On my current touring bike, I also use a friction bar end shifter for my front derailleur and a standard 10 speed brifter for my rear derailleur. Getting that left hand brifter tuned just right for a triple crank and maintaining it can be a pain the arse. It can be so finicky and unforgiving that I threw on a friction Microshift bar end for that triple as a short trial and it's still on there 3 years later. Before Shimano added that trim position on their triple brifter, it wasn't too difficult to maintain but when they added the additional click, you're always fiddling with the cable tension and limit screw..... and now it's time you can all poo poo my mechanic abilities and tell me that your newer Shimano triple brifter works flawlessly and without need to fiddle.