Stem shifters

[OakLeaf]

being on a moving stem made them awkward to use.

Now that I finally learned why heavy tourers don't use brifters, can you explain why they DO come with bar-ends instead of down-tube shifters? It would seem to me that bar-end shifters have the same issue - worse even.

I'm thinking if I ever get around to building up a tourer, I'll stick with down-tube shifters...

[tulip]

Wow, y'all who've never seen stem shifters are making me feel awfully old...

I've found stem shifters to be adequate, but I prefer downtube or bar end shifters on older bikes. Stem shifters typically were on lower-quality/priced bikes. I found them kindof unstable when shifting.

For you young'uns, shifters integrated into the brake levers are a pretty new development...I had never tried them until I bought my Luna in 2005. But that might be because the bike that my Luna replaced was a 1983 Vitus with downtube shifters. Classic!

Oakleaf - bar end shifters are fantastic (to me). Very stable. You can see what gear combo you are in by looking at the shifter position instead of having to (dangerously) look down at the chain rings/cassette. Easier to fix than integrated shifters, too, if you are on the road and in a remote place. Easier to adjust. Easier to use than downtube shifters because you don't have to move your hand as far. The only drawback for me is that they do extend the length of the bars, and I'm kindof a klutz and so I'm always bumping my leg into the shifters, which result in some interesting bruise patterns (I bruise easily).

[Catrin]

Now that I finally learned why heavy tourers don't use brifters, can you explain why they DO come with bar-ends instead of down-tube shifters? It would seem to me that bar-end shifters have the same issue - worse even.

I'm thinking if I ever get around to building up a tourer, I'll stick with down-tube shifters...

Why don't they come with brifters? Is it because STI shifters are overly complicated to fix on a tour if there is a problem?

[OakLeaf]

Why don't they come with brifters? Is it because STI shifters are overly complicated to fix on a tour if there is a problem?

Exactly. (Basically, most shops will tell you they're not serviceable at all, although Shimano does have part numbers for every part in the exploded diagram and a little tool to insert the spring - so SOMEONE must service them. )

[sarahspins]

Exactly. (Basically, most shops will tell you they're not serviceable at all, although Shimano does have part numbers for every part in the exploded diagram and a little tool to insert the spring - so SOMEONE must service them. )

I suspect that might be primarily because it's just not economical for most shops to service brifters.. it's less work and probably (much) more profit to flat out replace them... not to mention faster if the shop doesn't carry those small parts in stock.

Personally I think I'd want thumbies over bar-end shifters on a touring bike, but having never tried either it's hard to say I don't particularly mind the stem shifters on my mixte... since there aren't a ton of gears to mess with

[Atlas]

I have stem shifters on my older Motobecane. They were a pain at first because the little D-ring wasn't tight enough. Now that I know to check it I haven't had any problems.

[Catrin]

[QUOTE=sarahspins;502171
Personally I think I'd want thumbies over bar-end shifters on a touring bike, but having never tried either it's hard to say I don't particularly mind the stem shifters on my mixte... since there aren't a ton of gears to mess with [/QUOTE]

I will let you know what I think of my bar-ends once I am brave enough to move my hands to shift - or grow tired enough of having a functional fixee touring bike to do the same I've already given myself permission to change bars and go back to trigger shifters if I hate the bar end shifters - but I have to give them an honest trial. Everyone else has seemed to do well with them

[SadieKate]

Not I. I hated bar end shifters.

My husband likes them but with my smaller hands I could never keep proper hold of the bar while manipulating the lever. Trying to shift under ultra low speed or high speed conditions was always hairy.

I also like the snappiness of brifters (having nearly rear-ended multiple people with bar ends who've lost their "mo'" on rolling terrain) because your hands are almost always positioned for an immediate shift. Bar end shifters themselves aren't slower shifting but the rider has to have her hands on the shifter ahead of time.

For loaded touring in the back of beyond, bar ends would be more serviceable, but it's not like we wear out brifters very often. We do ride Campy which are re-buildable but the parts aren't exactly stocked by every LBS.

[OakLeaf]

That's why going back to downtube shifters is more appealing to me.

It's less of a reach than a water bottle, the reach works to centralize your mass rather than taking your hands out to the absolute ends of the bars where the slightest wrong movement will affect your steering, plus like most people my age I'm experienced with them.

It's nice to be able to cover both brakes while shifting, is all - you never know. I don't really find brifters any quicker than properly adjusted indexed downtube shifters.

[HillSlugger]

I had stem shifters on my old 10-speed bike from the late 70's

[SadieKate]

I feel sooooo ancient . . . . .

[Zen]

I feel sooooo ancient . . . . .

No, just experienced and knowledgeable

[SadieKate]

A fine vintage???

[Fledgling]

Thanks for all the helpful input! I practiced with the stem shifters again today. It's actually a lot easier to get the hang of than I thought it would be. I'm liking them a lot.