Shifting from the drops works until you're grinding up a climb with your hands on the bar tops, reaching awkwardly for the STI levers. The Shimano SW-R9150 satellite shifters mount near the stem and give you shift access right where your thumbs naturally rest during seated climbing. The low-profile buttons sit close to the bar surface, and you can orient them for thumb or finger actuation depending on how you grip the tops. Installation uses zip-tied bar mounts with clip-in buttons, keeping everything secure while allowing repositioning if your preferences change.

Each shifter connects to an E-Tube port on the corresponding STI lever via a 261mm cable with a male connector. The left shifter plugs into the left lever, right into right. Since the SW-R9150 uses standard E-Tube ports rather than dedicated sprint shifter ports, compatibility extends beyond rim brake levers to hydraulic disc setups like the ST-R9170 and ST-R8070. The units are sealed against water infiltration, which matters when you're sweating on a climb or riding through rain.

Button function programming happens through the E-Tube Project app, and the options go beyond simple upshift and downshift assignments. You can set each button to move multiple cogs per press, control the front derailleur instead of the rear, or configure them to work with Shimano's Synchronized Shift mode. The firmware is updatable, so future compatibility and feature additions come through software rather than hardware replacement. Updating to firmware version 3.3.0 or newer even enables compatibility with 12-speed R9200 and R8100 systems when paired with the EW-AD305 adapter.... Read More