Handle bars and gear sifters on your Audax/Rando Bike
 

Hi All,

What handle bar and gear shifter/brake combination do you ride ultra distance with?

I use multiple bikes with multiple systems - fixed, Ergopower, bar end levers and downtube levers. I can't vote for more than 1 option.

I use Campagnolo Ergo shifters. I didn't answer the poll because STI is a Shima(no) thing and I don't recognize/accept the term "brifter." :P

I use Campy 11 (Athena) driving Shimano 9 (LX/105). I use a Salsa Cowbell 2 bar.

I use FSA drop bars with SRAM Red brake/shift levers. Works for me!

Rick / OCRR

Nitto Noodle bars, Suntour downtube friction shifters, modern 9-speed cassette and derailleur.

I have downtube shifters...

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/l...psb30615d3.jpg

...and bar end shifters...

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps74a61db2.jpg

...but consider brifters to be best.

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/l.../IMG_09661.jpg

I've used integrated drop bar shifters, both Shimano and Campagnololo, on a few 200k rides. The fact that they're comfortable means I don't move my hands around so much, and so they get sore from staying in the same position too much. Obviously this is mainly my bad habit but I haven't been able to learn not to do it. Between bar end shifters and down tube shifters, don't have a strong preference. They have different advantages and different disadvantages.

I voted for "drop bars and bar ends/DT shifters" -- everything I've ridden over 70 miles or so has been on a road bike with DT shifters. Not an expert or anything, that's what I started on and haven't ridden anything else for very far.

The tandem- brifters.
Single bike- bar end shifters.
Drop bars on both.
I chose those options because that's what came on the bikes. No rocket science involved.
No great advantage one way or the other, either works when it works and fails when it fails.

I just moved some of the Di2 parts from my pure race bike to my audax / winter trainer bike, and now I think that I'll leave them there for good and buy the replacement parts for the race bike next spring. My setup is now quite unique - a drop-bar with a right-hand Ultegra Di2 shifter (plus satellite shifters on the bar top and aerobar - multiple shift buttons/locations is one of the main advantages of Di2 for me) and an Ultegra mechanical left-hand shifter (because I already have flawless front shifting, so why spend money on the extra Di2 parts that I don't need?).

It's true that you can get good shifting on the rear derailleur with mechanical shifters and derailleurs, but Di2 takes it to a whole other level of crispness and ease of use - don't knock it until you've tried it. However, once you've got used to electronic shifting then you may never want to go back - which was what happened to me. Battery life isn't an issue because you get 1000+ miles (1500+ km) on one charge, and with the internal battery you have a port to recharge the battery from a USB socket, so I can charge it via my dynamo hub and B+M Luxos U light.

Thanks for all your reply and contributions to the poll.

Does anyone think that there are any disadvantages to riding with trekking/butterfly style bars? I recently built a new Audax bike and moved of my newer and better quality equipment from my touring bike onto the new frame. This includes butterfly bars and almost complete XT drive line. While it is very comfortable and shifts flawlessly, when riding the bike I feel like I'm a bit too upright, and I need to move my hands quite quite a bit a from the side of the bar where it is comfortable to the shifting/braking area. I don't have any trouble riding 200 km on it as it is, however I wish to ride a 1200 in 2016 and am trying to get the bike tuned right in properly. If I was to change it would probably be to 105 or Ultegra drive train. I have been riding the bike regularly for the past 9 months.

Any and all opinions/suggestions are welcome.

Donnie

Another "bar-end shifters on drop bars" user here.

Donnie: I do have a bike that has butterfly handebars, but I agree with you that even though they are comfortable, one tends to sit more upright. They are also super wide when you switch hands to the sides. So, all in all, I feel they are bad on aerodynamics for timed long distance events -- i.e., randonneuring. I guess that due to the geometry of that bike (a '92 Trek 700), that bike now feels really twitchy with the the long stem needed for the butterfly bars. I bet it would feel really stable handling-wise when fully loaded (heavier front panniers) for touring. For randonneuring, however, a twitchy bike is the last thing I need when tired at night on a long brevet. The bike now sits as a touring/commuting bike or as an extra bike for guests. Obviously, another bike with the same bars, however, might not reflect this trait. After owning both bars, however, my preference is to go with drop bars for randonneuring. I would highly consider butterfly bars for loaded touring and where the pavement ends.