I really like Campy shifters, but they are not the easiest to use in the drops; I have the old 10 cog style and the new style seems to encourage staying on on the hoods. Shimano is easier and they also make Sora shifters that are not designed to shift from the drops. I curious how many riders really think it's important to be able to shift from the drops of the handelbars

I shift from the drops sometimes. By that I mean, I'll keep one hand in the drops while I move the other to the downtube to shift...

I race, crits mostly. If I can't shift from the drops, I might as well use DT shifters.

HMM, I must have big hands- no probs shiftng mine from drops, oither than a little practice and adapting

I have Campy shifters and while I can shift from the drops I don't find it convenient. When I need to shift either FD or RD I just move my hand up to the hood and shift; only takes a second. I think it's all about hand size, handlebar shape and, perhaps most important, the location of the hoods on the bars. I don't have particularly large hands.

I don't own a campy equipped bike, but I have ridden plenty, and I found shifting from the drops not to hard at all. Perhaps you could improve the layout of your bars and levers to improve access? Have you got any pictures of your setup?

Absolutely must be able shift in the drops!!! It's rare that I'm in the drops and don't shift. SRAM doubletap is the best for this in my opinion.

Im my experience aside from racers most riders generally ride on the hoods or the top portion of the bar so that is where the shifters are designed to work from. Actually I don't think most riders realize they can actually take their hands off the hoods once they get moving, they seem to think it is possible to move them even for quick wave at another cyclist. but I am off topic.

I think it is just a pratice and technigue thing. I seldom ride in the drops so I never really thought about using brifters from there. "Back in the day" as they say some serious 'Crit' riders used a barend shifter for the rear since a crit is generally the only time your on the drops significantly.

Bar end shifters, the end of the drops is where they are.

I've never had a problem shifting campy from the drops. I agree that SRAM is more convenient though.

I'm not really complaining and I've really not taken the time to practice using my thumb in the drops; I have a very standard setup (followed the Campy instructions to the letter) and with a little practice I'm sure it would be a cinch; I just think the Shimano shifters are a little more intuitive, but I still like Campy much more than Shimano. And I really only use the drops when I'm going into a steep wind.

Yes, I have a bar end setup on my tandem with a Nitto noodle bar; a great setup!

I don't understand the part about "sometimes". If you are riding in the drop and want to shift, wouldn't you want to do it right there. And if you are on the hood, who would want to go to the drop just to shift?

Wait for Shimano's Di5 and you'll be shifting with your mind.

While I don't own Campy I have ridden it and had no problems shifting from the drops, same with Shimano and Sram. The new Sora no longer has the thumb lever, which was in no way designed like Campy's because it is unreachable from the drops. My only issue with Shimano is the amount of lever throw before the shifter does anything, that can get annoying when in the drops.

No kidding. And then the kids will be calling any hand-operated shifters "suicide shifters."

or maybe an iPhone app so you can shift using your phone.

I can shift my Campys to a larger cog from the drops easily. I can't quite reach the "elephant ear" to shift the other way without moving as far forward in the drops as possible.

Yeah, kind of where I am, thanks for posting

Oh very well. But I like this setup and really don't think it's so important to shift from the drops that I would change it; but if the setup is wrong, it would be worth knowing. A photo of a proper setup would be useful.

Or better yet, you'll be able to downshift your buddies bike four cogs just as the town-line sprint begins!

Well, it was somewhat windy Tuesday and Wednesday in the SF Bay Area and riding the drops was the way to go to minimize my profile. I didn't have too many issues with shifting to a bigger cog, but when times were lucky and I was going downhill or had a sustained tail wind gust up from behind and I wanted to take advantage, the release shift on the brifter isn't as accessible.

It's always a debate how to setup the brifters. With some drops, if too deep, the brifter doesn't reach unless I mount in more forward on the curve. Then riding the hoods isn't as comfortable. And the reach is awkward unless I use a neutral horizontal tilt for the bars. If I setup, say a touring bike with randonneur bars, I tend to tilt the bars up, and mount the brifters higher up on the curve of the drops.

Overall, my compromise is to hunt down handlebars with a short/moderate drop so the inside bend is not anatomic and not more than say 4.5 inches metal-to-metal inside distance between top of flats to the drops. I avoid the anatomics because the flat portion that's sloped puts the hands in a way where you need super long fingers and thumbs to reach. A short drop with tight round curves lets me keep my hands in the front of the drop and reach the levers and still ride the hoods comfortably without feeling like my hands are going to roll over the handlebars in a panic stop. This isn't always easy when you ride 46cm wide handlebars.

I can live without the release shift to the smaller cogs. I can also live without shifting across more than 2 cogs at once. I'm too old to race. If I can simply shift one gear at a time and must do so from, say, the hoods on the release to a smaller cog, so be it. I like brifters because when sudden hills sneak up and I'm just casually riding, the shift to a cog higher up is so fluid and instinctive.

How about a different poll/survey? How many folks would like be able to shift from the drops without dropping more than $60/pr for a decent set of NEW brifters? Like dude, what's up with the monopolistic/patent protected prices? I feel like Shimano and Campy and SRAM are all the big Pharma for bike brifters - the prescription drug for multi-gear cyclists. It's gotta be 10% of the reason I ride a single-speed to work half the time. I'm just revolting. I want over-the-counter type prices.

Then wait until the patents expire and go into the brifter manufacturing business. I'm sure there will be plenty of customers for $60 Dura Ace and Record brifters.

Reviving this old thread, since I've been contemplating a shift to Campy from Shimano on one of the bikes. But I'm a little hesitant just due to the way shifting happens on Campy.

Firstly I see that having deep drops can be an issue with campy shifters & all my bikes are deep drops!!

And all this while I was under the impression that the lever behind the brake is for down-shifts(down the cassete) like in Shimano & the thumb was for shifting up the cassette (while on a ascent); to which I was ok since while climbing one comes on the hood/tops anyway. But i only recently learnt that it's the other way round!!! OR I'm I wrong??? cause if that is the case then I have doubts if I should change!!!

Sram shifters are far and away easier to use from the drops than Shimano fwiw (I have both). They not only have adjustable reach, the shift levers can move inward and you can easily get to them even with the tiny hands I have. You should try to demo a bike w/ Sram and see how good the design is for shifting from the drops.