Originally Posted by
LuckySailor
I like the idea of having the capability of fine tuning a front derailleur with a friction grip. I can't stand chain noise while I ride which is all I have had when I rent bikes travelling, and they are STI's. Convenient, yes. My suggestion is that if you were a more experienced with bike maintenance STI would be great.
A couple points on that... It is usually pretty easy to set up STI shifters to avoid any chain rubbing. You may need to trim the front shifter with the little "half click" but it is pretty easy to manage IMO.
Bar end shifters are much beloved by many, but some of us find that they get bumped out of gear when the bike is parked. Some of us also find that we bang our knees on them. If and when I want to go super simple I use down tube shifters, which BTW could be carried as a repair item if you are paranoid about STI breakage. I have a couple bikes that still use down tube shifters and I find them to be my second choice to STI, but still OK. Bar ends I won't use.