About to buy bike with bar end shift levers?

I think it's been about a month since I originally posted. I'm getting back into biking after many years away. Previously I commuted about 10 miles each way.

Now I will be riding with family and using bike for fitness - we have lots of short steep hills where I live.

After some advice on here I branched out from just looking at hybrids to trying road bikes and thinking about all options and my needs. To my surprise, I found the drop down handlebars on the road bikes much more comfortable than the hybrids. And I realized I wanted a bike for fitness and building strength climbing hills - I bike that will work with me.

Liked some WSD road bikes I tried - especially the Specialized Dolce Elite. But I'm planning to ride on roads with lots of potholes, occasional gravel, railroad tracks and maybe occasionally a flat dirt trail. And I may want to carry groceries. I want a light bike but a tough bike too.

So I think I've found my bike and about to order it it's a pretty light weight touring bike with women's frame (there are no bikes in my area that fit and have slightly wider tires than the road bikes and meet my needs - I've tried all the bike shops and I definitely only fit on the WSD bikes). My one hesitation is bar end shift levers. I wasn't able to try these out in any shop.

Any of you have these shifters - how hard will this be for me as a newbie getting back to biking and given that I have a lot of short hills?

By the way, this is my only hesitation about the bike - I think it's going to fit well and be a great bike otherwise.

Thanks!
Sadie

It took me about one ride to figure these out on my Surly. I just had to keep repeating- up is easier (on the right). It will become instinctive after just a little while. Take a short flat ride where you can practice shifting.

My first two bikes had bar end shifters. It's not hard to get use to. I currently have 3 different bikes and I ride each pretty frequently. They all have different shifting - oncluding one with bar ends. I never seem to confuse one with the other. You just get use to it.

Veronica

I don't have a bike with bar end shifters but I would think that balance and confidence in your balance might be involved, for someone who is relatively new to cycling or just getting back into it. I say this because for years I was not comfortable taking my right hand off the handlebar. I could ride all day with my left hand off the bar, to signal turns, reach for a water bottle, etc. But when I took my right hand off the bar I felt very unstable. I had to practice it in order to get comfortable with it. If I had bar-end shifters I would have had problems shifting on the right. Things like steep hills and rough roads would have added to my feeling of instability.

Just something to think about.

agree on flat ride to practice...It should be easy for you to get use to them. They are very reliable, less maintenance than brifters and you can also use them as a friction shifter if needed. Those are some of the reasons they are on a new touring bike. Lots and lots of climbs and descents and many miles on all kinds of roads/paths have been ridden with bar end shifters over the years!!!!

I had them on an older trek 520 touring bike that i used for brevets during my college years, no problems even on a 600k. I only needed a slight push with the heel of my hand or hook my pinkie under to change gears, all while being able to keep my hand on the bar. For me there wasn't really a stability difference over brifters and for me they were easier than the down tube shifting that came with the trek.

I took a quick test ride on a bike with bar end shifters a couple of years ago. I didn't buy it, so that was the extent of my experience with them. My hesitation was the same as yours - how in the world would it be possible to shift without upsetting the steering? But I found them much more stable and easy than I expected. Now, I didn't get to ride any steep hills. But, if you've been away from riding for a while, that probably means what you're used to is downtube shifters, and if you could shift those without upsetting the bike, you'll be fine with the bar-ends.

Still, if you really prefer brifters, most shops will swap them out for you and just charge you the difference in price. Which will be substantial, brifters are expensive and bar-ends are cheap, but if it was me I'd probably do that.

This is what stopped me from buying a true touring bike for my second bike. No way could I deal with taking my hands off the bars to shift.
That said, I am a creature of habit. Thought I had no issues going from trigger shifters to brifters, the bar ends seemed slightly insane to me.

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Originally Posted by Crankin

This is what stopped me from buying a true touring bike for my second bike. No way could I deal with taking my hands off the bars to shift.
That said, I am a creature of habit. Thought I had no issues going from trigger shifters to brifters, the bar ends seemed slightly insane to me.

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have a flan de limón con salsa de frambuesa with a glass of muscatel goya clasico for me :)...safe flights/rides!!!!

I did six double centuries with bar end shifters, at least 9 200Ks and 3 Half Ironman tris. I would guess cover 35,000 miles with bar end shifters. I never had an issue with them and I am not Wonder Woman. :D If balance is a concern, then yeah not a good idea. However, they work well for lots and lots of people.

Veronica

I have barends on my tourer which I also use as my commuter. I don't have a concern about letting go of the bar to shift.

One technique you can try is to hold the sweep of the bar with the thumb, index finger and web of the hand while shifting with the pinkie against the heel of the hand. It doesn't take much force to shift (and the tension can be adjusted).

One drawback - I have been able to stab myself just above the knee when stopping and starting at a light/sign depending on the angle of the shift lever.

To me it comes down to being able to cover the brake while shifting. Now that I'm used to brifters on the road bike and grip shifters on the hybrid - both of which let me do that - I'm reluctant to part with that extra reaction time on the brakes.

As far as field repairability ... in my mind, shifters are in the same category as spare spokes and bottom bracket tools. Way more hard core touring than your average bear. There's a whole universe of mechanical problems that MIGHT happen, and a spectrum of preparedness vs likelihood vs everyday hassle that you have to make your own judgment about. I carry spare cables, both brake and derailleur; a chain tool and a couple of spare links; patch kit and mini-pump to back up my spare tube and CO2. Beyond that, in a worst case where I couldn't limp it home before dark, I'm never more than a mile or two out of cell phone range. Shifters just aren't something I even worry about. (And I *did* have a brifter get gummed up on a ride once, not knowing what it was, and not really having a place to get solvent any closer than home anyway. But it's still not something I worry about.)

If you're doing randonneuring or unsupported back country touring, then yeah, you're going to want straight levers not detents, i.e. downtube or bar end shifters not brifters. But for any kind of commuting, day riding, or not strictly time limited touring east of the Mississippi in the US or comparable densities elsewhere, I just don't think it's necessary.

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Originally Posted by OakLeaf

To me it comes down to being able to cover the brake while shifting. Now that I'm used to brifters on the road bike and grip shifters on the hybrid - both of which let me do that - I'm reluctant to part with that extra reaction time on the brakes.

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Having used friction shifters since 2003 when I got my first road bike, I can honestly say that has never been an issue.

Veronica

I was so used to bar end shifters that when I got my Gilles Berthoud last year it took awhile to get used to down tube shifter. I was still shifting with both hands instead of just my right hand.
Anyhooo, I concur with most, bar ends have a slight learning curve but pretty soon you won't even notice and you can shift with a couple finger and even the palm of your hand when you are in the drops.
no different than moving your hands to different positions on your bars.

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Originally Posted by Veronica

Having used friction shifters since 2003 when I got my first road bike, I can honestly say that has never been an issue.

Veronica

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Well, having used downtube shifters from 1973 through 2006, minus a hiatus in the 90s ... it's honestly never been an "issue" for me in terms of causing a crash, but one of the many, many things that's carried over from learning to ride motorcycles is the understanding of how little room for error we ever have, and my preference at this point is for that room to be larger not smaller.

Just like clipless vs the mechanically simpler toe clips, I'm pretty sure I never crashed while trying to release a strap, but if I don't have to take my hand off the bars to get my foot out of the pedal ... you get the idea.

I think Oak explains it much better than I do, although she is definitely more coordinated than me!
I used down tube shifters in the 80s and had no issues, but the feel of the bar ends was different. Plus, I'm probably the most risk averse of everyone commenting. In the end, I knew I wasn't going to be doing unsupported touring, and wanted the bike for low gears and the ability to carry a pannier and trunk bag.
I must say, my experience at Harris Cyclery, where I tried the bar ends, left a lot to be desired. I thought it was going to be a visit to a hallowed shop of cycling lore, and I found them to be condescending to my expression of concern about the bar end shifters, as well as lacking knowledge about fitting a short woman.

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Originally Posted by redmustardseed

Any of you have these shifters - how hard will this be for me as a newbie getting back to biking and given that I have a lot of short hills?

By the way, this is my only hesitation about the bike - I think it's going to fit well and be a great bike otherwise.

Thanks!
Sadie

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The OP asked how hard it would be to learn to use bar ends, not about any perceived risks. If you haven't used them for whatever reason, how can you answer her question? I appreciate people wanting to give their opinion about safety, but if you haven't used it, how can you speak with authority? There are inherent risks in just about anything and i get the feeling that folks who haven't used bar end shifters are trying to scare her away from them. Maybe that's not the intent, but comprehension occurs in the mind of the reader. :D She thinks the bike is perfect otherwise, let's get her on a bike.

Veronica

Sadie….get a bike that fits!!!....then just enjoy the learning experience of using bar ends if thats the case and more importantly, enjoy riding with your family!!!!!

this thread needs that song.......don't worry be happy.....playing in the background :)

Thank you everyone - wow, I'm grateful for all the input!

I've decided to buy the bike - so looking forward to a bike that fits and figure I'll either adjust to or love the bar ends.

And I'll take the advice to practice first on flat. Will probably drive to a bike path off road for that. Since the bike doesn't have pedals, I'm going to get toe clips - that's what I used to have so I won't have to adjust to new pedals as well.

Have fun riding everyone!

Sadie

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Originally Posted by redmustardseed

I've decided to buy the bike - so looking forward to a bike that fits and figure I'll either adjust to or love the bar ends.

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Yay! I had missed this thread, but when I purchased my Trek 520, I was very reluctant to have bar ends. I had had bad experiences with down tube shifters, and figured these would be the same. Totally different. I now love them so much I only have one bike without them (haven't wanted to retrofit it yet). Sometimes I plan a little ahead on shifting if I might need to brake at the same time, but that seems to come pretty naturally for me (and it's a rare situation anyway). I love being able to tell by feel what gear I'm in without having to take my eyes off the road, and the reliability. DH and I have both had lots of failed brifters, and they are so expensive to replace I doubt we'll go back to them since they've never shifted as precisely for me!

Congratulations! And I'm curious to know what bike you're buying.

Yay! Enjoy!

Enjoy the ride!


Veronica

Oh, I missed this thread too but I'm glad you got the bike!

I had a bike that had a bar end shifter for the front and a brifter for the rear...on the same bike. That was fun! Actually, it was totally fine and when I eventually switched the bike to only bar ends, I liked it even more. My other two bikes had different types of shifters and outside of the first couple of minutes on each bike to remember which one I was riding, I rarely had any difficulty with any of them. The nice thing about bar ends for smaller people is that smaller hands are not a problem. My first road bike was too big for me and it was hard to operate the brifters in some situations.

Anyway, enjoy the new ride!

I have bar-end shifters on my Bike Friday and find them very easy to use even though I had never used them before I got the bike. I have different types of shifters on all three of my bikes, and it only takes a few miles of a ride to get back in the swing of using any of them if I haven't ridden that bike for awhile.

If I've been riding my Bike Friday, I find myself reaching for the "phantom" bar ends on my Trek (which has Shimano brifters), but I quickly correct myself!

The only problem I've ever had with them, as another poster mentioned, is very occasionally hitting my leg on one of them in certain maneuvers, since I am petite and have a short effective top tube.

Enjoy your new bike!

Glad to hear you're so excited about your new bike! Do you have it yet? Do you love it? It's like magic when you find one that fits!

I haven't seen a recent post on this but thought I'd chime in.

I bought a touring bike with bar end shifters, the Novarra Randonee, for the gearing ratio and the fit. I love the bike but after trying to adjust to the bar ends for about 6 months, I gave up and had our local bike shop swap them out for brifters. Best thing I ever did!

I'm short so on the small frame I'd hit the end of the bar ends with my knees now and then, and I'm also a returning bike rider who gained a lot of weight so my balance and confidence are not what they used to be. My husband has the Trek 520 with the bar-end shifters and patiently coached me though several months of bar end tips and tricks but I just never got comfortable. We tried adjusting the tilt of the handlebars and stem length but that messed up the fit, so back to the shorter stem. Most importantly, I noticed I was trying to push up hills without shifting because I didn't want to take my hands off the bars. My knees started to ache and I wasn't as excited about riding my new bike with the awesome gear ratio. So, we switched out to the brifters.

I noticed immediately that I'm shifting all the time and getting better and better at climbing hills! We live in a pretty hilly area so even short little rides would affect my knees if I didn't shift more regularly and take advantage of the gears I have available.

I ride for exercise and pleasure, and I'm aiming for my first metric century by the end of summer 2015. And I'll probably use this bike. With over a 100 pounds to lose, a few extra pounds on a touring frame compared to a fast road bike frame won't make a difference. We're also looking forward to touring a bit and our first target is the Willamette Valley up in Oregon, and other rides such as that. We'll rarely if ever be far from civilization and bike shops so the on-road fixability of the bar ends is
not a factor.

My husband swears by his bar ends. Absolutely loves them, but was very supportive when he saw the difference the brifters made for me.
I hope you get used to the bar ends, but if you don't, don't be afraid to switch out to the brifters. Its kind of expensive, but worth it if it means you'll enjoy riding your bike more.

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Originally Posted by k8t

Glad to hear you're so excited about your new bike! Do you have it yet? Do you love it? It's like magic when you find one that fits!

I haven't seen a recent post on this but thought I'd chime in.

I bought a touring bike with bar end shifters, the Novarra Randonee, for the gearing ratio and the fit. I love the bike but after trying to adjust to the bar ends for about 6 months, I gave up and had our local bike shop swap them out for brifters. Best thing I ever did!

I'm short so on the small frame I'd hit the end of the bar ends with my knees now and then, and I'm also a returning bike rider who gained a lot of weight so my balance and confidence are not what they used to be. My husband has the Trek 520 with the bar-end shifters and patiently coached me though several months of bar end tips and tricks but I just never got comfortable. We tried adjusting the tilt of the handlebars and stem length but that messed up the fit, so back to the shorter stem. Most importantly, I noticed I was trying to push up hills without shifting because I didn't want to take my hands off the bars. My knees started to ache and I wasn't as excited about riding my new bike with the awesome gear ratio. So, we switched out to the brifters.

I noticed immediately that I'm shifting all the time and getting better and better at climbing hills! We live in a pretty hilly area so even short little rides would affect my knees if I didn't shift more regularly and take advantage of the gears I have available.

I ride for exercise and pleasure, and I'm aiming for my first metric century by the end of summer 2015. And I'll probably use this bike. With over a 100 pounds to lose, a few extra pounds on a touring frame compared to a fast road bike frame won't make a difference. We're also looking forward to touring a bit and our first target is the Willamette Valley up in Oregon, and other rides such as that. We'll rarely if ever be far from civilization and bike shops so the on-road fixability of the bar ends is
not a factor.

My husband swears by his bar ends. Absolutely loves them, but was very supportive when he saw the difference the brifters made for me.
I hope you get used to the bar ends, but if you don't, don't be afraid to switch out to the brifters. Its kind of expensive, but worth it if it means you'll enjoy riding your bike more.

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Thanks for posting this, and welcome to the forum!

Interesting to read about everyone's different experiences and preferences...count me in with those who like their bar end shifters. For me they were easy to use right away and there never was a problem getting used to them. Downtube shifters, on the other hand...no thanks! I had a vintage bike for a bit that had them and never did feel completely comfortable reaching down to shift. That bike was also a little big, which probably didn't help. Hope the OP is enjoying the new bike!

I had bar end shifters on my last touring bike, and used them for 23 years. At one point I was even comfortable enough to shift while standing up to climb or start from an intersection. When I got my current tourer and switched from the Sora brifters that I couldn't get comfortable with to Dura Ace bar ends, I didn't find them quite so easy - they seemed a lot stiffer then I remembered the old Sun Tour bar-cons being. Now I have some older 105 brifters that I found on eBay and get on a bit better with them. Mind you, part of that is that the levers are a much better fit for my hands than the huge brake levers that the shop fitted when they put on the Dura Ace shifters.
One drawback to bar end shifters is that they add about 1" to the length of the bottom of your handlebar. If I had kept them, I think I'd have had to have the bars trimmed back, because I occasionally found myself shifting with my knees by accident.