Dura-ace 7800.

or wait for Sora Di2

LoL Sora Di2?? You've gotta be kiddin' hehe

In a few months... I'll be selling 10s Chorus (Carbon stuff).... Don't know about the price yet.... any help on that? 350€ seems reasonable?

I think everone including myself has there favourites. Personally start with the shifters you like and go for the lightest groupset in that you an afford. Otherwise they all perform well.

_________________
www.thecycleclinic.co.uk

Id get a good condition 7800/7900 groupo off fleabay.

If you want compact then you can't run 7800 cranks.

_________________
My YT channel
http://www.youtube.com/user/durianriders?feature=mhee" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Follow me on Strava
http://app.strava.com/athletes/254600

Don't get a red FD. The titanium cage doesn't wear well, and is flexy. Depending on your bike, and cranks, you can have shifting issues. From what I can tell, Rival and force FD are the same, just rebadged. They weigh the same.

Personally, I'd get the red brifters for the exact actuation on both mechanisms. To me, it just has a better feel.

- Brifters- sram red- 280 on ebay usually
- Crankset (170mm, 53/39T) & BB (BSA)- truvalta nior or sram force for around 150 on ebay
- FD- sram rival-20
- RD- sram rival-50
- Cassette (12-23T)- sram 1070-60
- Chain- sram 1070-20
- Pedals (SPD-SL compatible)
about 560 in total for the groupo + pedals

I was able, with patience to get the following off eBay and Craigslist:

SRAM Red Shifters (2011.5 Near New) - $300
SRAM Red RD (New) - $140
SRAM Red 1091R Chain (New) - $40
SRAM Red Cassette 11-26 - $110
SRAM Force FD - $20
SRAM Red Crankset & Ceramic BB - $200

Total of $810 for a near new group. I thought I was a Shimano guy until I rode a properly tuned Red last week after setting this up. If you spend the right amount of time getting it set up, it's extremely crisp and the shifts to smaller cogs is simply amazing...like a mouse click. It's a huge improvement over the older Dura Ace/Ultregra group that I was using.

_________________
Litespeed Siena: 13.56 lbs

the new sram red shifts at a same level as dura ace di2. i dont know how you can mis-shift with red. the thing i like about red is you can hear each shift with its loud and confident clicks. you gotta be a die hard sram hater to dislike it. but still you wont be able to choose wrong between red, dura ace, super record. its just that red is the cheapest, lightest, ceramic groupset out of them all!

For $1,000, if you like to play the game, shop ebay for brand new, take offs, and lightly used parts. I put together a full Red group last year (with a Force FD, because at the time that was the way to go), for around $1,000. Didn't include pedals though. It did include:

Red Shifters: like-new - sold as used, but appear shiny and unscratched, like new.
Red Compact Crank : new, private party, possibly a re-sale or take off, but no chain marks on it at all.
"Basic" (not ceramic) BB: new
Force FD: brand new
Red RD: used, excellent condition
1091 Chain: new (which by the way was within $5 of the price of a Dura Ace or KMC chain if one of those seems better to you).
11-28 Red Cassette: new
KCNC Brakes (on a whim): lightly used

I almost exclusively shopped the "buy it now" rather than auctions and it took me about 3 weeks or so to get the parts I wanted. I might have saved a little money by doing auctions, but I just haven't had a good time and effort return in trying to save money w/ auctions rather than direct sales.

I would think that the above major components, especially the shifters and crank, two of the most expensive parts, would be available in the 2011 versions either close out or lightly used from people who just must have the newest thing now that they've modified the left shifter and FD with the newest group. FWIW: I was VERY curious about the new YAW FD and shifting, and almost bought one before I got my front shifting dialed in. But, right now my Force FD and 2010-11 shifting works very, very well since I just got meticulouse and re-installed it more carefully. It's now just flat spot on. Fast, crisp shifting both to large and small ring.

I also recall that when I was shopping for the 50-34 compact crank, the Red conventional cranks were selling for a little less. So there might be some savings there.

all i can say about the yaw is its the same if not better than the Di2 front shifting. Thats if you rather have tactile shifts compared to the mouse click like shifts of Di2. Old red compared to the new red is a big difference. the things in new red that are really essential to making it better is just the left brake/ shift lever, the front derailer, and the crank set. the yaw works for other crank sets too but i think the yaw works best with the new crank set. Also aesthetically pleasing as thats the biggest visual change in the new red.

This, used for 500-750 dollars and you're laughing.
Better shifting than 7900, super reliable and 10-speed easy to get a new 105 cassette and chain.
Sure, it doesn't have under handlebar tape cable routing but that actually makes the shifting better than current gen Shimano stuff.

This is a timely thread. I'm looking to spend about $1K on a groupset for my new frame.

At the moment I'm considering 2012 SRAM Force (BB30) or a Shimano 7900/6700 mix. My old bike uses Shimano 600 STi (and is still going) so I'm happy to stay with Shimano however I've ridden SRAM bikes a few times and I don't mind the shifting mechanism. I find its quite intuitive.

For the Shimano mix, I'd choose Dura Ace cranks (so I can get 180 mm in length), shifters and front derailleur and leave everything else 6700. This would give a weight of just under 2.2 kg (without cables) and the front shifting would be great.

For SRAM Force I'd go with a 177.5 mm crank (longest they make in a BB30 crankset) and maybe 2011 Red shifters. The prices for 2012 shifters seem a bit high.

Prices for the Shimano mix are probably about $1200. Straight Force is about $850-900 but with 2011 Red shifters it would possibly nudge over $1000.

Just some questions re: SRAM Force.

1) Is there a change between the 2011 and 2012 groupsets? Do all 2012 cranksets have black chainrings? Or can you choose between silver and black? Just trying to ensure that anything I buy off the internet/eBay is the latest model crankset.

Is any Force crankset with the huge SRAM logo on the inside of the left-hand crank a 2012 model?

2) In order to have 'zero-loss' shifting on the rear, do you need a Red rear derailleur and the shifter? Or is the shifter enough?

1) Yes the '12 force crankset is only black chainrings. '11 and '12 crank arms are the same. I believe there is no difference for the '12 force group other than color.

2) Zero loss comes from the shifter. Only benefit of the upgraded rear derailleur is weight and ceramic bearings on red. Not really something you can feel.