Bar end shifters. You have probably seen them on some occasions, especially bikes designed for long-distance touring. Machines of freedom are prepared to quit everything and travel the ever-changing world.
Some time ago, this kind of shifter was in fashion. You could see bar-end shifters or friction shifters almost everywhere, and they were very cheap. It has been sided by other more modern solutions, like the integrated shifter and brake for the drop bars. “The brifter.” Brifters are usually an excellent and comfortable option to set on a bike with drop bars. It’s very efficient, comfortable, safe, and easily reachable.
These shifters are what to use for a reliable bike on long addaxes. These shifters’ cables rarely break, and if they do are quickly replaced. Fed up with brifters cables breaking every 100000 clicks with no notice and having to change a cable on a long ride or ride single speed.
Let’s see some of my favorite models.
SHIMANO SL-BS77 Dura-Ace Double/Triple Bar End Shifters 9 speed
I love this model. They are well-built shifters that give your hands a strong and sturdy feeling. I’m currently mounting a 9-speed variant on my Genesis Vagabond, and I like the texture.
They are precision-engineered Dura-Ace 9-speed index bar end shift levers. They are also fully compatible with the Mega9 precision 9-speed drivetrain.
It can be used with double or triple chainsets.
They also can be indexed. I have them non-indexed for the front gears and indexed for the back.
They can be switchable between 9-speed SIS indexing and friction.
SHIMANO SL-BS79 Dura-Ace Double Bar End Shifters (10-Speed)
This 10-speed rear shifter is INDEXED ONLY; there is no friction mode for the rear shifter. The front shifter is friction-only, just like all the past versions.
They are usually straightforward to install and come with all the parts when you buy them.
They are precision-engineered Dura-Ace 10-speed bar end shift levers with superior Dura-Ace quality, which means reliability and durability.
They can be used with 10-speed road drivetrains and double or triple chainsets. They are SIS-indexed system compatible.
Weight: 178g per pair
SHIMANO Dura-Ace SL-BSR1 (11- Speed)
The aesthetics are impressive, the feel is second to none, and even better, all the new additions work symbiotically to achieve the perfect harmony between your body and the bike. It’s too easy to go on and on about the SL-BSR1’s 11-speed shifting option, and while it adds a decisive advantage on the field, we know the new Dura-Ace shifters can’t be defined by one feature.
Each component has received a few custom touches throughout the group, but the levers have received several. The effort required has been reduced by around 47% for the rear derailleur and 43% for the front derailleur. In conjunction with the reduced bump, the scrolling experience has been minimized to light touches that the mechanical scrolling speed and Di2 move the toe to the toes relative to each other.
So why do people continue to use the bar end shifters?
Usually, the bar-end shifters are quite well valued in the touring community. This is mainly because they are pretty low maintenance and cheap.
Usually, the bar end shifter has fewer internal pieces, so fewer things can go wrong. And if they break, it is easier to repair than a brifter.
Don’t get me wrong, you will have to replace the whole unit in both cases, but in the case of the STI, this will be at much less cost and probably in a longer life span.
What are the pros and cons of using bar end shifters?
| Pro´s | Con´s |
|---|---|
| Multi gear shifting in one push/pull | Needing to move hands from bars or around bars to change gear |
| Able to be placed anywhere for comfort/preference of rider | Old pieces of kit which may not be stocked in generic bike shops |
| Low maintenance | The more gears on your cassette the harder it is to friction shift |
| Low cost | Difficult to get used to after using indexed systems |
| Easy to replace | Cannot be used with Rohloff speedhub |
| Long lifespan | |
| Convenient in drop bars | |
| Complete control of chain friction | |
| No need to tune | |
| You can mix and match parts | |
| Can be used in all styles |
Friction shifters for touring
To conclude, using friction or bar end shifters while touring will significantly reduce your chance of shift failure. They are simple and easy to use, lightweight, and easily replaceable. One less thing to have in your head when you longhaul.
What´s next?
If you liked this article, why don´t you check on our section of travel tips and how to´s in the blog?
