Cassettes? SRAM or Shimano?

[Slayer33]

looking to pick up a new cassette here shortly, just trying to see if there is much of a difference in brands.

I have a SRAM Rival grouppo with FSA cranks and a Shimano 105 cassette. I was going to pick up a SRAM PG1070 cassette to match the grouppo, but I had a friend say Shimano cassettes are far superior and recommended an Ultegra 6700 cassette which was about $15 cheaper.

My question is are they that different? and would not having all SRAM stuff (aside from my cranks) be better than having a cassette from a different manufacturer? I'm all for spending less money, but I just wanna make sure I don't regret my choice.

Not sure if it makes any difference, but I am currently using a Shimano RS-80 C24 wheelset. I hope to upgrade in a year or 2 to some Mavic Cosmic Carbone SLs..

[yeagermeister]

Both cassettes are good quality and will work with your Sram Drive train. In my experience ultegra cassettes are slightly quieter and last a bit longer than the sram 1070 cassettes. As long as you get the gearing you want then go with the less expensive of the two.

[Breomonkey]

Both cassettes are good quality and will work with your Sram Drive train. In my experience ultegra cassettes are slightly quieter and last a bit longer than the sram 1070 cassettes. As long as you get the gearing you want then go with the less expensive of the two.

+1
just remember, no need for the thinner inner space with a SRAM cassette. I'm currently riding a 1070, 1090, and a shimano ???? Interchange wheels weekly and all I can say is the 1090 is the loudest and the shimano the quietest when you shift. I like the solid engagement on the SRAMs and tend to lean that way.

[Rick]

Even with my SRAM Force group, Shimano cassettes (all of them: 105, Ultegra, and Dura Ace) shift smoother, faster, and quieter.
Shimano is simply superior on shifting precision.

(My FORCE is functional and reliable. I am not knocking SRAM. I just have to admit that Shimano knows what they are doing better on shifting.)

[naisan]

+1 on shimano chains and cassettes - SRAM has a new road cassette coing out soon though, and their 1091 chain was better than the 1090, so they may catch up in a few years.

[sharkman]

Same goes for the old 7800 da chain that was noisy, the 79xx series is way better but the campy 10v chain beats the da in a sram setup (at least on my bikes).
Beware that ultegra cassettes fit most body's but Sram 1070 won't fit some freehubs (Fulcrum, Campy and a few others)

[brycerider]

I think the 7800 series chains are still the best value/performance on a sram setup. The sram chains are not as long lived and more costly. In cassettes the 1070 is a bit more long lived than ultegra but beware the compatability issue.

Sent from my ME860 using Tapatalk

[latman]

I was told the SRAM cassettes have much tighter tolerance machined into them and are a lot less "sloppy" on the freehub splines , Is that correct?

[topflightpro]

I have been highly disappointed in the Sram 1070 cassettes I have purchased.

First of all, they look cheap - like lower end Shimano cassettes, and I had to send the first one back because a tooth was bent, causing the chain to skip. The second one also had a bent tooth, but it was not as bad and I could adjust the RD around it.

I now use Ultegra cassettes almost exclusively, and Shimano chains. Everything else is Sram.

[billspreston]

Sram cassettes are definitely a tighter fit and I notice significantly less freehub bite when compared to Shimano. I've had good luck with both brands of cassette, but prefer Sram due to the solid engagement you get on a downshift. I don't persnally notice a difference in upshift quality between the two brands.

Most of my experience is with the 1090 cassette fwiw.

[markrj]

I have been highly disappointed in the Sram 1070 cassettes I have purchased.

First of all, they look cheap - like lower end Shimano cassettes, and I had to send the first one back because a tooth was bent, causing the chain to skip. The second one also had a bent tooth, but it was not as bad and I could adjust the RD around it.

I now use Ultegra cassettes almost exclusively, and Shimano chains. Everything else is Sram.

Well, the 1070 cassette IS cheap!

I just ordered my first one. If I don't like it, I'm not out that much money.

I have a feeling it will be just fine.

This is my first Force build but i went with Rival brakes.

I am not building this one for myself. It has a little more budgetary constraint than the one I intend to build after this one.

I'm thinking all Red/Black for the next build.

[Slayer33]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions.

I am going to go with a SRAM cassette. I like the gear ratios better over Shimanos.

My next decision is whether to go PG-1070 or to go with the PG-1090?

If I wait a month I can get the PG-1090 over the PG-1070.

I know the Red cassette is slightly lighter, but is it worth almost 2.5X the cost over the PG-1070?

[aaric]

It's actually a PG-1070 or an OG-1090.

Powerglide vs Openglide. SRAM says the OG shifts faster under load, which is possible. It's definitely noisier though. They used to makes OG-1070 cassettes but switched them to PG-1070.

The powerdome cassette (1090) design also makes the chain/shifting noises louder, as it acts pretty much like a drum. Also, if your rear wheel's freewheel is aluminum, and has had a shimano cassette on it for a while, the splines are often chewed up a bit, which would make putting a OG-1090 cassette on difficult to impossible, as its tolerances are much tighter.

Unless you want to save a slight bit of weight for about double the money, have a clean freehub, and don't mind the noise, go with the PG-1070.

I'd agree that the shimano cassettes shift smoother/quieter with a SRAM drivetrain (night and day vs the 1090, slightly nicer than the 1070). As for chains, I've had good results with the KMC X10SL - seems a little better than the 7800 DA chain.

[dolophonic]

Sram Powerdome / Red cassette will last a lot longer.... its noisy but light and durable.

[Slayer33]

So I want to make sure I don't waste my $ on the OG-1090 over the PG-1070...

Cost aside, from what I've read, its louder (doesn't bother me), its lighter (slightly, but good anyways) and its more durable.

I have a KMC X10SL chain to use with it.

I've read mixed opinions on its shifting performance and that the OG design isn't as good.. but in some cases ppl say its better.

With my chain, is it gonna be good or bad?