Both types of shifters are fine. I put Ultegra 8-spd barends in friction mode on my wife's 86 Bianchi with a 7-spd freewheel and she likes them much better than the downtube shifters they replaced. They also look sharp. She says it gives her more of a cockpit feel and lets her keep her eyes on the road. I have a 61cm frame with the post and stem up high and use downtube shifters, and must say that sometimes I am hunting for them down there somewhere, but I like the classic look.