Originally Posted by ChrisM
I'm looking to get into some light touring and I've noticed that most touring bikes use either bar end or down tube shifters. Can someone explain to me why this is? Is it because of the inherent simplicity of these designs or is there some other advantage that I'm unaware of.
For what it's worth, you can tour on
almost anything if you are sufficiently determined....
Most people like to tour with drop bars for the usual reasons -- more hand positions, used to it, and so forth. Some folks like to use trekking bars and/or aero bars; Bike Friday has their "H bars"; my personal preference is flat bars with Ergon grips and bar-ends.
As to shifter types:
- you can have problems mounting a handlebar bag if you use STI levers. The bag may well bump into, and therefore break, the cables. (I've seen it happen btw)
- DT / bar-end shifters tend to be much less expensive than brifters,
afaik
- tourers rarely need the speed advantages offered by STI
I could also refer to tourers as retro-grouches stuck in the 80s, but I don't have a fire extinguisher handy.
