tadawdy

Your argument may make sense to you...I'd much rather have (and have owned with no complaints) relatively low-end DT shifters (friction or indexed) than Sora. The biggest problem with Sora, aside from the fact that I also find the shifter design annoying (also have heard the thumb button likes to break), is that you will constantly be adjusting it. I've used it enough to believe this to be true. Even with my 105's the rear stays in adjustment fine, but the front is still pretty finicky. With friction stuff, there is really no issue with this, as adjustments can be made when you shift.

Sora may have newer technology, but it doesn't mean it works better or is more dependable. It's probably just the opposite, and DT shifters are hard to break. Mine broke away from the DT, and hit the ground several times on the way home. Epoxied them back on and they were as good as new. Brifters are obviously nice in their own way, but I know several older guys (RAAM riders) who generally prefer DT and barcons for their reliability. They're not retrogrouches. Well, they probably are, but in this case they have very valid points. Tourers and commuters/entry-level rec riders (should) have a lot of the same priorities. That's why I like the idea of the steel Allez. Taking off the brifters not only lowers the price point, but you can get away with other drivetrain cuts due to the less precise nature of the shifters, lowering it further. And, it will cause most of us less hassle, be less likely to fail, and be cheaper to replace cassettes, chains, etc when they wear out.

A lot of the reason I like 105 is not only good performance: price, but the relatively affordable cost of replacement parts. We'd all like to have Dura-Ace, but I'd hate to have to replace anything in that drivetrain.

I will go so far as to say that I miss the old Suntour DT shifters I had on a now deceased Raleigh. Stem-mounted shifters, though: I hate those.