Integrated shifters are so ubiquitous that they are even available for internal hubs like this Versa Nexus/Alfine shifter.

My 1996 Bianchi Campione d’ Italia came with the original Campy Ergo integrated shifters and worked fine until last spring. Suddenly, the right shifter would no long stay in gear, the inner shifting cog stripped. One of the supposed beauties of Campagnolo is that all their shifters are serviceable. Sure, you may be paying a 20% premium over an equal Shimano or SRAM system, but when something breaks, you don’t have to replace it… except in my case you do. Campy stopped making replacement inner parts for my shifter years ago so while I can theoretically fix them in reality I was faced with replacement. My Bianchi is an 8 speed which Campy which left in the dust in its bid to have more cog gears than anyone else. I found an old replacement shifter at Frankenbike about that time but could not come to an agreement with the seller over price. This left me with no other option but to “downgrade” to down tube shifters if I didn’t want to replace the whole drive train.

The underappreciated down tube shifter. I sure am enjoying my downgrade!

Now I may sound like a Grant Petersen retro-grouch here, but I think non-racers would benefit from seeing friction shifters as an equally acceptable option on their road bike. Not only are they less expensive and lighter weight than the brifter equivalent but are much more forgiving on the novice user. Friction systems need next to no adjustment. As the shifter cable stretches there is no worry about sloppy shifting and there is less to go wrong.

Do friction shifters require more thought or technical acumen? Barely. Yes, they are not as brain dead obvious as the click of an index shifter, but honestly if you know how to turn up and down the volume on your radio, you are going to be able to pick up friction shifting in minutes if not seconds.

For racing, integrated shifters make more sense. You want to shift from the drops or hoods when you need to make an attack and the sponsored racer has a mechanic to make everything run smoothly. For the rest of us, friction shifters offer a simplicity with sufficient convenience to be totally up to the task. I’m not saying you should rip your STI, Ergo, or Double Taps off your current bike, but if you are building up a non-racing bike from scratch, give down tubies a consideration. I think you will be surprised how you will not really miss the brifter. I know I’ll continue to enjoy my “down grade” as I pedal my soul rides.

UPDATE/ADDITIONAL INFO: One of our readers reminded me that friction shifting is not a good match for the modern 10 speed drive train. The cable pulls are so small that it is too easy to overshoot the shift and can be difficult to keep the gear engaged. If you like the position of the down tube shifter and want to use a 10 speed system, Shimano still makes a down tube shifter for 10 speed however it is index shifting only, i.e. clicking through a pre-designed shift. So stick to 9 speed or lower with friction shifting.

For those running a 10 speed system, friction shifting is no longer a viable option, but you can still get the cost/weight advantage of down tube shifters with Shimano 9 and 10 speed index shifters.

Want easier access to your friction shifter? Bar end shifters like these are a good option.

My experience:

Function: 5/5

Style: 3/5

Build Quality: 5/5

Overall: 5/5

Price: $229 ($199 for a limited time directly from Dynamic Bicycles, 1-800-935-9553)

Summary

The Versa integrated road bar shifter/brake levers are a well made, nearly flawless solution for those wanting to run a Shimano 8 speed Nexus or Alfine hub on their road bike. While the up shifts take a bit more effort than conventional shifters, the shifting itself is smooth and sure. The only performance issue with the system is the hubs, not the shifter. Since a wide range is covered by the 8 speeds, it can be difficult to find the optimum gears for your normal cadence at cruising speed. The internally geared hubs are also heavier than traditional derailleur/hub combos.

Overview

Back in February of this year, Dynamic Bicycles sent demo versions of their Synergy road bike for several sites to review. The Synergy was the first mass produced road bike to be built specifically for Shimano’s 8 speed internally geared hubs. The advantage of this hub is that you have no external derailleur for a solution that is low maintenance and clean looking. The Versa Shifter/Brake Levers make this possible on a road bike with throw ratios that are compatible with Shimano 8 speed Nexus and Alfine hubs. Initially offered only on the Synergy, Dynamic became the U.S. distributor for the Versa shifter offering it as an after market upgrade, initially directly to customers and eventually via local bike shops. I received a set fromthe first batch set out to customers in late June and installed the shifter/brake levers on my Ritchey Breakaway cyclocross bike. I took this on vacation to Seattle where I put the system to the test.

Style and Build Quality

The Versa shifter is advertised as coming in Silver or Black, but only the black version was available at the time they were ready to ship. The overall look and build quality is high. They feel like solid parts that will hold up to repeated use. The shifter cable on the right side comes out of the side with a barrel adjuster like Shimano systems while the brake cables are routed under the bar tape. This system assumes no front derailleur so there is no shifter on the left side.

The design of the hoods is similar to Shimano STI. This means they jut out quite a bit from the bar although the top is not as bulbous. I normally ride pre-2009 Campy shifters so I was not as used to this design and found them uncomfortable on longer rides. If you ride Shimano STI without complaint, you’ll be able to set these up similarly without problem. The brake levers also angle outward rather than straight up and down. This took a little getting used to on my traditional round bend drops but is less noticeable on drops with the ergonomic bend.

Function

I rode about 150 miles in Seattle with this system including over 2000 feet of climbing. The shifting worked well with no missed shifts even under load. The up shifts take a little more effort similar to up shifts on Sora level shifters or Campy front derailleur shifts. This was not a noticeable problem for me, but if you want ultra light shifting action, look elsewhere.

I only had a Nexus hub on hand and was concerned that it would not perform well under load, i.e. out of the saddle climbing or sprinting. The hub held up fine with a solid feel. My largest issue with the hub is gear spacing, part of the limitations of the system. I set up my drive-train with a 21 T cog in the back and 48 T crank. Since you are fitting eight gears in the range equivalent to a compact crank, the jumps between gears are quite a bit larger than I was used to on road drive-trains. On the flats, I struggled to find just the right gearing bouncing between mashing and insanely fast spinning. This would not be too much of an issue for general commuting, but I think it could be problematic for longer riding.

The other issue for some with this system is weight. The internally geared hubs add a couple pounds to your bike compared to high end derailleurs and hubs. This weight was not noticeable on the ride, but it definitely was noticeable when you picked up the bike. If you are a weight weenie or have to carry your bike regularly up stairs, this is probably not your system. If you already ride a bike loaded or with a backpack, you’ll likely not notice much difference. On my steel bike with this hub, I was able to keep up with my brother on his super light aluminum Cannondale on all the climbs. You can save a little weight with the Alfine as it is built for a 32 spoke wheel over the Nexus 36 spokes. The Alfine is also supposed to shift smoother and quieter and roll more efficiently.

Installing the shifter is the same as any STI shifter and setting up the internal hub is much easier than dialing in a derailleur. Just put the shifter in four gear and adjust the barrel until two yellow lines line up on the hub. One thing to keep in mind is that you likely will need a chain tensioner if your bike has vertical dropouts. Since you don’t have a derailleur, the chain needs to be tensioned by position of the hub with horizontal dropouts or with a tensioner. Of course, you could get lucky like me. I had ordered a tensioner that did not come in before my trip, but when I put the chain on, it just happened to fit close to perfectly.

Conclusion

The internally geared hub offers a compelling option for those wanting the clean look of a single speed with a low maintenance wide range shifting system. The Versa shifter is a welcome addition that allows bikes with road drops to elegantly use this system. While I would probably not race or do long touring with an internal hub, this would definitely be a great option for a fast commuter or around town bike, possibly the odd cyclocross race. I am in the process of building a light touring/road bike for Marcus with my current Versa set, but plan on getting another for myself soon.

This box arrived just in time for Father's Day

In the last few months, I’ve written with great excitement about the introduction of the Versa Road Shifter, a STI style integrated brake/shifter for road drops with the pull ratios to be compatible with Shimano’s 8 speed Nexus and Alfine internal hubs. I’m a big fan of internal hubs for transportation bikes since they are relatively maintenance free and a lot less finicky than traditional derailleurs. These shifters plus the Jtek barend shifter allows road bike owners to get in on the internally geared action.

Dynamic Bikes is the U.S. distributor of the Versa Road Shifter and recently introduced and is shipping the Synergy, the first road bike sold built with this system. They are currently selling the shifters at a discount directly to the public until they finish establishing U.S. distribution to local bike shops. I ordered a set for myself in May which just arrived late last week. 

They look good, but I was only able to get them with black levels right now. Look for an upcoming full review in mid July.

The look and build quality of the levels appear to be good at first glance. I had wanted the version with silver levers as I am a bit of a retro grouch when it comes to the look of components. Unfortunately, Dynamic let me know they have only been sent black lever versions so far. This is a trend I’ve run into with other components. Powder coat black must be all the rage in Taiwan and China, but I’m not big on the look. I really wanted to get a pair of these to test, so I decide not to wait for silver.

I’ll be putting these on a cyclocross frame to test out over the next few weeks (I think cyclocross might be another good use for these.) Look for an upcoming review in July and if things go well equipped on a custom randonneuring frame I’m building for Marcus.