so - i have Ultegra combined brake/shifters on my road bike.  the right one is broken, it doesn't shift very well, and the bike shop says they can't do anything for it...so i probably need a new one (it's kind of usable, but it doesn't shift into high gears very well)

so do I get more ultegra ones, are there brake levers that will be better for my little hands?  i have heard some of you lot recommending changing bars to help brake reach - is this just for when you are on the drops?  as i mostly find them too big when i am riding on the hoods? i have been meaning to try out some of these shim things you can get for a while, but just thought i would ask if people think i should get the same again brake/shifter wise?  god i am so fed up, everything is broken at the moment

LA - if Claire doesn't want them, I'm interested. 

Slid off my bike on the way to work last week and bust the brake/gear lever.  Same story - bike shop can't fix it and I'd have to buy a new pair of levers - they aren't cheap! 

I'm resorting to singlespeeding at the moment whilst waiting for hubbie to try taking it apart and fixing it.

If you are finding them too big when you are on the tops it could be that the overall reach is too much. You could try -

getting a shorter stem

narrower/smaller bars

moving hoods closer to you

And/or you could replace with Campag  I find the hoods are much less bulky than Shimano

 Tigger -  email me on lesleyauchterlonie@hotmail.com 

 Daphne - agree with the campag - much more comfortable for small hands IMO but then I have campag on my road bikes and cross bike - hence the shimano bits for sale!!!

cheers LA, sorry for not responding before, I think I want them to match, and as I only need a right one, think I will try and find an ultegra right shifter 2nd hand somewhere.  Don't think i can afford to shift to campag really (also would probably confuse myself with what bits go with others as well - me and road bike maintenance/knowledge don't really go well together!)

hope tigger wants them!

Adam here, mobile technical library . 

You can get short reach levers which are Ultegra Spec. (ST-R600) whci are desined for small hands.  You can also get short drop shorter reach bars as well which Alice hasgot on here road bike. Might be worth visiting a more roady shop like Tony Butterworths or Bob Jackson how do custom frames so havemassive knowledge base of what fits falk best.

http://cycle.shimano-eu.com/catalog/cycle/products/component.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441763171&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302049897&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395181667&bmUID=1201283444454

Hi sorry for reviving this thread.  Am so crap have been watching out for 2nd hand shifters on ebay but they all seem to go for very expensive, so I thought I would look into getting the short reach levers new as I am figuring I might as well get something that improves my bike for me while having to shell out lots of money for shifters.

However the Ultegra 10 spd shifters ST-R700 say " Front double/triple compatible design. (Use with only FD-5600 for double)" where the FD-5600 seems to be the 105 front derailleur.  I think my front derailleur is ultegra, so will this not work?

Whereas the normal shifters come in either double or triple compatible pairs.  I am a bit worried about this double/triple compatible design thing!  Does anyone know?

Sorry I am bit thick on road bike stuff! 

I have the R700 shifters on my bike.  They are great for small hands are definately double and triple compatible and work with Ultegra front derailleurs.

 I love them!