Shifters-integrated vs bar-end

[Slow Lane]

I'm very happy with the integrated shifters on my bike (a 2007 REI Randonee).  Lately, though, I've felt lustful about the Surly Long Haul Trucker, but there are those bar-end shifters.

What are experiences good/bad with the bar-end type out there? 

[RussSeaton]

Shimano STI shifters versus Shimano bar end shifters.  Quickness, ease, fun all go to the STI shifters.  Both work.  I used bar end for about 10 years.  Ergo and STI for the past 15 plus years.  Cost is less for the bar end shifters.  About $100 give or take.  When comparing cost be sure to compare the separate brake levers AND bar end shifters to the STI shifters.  The bar end shifters are only shifters, you still have to buy separate brake levers extra.  STI are shifters and brake levers all in one.  Some people claim STI are fragile and break and bar end are 100% solid forever and ever.  Not true.  Did repair an Ergo shifter once.  Never repaired STI.  Friend has a busted but still working STI.  Did wear out bar end after 12 years or so.  Still shifted but no more indexing and was imprecise.

[staehpj1]

This choice is pretty much all personal preference.

I found that I really didn't like bar end shifters.  In addition to the fact that I just didn't care for the location, I tended to bump them with a knee and they tended to get bumped out of gear when the bike was leaned against stuff.  Fortunately I like down tube shifters just fine so I use them if I tour on a bike that doesn't have integrated shifters.

Much of that preference is probably because I rode with down tube shifters for 50 years or so and am just super acclimated to them.

Lots of people prefer bar ends, especially for touring bikes, so don't let my preference weigh too heavily in the decision.

[DaveB]

I have bikes with both and far prefer brifters for accessibility.  Bar ends are very difficult to use if it's not easy to remove your hands from the hoods as while climbing.

There is an alternative that provides the accessibility of brifters with the durability of barend/downtube shifters and at lower cost than most brifters.  Look here: http://gevenalle.com/

I now have these on three bikes and they are great.

[JHamelman]

I have a thumbie set up and I love it. Saved my bacon on my last trip when I had to switch to friction shifting to keep going. If I'd had the fancier set up of my husband, I would have been SOL.

https://paulcomp.com/shop/components/shimanothumbies/


You can see them here:


https://www.flickr.com/photos/45288400@N08/14382593076/in/dateposted-public/


Jennifer

[Pat Lamb]

This choice is pretty much all personal preference.

Ditto.

I found that I really didn't like bar end shifters.

Eh, not me.  I've got a bike with Shimano brifters, one with Campy brifters, and one with bar-ends and like riding them all!.  Frankly, the worst part about switching between bikes is the difference between the Shimano and Campy, but I normally re-adjust within a couple blocks.

[RussSeaton]

I've got a bike with Shimano brifters, one with Campy brifters, and one with bar-ends and like riding them all!.  Frankly, the worst part about switching between bikes is the difference between the Shimano and Campy,

Hmmm.  Not me.  Ergo 9 and 10.  STI 10.  Di2 10.  Zero trouble riding any of them at anytime.  Normally I only ride one bike per day.  So there is never any instantaneous switching involved.  Its just select a bike, then shift it when leaving the driveway.

[RonK]

I had once had an LHT, but disliked the bar end shifters intensely (for that matter I didn't think much of the LHT at all).

So I moved the bar ends onto Paul Thumbies.

My current touring bikes both have STI.

[polskionabike]

You're choice between the two on production bikes is getting pretty limited these days.  Shimano's 10 speed road shifters (both STI and bar end) are no longer compatible with a typical mountain drive train preferred on touring bikes. Microshift is what is now being used for bar end shifters by Surly. 
I like them, but my wife is not a fan of bar ends.  We did convert her recently purchased Novara Randonee to STI shifters, but it does require messing with the drive train....could be done on a LHT as well.  See Adventure Cycling's kind of recent and excellent  article titled something like "the drive train dilemma" for details.

[RonK]

You're choice between the two on production bikes is getting pretty limited these days.  Shimano's 10 speed road shifters (both STI and bar end) are no longer compatible with a typical mountain drive train preferred on touring bikes.

Sram road levers are compatible with Sram MTB components.

I have just built a bike with Apex shifters - and was able to eliminate a chainring in the process using a GX 2x10 drive train.

[JHamelman]

See Adventure Cycling's kind of recent and excellent  article titled something like "the drive train dilemma" for details.

Are you referring to this article from April 2015?

https://www.adventurecycling.org/default/assets/resources/20150401_DrivetrainDilemma_DAmbrosio.pdf

Jennifer

[RussSeaton]

Sram road levers are compatible with Sram MTB components.

I have just built a bike with Apex shifters - and was able to eliminate a chainring in the process using a GX 2x10 drive train.

Based on your response I would guess SRAM does not make road levers that work with triple cranksets.  Most touring bikes have triple cranksets.

[staehpj1]

Most touring bikes have triple cranksets.

True, but the new MTB group sets have wider range rear clusters and are fine for touring with double.  Some folks might even opt for a 1X10 or 1X11.

[DaveB]

True, but the new MTB group sets have wider range rear clusters and are fine for touring with double.  Some folks might even opt for a 1X10 or 1X11.

Yeah, 2x10 or 11 or even 1x10 or 11 drivetrains are now trendy.  The problem is they require a cassette with a huge range like 11x40 or 10x42 and that leaves big gaps in the interior gears where most riders spend most of their time.   

[RonK]

Not so - I decide to forgo my rarely used third ring before I discovered that Sram road and MTB components are compatible.

I'm using a 36/22 x 11-36 combination.

36 x 11 gives me a 25mph top gear at 90rpm. I'll have to be going down a mineshaft to need higher.

22 x 36 gives a 17.4 gear inch low gear - plenty low.

I find the gear progression quite natural and comfortable.