# sram pronunciation?



## titus (Feb 18, 2008)

Hello, I took my bike to my lbs yesterday to get my rapid fire shifters switched out for sram gripshifters. 

I thought sram was pronounced s-ram but my bike mechanic pronounced it as surom.

Is surom how it's supposed to be pronounced or a legitimate version? Or was my bike mechanic simply putting his own spin on it?


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## Wxman2000 (Jun 6, 2014)

I always thought of it as shram... but someone out there likely knows for sure.


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## jnederveld (May 27, 2014)

I say shram too, though for years thought it was s-ram too.


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## bachman1961 (Oct 9, 2013)

Call the company and listen to how they answer the phone.
Call again at noon to see how the person covering the lunch hour answers the phone and now you have 2 samples.

If they are both different, all you did was waste a bit of time and find out it really doesn't matter to them so it shouldn't matter to us. 

Tip; Have a beer while you are performing this blind test. Even if it seems like a waste of time, it would then be classified as entertainment (in my book anyways).


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

It's S-RAM. Not Shram. At least that's how they pronounce it on the SRAM Youtube videos.


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## TiGeo (Jul 31, 2008)

S-RAM.

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## Chader09 (Aug 14, 2013)

Watch the road bike recall vids with the company president. Sounds like serum to me. The sh version never seemed right to me.


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## eatdrinkride (Jun 15, 2005)

It's named after the first letter of the first name of each of the founders. Steve, ray, Allen, Mike. I just made those names up because I don't recall who the actual people were but I'm pretty sure I'm batting at least .500 on that. That being said it's pronounced just like it looks. Awkward but true.

S R A M


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## bachman1961 (Oct 9, 2013)

SRAM is an acronym comprising the names of its founders, Scott, Ray, and Sam, (where Ray is the middle name of company head Stan Day).

wiki


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## Tres Bottelas (May 27, 2014)

Yup. 

SRAM, just like it's spelled. Although, I never knew it was an acronym.


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## squareback (Sep 19, 2011)

Tomorrow let's talk about Mavic.


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## eatdrinkride (Jun 15, 2005)

squareback said:


> Tomorrow let's talk about Mavic.


Mike, Allen, Victor, Isaiah, and Carlton. Duh.


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## Chader09 (Aug 14, 2013)

and pronounced Mahveek?


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## TiGeo (Jul 31, 2008)

Maaveek

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## bachman1961 (Oct 9, 2013)

I've heard it as Maavic but I have a lot to do today and will yield to those willing to take up the misson.

No doubt, there is much variation even among the slight accents of midwest, Long-guy-land, Southern Georgia or West Texas.


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## Shakester (Jun 26, 2012)

Every LBS around here pronounces it as "shram" which is what I call it. Even though its not the right way of pronouncing it, I think its a widely adapted pronunciation of the acronym. I also think its just the way it sounds when you say SRAM.


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## TiGeo (Jul 31, 2008)

Yes...folks add the hand has just become the norm. I always try to say SRAM with no h.

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## 70sSanO (Nov 20, 2013)

Shakester said:


> Every LBS around here pronounces it as "shram" which is what I call it. Even though its not the right way of pronouncing it, I think its a widely adapted pronunciation of the acronym. I also think its just the way it sounds when you say SRAM.


Oh sit!

I've been pronouncing it wrong all this time.

John


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## bachman1961 (Oct 9, 2013)

I don't know why it couldn't just be MARS... something easy to pronounce and it's still an acronym with the appropriate letters... just rearranged. 
They really screwed up.

So the consensus is similar to clingy food wrap like *saran wrap *except with the *m *on the end ?


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## catsruletn (Dec 7, 2013)

How about fi'zi:k?


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## kickhorse (Aug 3, 2013)

catsruletn said:


> How about fi'zi:k?


maybe like physic?

ok, how about WTB?


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

bachman1961 said:


> I don't know why it couldn't just be MARS... something easy to pronounce and it's still an acronym with the appropriate letters... just rearranged.
> They really screwed up.
> 
> So the consensus is similar to clingy food wrap like *saran wrap *except with the *m *on the end ?


No. Pronounce it the way it's written. sram. They have a manufacturing presence in my town, so I see their reps all the time. My mtb club is having a board meeting at that facility tonight, as we do every month. There is no "sh" sound or hyphen or extra syllables or any of that huked on fonix werked 4 me crap.


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## Flyin_W (Jun 17, 2007)

OP , This makes me wonder about the wrench at your LBS.... Was he wearing skinny jeans, huge fat-plastic framed glasses, listening to some obscure band, and telling you that no real biker needs brakes? 

(tapa)


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## edubfromktown (Sep 7, 2010)

Officially ssss-ram though many say shram.

Personally, I don't care if someone says mavic mahveek, proprietary painful stuff... 

What winds me up are butchered mispronunciations of succinct words like nuclear- George Bush constantly blathered NUKULAR which drove me batty.


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## EABiker (Jun 24, 2004)

Question is, why are you putting gripshifters on your bike!


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

catsruletn said:


> How about fi'zi:k?


It's physique.


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## TiGeo (Jul 31, 2008)

^^^yep.


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## TiGeo (Jul 31, 2008)

Thule. Toolee...not thool.


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

Tomātō, not tomätō.


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## Shakester (Jun 26, 2012)

Growing up fishing, there is a brand called Rapala. I've always, and still do, say Rah-Paw-Lah. I recently saw a video on YouTube, by them, and their rep called it Rap-a-la.


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## dirt farmer (Mar 28, 2005)

Here's an old pronunciation thread, if anyone cares to revive and/or add to it

http://forums.mtbr.com/general-discussion/how-do-you-pronounce-516944.html


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## Flash (Jan 30, 2004)

Saying Shram am makes you Shtrong! So what about AXO? A-X-O or Axe-o?

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## velo99 (Apr 18, 2014)

As long as you get what you want you can pronounce it Lalala.


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## bachman1961 (Oct 9, 2013)

In general, maybe the reason anyone gets a pass on the fact *or* opinion by others of a mispronunciation is because we get it close enough and they are only too happy to take our money for any of these purchases. 
This seems rational because arguing with customers at the counter before you get the money is less intelligent than mispronouncing a word a company invented. 

Another theory; Profit margin is proportional to the difficulty or confusion in pronouncing the brand name. Companies think it esoteric or classy to use a simple method like this to create exclusivity. Consumers then have a higher perceived value and are willing to pay more for 'the fancy name'.

lol


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## Flyin_W (Jun 17, 2007)

^ Apple. Theory busted.:sly:

(tapa)


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## bachman1961 (Oct 9, 2013)

A very good exception on the name thing !

They've capitalized on brand loyalty (esoteric, classy and exclusive) aka marketing and it's worked/ing well.


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## mtb_beginner (Jul 20, 2013)

Given the surprising way some people pronounces SRAM, I'm curious as to how some people pronounces Shimano.


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## Flash (Jan 30, 2004)

I liken this to the way people get lost on a trail. The simple most ridden path looks too obvious. I always have to remind new riders that no one is trying to trick them.

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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

It's pronounced just like it's spelled!
Hfuhruhurr - YouTube


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## J. Fragera (Apr 16, 2008)

mtb_beginner said:


> Given the surprising way some people pronounces SRAM, I'm curious as to how some people pronounces Shimano.


I'll admit to saying shram out of habit due to local dialect, but I pronounce Shimano in a Japanese style... As in she-mah-no. With the o in the no part being abruptly stopped... Since it's a Japanese company and all.


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## dhelm72 (May 4, 2012)

mtb_beginner said:


> Given the surprising way some people pronounces SRAM, I'm curious as to how some people pronounces Shimano.


Yes...Is it Shimano or Shitmano?


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## icecreamjay (Apr 13, 2004)

J. Fragera said:


> I'll admit to saying shram out of habit due to local dialect, but I pronounce Shimano in a Japanese style... As in she-mah-no. With the o in the no part being abruptly stopped... Since it's a Japanese company and all.


Just like godzilla should be pronounced gojira


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## J. Fragera (Apr 16, 2008)

icecreamjay said:


> Just like godzilla should be pronounced gojira


Indeed


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## bachman1961 (Oct 9, 2013)

Flash said:


> I liken this to the way people get lost on a trail. The simple most ridden path looks too obvious. I always have to remind new riders that no one is trying to trick them.
> 
> Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk


Where the obvious path might lead to the correct or most accepted way to pronounce the term, a sense of adventure is the theme for other's. 

Many posts share the idea that getting lost on trail is when the fun starts. Maybe it's even a goal. Lots of motorcyclists and sport-car enthusiasts have that in common. Wherever the road leads ... ...

Makes me think of people naming their kids as if picking a name that can have 'custom' (convoluted, uncommon) spelling is the motive. 
I wonder if they spend the rest of their life correcting everyone that misspells it by using the common and accepted spelling that had been around for years.


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## Flash (Jan 30, 2004)

Fair enough and spot on! LOL!

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## shawneeboy (Apr 21, 2014)

I laughed my way through this entire thread...

Thank you -- much needed...


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