Originally Posted by tracheopterix
For shifters: you guys like bar end shifters? I think that the convenience and aesthetic of the STIs are just so much nicer. I am an amateur though... I hate reaching off the handelbars to change gears. How do the Tiagra STI levers stack up to the 105s?
The thing is, with bar-end shifters you DON'T have to reach off the handlebars to shift. They're nothing like downtube shifters, which I hate using. With bar-end shifters, you only have to move your hand 8 inches at most to shift, and you don't have to move your body position up or down at all. Nearly as convenient as STI in my opinion, and a lot cheaper and more reliable.