Micro shift has bar end shifters on Amazon for a reasonable price and that's probably the route I would go

This is my setup from about 10 years ago with just rear panniers:

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4050de6e55.png

Tent on the left side and mat on the right, attached with bungee chords to the front rack.
You could also use some mesh bag or tightening straps to attach them even better if you do not trust the bungee chords and the surface is very bumpy.

When I built up my rando bike in early 2016, I had a rear brifter but no shifter for the front. As a temporary measure I put on a vintage front friction shifter (Huret). Then started thinking about what front shifter to install for permanent use. That was nine years ago.

That front shifter is still in use, no longer considered temporary.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...79bfbb387a.jpg

I had to use a file on the cable fitting to fit it in the shifter, they used different fittings on cables half a century ago.

There is a plus side to using a friction front shifter with a triple crank, if you have an indexed front shifter and a mis-matched front derailleur, it can be difficult to get the shifter to work just right for shifting onto the middle chainring. But a friction (unindexed) shifter has no problem with that. Eventually you develop muscle memory to be able to shift smoothly to the middle chain ring.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...78192b48c9.jpg

For a year or maybe two Lance Armstrong used a friction front shifter on his racing bikes instead of a brifter.

I think this is a great solution.
I tried friction shifting on rear bar-ends from 9-speed, but found it a bit clumsy; maybe the short lever, the close cog spacing or both. For front shifting, I find friction a bit smoother, but index is good too. Downtube shifters have shorter cables, so theoretically better.

I read somewhere that Lance used a friction shifter to save weight. I think his definition of Touring in France was a bit different than mine! :D

I prefer friction-shifting front triples; trimming a front derailleur with a brifter is perhaps my least favorite cycling activity.

So did Marco Pantani. I remember watching him climb L’Alpe d’Huez and wondering why he kept reaching down. Later, a shop in town got a hold of one of his bikes and hung it on the wall.

Yup. I remember seeing a photo of him and the team he was on all on bikes, he was the only one with a friction downtube front shifter. But when you think about it, with a double crank, there is no reason to index, the lever is all the way forward or all the way back.

I hated rear friction shifting, once I discovered index shifting for the rear there was no going back. But the front, half of my shifts are to the middle ring, that is the only lever position that I had to train my hand and wrist to shift to that was not all the way to the stop. So, I do not mind friction front shifting with a triple.

On my current touring bike, I also use a friction bar end shifter for my front derailleur and a standard 10 speed brifter for my rear derailleur. Getting that left hand brifter tuned just right for a triple crank and maintaining it can be a pain the arse. It can be so finicky and unforgiving that I threw on a friction Microshift bar end for that triple as a short trial and it's still on there 3 years later. Before Shimano added that trim position on their triple brifter, it wasn't too difficult to maintain but when they added the additional click, you're always fiddling with the cable tension and limit screw..... and now it's time you can all poo poo my mechanic abilities and tell me that your newer Shimano triple brifter works flawlessly and without need to fiddle.

^^^ Nah, you’re good! 🤗

Wont be me, I put my friction down tube shifter on six years before you did, and I even use a vintage French Huret Allvit shifter, not a new fangled one.

But, I have never used a Shimano brifter, mine are Campy. On my rando bike the Campy 10 speed shifter is mated with a Tektro left brake lever.

Do electronic shifters automagically trim? That would be cool.

I'm sure the main 3 groupset manufacturers don't even offer a triple front in electronic. In fact not a lot of mechanical triples still available, probably Shimano low end Sora or Claris might still be available ?

Claris triple fd is what I was looking at. I've personally never had an issue getting trims right on an indexed front shifter setup. A friction is less adjusting in the shop and more skill to use on road.

The only triple I have owned with an indexed front shifter is a 1994 Bridgestone MB-6. It is nearly stock, so the shifter, front derailleur and front crank are all from the same group, thus designed to play well with each other. I have no difficulty shifting it, but I often have to push the lever a hair beyond the stop to get it to shift well to the middle or small ring.

My other triple crank bikes do not have front derailleurs that are matched to the crank, I use friction downtube or friction bar end shifters and often have to over-shift a bit and then back off when shifting to the middle ring. I am used to doing that, it just takes an extra second to make the shift. On those three bikes I am using front derailers by Campy, Suntour and FSA, all three are designed for use on a double crank.

My road bike, A 2017(?) Raleigh Grand Prix has a Campy Veloce group with a double crank and double front derailleur, the front shifter is a triple. I bought a front triple derailleur for it so that I could put on a Campy triple that I have in storage on the bike, but before I got around to that I learned that the derailleur was designed for a 39T middle ring and my Campy triple has a 42T middle ring. So, I never tried to install that in anticipation that it would not work well.

The older MTB triples and shifters were no problem, it's when the third generation STI brifters came about that I lost my tech skills.

This is my wife's packing method. She pulls away from me when I'm going 40+ mph on downhills without any problems. She can also shift and trim very well on her 9 speed triple:)

https://live.staticflickr.com/4595/3...3c2aca83_c.jpg


I have 3 touring bikes: Surly LHT, Cannondale T2, and a Bianchi Volpe. The Volpe is my favorite. All our touring bikes, 6 including our daughter's bike, are equipped with 22/32/44 chain rings and an 11-34 cassette.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...046205cd_c.jpg

My Ortlieb Rackpack holds pillow (orange), tent (blue), Thermarest pad (orange), and sleeping bag (yellow). The tent and sleeping bag are in water proof compression sacks. The loaded rackpack weighs 10 lbs., including tent poles, tent stakes, and ground cloth.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...a706e722_c.jpg

Tent compared to water bottle for scale.

https://live.staticflickr.com/4697/4...5090d681_c.jpg

The only brifters I have used are Campy 10 speed. Thus, I am quite clueless on the ones that most people use.

Solution for smooth road riding on even more smooth tarmac ;)

After some test rides around town Im happy with how everything sits and handles now. I managed to find a triple shifter cheap and have fitted a triple crankset. Thanks to everyone for your help and guidance
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9ac45edef1.jpg

Over 50 years of unsupported touring, I've found that packing the bed (self inflating mattress, sleeping bag and pillow) in one front pannier, the tent and rainfly in the other front pannier (about 6 lbs each). A large saddlebag carries 3 changes of clothes, personal stuff and cooking gear ( 12-15 lbs). It works.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...35eea407b4.jpg
Marc

Personally (It might have already been said) would be to spread some of that weight to the front. Maybe get a frame bag made up and a top tube bag for the heavier items you might bring. There is an array of new ideas rather than sticking with the traditional x2 panniers on the back.

Stick with the principal of taking less! You'll be glad after the first couple of climbs. I've got a pizza rack on the front which allows me to attach panniers and bungee cord a few things on top, Tent (MSR x2 Hubba) and stuff it in a nearby dry bag if it rains. When you sopread the weight the bike will become more responsive, as mentioned above when its all at the back the bike will rear up a little on steep climbs.

You'll figure it all out. Pack it up, go for a ride and amend where necessary.


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5ce76dbaee.jpg

Get a couple small box-o’-wines to save weight. :D

Haha. If you look closely at my pic you can see we needed to empty one bottle of wine to save on weight! :thumb:

Good point, the glass bottles are heavy.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...435ab3f5f6.jpg

Try here: https://www.cycletourer.co.uk/cyclet.../packing.shtml