2006 Force vs. 2010 105

seemana said:

Looking at a new bike and am comparing two....both the same model (Blue RD1). One is a used 2009 that the guy put a new set of SRAM Force shifters & derailleurs on, the other is a new 2010 that comes stock with a 105 group.

Assuming the used bike is well taken care of, any opinions on whether or not I'd be better off with the old Force vs. new 105? The used bike with Force is about $400 cheaper than the new. Just wondering if there are any problems folks have had with 2006 Force?

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Are you sure the Sram equipped bike's components are 2006?

I don't have any experience with that old Sram stuff... But if it were 2008 or 2009 I'd take it over 105 any day. In particular, the shifters are a lot lighter. Not that 105 is bad. I just think Force is better over the past few years.

Shifting is different with Force. It's easy to get used to, though. The only people who seem to not like it are those who regularly ride several bikes with the different methods of shifting, and find it inconvenient to switch back and forth.

If there is any part of the Force group that's weak, it's probably the crankset. I've seen several where the axle has come loose from the spider, and one or two where they were misaligned right from the start.