Stupid Idea ???

Depends on what your problem is with the Red FD.

Cage is "soft" on the Red and many choose to run a Force FD instead. I run all Force on two bikes and a mix of Force/Rival on another. No problems. Some rub in lowest ratio when running 11-27 or 28 and 50/34. Swapping out the cassette for 11-23 (which I normally ride) makes it go away. Adjustment issue, but I don't bother when the low cassette is just backup for a couple of specific hills on a particular ride.

Having opposing brifters would take some getting used to, but no doubt you'd eventually get the hang of it. If your issue is that you don't like how the ramps and pins on your SRAM rings pick up the chain, then a Shimano FD probably isn't going to change that.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by bsandoe [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

I've about had it with my SRAM Red front shifting.

I am giving SERIOUS consideration to changing the Front Shift/Brake lever to the new Dura Ace as well as the front D. Yes - that means a Shimano lever on the left and a Sram lever on the right.

I know it might look a bit odd but it would be so much better to ride.

Why is this a bad idea, in your opinion? Or isn't it ?

As you noted, if you replace your SRAM's LEFT shifter with a Shimano LEFT shifter then you will also need to buy the "matching" Shimano front derailleur ...

• IMO, it's a bad idea from a cost standpoint.
  

FWIW. Almost ANY pre-2007 CAMPAGNOLO shifter will probably be a better option ...

My impression is that the SRAM levers are close to the same size as the 1998-2008 (v2) Campagnolo levers ...

• The LEFT Campagnolo lever can be used with almost any front derailleur (from almost any vintage!) & crankset combination -- Double or Triple
  
• A "spare" LEFT Campagnolo lever will probably be considerably less expensive if you get it off of eBay than a DA lever + front derailleur.
  

However:

• A possible drawback to getting a Campagnolo lever to replace your SRAM lever is that you MAY subsequently realize how much more efficient the thumb-and-paddle combination is compared with the double-tap mechanism.
  

The good news is that a 10-speed Campagnolo lever + SRAM rear derailleur supposedly yields 10-speed Shimano/SRAM indexing.