Yet another Shimano to SRAM question

[phcollard]

Greetings!

It must have been asked before but I could not find the answers. My bike is currently built with Ultegra 6500-6600 and Dura-Ace 10 speed downtube shifters. Those were a bad idea and I was going to purchase STI's but I was convinced by a friend to try SRAM while I was at it.

So being on a budget I'd like to ask you experts which parts I must absolutely change and which parts are not really necessary but would definitely improve the experience.

Shifters: obviously.
Rear der.: same as above and already purchased.
Front der.: not sure on this one. I read a Shimano front der. will work?
Cranks: I'm almost 100% sure I can keep the Shimano.
Brakes: no need to change.
Chain: no need to change (got a KMC).
Cassette: I know I can keep the Shimano but will the SRAM shift better?

Thanks a lot for your help!

[AngryScientist]

what you're thinking is correct, all you need are the shifters and RD.

[bkboom123]

I had a da 7800 cassette and have used a Sram 1070 and now a 1090. Honestly i have been incredibly impressed with the 1090, especially after hearing all the bad things about it. As longs as you know how to set it up properly it shifts like a dream and doesn't run nearly as loud as eeryone makes it out to be.
everything you said up top is correct

[phcollard]

Thanks guys, much appreciated.

I'm having second thoughts about keeping the Shimano front derailleur though. I finally found how to use the search :D and I read that with this combination there's some chain rub.

Now anybody has a silver SRAM Rival FD for sale? :)

[bkboom123]

Hey buddy, look for a Sram Force one.....they are pretty damn stiff and have really crisp shifting up front. Really quite cheap cost wise too, so spend the extra $10 and get it.

[rcotto]

I raced SRAM for two years. A sponsorship switch put me back on the new Shimano stuff last season (IMO the smoothest shifting) and am happily back on SRAM this season. I prefee the positive feel and lightning fast shifting over the smooth shifting.

[kgreene10]

I'm actually going in the opposite direction and replacing my Red FD with DA7800 -- the rest of the system is Red.

[rice rocket]

Your FD will work great.

SRAM has had issues w/ derailleur cage flexing causing sloppy/missed shifts, etc. There are many people who claim a 7800 FD is the best shifting you'll get w/ a SRAM shifter.

[Louis]

Granted I'm a bit of a retro-grouch, but every one of my frames that has DT shifter bosses gets DT shifters. If it has HT braze-ons, then STI. Whenever I have a choice (e.g. my Kirk currently on order and my Waterford 2200 built for me a few year ago) I go with DT shifters. I won't bother to list all the benefits and the minor disadvantages of DT shifters, we know them, but suffice it to say that if I were you I would not change. Why downgrade?

Louis

[Gummee]

2 out of 4 of my bikes are mutts: SRAM shifters and rear der. with misc other parts.

Crosshairs has Rival shifters and rear der and XTR everything else. Yeah, including the ft der.

The Quattro Assi is Rival and Force with D/A 7700 crank and BB, with 7800 ft der

The only one that's all SRAM is my Roubaix and even then its Red everything but the ft der. That's Force.

Works just fine if all you have is the shifters and rear der.

M

[phcollard]

Thanks a lot for all the replies!

Order is placed for shifters and rear derailleur. I missed last night's extra 15% coupon at BikeTiresDirect so I had to order from England :crap: