RFC

This is not your usual whine on the subject, attempt to attribute "soul" to inanimate objects, etc.

Instead, just my own observations motivated by my thoughts as I prepare to rebuild the RB-1

Here is the point:

While I like the clean look of a bike with DT shifters, the reality is that the STI and bar end bikes are the one's that get ridden while the DT bikes gather dust.

You can consider this thread a supplement to the ongoing "Training" and "Hills" threads.

Have a great weekend. Ride hard.

khatfull

I have three bikes with downtube, one with barcons...none gather dust.

That said, if a REALLY nice set of ST-7700 shifters came along I'd have to strongly consider them for the Opus. I haven't gone down that mental road yet however.

wrk101

I hate that most of the Shimano STIs are throwaways, yes, you can revive them with WD40, etc., for a while. That said, my three main riding bikes are all Shimano STI, two 7700, and one 6500. And I am setting up a fourth bike with STI. Fortunately, I have picked up a few STI donor bikes and parts over the years, but the stash is dwindling.

jr59

You are going to ride this bike. It's not a wall piece, it's a bike.

Put what you want on it, what will make you pull it out before all others.

It would be different if you were trying to restore this bike 100%.

Of course that is just my opinion.

jr59

It would not be dwindling if you weren't using them!

Two things come to mind, 1. Use DT more. 2. Get more donor bikes!

RoboIsGod

All three are great for a wide range of purposes.

For racing, I would want nothing less than STI shifters. There is no way I would be able to climb hills during races if I had to reach down for a down-tube shift. Being able to shift when pounding out of the saddle really makes STI's worth it.

For regular recreational riding I think down tube shifters are perfect, and if you don't like reaching all the way down or want to do some touring, use bar-ends.

Again I think its all about the application. Are you going to need maximum efficiency and performance when riding? Or is that not a necessity?

Roger M

All of my bikes are DT, but I will probably convert one to bar end(if I come across a cheap set). I've ridden DT since the 70s, and it poses no problems for me. I don't really care for the looks of the older Shimano sti stuff, and the Campagnolo is out of my budget.

If I found a deal on 8 or 9 speed Ergo, I would be riding one bike with it, but still rotate to the DT bikes.

That said, I would like to try this some day..

sced

I have two classics with dt's and two moderns with brifters and they all get ridden regularly. My "go anywhere" bike has dt's, lights, wide gearing, sturdy wheels, and durable tires. The two projects now in progress will be matching all chrome single speeds for my wife and me. Different bikes for different moods and purposes = more fun.

bigbossman 

>Psst....< "Campagnolo"

khatfull

I look for those Sunotur Command Shifters every co-op trip

bradtx

RFC, For no practical reason except I retro'd out, none of my bikes still have integrated shifters, now all are equipped w/DT shifters. The T bike has bar ends and while I toyed with the idea of returning the stem shifters to my Raleigh, it'll soon have DT shifters as well. Once the Raleigh is finished I may convert the crit bike to 9S and integrated shifters.

I don't really have any preference for one shifter design except for a pecific application. Touring bike and bar end shifters, and a road bike actually raced with integrated shifters.

Brad

canyoneagle

Having cut my teeth on DT's, I feel natural riding a bike equipped with them. However, I am a tall guy (6'2) and the reach to the DT is a long one. My muscle memory prevails, and I have comfortably ridden DT-equipped bikes on and off over the years (and have one still).
I have also ridden extensively on Campy Ergo-equipped bikes (8 speed and 10 speed), and can attest to the convenience of the design. I really like them, especially when contrasting the shifting to my long downward reach for DT shifters. I have "test" ridden friends' bikes equipped with Shimano STI's and I do not like them. I do not care for the fact that the brake lever itself pivots, nor do I care for the aesthetics of the shifters (too clunky, ugly cable coming from the center of the hood). They shift well, though.
I have not ridden the SRAM models, but like what I see - functionally and aesthetically.

The Ergo 10 speed setup is a pretty dreamy experience, but there is something liberating about the purity and simplicity of a DT equipped bike.

Now, bar cons. I like them. I really like them.
To me, bar-end shifters represent a happy medium between DT's and Ergo/STI. They are as simple mechanically as DT shifters, but for a tall guy like me, they are infinitely easier for me to access. In the context of C&V, I feel the bar-cons offer an appropriate blend of style, performance and convenience, whereas the STI/Ergo format is more modern - not as "C&V".

John E

I have SunTour thumb shifters (set in friction mode) on the mountain bike, SunTour non-indexed ratchet barcons on the Peugeot, and Campag. friction downtube shifters on everything else. I greatly prefer non-indexed shifting because it lets me freely mix-and-match components and experiment with upgrades or wheel swaps.

gomango

This RB-1, available locally, is set up just like one of the RB1's I used to own/race.



I really thought it was a pretty decent value for a racing bike. Easy on the eyes, pretty comfortable, and I happen to like STI's quite a bit.

For overall function, I liked the STIs better than DTs for racing.

I also owned a second RB-1 with bar ends that was a great all day ride. More of a long distance, performance ride.

I often wish I still had one of these, and the one on CL near me is available.

Hmmmm.

nlerner

Sorry, RFC, but I don't see the point of this thread. You express your shifter preferences and want others to agree or disagree? Are you trying to be persuaded to try something else? And haven't these preferences been hashed out a gazillion times on BF?

Neal

RFC

We rehash many things on this forum.

gomango

Neal,

I think he's "whiling away" a Saturday trying to decide how to build his new hot road.

Sure beats standing out in a driving rainstorm for three hours like I did.

Soccer, bah humbug.

nlerner

Hah! Sorry about that weather. We've had a beautiful day today, and tomorrow promises to be very nice, too (mostly sunny, high around 60). Of course, this weekend will constitute the extent of spring in the Boston area, so we had better enjoy it.

Neal

rhm

The easier it is to shift, the more I'll shift. So on my folding bike with an 8 speed hub with a grip shifter, I'm shifting all the time and it makes a big difference to how efficiently I ride. So on any bike, I prefer the shifters to be on the handlebar. That's one of the reasons I prefer IGH's; even a 70 year old bike will have the shifter on the bar.

frantik

I like to be able to "trim" the position of the derailleurs, so it's friction shifting for me all the way.

I actually like my MTB grip shifters because they are "indexed" but you can adjust the trim a little bit if you turn them

Shimano STI shifters i did not like at all, though it was nice to be able to shift without taking your hands off the bars. they were ugly and didn't allow for trimming. plus dumping gears is more complicated.

RFC

Participant or dad watching swarm ball?

WNG

DT shifters were the minimalistic approach for road bikes, simple and light for racing, and cheap for production cost.
Its pro is upholding the Less is More philosophy. And that makes it superior for certain situations.
In the arena of racing or performance 'training', it's obvious brifters are superior for that sort of riding, it gives you an edge. on anyone not running them. Less time to shift by using more costly technical hardware. One is simply attempting to win at all costs.
It all depends on your objectives. More or less.

RFC> Writing is on the wall. RB-1 should get brifters.

gomango

They don't let me play anymore.

Something about being a liability to the team.

I am the team manager for our 12 year old's traveling team.

They were playing in a regional tournament at the National Sports Center.

Soccer fields as far as the eye can see, except for when it is pouring down rain.

RFC

Coaching. Good for you. I had two go through age group hockey and one through high school hockey. I admit, after a while I couldn't remember our current team's name for that season (three a year). But great times all the same.

RFC

Here is the same bike and photo 2007. Me thinks someone is trying to catch a wave.

https://forums.roadbikereview.com/sho...d.php?t=108199