I used deore 6 speed thumb shifters the first time i converted my bridgestone to a commuter. I have the VO milan handle bar. I like the way they looked and liked commuting with the index option.
While i was waiting for the shifters to arrive i rode with down tube shifters. Almost fell on my first attempt at shifting.
Recently i converted the bridgestone to drops and didnt really like the setup so i converted it back. I didnt have the deore shifters anymore so i used some deer head shifters. In my opnion they are the best friction shifters out there. If youre going friction i highly recomend those.