Shifters used with drop bars

[monkey_magnus]

Just interested to find out what type of shifters you guys use for touring with drop handlebars...

 

[sparkyrasmus]

Originally posted by monkey_magnus
Just interested to find out what type of shifters you guys use for touring with drop handlebars...

My son uses butterfly shifters mounted next to the hoods on the drops. I prefer my bar end shifters.

 

[darkboong]

Done most of my touring mileage with downtube shifters (no indexing). I liked them once I got used to shifting without falling off or wobbling.

That said, I've just moved onto Campy Ergos and I think you'd have to pry them from my dead hands. They make hill-climbing a lot easier IMO. I always lifted a bit with the downtube shifters because of the way I had to adjust my position when shifting.

 

[koolkatkiwi]

Down tube friction shifters - they work and there's very little that can go wrong with them. Just need spare cables.

Cheers.

Bill

 

[edlfrey]

Originally posted by monkey_magnus
Just interested to find out what type of shifters you guys use for touring with drop handlebars...

I voted for bar end shifters but that is probably the only ones that I have never toured with. I did so because I now have bar end Rohloff shifters installed that I do intend using for my next tour. They replace Campy Ergo shifters that I really never liked but I did Like the Sun Tour "butterfly" shifters a lot when I had them. So far I like the Rohloff the best of of the lot!

 

[cd667]

Personally, I think barend is the best setup - they work forever, but require less of a leap of faith to shift than downtube.

Indexing is a superb idea, but it's not infalliable.

 

[MungoH]

I have bar end shifters one of which is indexed. It's quite a new bike though so I'm still getting used to it. Seem pretty good so far

 

[jonuck]

I am using shifters mounted on my handlebar stem, the rear shifter is indexed. My bike is a 1980's Fuji with Shimano 105, seems to work OK for me but I think the downtube position would be much more suitable.

jonuck.

 

[jumbolugs]

I moved from downtube shifters (indexed) to bar-end shifters (also indexed) 6 months ago. I think the bar-ends are a wonderful improvement. I also have STI shifters on my training bike but so far I think the bar-end shifters are best of all, certainly for touring anyway.

 

[Pedaling Pete]

I´m building up a hack-bike for the winter. Have a set of old Shimano 7-speed down-tube shifters, and a rear wheel to mach, that I would like to mount to the stem like Jonuck!

Do you Jonuck, or any one know if such mountings is still made, by what company and where I could buy one?

I have tried every kind of shifters for touring and would say that the it all depend on what style of touring you prefere. But I think that low-tec barend and the old XT-thumbshifters are still my favorits.
I am however planing to build a lightweight fast training and touringbike with STI-shifters to...

 

[Powerful Pete]

Nice name, Pete. Weren't trying to copy, were you? LOL.