Touring - 520: Bar end shifters and Mavic wheels. Advise

While my LBS and I are negociating a final price on the Trek 520, I had a question on the bar-end shifters. Having never used them, how cumbersome are they to use and get used to? I use STI shifters now, and am completely satisfied with them: quick, convenient--all in one package. LBS said they could replace bar-end with STI for $150. Also, the Bontrager stock wheels that come on the 520 seem to be pretty decent, according to people I've spoken with. Would long miles and average-loaded touring justify the added expense of new wheels, such as the Mavic MA3s? Thanks for the tips to come.

Cheers

They are not cumbersome to use. You drop your handles down from the hoods easily to shift. Your hand stays on the bar for steering. However, the cable routing limit what type of handlebar bags you can use. I do not think they are better than the STI's.

Had SunTour rachets and replaced with Shimano 8 speed to get index shifting, alon with a 7 speed freewheel. The STI's would be better but I wanted to minimize my upgrade cost to index shifting.

John Hawrylak
Woodstown NJ

While my LBS and I are negociating a final price on the Trek 520, I had a question on the bar-end shifters. Having never used them, how cumbersome are they to use and get used to? I use STI shifters now, and am completely satisfied with them: quick, convenient--all in one package. LBS said they could replace bar-end with STI for $150. Also, the Bontrager stock wheels that come on the 520 seem to be pretty decent, according to people I've spoken with. Would long miles and average-loaded touring justify the added expense of new wheels, such as the Mavic MA3s? Thanks for the tips to come.

Cheers

I'm going thru the same questions about the bar ends as I pick up my new 520 this week. My current 520, a 1996 model has STI and I love it. From what I've read if you plan on doing alot of riding in remote, have to rely on yourself areas the bar ends are easier to fix. For me, riding in the Northeast this isn't an issue. I did test ride two bar end equipped 520s and decided I could live with it. But it's a personal choice.
Everything I've read tells me the stock wheels are fine for loaded touring. Again for me not an issue as my planned use for this bike is comfortable long distance riding not pack mule loaded touring.
Good luck with the bike!

Hi,
you can get a STI right lever. That way you get to keep a mtn crank, but STI where you really want it, which is on the rear. You spend most of the time in the middle ring. This way you have sti where you'd be doing most of your shifting.

I have ma3's on my cross bike.It took four years to wear out the rear rim's braking surface.I broke one spoke in the front and one in the back.That was the only work I've ever had done on them.

I have ma3's on my cross bike.It took four years to wear out the rear rim's braking surface.I broke one spoke in the front and one in the back.That was the only work I've ever had done on them.

How big/heavy are you? Thanks.

I'm about 135-140 right now but I used to be up around 160-165.That's still not heavy but I ride this bike through trails and mud.The ma3 rims are good but heavy.My new rims will be Open Pros.
That Trek bike looks pretty good.I bet the Bontrager rims are fine.

http://www.mtbreview.com/reviews/Rim/product_87059.shtml

Thanks for the input, all. I think I will stick to the bar-end shifters and original wheels. Since I intend to keep this bike for a very long time, I will drive the originals to the ground, then comtemplate something different if the need arises. The 520 is a great bike for many reasons, most being cost, reliability, decent components, steel frame, etc. Bang for the buck.

Cheers

I prefer bar-end for the reliability. I wouldn't want to be out in the middle of nowhere and have the STI break down!

Another vote for bar-end shifters is that they (mine, anyway) can be changed from index to friction mode in one easy, no-tools adjustment. If I break my old Suntour derailleur on the road and have to replace it with something incompatible with my bar-end indexing, I can still shift reliably in friction mode.

STI is so much better than the other options. I could never go back. I don't know why they should be considered unreliable, I believe I was looking at STI during the last Tour de France. I've got 105's and they have never given a moments trouble. But, I've never done a tour with them, just a lot of local riding.

Al

There is another option, carry a downtube shifter as a backup, it and a cable cut to fit weigh almost nothing.

STI is so much better than the other options. I could never go back. I don't know why they should be considered unreliable, I believe I was looking at STI during the last Tour de France. I've got 105's and they have never given a moments trouble. But, I've never done a tour with them, just a lot of local riding.

Al

Well, you're kinda comparing apples and watermelons there. If a racer's shifter breaks on the Tour de France, someone probably jumps out of a van and brings them a whole 'nother bike. I don't think people here are saying integrated shifters are unreliable per se, but that even a well-made shifter has some non-zero chance of breaking, and if you're on a long remote tour, you may as well bring the one that's easier to fix in case luck works against you..

That said, when I get around to building up a touring bike, I'm-a try to do it with Campy Ergo shifting (if I can figure out the best way to set those up w/cantilever brakes and touring gearing).. Then I could either carry a few Campy spare parts, or do what Rural Roadie suggested and carry a downtube shifter & short cable..

cheers.
y.