Bar end shifters vs integrated brake/shifters

[Catrin]

Here is my LHT on a tour in 2008:

Now that is a beautiful and hard-working bike! Thanks also for the information, I understand the attraction of bar end shifters now. It is also good to hear that they can be moved, I like the idea of their being much closer to the brakes

Thanks for the great information!

[Veronica]

I've only used bar end shifters.



It's really not that hard to take your hand off the bar to shift - less complicated and time consuming than getting a water bottle out of the cage and taking a drink.

Why do you need the shifters close to the brakes? You're not going to do both at the same time are you?

Veronica

[Catrin]

I've only used bar end shifters.

Why do you need the shifters close to the brakes? You're not going to do both at the same time are you?

Veronica

LOL, Stella (Trek 7.6) has flat bars and trigger shifters. The trigger shifters are only about an inch or so from my brake levers - so all I have to do is move my fingers a little to go from one to the other. For a novice cyclist this is very comforting

Speaking of water bottles, right now I am just stopping the bike to take a drink

[moderncyclista]

Bar ends are the bomb. Most of the time on my 520 (which has bar ends) I don't need to shift that often (I live in a very hilly part of my state) so moving to the shifters isn't a problem. Even most novices pick them up pretty quickly. I find them elegant and simple (two things I adore). Brifters have a gajillion parts and if they break you replace the whole expensive set-up. Bar ends are just a few parts and if they break are relatively inexpensive to replace (if not fix.) The thing I worry about most is braking not shifting. People have pulled out in front of me, turned in front of me, ran stop signs, and darn near killed me. Thank god for quick reflexes! I want some cyclo-cross style levers on top of the bars of my 520 now. My Aurora has em' but god I wish she had bar ends.

[DebW]

I'm another fan of bars ends. Switched to them from downtube shiftera a couple years ago. If you practice riding in the drops, you'll find the bar ends extremely convenient.

[Blueberry]

I'm another bar end lover. I do have one bike with brifters, but when those break, she will have bar ends too. I like that you can trim the front indefinitely, and can tell by feel where you are in your range. They also just work - not fiddley to adjust, and seemingly bullet proof (or nearly).

[KnottedYet]

Looooove my bar end shifters.