Originally Posted by
venturi95
I think al lot of it is anti-Shimano sentiment. In the early 90s There was a pretty wide gap between the first 8 speed STI offerings from Shimano, and Campi's woefully inadequate offerings. In the old days I saw a guy "jump on a gear that wasn't there" (his words, not mine) and fall on his head. If you want to get all misty-eyed about the old equipment, that's fine, but in no way is it anywhere near as functional as today's drivetrains. I think Rivendell is way over priced on their frames, too.
STI is a very nice innovation and will give you faster shifting response when racing, where fractions of a second can be important. Just don't confuse this small racing advantage with greater functionality. If anything, the friction shifters are more functional. They never need to be tuned or adjusted (aside from setting the limit screws on your derailleurs). They are bomb-proof and fool-proof. And they are compatible with everything. How could anything be more functional than that? For non-racers they are the ultimate in practicality and they cost pennies-to-the-dollar compared to STI setups.
So yeah, STI for racing. Friction for pure functionality, practicality, reliability, and zero-maintenance riding (commuting, group rides, fitness riding, touring).