Shimano Dura-Ace SL-BS77

Price Paid:  $45.00 at Evans Cycles, UK

Favorite Ride:
Sunday morning on the Surrey Hills

Bike Setup:
Classic English touring bike

Summary:
9 Speed Dura-ace bar end shifters with Shimano XT (Shaddow) rear mech fitted to Dawes Galaxy.

Strengths:
Clean looking and well manufactured.

Weaknesses:
Don't like the feel of slight "double click" between positions.
Took substantial amount of setting up. Initially would miss 3rd or 6th gear depending on adjustment. Now OK but wait to see for how long.
Tended to try to jumping gear when climbing hills. Changed supplied gear cables to PTFE coated which seems to have cured the problem.
Pricey for what they are. PTFE coated cables addedd another £5.

Similar Products Used:
Shimano 7 speed bar end shifters in a previous life.

Price Paid:  $75.00 at speedgoat.com

Favorite Ride:
Up Tunnel Rd then along Grizzly Peak in Oakland/Berkeley

Bike Setup:
Marin Point Reyes/XT/Hayes Disc brakes/Dura Ace 9 spd shifters/Paul's Thumbies

Summary:
I got these Dura Ace shifters along with Paul's Thumbies to use on my Marin Point Reyes--an "urban" bike. These shifters replaced the crappy rapidfire shifters that came with the bike. Coupled with the XT deraileur, shifts are quick and precise--the way they are supposed to be. The shifters are in perfect position so I don't have to take my hands off the bars to shift.

Strengths:
Quick precise shifting, perfect position, durability.

Weaknesses:
Pricey

Price Paid:  $60.00 at LBS in Roth, Germany

Favorite Ride:
any ride on a sunny day

Bike Setup:
cannondale multisport 2000 si, syntace streamliner.

Summary:
I use them on my triathlon bike on a syntace aerobar. They give me a very comfortable ride as about 90 percent of my riding time I'm on the aerobars. They work perfect and I prefer them to sti shifters.

Strengths:
Very useful for shifting while being in an "aero" position.

Weaknesses:
Unergonomic when climbing steep hills.

Similar Products Used:
sti shifters. aero shifters.

Price Paid:  $65.00 at lbs

Bike Setup:
touring: Sachs internal front drumbrake, Brooks B-17 saddle, XTR rapid rise deraileur, 12-32 8-spd xtr cass. TTT morph bar, Diacomp v-road levers (which are getting "upgraded" to regular aero levers. They were fine until i put the drum on the front.)

Summary:
These shifters are brainless Operation-wise. That is a good thing for me. I have them on a Rocky Mountain route 66 hybrid frame which i converted into a touring bike. I put a XTR rapid rise deraileur on the back and now the upshifts and downshifts are accomplished with pulling the levers the same on both sides of the bar. I wasn't that impressed with them all that much until i put the derailleur on. The combination of the two is a very significant performance upgrade. If you use this combo on a cross bike you shouldn't get too much flack from your fellow roadies for the mountain bie products. I give it 5 stars with the XTR deraileur. I would have given it less with a regular rise rear deraileur.

Strengths:
simple, lightweight, inexpensive, not likely to break in the event of a slip and fall accident.

Weaknesses:
You have to move your hands to shift, but after 2 million years of evolution that shouldn't be too difficult.

Similar Products Used:
down tube shifters, Suntour barcons. I have not yet tried STI so keep that in mind as you read. (I'm not likely to either)

Price Paid:  $50.00 at forgot

Favorite Ride:
on a velodrome

Bike Setup:
I have these on a TT bike, a 'cross bike, and a 5 year old beater that i never work on.

Summary:
These things are versatile and can be used on anything. Friction option is handy, and are fun to use. And like i said earlier , these, (or a campy equivalent) almost seem mandatory on a TT or 'Cross bike. But use the modern stuff for a straight up road racing bike. I wouldnt trade Record Ergo for anything when the chips are down in a RR or crit

Strengths:
does not punish you for poor maintenance as bad as STI shifters., Look cool on the end of a set of time trial bars. Old school style points on recreational rides. The ONLY choice for cyclocross

Weaknesses:
STI and Ergopower are better for dedicated racing machines. (Except a time trial bike)

Similar Products Used:
ive used all types of shifters. I rode 7 spd Campy friction bar ends when i started racing as a junior in the late 80's