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SRAM Force Group |
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Written by Jesse Stevens
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Sunday, 20 August 2006 |
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Tester: Jesse Stevens, Team Bikeman.com Rider, Certified Bikeman Product Tester
Conditions: Sweet West Virginia blacktop.
Review: This is the “First Impression” segment of my SRAM Force review, with more in depth component by component reviews to come. First things first, this component group LOOKS fantastic. Here are my basic first impressions listed by component.
Shifter/Brake Lever:
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It has the Brake/Shift hoods of Shimano with the cable routing of Campagnolo. I will admit that the “double tap” takes a few minutes to get used to but that’s all it takes, within an hour I was shifting like I had been using double tap shifters for years.
Rear Derailleur:
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A mechanics wet dream, the rear derailleur was simple to set up and to adjust quickly as the barrel adjuster clicks into adjustment. And by that I mean that there is no “turn the barrel a quarter turn”, its actually “turn the barrel two clicks. FANTASTIC IDEA!!!! BRAVO!!!!
Front Derailleur:
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Pretty standard front derailleur, although coming from Campagnolo I would have liked more trim (AKA micro adjustment) to keep the chain from rubbing. I have yet to have that problem, so its not been an issue to this point.
Cassette:
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Fairly light, and clean and seems to shift flawlessly (as any new cassette does) the main issue here will be durability so you’ll have to wait on that.
Chain:
Much like the cassette, the real issue will be durability so you’ll have to wait a few weeks and a few hundred miles to get my impression of this piece.
Crankset:
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Still waiting on my Force Crankset, I have seen them in person and the quality looks extremely high and more importantly very very light.
I have been using the SRAM Force group for 1 week and my basic first impression is that this is the most intuitive shifting system that I have ever used. Stay tuned to Bikeman.com for Component by Component reviews in the coming weeks.
Jesse Stevens
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