ericcc65

I have a Trek XM700+, which is an electric bike, but this question doesn't have anything to do with the electric part. I was an early adopter, and I'd love to get drop handlebars. But as far as I can tell to do that right would be a lot of money and time. Brake levers that handle hydraulic MTN brakes, handelbars, tape, cables and housing, etc. So I got some Soma Gator handlebars which allow me to use the current shifter and brake levers on the bottom parts of the drops. Having said that, I still would love to get a bar-end shifter instead of still using the Shimano Deore 10 speed shifters. Which bar ends would work with that in indexed mode? Would about any bar ends work in friction mode? If it helps the rear derailleur is Shimano SLX, Shadow Plus.

Andrew R Stewart 

I've just recently had to research this for a customer. Road and MtB 10 speed systems are not cable pull compatible. Bar ends are considered to be road stuff and Deore is MtB. Shift Mate does make their #6 adaptor which claims to translate cable pull between Shimano road and MtB. Welcome to the world of specific system stuff and enjoy how much better everything works, until you want something different that is. Andy

fietsbob

Even If the rear* was compatible those bars splay out so much the shifter way out on the end
is vulnerable in a trail crash. * front , friction shifting would be fine .. indexed rear, as said, is not ..

Consider trekking bars instead then you can use the original MTB brake/shifters in the rear open end

and double wrap tape over the rest

ericcc65

I put trekking bars on an old bike once and loved them. But I tried trekking bars on this bike and on a climb my knees were hitting the bars (I think maybe when I was standing). For what it's worth I only use this bike for commuting, on roads or concrete trails. Perhaps with a longer stem or something I could make it work?

ericcc65

Would this work?

microSHIFT Right Bar End Shifter 10-Speed Mountain Shimano DynaSys https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H9D8RFJ..._G8IgDbTVS3WXM

noobinsf 

I have 9-speed microshift bar ends that I have yet to install, but they feel very robust, good quality. I have only seen good reviews about their products. I'm using a Microshift rear derailleur on one bike, and it's great.

tyrion

I think so. It's fairly common to use 10 speed Shimano mountain bike drivetrain with bar end shifters on touring bikes:

https://www.rei.com/product/122462/c...es-adv-11-bike

The shifter you linked to says "10-Speed Mountain Shimano" so that looks like it will work, but you can post a question on Amazon to people that have bought that specific model.

stanman13

Since the drop area of that Soma bar is 22.2mm, I don't think normal bar-end pods will easily fit inside. You may have to consider something like the old Jagwire over-the-tube pods. I've used them and they're quite nice, but they do use up some of the grip space.

Jagwire barcons

ericcc65

Damn, that's a great point. I hadn't thought of that. Looking at dimensions it seems these bars have 22.2mm ends, while a normal road end is 23.8mm. Who knows, maybe I'll get lucky and Microshift makes them fit the smaller dimension and you just have to pad them to stuff in road bar ends.

Alternatively, is anyone aware of hydraulic road levers that would work on Shimano M425 hydraulic disc brakes?

noobinsf 

You could also use Microshift index thumb shifters that would fit on the Gator bars:

https://www.amazon.com/Microshift-10...92510637&psc=1

ericcc65

Thanks for the idea. I guess I already have the Shimano trigger shifters that come with the bike. I could use those on the Gator bars, I believe. I was just looking for something more road-ish and less mtn-ish. I'm not sure the thumb shifters are an improvement over the trigger shifters?

noobinsf 

Well, you could play around with fit and mount them in a similar position to the bar end shifters. The main difference from the triggers will be that you can move up and down the rear cassette quickly and have a tactile marker of which gear you’re in. Also, front shifts will be friction, but that would also be true of bar ends.

ericcc65

Got it, thanks.

ericcc65

Looking at the microshift site for the product they have this spec:

Clamp Band: 19.0 - 22.0mm

I'm not sure what that means, exactly, or what the inner diameter of 22.2 mm OD is, but perhaps this is in the range that it will just fit inside the Gator bars.

ericcc65

Sorry for all the replies, this should be the last one. I just emailed Soma and asked them about this problem and here was their reply:

stanman13

That makes it fairly easy, then. If they fit the Microshift, these should fit as well if you prefer:

Dura-Ace 10 sp bar ends

Metaluna

Those are 10sp road shifters. They won't pull enough cable for a 10sp MTB (aka Dyna-Sys) rear derailleur.

ericcc65

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think those will work in indexed mode with Shimano 10 speed mountain derailleurs?

noobinsf 

You're correct. If this were a 9-speed setup, the Dura Ace shifters would work (providing they fit). The 10 speed Dura Ace have the road-specific 10s pull ratio, and you need the mountain 10s pull ratio.

stanman13

This is why I friction shift.

ericcc65

Would basically any bar ends work in friction shift mode? I honestly don't know and I'm curious. Or is there still an issue of how much cable is pulled such that you can't traverse the whole range of the bar end and get through the whole cassette?

stanman13

I couldn't say it's universally true, but I think by and large most bar end shifters would have enough pull to get across ten cogs. My wife's 8 speed Ultegra bar ends still have room left after getting across her 8 cogs in friction mode. They might pull ten. I wouldn't bet on eleven.

Not all bar ends still have friction capability, though. The 10 speed DAs I mentioned earlier I think do not.