Sram eagle on dropbars

[BigdummySteve]

Due to my ongoing disappointment with the rival shifter in my Fargo I’m considering swapping over to 12x eagle via a microshift bar end shifter, any thoughts especially as to barends which I’ve never used before.
Eagle seems to generally get a good press and as nick the Greek says “people like to have a bit more range nowadays“

[Bearbonesnorm]

I like barend shifters ... there you go

[Dr Nick]

I like 'em too - although none of my remaining bikes currently have drop bars on! I used to run them on nitto moustache bars on the tandem that's just sold - lovely!

Some people complain about having to take your hand of the bars and move it to the end of the bar to change gear, but to my mind, that's no different to moving your hands towards a 'brifter', and seeing as (from memory) you ride of the drops quite a lot I don't think it'll be an issue for you.

and depending on your riding style, it is hard to brake and change gear at the same time (with the hand changing gear not the other hand)

[benp1]

Pretty sure the bar end shifter on my Arkose 2 is a microshift one. In many ways it actually shifts better than the XT one I have my on Solaris. You can change gears really very quickly and it's entirely reliable (over 10k miles on this shifter, only had a new cable once in that time)

[Scud]

Personal choice on Fargo was always 10 speed Shimano road shifters (i had Ultegra) with 10 speed cassette and 9 speed XT MTB rear mech, pull ratio being the same, always worked really well

[ScotRoutes]

that's no different to moving your hands towards a 'brifter', and seeing as (from memory) you ride of the drops quite a lot I don't think it'll be an issue for you.

Riding on hoods or in the drops I can shift gear without moving my hands elsewhere.

[Loki]

I have the 10 speed ones on my Vagabond, not the first time I have used them, I find them more reliable than Brifters

[wriggles]

Steve, I have some bar end shifters and bits and pieces you are welcome to borrow if want to try them out? They are going to be fitted to my Camino at somepoint when I get round to fitting Hylex brakes so I can keep it 10 speed, but its not going to happen soon.

[BigdummySteve]

that's no different to moving your hands towards a 'brifter', and seeing as (from memory) you ride of the drops quite a lot I don't think it'll be an issue for you.

Riding on hoods or in the drops I can shift gear without moving my hands elsewhere.

I do indeed ride mainly on the drops unless I’m taking it easy. If anything vaguely exciting is happening I’ll be firmly in the hooks and I shift quite often as I like to keep it spinning. My main concern is keeping control on bumpy ground while operating a bar end, can you keep enough grip and shift or are you effectively riding one handed while charging gear?

Mr wriggle, if you shifter is 11 speed or has enough cable pull in friction mode I’d be very grateful to try it out before committing.

[wriggles]

Steve, its 10 speed, but can set up in Friction mode? Eagle is 12 speed though? Could probably just fit it an run with existing levers as brake levers for a trial? Cheers Andy

Nb i always found bar end shifters easy to use. Once you have the hang of them, you very quickly move your hand, shift and return whilst keeping hold of the bars.

[BigdummySteve]

Cheers Andy, I’m running 11 speed at the moment, the 12 speed thing is more of pipe dream.
I imagine a 10 speed in friction would at the very least give me an idea i like them. I’m down at Shepperton studios and pinewood this week so if you’re around could pop in and borrow it for a test.

[wriggles]

Will PM you

[jameso]

I do indeed ride mainly on the drops unless I’m taking it easy. If anything vaguely exciting is happening I’ll be firmly in the hooks and I shift quite often as I like to keep it spinning. My main concern is keeping control on bumpy ground while operating a bar end, can you keep enough grip and shift or are you effectively riding one handed while charging gear?

Maybe it's the single-speeder in me but I'm fine with having a gear that's about right, varying my cadence a fair bit and not changing much in anything tricky, or I'm never in enough of a rush that I can't pause to make a shift if needed. I think I ride better when I focus on other things than my gear changes - or if it's so technical that I need to change a lot then I won't be doing that well on a fast-tyred drop bar bike anyway. So my preferences might be different, but based on that I really like the bar end shifter these days, I'm not saying it's more ergonomic at all times but I like the combo of a less flappy brake lever and the simple shift of a bar-ender.

I imagine a 10 speed in friction would at the very least give me an idea i like them.

A fair bit slower and more attention needed to shift until you're used to it - maybe not the best introduction esp in tricky terrain, but worth a go anyway.

[Bearbonesnorm]

I run all my BE shifters in friction mode but I am rather special*, however, as James says, the less special may find it takes a little getting used to.

*so says my mum.

[wriggles]

Yeah, I think I have a cassette and mech Steve can borrow to run in full index mode...

[gairym]

Bit of a curve ball here but.....

I run Eagle on my gravel bike and opted to sidestep the whole bar-end shifter malarkey altogether.

I use the standard shifter and simply opened up the clamp, drilled out the holes to give a wider fit and locked it all in place with a longer nut/bolt - simples.

Best of every world (in my opinion). Just thought I'd throw it out there for consideration.....

Pics available upon request.

[BigdummySteve]

Thanks for all the input but I may have solved my shifting woes. I had another list of jobs to do on the Fargo, new wheel bearings fitted,new set of tyres , new disks and pads, new gear inner/outer and a longer front brake hose.
Surprisingly the attempt at fitting the hose led to the fix, to get at the hose I had to remove the shifter side plate and found that the previous owner had lubed the internals with some sort grease/tar. Although I’d previously blindly sprayed brake cleaner at it ,the muck needed scrubbing off with a toothbrush and IPA.
Upshifts are now snappy and the delay between clicking and the mech shifting has gone.