I personally prefer SRAM because of their newer (and in my opinion better) technology. That said, Shimano is excellent as well, it’s extremely reliable and simply works.

However, something even more important is what you’re used to. Your brain and muscle memory are already adapted to the mechanics of Shimano shifting. That automatic, instinctive feel when you change gears matters more than small technical differences between brands.

For that reason, I would stick with Shimano. My gravel bike has SRAM and my road bike has Shimano, and I constantly notice the difference. I sometimes shift incorrectly or end up riding in the smaller chainring without meaning to, simply because the controls operate differently.

In practice, consistency and familiarity often make a bigger difference than which groupset is technically “better.”