I have a strong bond with downtube shifters. Bought my first 10sp in '73, a Motobecane Mirage. I knew enogh about the racing culture enough to know that the turkey levers, dork disc and stem shifters were not racing equipe. For 5.00 I grabbed clamp on downtube shifters and went to work. Even with the clumsy Allvit derailleur I could shift it with a quick flip and no need to trim. Every bike since then has had DT shifters. For me, they are not oldschool, they are distinctive.