Originally Posted by
genejockey
Route selection is key. The other thing about DT shifter bikes is that since they tend to be from pre-1995, they also tend to have "Hero Gears". You know, 52/42 x 12-21, 13-23 - that kind of thing. I rooted around on Ebay so that I could put at least a 12-25 on all my DT shifter bikes. Even so, I tend to ride them only on routes that don't have extended climbs. I CAN do medium length climbs on them, but it's a chore.
You described my mid-80s Bianchi to a T. It is now a winter fendered bike and I used to keep it off the big hills because of the miserable gearing (in my 30s it was ‘normal’ gearing which I thought nothing of). But since my winter rides tend to be shorter, trying to balance what warmth I can get later in the day and daylight, I am finding that pushing that bike up the hills (about 11% max) is one helluva workout - kind of like doing leg presses.
On the days I do switch back to my brifter bike, I have to laugh at my inability to adapt, where I find myself reaching for the downtube to shift. What a moron.
Back to the OP: For racing, you might find that to keep up with your fellow racers, you will have to be SUPER adept at shifting, since people on brifter bikes can change gears so quickly, especially out of the saddle. When I bought my first set of Campy Ergo shifters, I was floored and never looked back.