I have used friction shifters exclusively since I was 12 and have yet to understand any significant benefit to indexed systems. Take the time to practice shifting on a quiet road or in an empty parking lot, and you will quickly get the hang of it -- it is far easier to learn than, say, driving a car with a manual gearbox.
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"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069