Originally Posted by
marcusbandito
Other overlooked beifets of the Bar Ends:
My Cyclocross bike is my road/cross/touring/commuter bike. Bar ends make the bike more versitile in that for all but touring I have a 10 speed 12-25 cassette on the back. For touring I throw a 9 speed 11-34 on the back and use the bar end shifter in friction mode for my trip. This saves me from using a triple crankset.
Also, using cantilever brakes, I find that if you want to be able to open up your brake for wheel changes you have to set Brifters loose and it affects braking power. With the Bar Ends I can use brake levers with an intergrated quick release. This way I can set the brakes up tight and open them up in a snap.
The last benefit, as I see it, is that you can dump your entire cassette (one way or another) with one motion using the Bar Ends.
That all said. My first touring bike had Brifters with never a problem. For a dedicated road bike I would choose Brifters every day.
As long as you're riding use what you've got.
Please explain this? I use brifters and setting your brakes is not a problem. You pop the cable loose in .5 seconds. No harder than rotating the knob on roadie brakes.
Your using them as you mention in your first paragraph makes good sense for your situation.
What kind of brifters and brakes did you have on your first touring bike?