kpp80202

I'm looking to make the switch to bar end shifters on my '88 Voyageur since I went to a half-step plus granny setup. I'm not sure whether to go with the Rivendell shifter pods and use my Shimano DT shifters, get the Dia-Compe complete shifters (and drop the indexed shifting), or get something else. Right now, I have the factory 6 speed freewheel, and while I had planned on eventually upgrading the wheelset to 700c with an 8 or 9 speed cassette (to have closer ratios) with nicer hubs, the current gearing may make that unnecessary (unless I get sick of all the double shifting...). So, what are the current picks for good quality bar end shifters considering both form and function? Thank you!

Kevin

striknein

I have a set of Suntour barcons on my 7-speed road bikes, and a set of 105 DT shifters mounted to the silver pods on my stumpjumper touring rig with a 8 speed cluster. Having longer levers helps greatly when trimming on the more closely spaced cassette, and if indexing is your thing you can still find 8,9, and 10 speed shifters that will mount to the pod.

That said, the Suntour shifters are the budget friendly option, and the ratcheting action feels great.

RobbieTunes

New: SRAM R2C, but it doesn't sound like you're going that new.

I like the 8sp and 9sp Ultegra, mainly because they "go" with many RD's.
My 9-sp DA are nice, but you have to have the DA RD for it to play nice, same with the 8sp.
In friction mode, they're all about the same; I have no experience with anything but Shimano.

My Campy 10-sp bar ends are great, but that's a Campy thing. They're more versatile, can be used as DT shifters. However, finding Campy aero brake levers to complete the group is much harder than finding Shimano brake levers.

the_tool_man

My vote is for NOS Suntour friction bar-ends, if you can find them. I upgraded to a 7-speed freewheel and re-geard the triple chainrings on my old Fuji to even out the jumps between rings. The Suntour bar-ends (switched over from DT) made the bike that much better. I lucked up and found an NOS set with the DT cable bracket, just like what would have come on a Fuji TS-V (next step up from my bike). I commute with it several times a week, and love how they work. Nice, solid feel. Positive, ratcheting action. The only issue I've had is the metal-sheathed shifter cables eventually chewed up the foam rubber Grab-on grips I use. But a couple of wire ties fixed that.

mkeller234

I also really like the 9sp Shimano Dura-ace bar ends. They aren't cheap, but when you consider that they include cables, guides and downtube cable stops, they are actually an excellent value.

I've also used:

- Rivendell silver shifters: They felt very nice, but I disliked the length of the levers. Wiggle sells them at a good price.
- Suntour Bar-ends: No longer produced but easily found. Affordable and good enough. I don't personally enjoy the ratcheting feel.
- Shimano 333 (dura-ace) friction bar end shifters: Again, no longer produced. Easily the best bar end shifter that I have used. Silky smooth action, much like simplex retrofriction.

SJX426 

These work really well and are very affordable if you shop around. I managed to find 3 for $25.[/IMG]

bradtx

Kevin, For my 8S I use Shimano Ultegra bar-ends. The RD shifter works in friction and index mode. I used them on my 2X5 RRA for awhile before using them on my T bike.

Brad

kaliayev

That is surprising. I've used 9 speed Dura Ace BS77 shifters with Ultegra and XT RDs and the index shifting was great.

John E

When I originally built up the Peugeot from a bare frame for my wife in the early 1970s, I chiseled off the Simplex downtube shifter boss and installed a double cable stop for the stem shifters she wanted. When she changed over to mountain bikes and offroad riding, I took over the Peugeot as my commuter, installing drops and SunTour ratchet barcons, which I really like. I have never found indexing to be of any real benefit, and I like the total component mix-and-match freedom friction shifting brings.

tarwheel 

I like the looks and price of the Dia-Compe bar-end shifters that Velo-Orange sells, and that's what I would get if buying some now. I've got a couple sets of Dura-Ace bar-ends that work well, but one of them broke after about two years of use -- although it was replaced under warranty. Previously I had thought that bar-ends were bullet-proof.

https://store.velo-orange.com/index.p...-shifters.html

Henry III

On my dropbar mtb I use SRAM TT500. I also run a 2x10 setup. Their intended for aero bars but still work great but have a newer look since...well they are modern bar end shifters. There's a little pricey also but you can find them around 50-75 used and normally 75-100 new. Nice heavy clunks for gear changes.

Puget Pounder

+1 you don't have to use a DA RD with the DA 9s shifters.

southpawboston

My Schwinn Voyageur and several other bikes had Suntour Bar-end shifters, and for friction shifting, they are my favorite:

wrk101

+10 Suntour barcons are the norm for me. Often, the cheapest route is to find a vintage bike with barcons (they were on a lot of them, not just touring bikes), "upgrade" the bike to DT shifters, and resell. Bought right, you will end up with "free" barcons.

In my experience, used Suntour barcons are quite durable. No need to pay the 2X to 3X price to get NOS.

I just picked up a 1986 Raleigh, that the former owner had installed seven speed Shimano indexed barcons (bike originally came with stem shifters). Off came the barcons (reinstalled them on my 1988 Cimmaron drop bar bike), and back went stem shifters. My Cimmaron came with Deore SIS RD, so the shifters work great on my seven speed set up.

Around here, on road and racing bikes, buyers don't want bar end shifters. Now if it is a touring bike, they want them. Somewhat odd but at least half of the vintage touring bikes I have found did NOT have bar end shifters.


Saw a bike on C/L a couple of months ago: Suntour barcons, front and rear racks, plus a bike of course, at the price of what the barcons and racks were worth. It was not a touring bike. A savvy/resourceful buyer would strip those parts, replace the shifters with DT levers, and resell the bike, at a small profit. At that point, the shifters and racks would be "free". Hard to beat free.

southpawboston

True! They are functionally indestructable, although their weak link is probably the tapered pivot screw and/or locknut. If you overtighten the locknut you'll snap the end of the pivot screw... and there's no generic replacement for it. But even then, they remain functional.