Shimano officially launches entry-level CUES groupsets for drop bar road and gravel bikes, including 9, 10 and 11-speed options "at a reasonable price point"

At the end of last year, Shimano hinted at a new entry-level CUES drop bar groupset and it has now officially launched, which would appear to consign Claris, Sora and Tiagra groupsets to history. The range offers two levels for 9-, 10-, and 11-speed drivetrains, with options for hydraulic or mechanical disc brakes, and both series are available in 1x and 2x configurations. Additionally, Shimano has expanded its ESSA range to support drop bar 8-speed drivetrains. 

Shimano CUES was launched somewhat mysteriously in 2023, promising to offer riders cross-compatible groupsets for city, touring and mountain bikes. The aim was to eventually consolidate its lower-end Claris, Sora and Tiagra groupsets under one product family on the road/drop bar side, although the switch has been pretty steady so far. It was months after the announcement that we actually saw CUES in the flesh, and bikes with CUES-branded components only started trickling through in 2024. 

For a long time CUES was only available for flat bar bikes (primarily replacing Altus, Acera, Alivio and Deore-branded components) with a leak showing it on a drop bar bike in late 2024. Now we've finally got proper confirmation that CUES for drop bars is here. It slots in between the more premium GRX offering and the new entry-level ESSA drop bar groupset.

Targeted at "recreational road and gravel riding," Shimano promises that the drop bar versions deliver the same durable, smooth drivetrain performance as their flat bar counterparts.

Cross-compatibility 

The flat bar Shimano CUES series includes four groupsets at three levels:

• U8000 series: 11-speed
• U6000 series: 11-speed and 10-speed
• U4000 series: 9-speed 

And the new drop bar CUES lineup includes three groupsets at two levels:

• U6000 series: 11-speed and 10-speed hydraulic disc brakes
• U3000 series: 9-speed mechanical disc brakes 

Shimano CUES components are designed with cross-compatibility in mind. The rear derailleurs, cassettes and chains are the same across both the flat bar and drop bar lineups, which is a positive for those who want to see more compatibility across groupsets. Shimano says that this "reduces shop inventory needs and simplifies the servicing process for mid-tier bikes". 

U6000 series

> What is Shimano CUES? Everything we know so far about Shimano's new entry-level components range

The Shimano CUES 6000 series includes 10- and 11-speed components with hydraulic disc brakes, designed to offer "smooth shifting with superior chain retention". This series is available in both 1x and 2x setups. 

Typically, technological advancements have happened to the highest-spec groupsets like Dura-Ace and Ultegra, and then trickled down through the ecosystem over the years. However, all CUES groupsets use the same fundamental technology called Linkglide, which is integrated into the cassettes.

The new components in the U6000 series for drop-bar bikes include:

Shifters

• U6030 hydraulic dual control levers 10/11-speed (£189.99-£199.99) 
  • ​Designed with trickle down tech from Shimano's high-performance road models
  • Shortened lever design which is said to cater to riders with a wide range of hand sizes

Cranksets 

• U6040-2 hollowtech II crankset 2x 10/9-speed (£119.99)
  • Chainring options: 46-32T, 50-34T
  • Crankarm lengths: 170mm, 172.5mm, 175mm
• ​U6040-1 hollowtech II crankset 1x 11/10/9-speed (£109.99)
  • Chainring options: 40T, 42T
  • Crankarm lengths: 170mm, 172.5mm, 175mm
  • Dynamic Chain Engagement+ 

• U6030-2 2-piece crankset 2x 10/9-speed (£99.99) 
  • Chainring options: 46-32T, 50-34T
  • Crankarm lengths: 165mm, 170mm, 172.5mm, 175mm​
• U6030-1 2-Piece Crankset 1x 11/10/9-speed (£69.99) 
  • Chainring options: 40T, 42T
  • Crankarm lengths: 165mm, 170mm, 172.5mm, 175mm
  • Dynamic Chain Engagement+ 

Front derailleur 

• U6030 front derailleur 2x 10/9-speed (£29.99) 
  • ​One front derailleur is compatible with all Shimano CUES drop bar bikes 

Brake calliper 

• U6030 flat mount hydraulic disc brake caliper 
  • ​Specifically designed for 160mm rotors

U3000 series

> Your complete guide to Shimano road bike groupsets

While the flat bar Shimano CUES range only offers hydraulic disc brake options, the drop-bar version introduces a mechanical disc brake choice. The Shimano CUES 3000 series for 9- and 10-speed drivetrains includes mechanical disc brakes, designed for "increased reliability and worry-free maintenance". 

The 3000 series components are: 

• U3030 mechanical dual control lever 10/9-speed (£99.99)
• U3030-L brake lever for single cranksets (£99.99) 

Like the flat bar options, every Shimano CUES groupset is designed to use an 11-speed chain, meaning all of the cassettes have the same spacing between the sprockets. 

More CUES products 

Shimano has also added small-wheel bike components to the CUES ecosystem, with a dedicated rear derailleur and rotor for compact frames. 

8-speed Shimano ESSA joins CUES in coming to drop bars

Alongside the introduction of CUES for drop bars, Shimano has expanded its ESSA range - originally launched last year as an affordable component system for MTB, fitness and city bikes - to include compatibility with drop bar 8-speed drivetrains. 

"Based on the existing Hyperglide platform, ESSA will seamlessly integrate with the existing Shimano branded products in that range, which will make life easier for bike retailers and cycling enthusiasts alike", says Shimano.  

Here are the new components: 

• U2030 dual control lever 8-speed
• U2030-L brake lever for single cranksets
• HG300 HG 8-speed cassette (11-45T) 

At the time of writing, we don't have any pricing information for the ESSA drop-bar options but you can check out Shimano's website for more details and we'll update this article when we have more information. 

What about Claris, Sora and Tiagra? 

RIP Sora, hello CUES

Although Shimano hasn't explicitly said so yet, the official release of CUES for drop bars appears to all but confirm that it's the end of the road for 8-speed Claris, 9-speed Sora and 10-speed Tiagra-branded components. That said, Shimano's EU website still displays information for all three of these product families alongside the new CUES groupsets, listing all of its drop bar groupset offerings in this order: Dura-Ace, Ultegra, Shimano 105, Tiagra, Sora, Claris, CUES. If the aim with CUES was to simplify then this ain't it at the time of writing, but we expect Shimano's website to be updated in due course. 

It could also be a while before overstock built up in the aftermath of the bike industry's pandemic-fuelled boom and bust situation is cleared, and indeed, a quick internet search will tell you that there are still plenty of bikes around (some significantly discounted) dressed with the outgoing groupsets. 

Of course, we'll be looking to review the CUES and ESSA groupsets in full in the coming months to see if they offer the simplicity, reliability and value we've been promised.