Originally Posted by
BarracksSi
Actually, I ride on the brifter hoods about 90% of the time, and almost always do my shifting & braking from there. Usually, when I'm in the drops, I'm just spinning along and don't bother with the shifters or brakes. I also had a cyclocross/interrupter/inline brake lever added so that I could ride on the flats and still have brake access.
I really like being able to shift and brake without having to take a hand off the bars. I never had an older road bike with stem or downtube shifters, but that's partly because those shifters never really appealed to me.
I agree, I rarely shift or brake from the drops. I use the hoods for that. I did not buy it, but the Tricross was the first drop bar bike I tried since getting back in to riding. The entire feel of the Tricross was wonderful start to finish. I bought a used Trek 520 instead because of finances but I still consider the Tricross from time to time. It felt quick yet durable. I would use it for commuting and touring. I know I could tour on it I am just not sure if I would want to.