Need advice on used Surly Cross Check

[muesch]

I'm a bike novice considering purchasing a Cross Check for commuting and road biking. The main problem with the setup is that it has bar-end friction shifters which I don't like. It's a 27-speed with a Shimano 105 RD and a Deore XT FD, with Tektro brakes; how difficult and how expensive would it be to switch to a different kind of shifting system (either STI or anything closer to the brake levers)? Btw, there are two sets of brake levers--one on the hoods and one on the horizontal bar.

[enduro]

STI shifters are going to be pretty expensive, but you can get these: http://www.paulcomp.com/thumbrd.html
to relocate your bar end shifters to the tops of the bar.

[bsyptak]

Actually, now is the time to buy 9 speed 105 Brifters. They are closing them out for the new 10 speed models. See Nashbar & Cambria:

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?sku=8106&PID=1204522
http://www.cambriabike.com/shopexd.asp?id=8632