Need help choosing shifters
 

I want to switch my drop bars with brifters to Soma Oxford bars. Problem Is I currently have a shimano 105 group 3X10. I would prefer to use indexed bar ends or down tube shifters because I have my heart set on these leather grips. I can't seem to find anything that will work. I was thinking that the dura ace 7900 d-tubes might work but they seem to be made for a 2x10 drivetrain. Do you think that setting the front shifter to friction mode might do the trick for the triple crank?

Unfamilier with the downtube shifters, but you have a variety of other options from Shimano

Bar end shifters, SL-BS78 http://techdocs.shimano.com/media/te...9830728256.pdf

rapidfire+ shifters which are road compatible, these are non series, like the R770's, the problem you may find with these, is that their handlebar diamiter won't match the bars you want http://techdocs.shimano.com/media/te...9830677318.pdf

DT and bar-end shifters will handle 3x10, no problem. They just tend to be favored by tri-creatures,who invariably have 2x10 drivetrains, so ppl get the impression that they only handle double cranks. The front shifter is friction, the rear tends to be indexed 10speed or friction convertible. (I have heard rumors about an evil form of ten speed bar-con with an index-only rear shifter.)

With those bars, the bar-cons will probably be the better fit. The soma site says "now compatible with bar-end shifters", so if you're buying used, beware.

-rob

ps- the cool kids rock Wald 8095s:
http://danakennedy.files.wordpress.c...pg?w=300&h=225

Thanks surreal! I forgot to mention that the frame is a Soma Buena Vista and has outlets for the down tubes. The bar cons would be nice but ten speed bar cons are really expensive.

Have you considered Microshift barcons http://www.microshift.biz/ppdtlist.asp?area=51&cat=171

where can you purchase the microshift barcons? I've seen Nashbar-branded versions of the Microshift brifters and derailers, but don't know where to find the Microshift stuff.