Friction shifters work fine, and the whole system is so easy to adjust yourself. To shift, all you have to do is move it until the chain shifts and then usually back off a tiny bit. You'll get the hang of it in no time at all. One nice thing about it, in addition to easy maintenance, is that you can mix and match whatever components you want. It's not an "integrated" system. Nothing better for effective transportation on the cheap. I wish I had never specified Ergo shifters on my bike.