SRAM vs SHIMANO
Bicycles are a two wheeled means of transportation which are human powered and driven by pedals. They were developed in the early 19th century and are now the number one mode of transportation in the world numbering twice as much as cars.
There are several types of bicycles: utility bikes, racing bikes, touring bikes, mountain bikes, hybrid bikes, and BMX bikes, to name a few. Since there are more people who own bikes than cars, manufacturers of bicycles and bicycle components have a big market.
While there are several bicycle component manufacturers, two have led the pack. They are Shimano, Incorporated and SRAM known for the diversity and functionality of their products. They command a huge share of the bicycle components market.
Shimano, Incorporated is a Japanese company that manufactures fishing, rowing, and cycling components. It is the leading bicycle components manufacturer in the world today commanding a 50 per cent share of the market.
Its strategy included focusing on the lower segment of the bicycle market rather than the high-end segment which some of its competitors were focusing on. The lower segment market is bigger thus giving Shimano a large share of the market. After establishing itself there, it moved on towards the high-end market.
While its competitors focused on the high-end market and in improving and refining old systems, Shimano focused on developing new and better systems while at the same time making improvements on existing ones. It also introduced new technology. It pioneered aerodynamic styling; center-pull brakes, ergonomic pedals, dual pivot brakes, 8-9-10 speed drive trains, the integration of shifters and brake levers, or the Shimano Total Integration (STI), and the Shimano Pedaling Dynamics which has clipless pedals and matching shoes.
SRAM (Scott Ray, and Sam) Corporation, on the other hand, is an American manufacturer of bicycle components and is one of the two major competitors of Shimano in the bicycle components market. It was founded in 1987 and introduced the Grip Shift mountain bike gear change technology. It acquired other companies that manufacture bicycle parts and which already have a line of products to offer customers rather than develop their own.
It also pioneered the 1:1 actuation ratio for bicycle shifting which greatly reduced dirt contamination in mountain bikes. Its Exact Actuation technology features the use of only one lever for shifting rather than two which Shimano shifters need. Its very flexible Sedis or Sedisport chains are also very popular and so is its master link for derailleur gear chains.
Summary:
1.Shimano, Incorporated is a Japanese bicycle components manufacturer while SRAM is an American bicycle components manufacturer.
2.Shimano is well-known for its development of new products and technology while SRAM acquired already-established companies for their existing products so they don’t have to make their own.
3.Both have their contributions in pioneering, developing, and advancement of bicycle products with Shimano introducing the STI, SPD, and several other innovations while SRAM introducing innovations in shifting, chains, and gears.
4.Shimano was founded in 1921 while SRAM was founded in 1987.