[Cadent]

OK, this has probably been answered a zillion times, and I _did_ search, but I didn't see this specific, and very basic, question answered:

Lance chose SRAM. It says so on TV, so it must be true. Therefore, I need SRAM too. Uh...what IS SRAM? Do they make shifters, or do they make entire transmission systems like Shimano? Do bike have, say a Shimano derailleur and a SRAM shifter? Or is it more exclusive - do Shimano derailleurs really require Shimano shifters?

Oh, on a vaguely related question: I wonder why Versus didn't have a running status of peloton speed? They would refer to it, but it would have been interesting to see what the speed was at any given point in the race.

Same with watts...although I think it would have been easier to have displayed the output in HP instead of watts, but I guess I am missing something....

Thx!

 

[frdfandc]

www.SRAM.com


SRAM shifters require Sram rear derailleurs but you can utilize a Shimano or Campagnolo front derailleur with out problem.

Shimano shifters (dependent on the model) require Shimano rear derailluers. The Shimano Dura Ace 7900 front shifters require the use of the Dura Ace 7900 front derailleur due to the different cable pull.

 

[[email protected]]

power devices always measure output in watts.....more precise than HP (since we don't put out very many HP

 

[frpax]

SRAM is an American company, based in Chicago, that originally started making the "Grip Shift" shifters. They were not that popular with the road cyclists (who can be rather "traditional" in their component selection), but they were a hit with the then newly emerging mountain bike crowd, who, by and large, are NOT traditionalists.

After some time, and after making several different bike components (including the much maligned ESP derailleur), they bought the Sachs company, a European maker of groupsets. It was only a matter of time before they would be going head-to-head with Shimano and Campy.

Their first groupset was the Force group. And in an article I recently read, SRAM said that the shifting was BY FAR the longest process of their R&D. They took Shimano's & Campy's and decided what they didn't like about either of them and did what they thought would make it better.

From very humble beginnings to sweeping the TdF podium in 2009 in 20 years or so. Quite amazing, I think.

As far as why the speed of the peloton isn't given as much air time, I think it's because it is difficult to nail down. It's always changing! They'll tool along at 20mph one minute and then be doing 30+ a few minutes later, then back down, etc. Then there are head winds and cross winds which will slow them down, not to mention hills. Also, the speed may not be relayed to the announcers, so they may not know what it is, to report it.

 

[cxwrench]

and as 1hp is roughly 742 watts, hp would be kind of useless as a way to relate power output. i guess saying that Cav puts out just shy of 2hp in a sprint would be kind of a cool way to describe it...:thumbsup:

 

[aengbretson]

and as 1hp is roughly 742 watts, hp would be kind of useless as a way to relate power output. i guess saying that Cav puts out just shy of 2hp in a sprint would be kind of a cool way to describe it...:thumbsup:

More like 745.7, but I'm a mechanical engineer (read: NERD) who keeps this stuff memorized (and we're talking a difference of 0.5%)

To add to that, if the pros are cruising at 250 Watts (a realistic figure in the middle of a flat stage), nobody wants to see that they're making about 1/3 of a horsepower. Watts is probably a better unit because most people don't work well with decimals and/or small numbers. Resolution isn't really a problem, but I'd rather see 250 W than 0.335 hp (with my ego saying "Yay! Big number!").

As far as Sram goes, yes they are a complete component manufacturer. Some would argue they make the best mountain bike groupset out there. As far as their road stuff goes, because the amount of cable pulled in or released is different compared to Shimano and Campy, you'd need a Sram-specific rear derailleur. As mentioned, you can easily use a Shimano front derailleur with Sram shifters.

 

[J24]

I thought that all SRAM groups had been manufactured in Taiwan or China for quite some time now and that an administrative office in Chicago was their only presence in the US.

 

[Hank Stamper]

and as 1hp is roughly 742 watts, hp would be kind of useless as a way to relate power output. i guess saying that Cav puts out just shy of 2hp in a sprint would be kind of a cool way to describe it...:thumbsup:

yeah that would be great. We could all say we're only about 1 horsepower lower than pro level. Sounds a little better than 500 watts behind or whatever the difference is.

 

[drummerboy1248]

I believe that the info line along the bottom of the screen did periodically show peloton speed. Maybe I dreamed that too.

 

[Hank Stamper]

I believe that the info line along the bottom of the screen did periodically show peloton speed. Maybe I dreamed that too.

yes I saw that also (or had the same dream).

 

[cxwrench]

I thought that all SRAM groups had been manufactured in Taiwan or China for quite some time now and that an administrative office in Chicago was their only presence in the US.

sort of true...SRAM parts are made all over the world. the chains are made in portugal last i heard, same factory that makes campy chains. some stuff in china, some in taiwan...can't remember is anything is made in germany.

 

[Cadent]

I am just curious at this point, plugging along at <<< 1 HP -- maybe 100 watts ... anyway, at what point does it become feasible to talk about swapping out shifting and derailleur mechanism? What price ranges are we talking about?

My Raleigh Cadent ~$900 bike, has the Shimano thumbshift, which is prob. all you can do for a flatbar. But, I can see how nice it would be to have a finger-shift if you are going against gravity.

Do do all this, I would prob. have to go to a drop-bar, which is kinda pointless... mainly, at what point does it become realistic to consider swapping components rather than swapping out the entire bike?

Thx!

OH... my old Univega mtn bike had grip shifts, which I liked until my hands got sweaty and I couldnt....

 

[sealdavid]

I am just curious at this point, plugging along at <<< 1 HP -- maybe 100 watts ... anyway, at what point does it become feasible to talk about swapping out shifting and derailleur mechanism? What price ranges are we talking about?

My Raleigh Cadent ~$900 bike, has the Shimano thumbshift, which is prob. all you can do for a flatbar. But, I can see how nice it would be to have a finger-shift if you are going against gravity.

Do do all this, I would prob. have to go to a drop-bar, which is kinda pointless... mainly, at what point does it become realistic to consider swapping components rather than swapping out the entire bike?

Thx!

OH... my old Univega mtn bike had grip shifts, which I liked until my hands got sweaty and I couldnt....

Some of the more recent, higher end sram mtn bike groups still offered a grip shift option, which was the fastest shifting of any of the high end mtn bike systems out there. Not sure if sram's latest offers grip shift as an ption