Originally Posted by
gregw
Bar end shifters are the last of the old school touring components to die off. They have no advantages. Even the old meme of; what if you're touring in the Amazon jungle and your new fangled shifter breaks? Just bring along a down-tube shifter and switch to it in an emergency.
So they have no advantages as long as you bring along a backup shifting system.
OP: My bar ends work smoothly either in index or friction mode. One thing that some people don't like is that you can knock the bike out of gear by hitting the shifter while doing something like leaning it against something. As noted, moment's notice shifting usually isn't neccessary.