nahh

So I know many members of the commuting forum use bar-end shifters in favor of their simplicity and reliability.

I recently crashed my bike, and will be off the bike for a while. I decided to take this time to do a drop-bar conversion on my hybrid. I'm getting the Tektro Road V-brake levers, and feel like bar-end shifters would be a good choice for my shifting needs.

but why do bar-end shifters cost $80-$100 a pair?!? Is there no cheaper option? I don't really require indexing even, but I can't even find a new friction shifter.

I don't really need Dura Ace or SRAM red shifters on my commuter bike, I just need to be able to shift.

any suggestions? maybe shop used for some old ones? I don't really want to shop used, though.

truman

No good reason, except people will pay it.

Ebay's your friend.

I_bRAD

price out some brifters and then see if you think they're expensive!

JeffS

You can get the Dia Compe ones for around $60+shipping, but no, there's not a significantly cheaper option out there without going used.

CliftonGK1

Even dt shifters are $85 or more. Compared to STI, barcons are a deal.

tim24k

How about $13.00 SunRace Thumb shifters? Find them at
https://www.rivbike.com/products/list...product=17-097

This is what Grant said about them.
"The only thumb shifters still made are these super cheap ones from SunRace. That's not such a bad deal, though, because yep they're cheap, but they're also reliable, durable, inexpensive, and they work great. No indexing, just friction, which is how we like them, anyway. Sold by the pair, as with all our shifters.

Includes housing and cables."

CCrew

Why is most of the bike stuff out there so $? Sheesh, just paid $5 for a SRAM powerlink. And that was reasonable.

sauerwald

Bar end shifters are expensive because they are not very popular, and therefore do not run in the volumes that some other bike parts run in.

Consider the cost of a barcon, along with it's expected lifetime, and then compare that to a brifter, along with it's expected lifetime and you will see that an $80 barcon is a bargain.

mickey85

I got a set of Suntour bar end shifters (ratcheting, which I kinda like, but don't really understand) for $30 on ebay, shipped.

nahh

I'll check into those Dia Compe ones, $60 isn't too bad for a reliable shifter.

My commuter bike isn't the one that gets the love, that's what the road bike is for, so I'm just trying to save where I can. I actually picked up some Ultegra Brifters for $100/pair about 6 months ago, but I sold those guys at a profit really fast.

I guess I can't feel too bad given that I have $100 worth of tires on my bike...

thermador

You can get Shimano bar ends for $60, and they are better because you can turn the clicker on or off for the rear derailleur. Meaning that you can have it click between gears or just shift smoothly with friction.

8-speed $56: https://www.jensonusa.com/store/produ...s.aspx?sc=FRGL

9-speed $67: https://www.jensonusa.com/store/produ...+Shifters.aspx

10-speed $90: https://www.mycyclinggear.com/shisft0210.html

nodachi

I did my conversion with bar end shifters and they were only about $50 from amazon. I tried to do the ebay thing and the fight to get a good deal pushed them beyond that price. Go amazon! And the shimano ones that allow for indexed or friction are wicked cool! I can't make up my mind which I prefer, but having the option is great!

agarose2000

Are you talking about the same bar-end shifters that are used on aerobars?

If so, they are really inexpensive compared to standard shifter/brifters! Dura-Ace bar-end go for <$100, whereas dura-ace standard shifter/brifters are $350+!!!

thermador

agarose2000 has got it exactly right!

Shimano Ultegra Brake Levers: $80 (here)
Shimano Dura-Ace Bar Ends (10sp): $90 (here)
Shimano Dura-Ace Bar Ends (9sp): $67 (here)
Total: $170 (10sp) or $147 (9sp)

Shimano Dura-Ace Brifters (10sp st7801): $350 (here)
Shimano Ultegra Brifters (9sp str600) $300 (here)
Total: $350 (10sp) or $300 (9sp)

So yeah, going with separate levers and bar ends is about half the cost of brifters! Plus they will probably last longer.

bugly64

+1 on Brifters being a lot more expensive. My flightdecks were set me back a good ways.

Yan 

I bought my 9 speed Dura Ace barends for $65. Look around.

lubers

Here you go on sale at Jensons
I paid 49.00 from my LBS, think he just wanted to get rid of them.

Shimano SL-BS77 9-SPEED Bar End Shifters
Item #: SL311A03
Stock Status: In Stock

Your Price: $66.99
Choose Size/Color Qty
9SP, Works With Double/Triple

rugerben

Expensive? I have Ultegra level 8spd barend shifters that i got from Jenson for $56. Weren't even on sale. Try finding ultegra brifters anywhere near that price.

ItsJustMe

Same reason everything for a bike is expensive. Because people will pay it. They certainly don't cost enough to make to justify it. Regardless of the quality, they shouldn't cost more than about $30 a pair.

Chuckie J.

I think what the OP is trying to say is they are an old technology and fairly simple compared to an STI shifter that has a brake lever built into it.

Some bike things go down in price dramatically (we've all seen older 105 cranks go for like $30; and LX DualControl levers for $40) but the bar end shifters seem to hold their price.

nahh

right. I'm mostly just complaining that they should be cheaper because they're so simple. I'll still end up paying the price for them, I just was wondering if I was missing some cheaper options (that aren't DA or SRAM Red) models.

semperfi1970

They cost so much because they are cool. All of the cool kids are using them, so dont be a brifter lamo.

tarwheel 

I don't understand your gripe. Bar-ends cost about 1/4 or less the cost of STIs, plus they are virtually indestructible. If you shop around, you can find Dura-Ace bar-ends for about $60.

stomppow

My 9-speed dura ace bar ends broke! The rear derailleur one, that black circular piece cracked and now the shifting is inperfect.

I'm considering going to fixed gear full time for a city bike.