Originally Posted by
mstateglfr
3- You could switch the setup to be STI shifting, sure. I dont think it would be as comfortable since STIs basically require you to ride the hoods most of the time, but you could swap em out.
I don't think that is true. This is the reason they put the 3rd party bar end shifters on there in the first place - to address the lack of OEM compatibility from Shimano. In other words, starting with 10-speed, Shimano road and mtb shifters and derailleurs are no longer interchangeable. So you can't have a 10-speed 11-34 mtb cassette and derailleur with a 10-speed road STI shifter. And if you went with an all-road 10-speed setup you'd lose the gear range you need for a touring bike.