matimeo

I'm 6'2" and have to say I prefer bar ends or STI to my old downtubers. That being said, I had a bike once that had high quality indexed downtube shifters and I actually didn't mind those. No fumbling around to get the gear right. It was my do everything bike for a couple of years.

jbkirby

And a good taco!

Six jours

Yes, and steel is inferior to carbon fiber, and clips&straps are inferior to clipless, and tubulars are inferior to clinchers, and so there's no reason for C&R bicycles (and hence this subforum) to exist.

Now I'm going to go to the classic Ferrari owner's group and explain to them why they should all switch over to fuel injection.

Roger M

No more worries

https://youtu.be/H53mjuBOZ3k

3alarmer 

He's trolling, right? Somebody tell me he's trolling, please.

Personally, I think any ride that does not end up in a bar is inferior
to one that does.

3alarmer 

https://www.walmart.com/ip/700C-GMC-D...-Bike/12080282

iluvnoise

Holy smokes. A lot of people are really opinionated about this. A noob's 2 cents:

I've only been riding road bikes a few years (blame holiday76) and in that time, I've ridden fairly extensively with friction bar-ends, brifters, and friction down tube. I really like bar ends. The brifters are okay, but kind of cranky and needed frequent cleaning and lubrication. I really like down tube, but find I shift a lot less than with bar ends.

But overall, I don't really think it makes that big of a difference once I'm actually riding. Oh, and I'm 6'2" and ride 62-64cm frames.

Six jours

Might be worth differentiating between DT and indexing. They aren't mutually exclusive, of course. I do shift less with friction, whether DT or bar-end. Dunno if that's a bad thing or not; it doesn't affect my enjoyment of riding. But I shift as much with DT indexing as I do with anything else. My "best quality" road bike is less than a year old and uses Dura-Ace 9 speed DT indexing - not because it's traditional, but because it offers me the best combination of advantages with the fewest disadvantages of any system, at least for my purposes. At 6' 2" on a 62 cm. frame, I truly don't understand the fuss.

-holiday76

i've never tried indexed dt as a rider. For me though it's not the act of shifting the lever, it's the act of reaching down to do it so I don't think it would matter much. I really want to like using them because I do like to keep things simple and clean, but I like the ride my bike a lot more than I care about how it looks and shifting from the bars is where it's at. Especially in my constant rolling hills terrain.

ColonelJLloyd 

+1

Teon

I'm 6'1" and the dt shifters are decent, especially when it's all I have ever known. Have been thinking about bar end shifters, and thinking about some sti stuff(but it's way too pricey, even used)......until I just saw, thanks to this thread, the suntour command shifters........ok, those things look like the perfect fix......do they work well with those that are experienced with them? They actually look quite clean, imo.

Edit: After reading some reviews and such on the suntour command stuff, I think I'll stick with researching bar end shifters some more. Bar ends sound like a more reliable/versatile/cost effective solution.......

ClemY

I’m only 6’2”. I started with DT shifters 40 yrs ago, but didn’t stay with them long. It was a long, awkward reach for me. I experimented with different locations until I found Campi barcons. I used them for about 25 yrs. until I got around to trying Shimano indexed barcons. I will never go back to DT shifters or non-indexed barcons.

JunkYardBike

Weight weenie. This kinda talk belongs in the Road Cycling forum, not here.

fender1

Down tube shifters look like devil horns to me. They scare me and I don't want to get possessed by Satan or one of his evil minions while riding my bike!

ColonelJLloyd 

Nonsense, fender1. C'mon, let's go for a ride. It'll be fun. I promise.

dsprehe89

I'm 6'2" and riding my friends DT has never really affected me, it feels awkward, but that is because I'm not use to it. However, I also have an 8" ape index (meaning both of my arms are 4" longer than they are supposed to be).

AaronAnderson

I need that Reynolds 666 sticker.

Tundra_Man 

Wow has this thread strayed...

To the OP, if the only you don't care about with bar-end shifters is the ugly cables, then re-route them underneath the bar tape. I did that when I converted my Panasonic from stem shifting to bar-end shifting. That, along with my aero brake levers really cleaned up the look of my cockpit. The only place any cables are visible is where they emerge from the bar tape up by the stem, just like on a bike with brifters.

AaronAnderson

I have considered this and will give it a try. I don't want to add more friction to the equation but I'm willing to test it. It would certainly be a cleaner look.

Tundra_Man 

I haven't noticed any friction problems. However when I did my conversion my original cables and housings weren't long enough, so I wound up having to replace them with new. When I pulled out the old cables and housings they were pretty rusty, so I'm comparing my new set-up to my old rusty cables.

JunkYardBike

Doesn't your mom know how to read a work order?

+1 and that Slayer aero disc cover.

AaronAnderson

I'm with ya. I really don't want to replace my rear derailleur cable.... it routes through the chainstay, so it's kind of messy to fish things through.

ColonelJLloyd 

Routing the bar end shifter housing along the bar and exiting at the stem will work fine, but it will most certainly increase friction. I changed mine back because shifting was not as good.

AaronAnderson

I was waiting for you to chime in. That's what I thought would happen.

ColonelJLloyd 

Yes. There's your answer. Now, stop trolling and get back to work.