Originally Posted by
bluehills3149
As for cost, downtube shifters up to 8 spd are cheap and easy to find. Go to 9 or 10 and you're limited to Dura-ace at $90+ or crappy suntour which ghost shift and last 12 months. My flatbar "pub bike" which I built largely from my parts bin, the downtube 9 spd shifters were the greatest cost.
I've been using SunTour DT shifters on my 9-speed for 12 years. Never had an issues at all. Probably taken them apart, cleaned and re-greased once. (I believe they are Superbe but I spent the first 10 years with no clue what they were. They just works as a shifter should and handled 9-speed easily.)