bar-end shifters

On Fri, 6 Jan 2006 15:26:44 -0800, Dane Buson wrote:

In rec.bicycles.misc John Forrest Tomlinson wrote:
I read this thread and am amazed at the number of riders who are in
such remote, mission critical situations with their bikes that the
added reliability of bar-ends over integrated brake/shifters is a big
factor. Wow, are you guys all doing unsupported tours across Societ
Central Asia or something?

Just commuting to work mostly. If my bike doesn't work, I'm left with
the alternatives of the bus (boring, inconvenient) or *shudder*, driving
the car to work. The latter would also inconvienence the wife and make
me cranky in general.

I'd rather not be stuck with the bus or car while I'm waiting for the
bike shop to fix whatever is wrong with my bike.

It's the same kind of reasoning why I use 36 spoke wheels and ride tires
like Conti TT2Ks and Schwalbe Marathon pluses.

Are you suggesting intergrated shifters fail with anywhere near the
frequency of tires? That's one rugged commute you have, that the
shifting could fail to the extent that the bike would be unrideable.
Whoa.

JT

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In rec.bicycles.misc John Forrest Tomlinson wrote:
On Fri, 6 Jan 2006 15:26:44 -0800, Dane Buson wrote:

Just commuting to work mostly. If my bike doesn't work, I'm left with
the alternatives of the bus (boring, inconvenient) or *shudder*, driving
the car to work. The latter would also inconvienence the wife and make
me cranky in general.

I'd rather not be stuck with the bus or car while I'm waiting for the
bike shop to fix whatever is wrong with my bike.

It's the same kind of reasoning why I use 36 spoke wheels and ride tires
like Conti TT2Ks and Schwalbe Marathon pluses.

Are you suggesting intergrated shifters fail with anywhere near the
frequency of tires? That's one rugged commute you have, that the
shifting could fail to the extent that the bike would be unrideable.
Whoa.

Not at all. [2] However, from what I understand they do tend to start
failing about 20,000 miles (not an absolute of course). [1] I haven't
heard of anyone talking about wearing out barcons, which makes me think
they have a longer lifetime. Additionally they are in a less vulnerable
position in a crash.

When you are talking about the system of something as a whole, every
piece counts when you are talking about downtime. Are the cogs on that
cassette sturdy, is one likely to snap in use? Are those handlebars
sturdy, will they bend/break when I'm really pumping on the pedals?
Is that frame strong enough for my intended usage? Will the fork bend
in a panic stop? [3]

Individually the chance of failure for any component is small. And I'd
like to keep it that way.

Also, as to commuting with reduced functionality. I've been reduced to
singlespeeding my way home, but it kind of sucks. My route to and fro
work is fairly hilly, I really *like* having multiple gears.

[1] To be more specific: I have heard very few stories of people's STI
shifters dying at less than 15-20 thousand. I've heard quite a few
of them failing after that mark.

[2] I only barely managed to restrain myself from posting a tale of kilometer
long swims through frigid screeching eel infested waters, fire swamps,
ROUS's, daring leaps from parapets, etc. I restrained myself. Barely.

[3] I've broken every one of these components *in the past year*, some
more than once.

--
Dane Buson - z u v e m b i @ u n i x b i g o t s . o r g
C Code.
C Code Run.
Run, Code, RUN!
PLEASE!!!!

"John Forrest Tomlinson" wrote in message
news
I read this thread and am amazed at the number of riders who are in
such remote, mission critical situations with their bikes that the
added reliability of bar-ends over integrated brake/shifters is a big
factor. Wow, are you guys all doing unsupported tours across Societ
Central Asia or something?

JT

I have 105 brifters on one bike, and barcons on another. The brifters work
fine. They aren't as elegant as an aero lever, though. I spend more time on
the hoods on my barcon bike because the hoods are more comfortable. Plus, I
think they look better, AND barcons are pretty bulletproof. :-)

"Jim" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello there,

I was reading the Trek Web site, and found the 520 comes with bar-end
shifters.
What benefits do the Shimano Dura-Ace bar-end shifters offer, compared
with
modern integrated shifters? Is the 520 the only modern bicycle equipped
with
bar-end shifters?

Thanks in advance.

-Jim

Rivendell equips all their bikes with bar-end shifters, as does Bruce
Gordon, I think. Bar-end shifters are pretty cool, IMHO. Nice to know it's
going to work every time.

John Forrest Tomlinson wrote:
I read this thread and am amazed at the number of riders who are in
such remote, mission critical situations with their bikes that the
added reliability of bar-ends over integrated brake/shifters is a big
factor.


Why would _anyone_ opt for the more expensive, less flexible, less
reliable, non-serviceable option (i.e., brifters)? Unless, of course,
they were a sponsored racer.

I am amazed at the number of riders who are brainwashed into thinking
brifters are the only way to go.

On 6 Jan 2006 15:58:58 -0800, wrote:

John Forrest Tomlinson wrote:
I read this thread and am amazed at the number of riders who are in
such remote, mission critical situations with their bikes that the
added reliability of bar-ends over integrated brake/shifters is a big
factor. Wow, are you guys all doing unsupported tours across Societ
Central Asia or something?

Well, I've done unsupported touring across the Dakotas. It's about the
same!

In my mind, repairability is valuable for any ride that gets me more
than five miles from home.

Come to think of it, repairability is
valuable in almost anything. I suppose if a device literally never,
ever breaks down, I wouldn't care about this - but that's certainly not
true of STI.

Do you carry spare saddles on rides? I've broken them but sort of
like living on the edge.....

I have one friend whose brifters locked up on him.

So he couldn't pedal at all? Wow. I've broken derailleur cables and
made it home, but I guess I was lucky and realized I could still
pedal. Broke a downtube shifer once -- but could still pedal. Guess
I was lucky to figure that out too.

I have a
third friend whose brand new touring
bike locked up its right STI just
before she left on a week-long tour.

I call bull**** on that. Brand new and doesn't work. Bizarre.

JT

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John Forrest Tomlinson wrote:
On 6 Jan 2006 15:58:58 -0800, wrote:

John Forrest Tomlinson wrote:
I read this thread and am amazed at the number of riders who are in
such remote, mission critical situations with their bikes that the
added reliability of bar-ends over integrated brake/shifters is a big
factor. Wow, are you guys all doing unsupported tours across Societ
Central Asia or something?

Well, I've done unsupported touring across the Dakotas. It's about the
same!

In my mind, repairability is valuable for any ride that gets me more
than five miles from home.

Come to think of it, repairability is
valuable in almost anything. I suppose if a device literally never,
ever breaks down, I wouldn't care about this - but that's certainly not
true of STI.

Do you carry spare saddles on rides? I've broken them but sort of
like living on the edge.....

I have one friend whose brifters locked up on him.

So he couldn't pedal at all? Wow. I've broken derailleur cables and
made it home, but I guess I was lucky and realized I could still
pedal. Broke a downtube shifer once -- but could still pedal. Guess
I was lucky to figure that out too.

I have a
third friend whose brand new touring
bike locked up its right STI just
before she left on a week-long tour.

I call bull**** on that. Brand new and doesn't work. Bizarre.


You don't get out enough. Last fall, at the local Tour de Cure, a woman
came into a rest stop with front shifting problems. Tiagra triple,
about 2 months old according to her. The left hand brifter would pull
cable if disconnected from the FD, but it would not do so with any
consistency when working against the spring of the FD. The FD was not
binding, if that's what you're wondering, and the cable, cable housing
etc., was all fine.

bryanska wrote:
I use my thumbs to move the bar-end levers without moving my hands.

Good God, how? By delivering a precisely tuned kung fu tap to the bar,
which moves the shifter?

Or did you mean your pinkies?

Nope, thumbs. See
http://www.ihpva.org/incoming/2002/Dragonflyer/df2.jpg.

--
Tom Sherman - Fox River Valley

On Fri, 6 Jan 2006 16:23:32 -0800, Dane Buson wrote:

In rec.bicycles.misc John Forrest Tomlinson wrote:
On Fri, 6 Jan 2006 15:26:44 -0800, Dane Buson wrote:

Just commuting to work mostly. If my bike doesn't work, I'm left with
the alternatives of the bus (boring, inconvenient) or *shudder*, driving
the car to work. The latter would also inconvienence the wife and make
me cranky in general.

I'd rather not be stuck with the bus or car while I'm waiting for the
bike shop to fix whatever is wrong with my bike.

It's the same kind of reasoning why I use 36 spoke wheels and ride tires
like Conti TT2Ks and Schwalbe Marathon pluses.

Are you suggesting intergrated shifters fail with anywhere near the
frequency of tires? That's one rugged commute you have, that the
shifting could fail to the extent that the bike would be unrideable.
Whoa.

Not at all. [2] However, from what I understand they do tend to start
failing about 20,000 miles (not an absolute of course).

Wow, and so rather than looking out for theme breaking down then, you
forgo using the for, what, over a thouda

[1] I haven't
heard of anyone talking about wearing out barcons, which makes me think
they have a longer lifetime. Additionally they are in a less vulnerable
position in a crash.

Individually the chance of failure for any component is small. And I'd
like to keep it that way.

Also, as to commuting with reduced functionality. I've been reduced to
singlespeeding my way home, but it kind of sucks. My route to and fro
work is fairly hilly, I really *like* having multiple gears.

How often does that kind of stuff actually happen. I've commuted,
been a bike messenger, ridden across the US on a bike, used a bike for
shopping, etc etc and the real love of deriding stuff like STI is just
laughable to me. It's just a bike. It's not an IV drip with a vital
vaccine. YMMV I guess.

[3] I've broken every one of these
components *in the past year*, some
more than once.

Well, that suggests the problem isn't STI but your whole approach to
cycling. Where are you commuting?

JT



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Dane Buson wrote:
...Will the fork bend in a panic stop? [3]

You have to break the frame while braking to match Chalo!

--
Tom Sherman - Fox River Valley