Originally Posted by
grizzlyatom
...im not sure if i like where the shifters are located, i have never operated a bike with downtube shifters
i was wondering if anyone has found the shifters being located at that particular area of the frame is at all cumbersome while mashing through the streets?
is this bike really worth $500? (assuming there are no cracks in the frame)
if i can find a cheaper one, is there any notable issues with a 30 year old trek?
If you're in a hilly area, the downtube shifters will be a pain. There's a reason they moved them. I'm just East of Atlanta & rode a bike with those for YEARS just because I have a troglodyte mentality sometimes. Two years ago, I finally upgraded to a modern bike... man, what a difference!
I much prefer my old steel frame. It just rides better & is every bit as light as a modern bike. Shifting, though, is another story.
When riding with friends, unless you were talking about a very long hill, I was always the 1st to the top. Why? Because I rarely shifted gears, or if I did, I shifted towards the bottom of the hill & powered my way up. This meant I had a slow rigorous cadence & was brutal on the frame & drivetrain. But, I was always faster. I thought that was better.
Wrong...
With integrated brake/shifters, I shift pretty much shift whenever I feel like it. Instead of being stuck in a gear I don't like, I get in the gear that's the most comfortable. I do typically take longer to get to the top of hills, but I can ride MUCH longer distances with less energy.
All of this is simply because downtube shifters suck on hills. On the flats, they're not bad since there's not as much tension on the components... on the other hand, there's not much reason to need to shift on the flats.
My 2 cents... probably worth at least half that.