Shimano bar end shifters on my 2 X 10 road bike. You won't believe how fast and smooth the shifts are from either the hoods or the drops. l

OK, for the right side (rear) Ergo brifter, the inner lever behind the brake lever shifts the cassette from the smaller to the larger cogs (down shifts in proper terminology) and the "mouse ear" shifts from the larger to the smaller cog (aka up shifts).

Deep drop handle bars may be a problem but I can shift from the drops if I have my hands on the downward pointing part of the hooks but not from the flats at the ends of the bars. As fietsbob noted, only barend shifters are accessable from there, but unfortunately, from nowhere else.

You can actually shift barend shifters with your hands on the hoods? You must have fingers 12" long.

Traditional deep drops are fine.

I've been riding Cinelli 66 Campione Del Mondo bars and Campagnolo ergo levers together since 1996 - first generation for 8 and 9 speed, and now 2010 Ultrashift levers for 10.

They work great in the drops. The thumb bottom for smaller cogs is easier to reach there than on the hoods, and the front lever for bigger cogs is about the same for the first two but a small stretch for the third cog.

I can also shift the right mouse ear using my pinky when riding on the tops.

It has always been, for me, a source of amusement that Campy adopted and has clung to two features found only on Shimano's bottom line components. The little thumb button to shift, as found on Sora shifters, and the lever mounted, push-button brake QR, found on Exage components from the '80's.

The caliper mounted cam-type QR is so handy and useful, not to mention Tulio himself invented the bloody thing, that I found it sacrilegious when Campy first omitted it. The thumb button is just bizarre. If I have to move my hand from its normal position simply to effect a shift, then nothing about the design is ergonomic, no matter how much Campy insists it is....

Sram would be great if only they could eliminate the lost motion in the levers (Red is getting better in this regard) and build the parts so they have less slop. When an old Schwinn Volare with 1st Gen Dura Ace like the one in for an overhaul right now has less slop in the derailleurs than brand new RED parts, it doesn't bode well for durability.

Campy's mouse ear is an inescapable consequence of the far simpler and more robust design of Ergos; it directly engages the shift barrel to release cable, unlike Shimano or SRAM. I always found using it from the drops a bit of a pain, particularly when the indexing springs got a bit tired and I'd often find myself making accidental multiple shifts. As for the lever QR, it's nowhere near as nifty as Shimano's caliper QRs, but it is neater and simpler.

I haven't ridden Doubletap, but I think STI has the best ergonomics; there's even another half of a shifting position: with the heels of your hands in the hooks of the hoods, you can reach your fingers down over the front and easily shift to a larger cog. Shifting to a smaller cog requires you to twist your hand towards the usual hoods position though.

All that notwithstanding, I much prefer Ergos. I hate the exposed cables, despite the easier housing replacement (they get in the way when I'm carrying something back from the shop), and the new STIs are even more complicated and sketchy. Ergos (at least the older ones) also look heaps better.

Doubletap, an unknown quantity. Can't wait to give em a shot...

I think the Ergo design was partly a consequence of Campy having to avoid patent infringement and their simpler, more robust design is just a happy outcome. I ride both Ergo and STI equipped bikes and have learned to like them both but would choose the Campy design if limited to just one.

Campy's lever QR puzzles me too but, since I have Shimano brake calipers on both Ergo bikes, I have the best of both worlds. No matter how close I have the brake pads to the rims, opening both qr's will let me easilly remove any wheel.

interesting posts!!!

But I'm not saying Why there is a thumb shifter like Sora!! infact I'm saying shouldn't the shifters be the other way round to make things more ergo? so that while in your drops for going faster you can click the lever, & while climbing you're anyway coming on the hoods so using the thumbs wont be a issue at all!!!!!

Oh BTW I was considering shifting for my Cinelli which currently has 105-10spd & the hood design is really nice. I also have older Ultegra 9spd & 9spd DuraAce DT shifters (on my LD bike).

But this Campy shifting has spurred doubts about going thru with the upgrade. I might as well spend that money for a better wheelset.

Well, I don't have 12" fingers but I do have a set of nearly new Ultegra brifters sitting in my parts box that will probably never be used again by me. Bar end shifters are just so fast and direct. Al

Well, I guess you could perhaps modify the derailleur to be low-normal... might not be a bad idea, if you can get it to reliably shift to larger cogs... need a stronger spring.