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New dropbar-flavoured Shimano CUES and Shimano ESSA product series announced. The news includes the launch of Shimano CUES U6000, U3000 and Shimano ES ...
By ben_haworth
Get the full story here:
https://singletrackmag.com/gritcx/2025/01/dropbar-options-added-to-shimano-cues/
That table isn't compatible with the website phone layout. Scrooooooooooooooooooooooling
No 2x11 ? Looks like you can finally put together a genuinely wide range Shimano drop bar set up for gravel, touring and off road bike packing - 10 speed 32/46 with a 11-48 cassette would be my choice. No cheap at list I'm sure it will be available much cheaper
The empire strikes back against Microshift?
No 2×11 ?
You've got GRX for that.
Interestingly 9 speed doesn't get hydraulic levers.
All this intercompatibility is great,
Have you looked at the actual CUES range of parts? soooo many options and ways to combine stuff that apparently doesn't quite work.
It's good they released the drop bar levers (finally), it does box you into CUES though, different cable pull to the road/gravel/MTB* groups above and to ESSA below.
I've just learned ESSA apparently uses the old 2:1 cable pull I'm tempted to try an ESSA mech with a pair of old 10 speed levers I have just to see how viable it is.
(*Allegedly people have persuaded CUES parts to work with microshift sword)
Still quite large front chainrings.
Even with 2x10 wide range it's a higher ratio than my SRAM 2x10...
You’d have the option of the Cues MTB/flat bar oriented doubles too which have far lower tooth counts.
They’ve basically got road compact, gravel and MTB double ratio options.
Good point.
For a gravel / all surfaces tourer there's the possibility of drop bar shifters, flat bar cranks, wide range MTB cassette and derailleur, all in a nice 2x10 with hydro calipers taken from anywhere in the Shimano MTB range....
I recently bought a Wolftooth Tanpan so that I can use existing Ultegra 11 speed shifters with mtb cassette and rear mech which I have in my spares box. It looks like a very simple mechanism to convert the pull ratio. I haven't fitted it yet so can't comment on how it performs, but I am hoping it is a cheaper option to get lower gears for touring.
Cues has longevity benefits too.
Got a Tanpan on an old XTR 11 Spd mech with GRX shifters - works fine.
Looks brilliant for OE speccing, and that's surely where they're expecting 99% of it to go.