About to buy bike with bar end shift levers?

[Veronica]

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

[ny biker]

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.

[rebeccaC]

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.

[OakLeaf]

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.

[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.

[rebeccaC]

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.

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

[Veronica]

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. If balance is a concern, then yeah not a good idea. However, they work well for lots and lots of people.

Veronica

[mzone]

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).