Shimano CUES provides a particular shiny silver version, good for cyclists hoping for a extra elegant look to their subsequent inexpensive bike construct. Not confined to costly restricted version parts, polished silver Cues guarantees strong efficiency with out breaking the financial institution. And whereas it’s technically billed as 1×10-speed, the majority of the particular silver elements may very well be run as 11-speed, too!
The Japanese part producer calls it a “homage to Shimano’s century-long heritage of metalworking excellence“. However I name it one other return to basic biking beauty.
Shimano CUES polished silver 1×10 drop bar groupset
Similar to we noticed with shiny silver GRX for gravel a couple of years again, and extra just lately with SRAM’s top-tier silver 1987 mountain bike groupset, drivetrain makers are realizing that someday cyclists need one thing apart from matte-on-shiny black-on-black aesthetics. However what’s particularly notable right here is that Shimano Cues is definitely inexpensive.
A full Cues 1x dropbar highway or gravel setup usually prices underneath $900, together with levers, hydraulic brakes, rotors, crankset, rear derailleur, cassette, and chain. (For comparability, that’s lower than the one new Campy Extremely carbon chainring and ti cassette that simply launched immediately.)
And whereas Shimano is hyping this particular version as a 10-speed setup, if you choose an ordinary collection LinkGlide cassette, you may additionally go 11-speed, too!
All that’s modified is that Shimano has polished the aluminum crankarms, spider, brake levers, brake calipers, derailleur physique, and hubs. Then, they get a transparent anodized end to remain shiny and silver.
Shimano solely provides the U6000 1×10-speed parts that polished end – plus a particular silver-plated CS-LG400-10 LinkGlide 10-speed cassette. However the coronary heart of Shimano Cues has at all times been a few mix-and-match method to drivetrain.
So there nonetheless are loads of prospects for largely silver part builds, together with each hydraulic and mechanical brake setups. And when you’re prepared to stay with an everyday black CS-LG400-11 cassette, you may as well go 11-speed.
Which Cues parts get a cultured silver particular version?
The core of the polished silver Cues groupset is a 1x10sp mechanical shift, hydraulic disc brake drop bar construct. However it goes a bit additional than that when you look intently.
10-speed or 11-speed because of Cues + LinkGlide modularity
That begins with a set of twin management levers (ST-U6030) matched to flat mount calipers (BR-U6030). Technically, these levers will work with each 10-speed and 11-speed Cue drivetrains matched to the suitable cassette. And so they designed the brake calipers for 160mm rotors with out adapters. No particular rotors wanted, as all however Dura-Ace degree are largely silver anyway.
Subsequent up, Shimano provides the particular polished silver Cues rear derailleur. This one (RD-U6000) can also be prepared for 10sp or 11sp, as much as a 50T cog. Solely the higher b-knuckle and outer parallelogram hyperlink get polished, with the p-knuckle clutch and cage nonetheless black. Identical for the silver Cues cranks (FC-U6030-1) – they get polished arms (170, 172.5, or 175mm) and spider. However the 40T or 42T chainring stays black, as does the matching detachable chain guard that’s distinctive to the 40T model of this silver particular version.
10-speed solely, however just for the silver cassette
The silver chrome-plated LinkGlide cassette (CS-LG400-10) is the one actually 10-speed particular part within the polished silver particular version. Solely the 11-48T possibility is available in silver, however you may at all times swap in an 11-45T or 11-50T in black when you needed to go 11-speed.
There are additionally a set of silver centerlock disc brake hubs (HB / FH-QC400), however they’re solely out there with fast releases and 100/135mm spacing. Fortunately, loads of different nice silver hubs can be found to custom-build wheels. And when you look arduous, yow will discover some good all silver wheels for lots of various trendy bike builds, too, simply none from Shimano.
Mechanical disc brakes when you’re into that
If you would like a mechanical disc brake setup, Shimano does have a set of drop bar shift levers for that. However the ST-U3030 twin controls are literally 10-speed solely. And the left lever is with no shifter, so no entrance derailleur possibility both. Shimano does make their put up mount BR-M375 mechanical disc brake calipers in silver, however they don’t seem to be practically as good because the Cues hydro possibility. Perhaps V-brakes could be higher?
Formally, all of those polished silver elements are particular editions. Shimano didn’t name them restricted editions, and so they have merely added a silver possibility to every respective part of their line-up. However we anticipate that they might be considerably in restricted provide, relying the way you supply Cues parts both on-line or by way of your native bikeshop.
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