I'm thinking about converting the shifters on my Fuji Sportif from STI's to bar end shifters. I've had bar ends before and liked the ability to sweep through the cassette. This is a 9x2 setup. What exactly is involved in the process? Is it better to go with Shimano or Microshift?

IDK, I have older ones , both friction .. you kids want indexed rears.

I have campag & sun tour.

It's not terribly complicated if you've worked with STI's previously. Undo all cables, remove bar tape, remove STI's, install new brake levers, install bar-end shifters, install new cables and housing, rewrap handlebars, adjust and go ride. A couple hours' work all told.

My only experience is with Shimano. I've had several sets in the last 25 years (since the 7-speed days) and never had an issue. I've seen a few reports of 9-speed Shimano shifters failing prematurely but nothing recently.

One tip: the center screw that holds the shifter to the shifter body can work loose and the bale that switches the shifter between index and friction ends up halfway in between. This results in erratic shifting. The solution is to make sure the center screw is very tight- I usually use a T-handle screwdriver on it.

The screw is part #1 on this PDF:
https://si.shimano.com/pdfs/ev/EV-SL-BS77-1664.pdf

As Jeff described, the installation is pretty straightforward. Both Shimano and Microshift levers work well. However, some things to keep in mind during the installation:

1. You have to remove the shift levers from the bodies to install the bodies in the barends. Be careful to keep all of the shift lever parts (levers, washers, indexing plate, etc.) in the correct order and orientation so they reinstall properly. This is particularly important for the rear (indexed) shifter.

2. The fixing bolts that tighten the bodies into the bar end will tighten "backwards", i.e. counterclockwise. They are really right-hand threaded but you are working from the end opposite of the head.

3. You can run the cable housings under the bar tape just past ends of the flats and then have them emerge from the tape and loop externally to the downtube cable stops OR you can run the housings under the bar tape around the bar all the way to the stem and have them emerge like current STI housing. The first way theoretically shifts a bit better and the second way is more convenient and looks neater. I've done both and both ways shifted just fine. There should be Youtube videos showing the cable routing alternatives.

Finally, are you sure you want to do this? I've had bar ends on three separate occasions and always found them inconvenient. As an alternative that lets you sweep the entire cassette and offers friction front shifting look at Gevenalle (gevenalle.com) shifters. These are dedicated brake levers that use the shift levers from downtube or barend shifters but put the shifters right on the brake levers. They are as convenient as STI's but more rugged and versatile. Since you plan to buy the shift levers and new brake levers anyway, the cost difference won't be that much. I now have these on four bikes and wouldn't go back to any other type.

I've had Gevenalle shifters before on a bike. They were great but they seem very pricey compared to bar end shifters. Im sure it's worth the extra coin in convenience.

They are pricey compared to just buying barends but you have to buy new brake levers too so factor that cost into your total project. And, yes, to me the convenience is well worth the extra cost.

Until earlier this year, would have concurred with this, but having built up a drop-bar MTB with Shimano 6480 shifters have found them to be easy to use coming from STI's and Ergo levers, have put in just under 900km on it in the lst 2 months, with a couple of long rides 170km & 280km, and have not missed the ability to shift instantly like you get with STI's, although it does make you plan a bit further ahead with your shifting,

For the brake levers, yes this is an additional cost, but this can be useful, currently I'm running mini-v's and got Tektro RL340's which are cheap, am considering getting full size v's later as clearance is very tight with fat slicks, and will probably go with Cane Creek v levers, with these being separate, it will be easier to fit, rather than using say a Travel Agent with the Tektro levers (have used Travel Agents int he past and didn't like them).

For the Gevenalle personally, these are the ugliest shifters I have ever seen, and have no intention of ever using/buying them, but that's each to their own!

When my Shimano bar end broke, just the indexing, I used them for a while as friction only. I am very used to friction only since I had only known friction shifters before this particular bike. I decided to replace the shifters and got the "Silvers" from Rivendell. I already had the bar end housings, so I bought their downtube shifter kit and installed them in my bar end housings. I love them, they shift great. I have no desire to go back to the Shimano shifters, or any indexed shifter for that matter.

Here they are with the bar ends housings. https://www.rivbike.com/collections/...-end-kit-17089

Indeed they do and that's the problem if you live and ride in hills as I do and, particularly, when you ride a new route and don't know what's around the next bend or turn. Having been surprised by a sudden uphill more than once, I greatly value the instant access of either brifters or Genenalle shifters.


I see them as beautifully functional and certainly no uglier than most brifters, particularly those with exposed cables like pre-10 speed Shimano. I guess ugly is also in the eye of the beholder.

True. The "lever boss cover" (part #2 on the PDF),can be attached in 4 different orientations when you attach the shift lever. The fat tab needs to point down or you'll never get the indexing to work.

At this point, if I do something, its going to be Gevenalle shifters...

Now you need to pick a color!