Originally Posted by
Salamandrine
Realistically, it wouldn't get you dropped though, at least if you have normal skill levels at using DT that all racers/enthusiasts used to have.
Skill level doesn't solve the issue, though. Even the best usually need to brace their butt against their saddle to shift, which is disruptive to your stride. Obviously you can just shift less, but this is disruptive to your stride as well.
It can be a tangible issue if someone attacks on something whacky like this:
I've been very mildly embarrassed once or twice just reaching for my shifters several times in this exact scenario when riding with people on modern bikes.
Why embarrassed? In my experience, people are usually more impressed than anything else.