It has been my good fortune to have found, built and ridden, hundreds of decent old road bicycles, in the past ten, or so, years.  And, many of them have offered wonderful ride feel and quality.  However, I have come to believe one thing - newer technology offers much greater "user friendly" quality!

Brifters, the combination of Brakes and Shifters, is technology's answer to the age old dilemma of having to remove one's hands, from the handlebars, to impart gear changes.  This suggests a moment of danger, when the rider's balance is negatively impacted, however small the impact might be.  This is the one moment when a rider, particularly an inexperienced one, will choose to look down,  intending to ensure that the shift is implemented properly.  This is the one moment, when eyes, and at least one hand, are off of the road and bars, respectively.  This is dangerous!

Brifters are the perfect answer to the shifting needs of the modern road bicycle.  They not only work better, than the Old School systems, but they are also far more comfortable to hold during the ride.  I, personally, have no problem riding the hoods on the Squadra but that is the only bicycle of all in my collection that I can say that about.  It was, I should add, also true of my eighties something Proctor Townsend, that I used to ride.

Braking and shifting, far out perform any Old School stopping or gear changing systems encountered.  The brake levers are easy to reach and even easier to pull, offering powerful slow down action thanks to the wonderful Shimano 105 callipers.

Shifting is very positive and easy to implement.  A click is all it takes to go up or down, on the gearing scale.  To date, no shifts have been missed, however, one must remember, the bicycle's abilities are rarely, if ever, taxed by an old rider, like myself.

And, while on the subject of the transmission, the gear range goes beyond perfect for an older rider, like myself.  The fairly wide nine speed free hub, coupled with the wonderful triple ring cranks set offers a very wide range of gearing, allowing me to best any hill in Thunder Bay - except Dufferin Street.  Now that is not a hill - it is a cliff!

As reported, everything works so well on the bicycle.  The degree of user friendliness, coupled with the famous Marinoni ride quality of their lugged steel bikes, makes riding this wonderful, not so old, Marinoni Squadra a treat to ride, and ride and ride.

I still like my older bicycles better than this far more modern road bike.  But I do not like riding any of them as much as I do the Squadra.  In fact, I like riding the Squadra so much, that I hope to make my Junk Bike a Brifter equipped ride this year.  And, I almost have all of the components to make it happen!