Stem shifters

[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.

[SadieKate]

I don't really find brifters any quicker than properly adjusted indexed downtube shifters.

That's why I said "Bar end shifters themselves aren't slower shifting" (or downtube shifters). It's really more a matter of where the rider's hands are when the shifting needs to happen. It's most apparent on rolling terrain where you just need quick shifts of the front der to maintain momentum but you like to honk over the rollies from the top of the hoods. Takes a lot of hand movements and forethought.

The mechanical action of the shifting isn't really any different.

Of course, I've seen lots of riders come to a screeching halt on rollers even with brifters because they haven't figured out the basics of shifting.

[HillSlugger]

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

[Zen]

I have these on order for my Peugeot mixte.
It currently has stem shifters.

[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.