Bicycle Mechanics - Best brifters for a newbie?

Looking for advice. When I was looking for the best newbie/recreational/commuter groupset, I was recommended 105 is the best in terms of quality/durability/not too expensive.

Now, my left brifter got broken after just 50 kilometres. 105 5703 groupset. But I got it 2nd hand (taken off a new bike, unused, but still 2n hand - no guarantee). Now I need new STI brifters.

Which brifters do you recommend? Are 5700 good and I just got a bad piece? Should I get ultegra? Are Tiagra good and will they work on a 3x10 105 groupset?

The ones that come on a new bike built up..

STI is over-complicated and prone to failure.

You can use Campy's far more reliable (and sexy, IMO) shifters with the aid of a ShiftMate (http://jtekengineering.com/shiftmate.htm).

Some folks hate em though, so you should prolly test ride an Ergo bike before committing.

105 is great stuff; Ultegra is "better"?, smoother and quicker shifting, it will last longer but that is open to discussion and opinion; I have 40,000 miles on my Tiagra before it failed, it doesn't look as nice as the 105 or Ultegra. Your choice.

Traditional downtube shifters or bar-end shifters

Sounds like you got a bad part, 105 is traditionally good stuff... Or something unusual happened.

Traditional downtube shifters or bar-end shifters

An alternative would be those brake levers with DT shifter bosses on the front of them, I can't remember the name.

An alternative would be those brake levers with DT shifter bosses on the front of them, I can't remember the name.
Retroshift - http://retroshift.com/

Sounds like you got a bad part, 105 is traditionally good stuff... Or something unusual happened.

*cough (http://www.google.com/search?q=105+shifter|brifter|lever+failure|issue|problem)*

Unusual, you say?

*cough (http://www.google.com/search?q=105+shifter|brifter|lever+failure|issue|problem)*

Unusual, you say?

Those retroshift look like the best solution.
If I can't find those, It'll probably be best to switch to double front rings since double brifters are easier to find round my hometown in case of future failures.

You can use Campy's far more reliable (and sexy, IMO) shifters with the aid of a ShiftMate (http://jtekengineering.com/shiftmate.htm).

This is the solution.

there is the option of No Brifter.. 2 schemes now use a downtube lever
Placed within reach while grasping the brake-lever hood.

retroshift mentioned, and Kelly .. the lever inside of the inner face of the hood..
rather than on the front.

+1