, was the hyperglide cassette. Then they set about trying to force us into an all-Shimano group in order to run hyperglide. They tied the brake levers to an inferior (push-push) shifter, indexed front shifting which meant you had to run their pinned-and-ramped front chainrings, nonstandard brake cable pull which meant you had to run their brakes. We found the Suntour XC-Pro thumbshifters and derailleurs shifted better on hyperglide than Shimano's but they were becoming impossible to get. Then Sram arrived with grip shift, and Shimano ligthened the rear derailleur spring because that hurt Sram shifting more than it did Shimano's trigger shifter, but it made even a full-Shimano setup less reliable. People cobbled on a "bass worm" to make it work. Then Sram then came with their own rear derailleur, 1:1 cable pull that was so much easier to keep going in bad weather. Nuke Proof came with a freehub, and we could finally start ditching everything Shimano. I don't argue Shimano makes nice stuff, but I'm so loathe to run any Shimano parts on any of my bikes. I'll always support the little guys, even if they are not so little anymore.
I've been a Shimano user for literally decades and recently picked up the GX AXS upgrade set. I really wanted to try the wireless shifting and the reduction in cable-clutter. The AXS shifter integrates wonderfully with the Shimano levers I run. Shifting with a Shimano 12 spd cassette & chain is perfect.
Flashing branding around is not important at all when it comes to riding. On the other hand, branding shows that you have faith in a company. It's nice to support good companies.
I had the good fortune of having a SRAM XX1 and a Shimano XTR on my MTB. I really loved them both. Both were reliable and shifting was flawless. I do prefer XTR brakes
I love the shifting and shifter lever on SRAM. But I like the durability of xt.
Thank you for blessing me and featuring my Bike Cave on the show. I am continually building my tool set as needed... The show is definitely helping me in that endeavor. Oh yeah, I am in the Dallas, Texas area. Sorry for not including that. 😀
I love Shimano too much to ever consider SRAM, they've been with me since childhood
Shimano road and sram mtb here. Can’t get past the childhood road mech
I still think of those SIS logos when I think or bikes.
Ur missing out bro
it´s a fn company.... just buy what´s cheapest and works the best.
How weird is it to have some sort of nostalgic childhood feeling towards a company?
I prefer Shimano brakes so I don't have to mess with DOT fluid, and at least in my experience their calipers seem nearly bullet proof in comparison. One feature I constantly use on SRAM derailleurs is that locking feature for wheel removal. Such a simple concept, but incredibly useful.
Overall though, they're both so good that I don't really care which a bike comes with, I'll happily use either especially considering just how good mid and even "low" end group sets have become.
I just updated my 2013 Giant Trance drivetrain from 2x10 to 1x11 groupset. The original was the budget X7 SRAM groupset, and it held up well for over 14,000km of riding. So no complaints about SRAM. However, hunting around online I wanted a budget 1x11 groupset, and found the Shimano Deore M5100 1×11 Speed Upgrade Kit, with chain, derailleur and cassette for about $275cdn. I bought a new 30t chainring from the local bike shop for $100, and kept the SRAM crankset. What a fantastic upgrade! Deore stuff works just fine, shifting is nice and crisp. Last year's top tier is this year's budget set. So shop wisely!
I think with mountain biking it is all about feel and how the bike handles on the trail. I’ve settled on a SRAM GX groupset with XT 4-piston brakes. It goes to show that you can’t just pick one and both companies make great products.
Ha! I'm running the opposite, lol
Have you tried XT drivetrain? I just upgraded my 2x10 system to a 1x11 XT and it's incredible.
Never had a good SRAM set up to compare, but that's coz I prefer mineral oil to dot fluid, not because I don't like SRAM.
... current bike came with SRAM guide 4pot brakes and they're pretty damn good.
I did the same joint ... best of both brands. 👌🏻
I wish Shimano cassettes were offered in more colors
Yessss same thought
Am running XTR on one bike and AXS on the other. Probably prefer XTR really - just the AXS has a bit of bling and needed to try it! If I was 1 bike only would be full XTR spec for anything but a hard enduro/bike part bike which would be cheaper XT.
I came from X1, GX, X01, Now on XT. There is no competition. XT works better than X01. Sure, SRAM is quieter, flashier, but Shimano shifting under load is phenomenol. It just works.
And the best thing is you can mix deore, SLX and XT parts to save on cost and it still works great!
If they had 12 speed Di2, I bet they will grab a huge market share in thst segment fairly quickly.
Hyperglide 2 shifting is awesome for clyde riders under load, great for ebikes too.
Shimano for drivetrain and brakes. Sram (rockshox) for suspension
I would go fox shocks
@@dave_xc yeah bro
Foxxxxx
@@dave_xc yep ohlins seems nice to
you obviously dont ride hard.
You summed it up so well, Shimano such good value, I'm not spending hundreds on drivetrains when Deore and SLX work so well for so cheap compared to even GX. I bet Axis and XO are amazing but I'd rather invest in suspension than drivetrains as long as drivetrain works. And I like feel of Shimano brakes way more and they so reliable and easy to bleed.
I can't believe Shimano hasn't done something similar to Sram's cage lock on their rear derailleurs.
bike components are infested with patents on everything. It's possible that shimano can't even make those from legal standpoint
@@STruple12 that's it, that's why sram clutches can't be adjusted, because Shimano patented it.
@@JeffWagen word
You can turn the clutch off which makes it very easy to take the wheel off
@@malm4640 Still not as good as cage lock
I love the branding on my bike but very subtle. No end of people stop and ask what it is. It’s the Hope HB none factory so black logos on bare carbon 👍🏼 it’s been sent to the vault as well like every other week 😉
I have not tried SRAM. So, I'm not gonna say a word about it. But with Shimano? Oh yeah! Any day, all day on my hardtail! #SatisfiedWithShimano
I had shimano, went for sram xx1 eagle for the bling, but damn shifting hurts after getting used to shimanos hyperglide +. i sold the cassette off immediately.
@@Ropetable Gears wise I could live with both but messing around with DOT fluid in SRAM brakes really sucks
Here here!
@RollinRat Sram and shimano are priced evenly. Just given the choice nobody’s going to pick shimano that’s why it’s always found in the bin online or otherwise it won’t sell and sram is always in high demand so there’s no reason to reduce from rrp prices. Money well spent though. Sram works so much better than shimano and lasts so much longer that it ends up being cheaper in the long run.
@RollinRat pre 2015 shimano was the best but unfortunately sram have got a lot better since then and shimano have massively gone downhill. The quality and performance on shimano products just isn’t good enough anymore. £200 for a cheap stamped monkey metal cassette or you could pay a bit more and get a machined x01 cassette which lasts years and shifts way nicer. It’s money well spent. Never heard of the issues with sram brake. Don’t know anyone who’s suffered with it. Might be something in the dirt around where you live that’s not playing nice. My codes and guides are years old and have been bled once. So reliable and the performance is way better than shimano. I have been through 7 callipers in two years personally where the ceramic pistons have leaked over my rotor. Can’t even warranty them because shimano will leave you without brakes for month. Forced to buy a new calliper each time. At least if you have issues with sram they give you a replacement within a week. Actually everything about shimano sucks from customer service to the actual shitty products they sell. Sram isn’t perfect but they’re doing a much better job than shimano. Shimano’s nee 12 speed drivetrains are a joke and now even pinkbike’s calling them out on the performance of their brakes.
When it comes to brakes I’ll take Shimano. They’re way easier to bleed and the mineral oil won’t strip your paint.
I've been happy with both brands. Good competition between brands is great for the end user👍
Box components make some very interesting drive trains . I love the idea of fewer gears (straighter chain) but same range !
Shimano since my childhood. It's what was on my Schwinn Continental 10 speed in my teens (early 1963). But basically, as a Grandpa wanting to go riding with the 3 youngest Grandkids, I simply bought a
I’m a Shimano guy all day long when it comes to MTB (Campagnolo only on the road). I too remember lusting after XTR in the late 90’s early 2000’s. For me the durability, ease of setup/maintenance, and price point that Shimano offer can’t be beat. I’m on 11spd XT right now and love the clean, crisp, defined shifts. I’m just waiting for wireless shifting from Shimano and then I’ll be a happy camper!
Either or for me! I’ve had both brands fitted on various bikes over the years and think they’re pretty much the same. That said, I’ll give Shimano the edge on the lower spec group sets.
I've always had Shimano and tended to avoid Sram, probably just because I didn't really know it or understand their products and the hierarchy. I hated Gripshift when it came out, had a go on some bikes with it on and found it difficult to get used to, probably been Shimano biased ever since. My last bike came with Sram GX though and I'm fine with it even though I thought the shifters were a bit weird, I've got used to them now and not fussed either way, shimano or sram is fine with me. Feels similar to phones, I've always had Android smartphones and never been a fan of iPhones due to the cost and the lack of tweakability. Nowadays, probably not too fussed between the two, both do pretty much the same thing.
I will say I agree with Doddy. I have personaly had good and bad experiences with both. My first Sram X0 folded itself & the bike was a day old. but then on the same frame with an SLX groupset, the same happened. I run XT now and have had no issues.
In 1995 I was running XTR rear derailleur after market SRAM spring in and a SRAM Worm (I think it was called a worm) on the cable to make my Gripshift X-Rays return properly. Loved those X-Rays!
Love Shimano, currently using a combination of the new Deore 11 speed with SLX on my old Giant Talon 2
I thank Sram for bringing about 1X, and shifters that operate by thumb only. And now I enjoy those features in Shimano quality.
I thank Shimano for creating MTB components in the first place.
@@pgjudo yeah, me too!
AXS xo1 for consistent shifting and easy install. Shimano Xt 4 piston brakes for that solid lever grab and stopping power with easy maintenance.
Rode grip shift back in the day, because there were no single shifters to accomodate for my Magura HS22 Raceline. Hated it. Don't know how often I misshifted on steep uphills. Also it was quite hard to shift and got worse over time. Then my Magura started leaking, while on a bike trip through Scotland. Going down the Highland Pass at 70 km/h is no fun with a malfunctioning brake.
So when Shimano released V-Brakes and single shifters I didn't look back. Now after a big pause in mountainbiking I'm still quite sceptical of Sram. Don't want DOT in my brakes for one and I kind of love the shifters Shimano does.
Love subtlety. Had an old slim tubed 90's steel Sunn. Repainted it in battleship grey and only put the headtube badge back on. Looked the nuts!
I would do the original decals so it looks og, aspecially when you get a result like the two bikes you showed. Make it look factory in a color no one can order the bike in. 😇👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 Love it
Love the shimano setup, easy to use, easy to service and bomb proof. I'm on XT, my other half is on SLX and the eldest kids are on Deore. Having said that, our 6 year old is on Hope V2, BLING!!
Something about the SRAMs shifting ergonomics just fit my hand way better than Shimano (GX vs XT). I also love the derailleur lock switch on the SRAM stuff for taking the rear wheel off. Two things i miss now that I have XT.
I'm still pretty old school- and own and run both- but my all time fav is gripshift running an XTR 952 drivetrain, w/ Middleburn crankset, and Magura brakes. Verrrrry nice...
For me Shimano, no contest but I can see why people like SRAM
Shimano sucks
@@deanobmx as do you no doubt for 💰💰💰
Eh. At the mid-tier and high end Shimano & SRAM perform well in my experience, it's just preference at that point. I still can't stand SRAM brakes though (but then again Shimano still has weird fiddly calipers that can cause wandering bite points in their brakes).
@@wumbobo thank you for the educated response mate X I think I can agree with that x
I’ve used both and you’re spot on, both are great. I do find SRAM gearing harder to set up though with very fine tolerances on the b screw and get more squeal from their pads in the wet
I have the Shimano XT 8120 4 piston calipers on front and back with the XT 8100 brake levers. I have bent or snapped 3 brake levers. I ended up purchasing the Pro Flo replacement levers, I had my first crash with them today and they did not break, they flexed backwards like they were designed. I think Shimano needs to relook at their design, it has a weak point where the lever narrows. I realize this is probably the design to save the brake lever but Shimano needs to take a look at Pro Flo levers and beef up their design. Big plus, super easy to install and the spring inserts into lever not outside of it. I also replaced the factory pads with the MTX gold, great stopping power.
Great show, Doddy. Enjoy your presentation and analogies of different tech topics
SRAM is here in Chicago, I wish they had a little museum but its just offices.
Love Shimano.. XTR Shifter and XT mech.. it just works so reliably and has not let me down. Nice video/discussion, Doddy !! as always!
Hi doddy,
For me it has to be shimano, just installed a full deore m6100 12s system on the hope pro4 microspline hub and actually enjoyed fitting it ,minimal indexing even straight out the box...it was ...no pun intended a doddle...take the lunge doddy repaint your stead step by step I think it's a challenge a man of your skill can easily achieve....can't wait see your choice of colours/finish....how about a hydro dipped gmbn montage ?
Cheers doddy.
Why to love Shimano, for the most part, it is the brand that introduced us all to mountain biking or cycling in general. The way they've made their way to every price point, even the frustrations that some of the entry level brings, its impossible to forget the brand
Why to love SRAM, for trying what nobody else tries, being bold enough to go the other way and making the industry move forward. Yes, Shimano makes great products at the top level and is constantly innovating, but it feels more incremental. SRAM seems to try new approaches more often.
subtlety is a must for my everyday ride. have the blacked out canyon strive and love going under the radar. it is nice though when the branding is smaller. If larger, have them artistically camouflaged. Some ways: hologram on chrome, pattern or drawing on letters, hue change with similar color, stickers under a transparent down tube guard, transparent frame protection skin, heat activated.
Huge fan of Aftershokz. I've had the Aeropex for almost 2 years now and probably use them on average 4 hours a day, including for all sorts of sports (mountain biking, skiing, trail running, rock climbing, you name it). They are amazing and fit under every helmet that I've encountered. I quite often forget that I'm wearing them. Highly recommended!
I personally found the older gen Shimano products to be better than newer. I ran 10 speed xt on one bike and 11 xt on another and the 10 felt smoother than the 11 speed 🤔 I've since moved to SRAM and haven't looked back never had any issues and even on 12 speed, the shifting feel smooth like the xt 10 speed even with the larger ranging and no need to worry about the clutch lock out switch, for me it just works with less faff
I had''t been on a bike for years until last year. I'm amazed by how good the deore 1x12 is on my new bike. Never used hydraulic brakes before and wow, the modulation available is sensational and the speed of the shifts! We've got it very very good. Reminds me of driving a proper track car after my old Nissan.
Also, shimmy shimmy yaw shimmy yeah shimmy yeah
Shimano XTR 9100 all day! But I miss the cage-lock ... Sram did great!
Especially when you do big Trip's. You can get a cable everywhere in the world if something happens...
I have Shimano parts on bikes that came with them, like a park bike with Saint, but I prefer SRAM drivetrains when building up my own, dating back to the original Grip Shifts. I do all the maintenance on our family's many bikes and I favor AXS drivetrains/seatposts, I9 wheels and Hope brakes on our mountain bikes because of how well they work and how durable they've been. Especially being able to ditch cables here in the dusty desert Southwest...priceless!!
For now I have a mixed drivetrain with Shimano Deore 10S derailleur and lever + Sunrace cassete and crankset + KMC chain. It works prefectly and it cost me a lot less than a full Deore groupset here in Brazil.
The ideal for me would be a full groupset focused on durability and reliability. Something like the new Shimano Deore XT Linkglide, but with 12 speed if possible.
Nice work Doddy, a good and fair look at a pontentially controversial issue! I like the Mac/PC analogy, it works. Also, if anyone accuses you of fence sitting, they probably haven't ridden both systems. Experienced riders probably have their preferences, but it doesn't mean the other way is trash. Healthy competition has made everything pretty good these days. Pretty good. Not perfect though.
When SRAM/Mac drivetrain is new and shiny it's great and feels like nothing is better. Fast, sharp, precise. A few years down the line when bits are replaced with and everything is a bit worn, Shimano/PC feels better to me.
Also, you get more features with the blue S. Multi release shifting and hyperglide+ are actually really useful. Also I find shimano easier to set up and index, especially with cable wear, muck, etc.
Sram GX and above is great. Whereas with Shimano even Deore is really solid.
With brakes, it's similar. New perfectly bled SRAM brakes are good, mushy year old ones less so. Shimano brakes feel better, although I've had too many wandering bite points to give a wholehearted shout!
Not tried AXS yet, wonder if it follows the analogy?! It's interesting that the competition has led to open cross compatibility going to closed systems where you have frustrating multiple standards. Oops. I went there, didn't I?!
Both are really good these days. If I had to call it on a split decision I'd say Shimano for both drivetrains and brakes, especially in the long run and if you use up stuff with lots of riding and/or need good budget options.
That said, my current bike is 100% SRAM out the box, interestingly the OEM war seems to have gone their way over the years.
As I said, it is great new. A few thousand K's in, less so, and when it wears fully it may be time to go Japanese again!
If they have sorted the bite point thing. Please. 😅🙈😅🙈!
Keep up the good work.
Well put! Both systems have their merit 🔧
In terms of bike branding: Not important for me in person. But I like to help companies, that provide me with stuff I like to use. And if I can make one more person think of buying stuff from a particular brand, because they saw it on my bike - glad I could help. ^^
I'm in the shimano drive train camp all the way. I have shimano on my hard tail and SRAM on my full sus (wanted shimano but wasn't available due to covid). While i have mostly adapted to the SRAM experience there are still 2 things that get me. 1) the jump from the largest chain ring to the second chain ring is significantly more dramatic with SRAM. with the introduction of the 52t chain ring this is even more pronounced. 2) As a result the shift into the lowest gear is not nearly as smooth and seamless as it is with Shimano. Bonus: the hyperglide shifting of shimano creates even more of a gap between the two when it comes to shifting feel when shifting from high to low.
Brilliant doddy. Love the way you have phrased the discussion. I personally love sram for their innovation. However I like Shimano for price of after market parts and also think the current deore is amazing.
My new duel sus MB that I’m completely in love with, has SRAM gears and shimano brakes, both work beautifully
I had to choose SRAM. I developed inflammation in my hands and the thumb shift is a killer and SRAM's grip shift is wonderful. So I have SRAM GX transmission in my FS Commencal, including SRAM's GX grip/twist shifter - love it.
Thank you Doddy for your excellent explanation.
P.S. For those of you who don't know, Shimano does not make a grip shifter for their 1x12 systems. But my daily rider Trek 29" has Shimano 3x9 with SRAM grip shifters. :)
Totally get this video 😂 25 years for an excuse to get an XTR mech installed, epic! HOWEVER @GMBNTech please advise; 14 months on a 12 speed SLX drivetrain, 650km covered, muc off cleaned after every ride. The chain and cassette has needed to be replaced with the new mech. 10/12 cogs are worn out. Heading on 1mm chain wear. Granted drivetrain wear is subjective...but I’m pretty amateur! Thoughts?!
Most of SRAM's early stuff was invented by others and absorbed into the brand- thank Sachs for the drivetrains and hubs- pretty good stuff for the day!
Yeah, I've been wearing Aftershokz while riding (and even at work) for ages. Not the highest sound quality, but I can listen to music or podcasts & still hear co-workers, the phone or squealing brakes
I've gone for the SRAM GX on the new bike, always been a shimano guy, but with the difficulty in getting XT these days, still went Hope on brakes n wheels tho.
It's my 1st switch to 1x12 so I thought I'd go with the originator. Looking forward to the simplicity of it all and a LHS under bar dropper switch!
I've used both and can't say I've ever had a problem from either one.
Well, as for stuff, it depends on the price.
Of choice(if i have cash for it)
shifters: shimano XT - it has few gears down and 2 or 3 up.
Cassete/chain/derraileur/front - SRAM - from my experience is working better ( SX/GX at least is) and its easier to regulate then shimano.
Brakes: shimano starting from MT200 from 2020 or newer. if u want something tested or older: SAINT. Shimano brakes from 2019 or older if its mt400 or weaker its not as good.
I use Deore shifters, XT derailleur/s and chain, LX or XT crank.
Performance and reliability are great. Price, too.
Also, using paraffin wax on the chain instead of oil has advantages namely, lifespan of drive-train greatly extended and cleaner.
Shimano for me, I typically run XT, it's the workhorse. Durable, relatively lightweight, and not extremely expensive. One of the things I consider is price to replace parts, and the price of a Shimano cassette compared to Sram, Shimano wins.
I have debranded or modified quite a lot of my suspension units, frames and parts, to make my bikes look less colored and more stealth 🥷🏽
Shimano > Sram for shifters - just feels better, and I like that I can upshift multiple clicks on shimano; Shimano > Sram for brakes - every sram I tried had my hands getting tired on steeper descents, and couldn't slow me down fast enough (although I may not have been riding codes)
Hey Doddy, I have a 2020 Canyon Torque CF 9.0 if you wanna spray a bike?
Keep up the great work, love your shows every week! 🤘
I had a Stevens Sonora XO from 2018 that was equipped with Sram XO1 Eagle and i really didn't get the feel for it was to hard to shift or sometimes when shifting upwards it was like it always was stuck in between 2 gears at the same time. Then i moved to a Trek procaliber 9.5 with the new Deore 12 speed and holy sh't it was so much better. The shifts is just crisp and smooth!
Hyperglide does it for me
Every industry needs a “STAM”! Yes. Both are great, without question but with out someone pushing you and forcing you to step out of the proverbial BOX (no pun intended), it is natural for a person or a company to become stale and complacent! Weather you are a bike component company or an individual, we all need to be pushed and this is what SRAM has done, making them a very important part of the equation! Bike, in general, are great because of Shimano and even better because of SRAM!
Today, I run SRAM Eagle GX and I love it but I am looking at XT on my next bike. We shall see!
I tried SRAM. The failure mode on the brake pads running out was some braking to nothing. No front brakes half way down a trail. Fun!
SRAM out, Shimano on. No regrets.
Both Shimano and Sram are in my stable. When I built up a 3rd bike, Sram is what I chose for both brakes and drivetrain. I don't have anything against Shimano as it works fine, I just prefer the way the Sram components feel personally.
I have both on my bikes but i like SRAM more for the snappy clean shifting and only thumb shifting no issues with Shimano either but if i had to choose i would go for SRAM again.
i wouldn't change sram for the same level of shimano, but starting from scratch i'd always take shimano. my dad gave me his old bike with a stx rc from 1999, and it still runs really nice. my new deore xt gives me so much confidence for that reason
Doddy: “so it’s unfinished, stainless steel, meaning it’s not going to be stained”
hahahaha
I prefer SRAM. I have 3 bikes, one hardtail, one hybrid, and one recumbent. At one point all three had SRAM. Now the hardtail has a 2X10 setup with Shimano FD and crank and SRAM X5 for the rest, the hybrid has a classic 3X7 setup with Shimano FD and crank and SRAM X3 for the rest. The 'bent had a SRAM 3.0 setup when I got it, but it had those 3.0 Gripshifts on there from 20 years ago and they were worn out so now it has a Shimano EZ fire 3X7 shift/brake combo with a Deore Shadow RD. But overall I enjoy the crisp 1:1 actuation ratio shifts that SRAM is known for.
Started with SRAM (came on the bike), never looked back. Tried Shimnao on a test bike - XT level, did not like the feel of it, since I am on X0 for the past 8 years (maybe more), I think it is the best value for money - more expensive than Deore or XT but much better, MAYBE not good as XTR or XX! but less expensive and the durability of this group set is AMAZING, so for me SRAM all the way.
The paint jobs that you showed, amazing effort, love the "battle ship" grey! As for big name brands, depends the color popping, I am a fan showing the brand but not like a billboard, I own a Devinci Marshall 2017, and if you do not know the brand or model ,you can only see what it is if you are standing by the bikes :)
Shimano brakes for me, had slx m675 for ages, bleeding is the most straight forward, I like the bite feel of them, with metal pads even an e-bike that has 160nm of torque stops fast, sometimes too quick lol, price wise Shimano is king. I'm not the biggest fan of Shimano derailleurs, I went to Microshift and really impressed, their cassettes are top quality too.
The SRAM eagle ecosystem is really cool in my opinion
I do enjoy my SRAM GX but I'm really undecided on my G2 R brakes. Great modulation but on a long descent arm pump becomes apparent due to the amount of lever force required.
That new Starling bike has a retro look to it.
I've been using Shimano for years now, but I'm interested in getting the new GX AXS.
I am trying now a garbaruk 12s micro spline cassette, on the surface best of both worlds. (1 piece steel construction, eliminating teeth wear vs xtr alu and titanium, micro spline bite, wonderful design and hopefully functional hyperglide +. Sram XX1 cassettes look great, but without hyperglide plus it feels like cheap crap compared to a shimano cassette. I run Shimano Deore on my Ultralight 10k USD crosscountry hardtail atm, for looks and performance.
I have always loved Shimano, but hearing how Shimano handled a new competitor in their monopolized market makes me like them even more! Not enough to buy a microspline hub adaptor though haha
Ilike the Sram set because it came with everything in the box. Where as Shimanno it seemed I had to piece it together.
From the distance, the Starling bike looks like a $99 deal out of Walmart! This plain design was in fashion around year 2000 when a lot of Al frames were offered unpainted. The singles pivot point suspension was also offered mid 90 ties on cheap bikes and ended up as a department store design. As for drive trains, Shimano all day long!
However, the XT respectively Ultegra levels last longer than XTR /Dura Ace.
Aftershokz are great! Good but not great sound quality. I love they don't have to go into the ears and I get to keep aware of my surroundings.
Sram 100% just because of the cage lockout! Love that feature. Hate dealing with the Shimano clutch, not in the market of having to rebuild my derailleur clutch. But I thank them for designing it because it's a constant money maker for LBS now and a lot of people love Shimano.
its probably the easiest thing to do on a bike behind installing grips
@@felderosa wow so you think hundreds of thousands of bikers aren't capable of installing grips? Your not saying much for the intelligence of the biking community
@@crazytrainrc6634 I said nothing of the sort.
Read more carefully.
@@felderosa sorry was projecting how those customers would feel that come in to get their clutch serviced. That's all
I like SRAM 5 gear cable pull to bigger/slower uphill gears, I like Shimano XT double gear to faster/tougher downhill gears. I like SRAM's "clunky" positive gear change feel, I like Shimano cassette ratios, especially changing 45t to 51t