Originally Posted by
BFisher
I recall a member here, @
Slightspeed I think, still has the bar-end equipped Legnano he raced with.
Yes, I got my Legnano Roma new in 1965 as a junior racer. It came with Campagnolo bar ends which I loved. I guess I didn't know any better, because they worked for me. I rode my first junior race on a boat anchor Schwinn Continental, so the Legnano was a huge step up for me, and I thought the bar ends were really cool. Still do. That said, I have Suntour bar ends on two other vintage bikes and the ratcheting mechanism is far superior to the Campy ones on my Legnano. I love the Legnano, still ride it and have no plans to change them. I have an old Peugeot PR10 with down tube Simplex shifters. I prefer my bar ends any day.All the reasons to use them have been mentioned here, ease of operation, easier to modulate gear selection, plus I'm a fairly tall rider, and its a long reach down to the down tube shifters, and just feels plain awkward.