STI Levers v Bar-end shifters

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RevDonkBonkers
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STI Levers v Bar-end shifters

Post by RevDonkBonkers »

I am buying a bike to cycle around the UK coastline next year. It comes with Sora STI levers as standard, but bar-end shifters can be added without any extra cost.

From my limited knowledge (and what I was told at the bike shop) STI levers will be more comfortable but are more temperamental, with more parts that can go wrong. Bar-end shifters you have to move your hand to shift, but are more simple mechanically.

At the moment I am erring towards STI levers as I think even if something goes wrong I should generally (with a few exceptions) be somewhere where I can get them fixed and as I plan on cycling for five to six months, I guess I need to prioritise comfort?
thirdcrank
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Re: STI Levers v Bar-end shifters

Post by thirdcrank »

The information you have on those options sounds right. You are left with a personal decision because nobody can really offer you much more than their personal opinion. There are other options such as the Kelly Take-Off

https://www.kellybike.com/product/takeo ... ver-mount/
RevDonkBonkers
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Re: STI Levers v Bar-end shifters

Post by RevDonkBonkers »

Thanks. Yes I suppose very true, it is all about personal opinion. I am erring to STI levers as I say for comfort.

I think I was just looking for confirmation that I had got the pros and cons of each right!
thirdcrank
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Re: STI Levers v Bar-end shifters

Post by thirdcrank »

STI levers don't, in themselves increase comfort although it's probably the case that the "hoods" of drop handlebar STI lever are more ergonomic (pun unintended) than most of their predecessors. The advantages of STI are indexing (you don't have to trim the change so much) and the ability to change gear while maintaining a firm grip on the bars. That's most significant when riding hard, particularly when climbing. Pre-STI, you really had to get your gear selected before the hard climbing began.

Perhaps friction levers - bar-end or even down-tube - are underrated for long-distance touring because so many in the trade have a racing background. Campag introduced their bar-end levers in the late 1950s (I have a pair) but they never seemed to catch on. I'm not sure of the Shimano time line but their bar-end levers only seemed to be produced for riders using different versions of tri-bars etc., in time trials and some tourists took advantage of that.

If a friction lever goes wrong - which is unlikely - you can improvise. If an STI lever goes wrong, the only realistic improvisation is to fit a friction lever.
slowster
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Re: STI Levers v Bar-end shifters

Post by slowster »

RevDonkBonkers wrote: 22 Jun 2021, 10:27am STI levers will be more comfortable
Comfort is a function of the ergonomics of the lever (in combination with its position on the handlebars, the shape of the handlebars, and the position of the bars and hoods relative to the rider). Most people find the ergonomics of STI levers suit them, but many do not. Separate brake levers without integrated gear shifters give more flexibility to choose a lever that suits the rider, because the shapes of them vary (length, width, curve etc.) and because there is usually a wider range of positions and angles at which they can be mounted on the bars. The bulk and shape of STIs where they meet the bars generally limits the range of positions and angles at which they can be mounted.

Having the gear shifters separate and positioned a distance from the brake hoods also has ergonomic benefits: it is good to move the hands, arms and shoulders every so often on a long ride, and the need to do so to change gear helps to ensure that happens. The whole purpose of drop bars is to give a range of different positions which can be used during a ride to prevent/alleviate discomfort. STIs encourage people to ride all the time on the hoods, which is not good.

The nature of racing makes STIs essential for professional and elite road racers. That is not the case for the rest of us.
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Chris Jeggo
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Re: STI Levers v Bar-end shifters

Post by Chris Jeggo »

I think of STI levers as more convenient rather than more comfortable. You do not need to move your hands to change gear, and the controls are indexed. With bar end or down tube levers the RH lever (for the rear mech) is usually indexed, often with a friction option for when something goes wrong, while the LH lever is usually held by friction wherever it is moved to rather than clicking into a predetermined position. That is OK because you change gear at the front much less often than at the rear. Also, when people have reported STI shifting problems on this forum, the front shifter seems to feature more often than the rear.

STI levers are great when they are working well. But when something goes wrong it can be difficult or impossible to fix at the roadside, and expensive to fully fix in the workshop. The older lever designs do not have these drawbacks. Having said that, my STI levers have just kept working for over ten years without any more attention than routine maintenance.
robc02
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Re: STI Levers v Bar-end shifters

Post by robc02 »

I think STIs (and their Campagnolo and SRAM equivalents) are generally pretty reliable. It is true that they are harder to fix than bar end or down tube shifters but if they are unlikely to fail then maybe that isn't so important. In the UK you should be able to get replacements without too much trouble. Whether you are prepared to accept the potential inconvenience and cost is another matter, but I would suggest the risk is low.

Perhaps the most likely problem you might face on tour is a knock that affects the derailleur alignment - but this will be equally fiddly to adjust with any indexed shifter. I am presuming the bar end shifters on offer are indexed, though some have a friction option as well.

As regards comfort, it is purely a personal thing. I have bikes with both systems and swap between them quite happily and find them both equally comfortable!
robc02
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Re: STI Levers v Bar-end shifters

Post by robc02 »

Chris Jeggo wrote: 22 Jun 2021, 11:40am I think of STI levers as more convenient rather than more comfortable.
Yes.
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horizon
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Re: STI Levers v Bar-end shifters

Post by horizon »

RevDonkBonkers: I'm staying with your original OP and gearing (excuse the pun) my answer to that and thinking about reliablity, practicality etc rather than user experience.

I have bar end shifters on all my drop bar bikes. I've rejected STIs simply on the basis that I believe (rightly or wrongly) that keeping the two functions separate means greater reliability on tour. It also means that I could cobble a solution together for one but maybe not both functions. Cost is also a factor.

But I am also very aware that positioning the gear change at the brake levers is very convenient and works well when the situation is fast moving, especially on sudden change in gradient.

However, AIUI, the greatest benefit of not having STIs wil be greater flexibility in choice of brakes and gearing and other (possibly yet to be discovered in your preparations) odd things like cables getting in the way of a bar bag.

If you are building your bike from scratch I think you will struggle to come to a definitive conclusion but either choice is likely to work well unless there is a confounding factor. Personal like and dislike may win out in the end.
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Tiberius
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Re: STI Levers v Bar-end shifters

Post by Tiberius »

I built a bike up, cica five years ago,with Shimano 105 STI levers on a 3 x 10 set up. The whole set up worked really well apart from the front derailleur trimming which was OK, no better, just OK I could never get it absolutely 100% perfect all of the time, there was always a slight touch of rub either on the small front chainring or the big one.It really was 'slight' but it was there. The front derailleur worked perfectly (IMHO) but the STI trimming wasn't quite perfect.

I recently ditched the STIs and went over to Shimano Dura Ace bar end shifters. The rear derailleur is indexed and the front one is friction. The chainring trimming is now so much easier, any rubbing is soon trimmed out. I much prefer this set up to the STIs.

I would just add that the STIs were totally reliable over approx' 15,000 miles and that I wouldn't hesitate to use them on a tour.


I
pwa
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Re: STI Levers v Bar-end shifters

Post by pwa »

RevDonkBonkers wrote: 22 Jun 2021, 10:27am I am buying a bike to cycle around the UK coastline next year. It comes with Sora STI levers as standard, but bar-end shifters can be added without any extra cost.

From my limited knowledge (and what I was told at the bike shop) STI levers will be more comfortable but are more temperamental, with more parts that can go wrong. Bar-end shifters you have to move your hand to shift, but are more simple mechanically.

At the moment I am erring towards STI levers as I think even if something goes wrong I should generally (with a few exceptions) be somewhere where I can get them fixed and as I plan on cycling for five to six months, I guess I need to prioritise comfort?
That assessment fits with my experience, except that I opt for bar end levers as I am fed up with STIs failing mid ride. And I am now so used to bar end levers that I don't miss STIs at all. I cut a few cm off my bars to allow for the extra length of the levers, which prevents you knocking your knees on them. A gear change does not involve the hand parting company with the bar completely, so it still steadies the steering. On a long ride the hand movement is a bonus, reducing discomfort. A gear change takes a second longer so if you happen to be contesting a sprint finish in the TdF it might not be for you, but for the rest of us that doesn't matter. Cable changes are easier than with STIs, the cable run can be smoother, and they last longer. And cost less. And are less plasticy. If I had STIs on a bike I would spend money replacing them with bar end levers. I like them that much.
tatanab
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Re: STI Levers v Bar-end shifters

Post by tatanab »

Over the years I have used each location.
Friction downtube - years ago and still on my historic machine - you need to pre-empt the need to change to a lower gear, and it takes a little skill to get it right. If you miss the best time to change you just have to put up with it, and there may be times when you want to change but cannot let go of the bars.
Friction bar end - as for downtube except you might be able to change because you do not let go of the bars.
Indexed downtube - I would change more often because it is easy and requires no particular skill. Still occasions when it might be difficult to let go of the bars.
Indexed bar end - getting easier, so I would change more often.
STI/Ergo - very easy, no skill needed, I change gear more often than ever before.

Reliability - I doubt there is any problem since you see all sorts of abused and unmaintained machines being used.

Comfort - I see no reason why an STI lever should be more comfortable than an equivalent ordinary brake lever.

Repair - in the field or a local shop - you have to be joking. I believe that Shimano is just about unrepairable beyond normal maintenance. My touring machines all have old style brazed positions for downtube levers, and I carry a single right hand friction lever in my touring kit - just in case perhaps the rear end takes a knock bending the mech or hanger out of kilter which would completely stuffed any indexed system.

What to use - the STI, you will be perfectly fine provided you get on with indexed front changes and limited trim capabilities - pretty much as Tiberius says.
thirdcrank
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Re: STI Levers v Bar-end shifters

Post by thirdcrank »

Repair - in the field or a local shop - you have to be joking. I believe that Shimano is just about unrepairable beyond normal maintenance
Just to illustrate the point being made, here's the exploded view of a Shimano STI lever. (It's not Sora, just the first I found online.)

https://si.shimano.com/api/publish/stor ... -1321B.pdf

I imagine the main thing that might affect the efficient working of an STI lever might be a crash: brake levers on drop handlebars are very exposed.
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TrevA
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Re: STI Levers v Bar-end shifters

Post by TrevA »

I’ve been using STI’s for more than 10 years and Campag Ergo levers for 15 years before that. Never had one go wrong. I have them on all my bikes and do 6-7000 miles a year. The only problem you are likely to have is a broken gear cable. These are just as easy to fix on an STI as they are on a bar end shifter, though they can sometimes break very close to the nipple/end and you may struggle to get that part of the cable out of the lever. But if you keep an eye on your cables and change them once a year or so, you shouldn’t have a problem. For me, the advantage of STI’s is that you can brake and change gear at the same time, if you need to. Some my say that this is unnecessary but it’s nevertheless useful sometimes, if you have to stop unexpectedly.

As Tatanab says above, since the STIs are at your fingertips, you may find you change gear more often, because it’s so easy to change and be in the most comfortable gear.
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iandriver
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Re: STI Levers v Bar-end shifters

Post by iandriver »

Option C. Both. Shove a spare friction shifter into a bar end and take a spare cable for emergency use.
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