The Two Bicycles of Varonha.

Okay, sit down and listen here kids.

You like riding fixed? Dabbles with a lil single oh speed? Then downtube shifter is A Thing for you.

STI and all that fancy twee stuff are brilliant with ratios as tight as the Central in peak, however this inevitably mean you’ll get into the habit of changing gears all the times, maybe out of boredom, maybe want to experience what it like if you fiddle your cadence a bit, whatever float you.

The downtube shifter force you to stop changing your fucking gear all the times, you only need to pop down every once in a blue moon to changes gear, and with nominal ratio (I’m talking 2 teeth gap to 3, not straight block or Mount Fuji block), you get into a flexible cadence, just like your fixie skidder with too much brakes and mudguard.

Guess what? no big bill for you when you get it serviced with the chain barely showing wear.

You wanna relived pressure on your hand? reach down and have a fiddle, wanna slam from the 11t to the 28t faster than Dura Ace Di2 can do? You pull that shifter up to infinity, and beyond quicker than Buzz Lightyear can fly, you want to adjust the rubbing on the front shifter? Just gently coax it like you would your cap to the right angle that look good when piercing Mam Nick in February.

Put a good front chainset and you’ll end up not touching the small chainring, I’m talking 42/26, 44/28 or the partridge 46/30, none of those 50/34 bullshit that people wear out all the times because it look good going up Coldharbour, only for I to give them the Cold Shoulder when they ring it in for a service.

If you want the ultimate chainline on all ranges of gear? Get 10 speed shifter, take a 10 speed cassette and convert it to 7, with 13-28t and you’ll find it run smoother than an vintage '08 Clerkenwell Schooner with 48-19 and 23mm.

You can even get 11 speed by simply fitting the bar end shifter on the downtube with a downtube shim from another Shimano downtube shifters.

Wanna go faster downhill? well fuck luck to you.