Cassette advice - SRAM v Shimano

[lejogger]

I'm in the market to replace the cassette and chain on my best bike - used mostly for club runs, the odd race, and the odd commute when the weather is good or the commuter is out of action.

I am currently running a 105 cassette (12-25), a KMC chain, with SRAM Rival/Force mechs (Rear/Front) and SRAM Red shifters. (SRAM compact cranks/chainrings).

Re: Chain I think I'll stick with the KMCs unless someone gives me a fantastically brilliant reason not to.

Re: Cassette, I've been looking at a slight upgrade to either Ultegra or the SRAM PG1070. Obviously the SRAM Red OG1090 looks lovely, but they're way too expensive.

They seem a similar price and a similar weight to each other so the shifting performance is what I'm most interested in.

I will want a change in ratio as because I have a compact 50T big ring, I would like an 11T option for the descents (flat when I'm feeling powerful), extending to a 25 for the lumpy stuff.

The SRAM also has a 11-26 option which is very intriguing for some of the more hilly rides I may go on (although I've not got stuck with the 34-25 combo yet).

Does anyone have any experience with both to offer a comparison, or merely some friendly advice?

Cheers

 

[Rob3rt]

I would personally go with SRAM. I don't know the reason for it, but I have found that SRAM cassettes do not bite into lightweight aluminium freehub bodies as much as Shimano cassettes do.

 

[lejogger]

I would personally go with SRAM. I don't know the reason for it, but I have found that SRAM cassettes do not bite into lightweight aluminium freehub bodies as much as Shimano cassettes do.

Thanks Rob. That's something I hadn't considered.

 

[fossyant]

SRAM are usually lighter for the £s. Don't get too hung up on having an 11, just pedal faster.

 

[Rob3rt]

Thanks Rob. That's something I hadn't considered.

I wouldnt have either, until I had to knock a 105 cassette off of my light weight wheels after being on for only a couple of rides, when a SRAM cassette had been on there for months prior with no such issue. Same thing happened with my disc wheel with a different Shimano 105 cassette, fine with SRAM. I am now going to use SRAM from this point onwards. Will also be investing in a spare freehub body for my disc wheel while I can still get them. The SRAM do still make small indentations, I think it is innevitable with lightweight alloy freehub bodies, but the SRAM indentations are much less severe than those caused by the Shimano cassettes. I always torque everything up to spec etc, it is definitely not user error.

I would add @Sittingduck had the same experience as me, on the same lightweight wheelset too, with a Tiagra cassette and subsequently changed to SRAM I believe.

 

[Sittingduck]

Yep- that's true. I'll never use Tiagra cassettes again on wheels with lightweight alu freehub bodies. Not sure if the more expensive Shimano variants are any better but I'm inclined to only use SRAM cassettes in the future. Shame they are pricey

Currently running a SRAM PG1050 (or whatever it's called) 11-26 on the good bike... no issues, thus far.

 

[the_mikey]

I have noticed that a larger proportion of the SRAM cassette is riveted together which may help to spread the load across the freehub body; there are a significant number of loose sprockets with the Shimano cassette, the larger loose sprockets seem more likely to cause damage to the freehub body.

 

[Monsieur Remings]

I'm in the market to replace the cassette and chain on my best bike - used mostly for club runs, the odd race, and the odd commute when the weather is good or the commuter is out of action.

I am currently running a 105 cassette (12-25), a KMC chain, with SRAM Rival/Force mechs (Rear/Front) and SRAM Red shifters. (SRAM compact cranks/chainrings).

Re: Chain I think I'll stick with the KMCs unless someone gives me a fantastically brilliant reason not to.

Re: Cassette, I've been looking at a slight upgrade to either Ultegra or the SRAM PG1070. Obviously the SRAM Red OG1090 looks lovely, but they're way too expensive.

They seem a similar price and a similar weight to each other so the shifting performance is what I'm most interested in.

I will want a change in ratio as because I have a compact 50T big ring, I would like an 11T option for the descents (flat when I'm feeling powerful), extending to a 25 for the lumpy stuff.

The SRAM also has a 11-26 option which is very intriguing for some of the more hilly rides I may go on (although I've not got stuck with the 34-25 combo yet).

Does anyone have any experience with both to offer a comparison, or merely some friendly advice?

Cheers

I've had the PG 1070 in 11-25 and the 11-28 and they're both superb cassettes. The 11-28 got me through the Etape Du Tour - on a standard crank and yet the 11-25 does the job mostly, even on the hilly Mendips.

I don't know what to compare it with though, other than the lesser quality 105 cassette which I have on my new bike..?

 

[smokeysmoo]

I'll stick with KMC unless someone gives me a fantastically brilliant reason not to.

That won't happen, stick to KMC, you know it makes sense.