On Tuesday, 3 December 2019 18:44:11 UTC-5, John B. wrote:
On Tue, 3 Dec 2019 14:03:33 -0800 (PST), wrote:

On Tuesday, December 3, 2019 at 6:14:34 PM UTC+1, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 12/3/2019 5:54 AM, Duane wrote:


I used DT friction shifters for years. I can’t imagine anyone preferring
them over brifters but whatever floats their boat.

Like Eddie Merckx said (paraphrasing) it doesn’t matter how long or short
you ride. Or how fast or slow. Just ride. I would also add, and STFU
criticizing other riders preferences.

Oh, good grief!

As I've said dozens of times: This is a _discussion_ group. We discuss
things. If you're so insecure that you can't tolerate any disagreement
with your choices, why would you enter a discussion about your choices?

Furthermore, if you pretend instead to defend _others'_ free choices,
perhaps you should stop sniping at only those who differ from you.

Contrary to certain posters' whining, I don't say "You shouldn't use
[whatever] equipment." But I do frequently point out that for much
equipment, the near-magical claims are exaggerated, or irrelevant to
most people's riding.

And I think I have a tendency to quantify things. Quantification
shouldn't be sneered at in a "tech" group.

--
- Frank Krygowski

Wow, wow. Frank you started this thread. Read your first post. What was your intention when you wrote
'If they do, it won't be long before anyone who uses an ordinary seatpost
will be scorned as a luddite. '? Trying to be funny? What did you quantify? In my world it is a silly insinuation.

Lou

I won't comment on Franks intent but read the resulting answers. It
appears that without, at the minimum, STI brake-shifters it is nearly
impossible to enjoy riding a bicycle these days.

Has cycling been reduced to a dollars and cents level where riding a
$4,000 bicycle (as one poster has frequently mentioned) results in a
more enjoyable ride?

On a personal basis, I enjoy riding a bicycle. I enjoy riding my bike
with the down tube shifters and I enjoy riding another bike with STI
shifters and, I might add, when I was 12 years old I enjoyed riding my
single speed bike with the coaster brake.

Will one enjoy it more if one installs $1,500 set of electric shifters
on their bike?

Or has cycling become just another example of macho behavior where the
guy with the most "stiff" on his bike deems himself to be somehow
better?
--
cheers,

John B.

Not sure what you're doing with these posts but...

No it's not necessary to have the latest greatest components to enjoy bicycling. However they can make bicycling more enjoyable. I enjoy touring on my bicycle. I can do it with downtube shifters but it is MORE enjoyable and safer to shift with my Campagnolo Ergo levers especially, as I've said before, when riding a loaded bike uphill or in strong gusty cross-winds. In f act I can see that if it were inexpensive enough that electronic shifting would be even more convenient on a touring bike. As I've also said before, with the Ergo shifters, on either my touring bike or my road bike, I shift more often which in turns makes bicycling for me more efficient which means I go just as far with less wasted energy or I ride further using the same amount of energy.

Heck I even enjoy taking my single speed out once in a while. I tried fixed gear but in our area fixed gear is just not safe on the roads in my opinion based on what I see.

YMMV and most likely does. So does Frank's and others.

Cheers