Originally Posted by As You Like It
This is something I'm looking into, myself, as I hate the brifters (I have little kid hands). I have massive problems with accidental shifting while braking, and sometimes can't tilt the shifter lever over enough to shift properly.
Brifters may well be wonderful for many people, but for some of us, they are a bad match.
Try putting a shim on the top of the brake lever (about a 1/4" thick) so the lever doesn't go all the way back when you release it. It will bring the levers a little closer to the bar and make it easier to work with small hands. We did this for my 12 year old daughter and it helped. You loose a little cable pull for braking, but it's not an issue if the brakes are adjusted well.