Im the process of building up a bike that needs mixed gearing so going to go down the bar end shifter route.

Front is going to be a mtb crank and a 32t on the back which gives the option of both mtb/road mechs
(although i may become soft and fit a 36t on the back at some point)

Whats the options and can you get bar end shifters with mtb increments?

You can use a 10 speed road bar end shifter with a 9 speed MTB mech and a 10 speed 11-36 cassette (as that's what I use)... All Shimano

Microshift make a 10 speed MTB bar end shifter. I'm using one with a Zee clutch rear mech and 11-36 cassette at the moment. It's OK - there's a bit of play in the detents that means you have to push the lever into the right position after shifting otherwise the indexing is slightly off. I believe that Pinnacle spec it on one of the Arkose models.

Long cage Shimano 11 speed road rear mechs will handle 32T top cogs, so you can use Ultegra bar end shifters.

I've a 10 speed shimano shifter in friction mode with a 9 speed deore mech (and 32/11) on my drop bar frankenbike commuter

I tend to use friction bar end shifters - they'll work with any combination of gearing / components, so it keeps things easy and allows me to mess about with stuff.

These is them - https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/gear-shifte ... n-control/

I tried bar end shifters and soon ditched them.
On technical tight corners when you need to change gear they are really hard to get on with, you really have to plan ahead to get the right gearing well before anything that needs a gear change.

JohnClimber wrote:I tried bar end shifters and soon ditched them.
On technical tight corners when you need to change gear they are really hard to get on with, you really have to plan ahead to get the right gearing well before anything that needs a gear change.

But that can be a good thing that adds extra challenge - timing that frantic grasp for the shifter just as you approach the end of a steep descent, before a steep climb. Down tube shifters are even more fun!

New Ultegra clutch mechs will allow 10 / 11 speed shimano bar end shifters to work with mtb range cassettes

10s road bar end with a 9s mech is a good idea. I like my 10s clutch mech but it's not that important and the clutch does make the shift a bit stiffer.

Best set up I've seen is Ben's TNR bike, a SRAM return-to-centre 11s TT bar end shifter. Would be interesting to try to get one of those in 10 or 11s working with Shimano kit. I'm going to try mine in friction as Stu says, free of indexing. Smash the groupset mentality... Liberation, man.

JohnClimber wrote:I tried bar end shifters and soon ditched them.
On technical tight corners when you need to change gear they are really hard to get on with, you really have to plan ahead to get the right gearing well before anything that needs a gear change.

Can't remember having that issue tbh, the time it takes the gears to shift would be the issue more than me being able to reach and knock a lever 3 or 4 clicks.

I prefer them these days. I think I like the solid simple shift as well as a solid brake lever compared to the 'wobblier' STI feel. Helps that the bike is set up so I use the drops as easily as the hoods. Moving my hands a bit more often is no bad thing on a long ride and shifting a few gears at a time is one move rather than click-click. Pros/Cons. Simple works for me.

FWIW I get on fine with the bar end shifter on my Arkose 2. When I upgraded to SRAM 11-sp the new one I bought was indexed and just like the OE but with an extra stop. I actually like it that it doesn't return to centre. When I'm coming up to stop I know the position it needs to be in to get going again, and I find that easier than thinking about which gear I'm in then counting the changes to get to my starting off gear. But then I'm very simple.