For much of the last week, I’ve been ‘building’ bikes at the shop, and I’m excited to say that more of them had Shimano CUES drivetrains than not. Mostly CUES U4000 setups, like the one the Clairebarian has been running on Project Blue ’92. I am so damn stoked about the shifting upgrade that purchasers of these bikes are going to be enjoying this year. CUES is finally here!

Yes, U4000 is the most basic clutch-less derailleur setup but let’s consider it’s replacing budget 2x builds* on basic hardtails and commuter rigs, and bringing awesome LinkGlide shifting to entry-level eebs that were eating legacy drivetrains. U4000, while a bit clanky offroad, has even been engineered to help maximize chain retention despite not coming equipped with a friction clutch to control derailleur cage movement. 

*{I’m a fan of front derailleurs for many applications, but 1x rocks for new riders, all-weather commuters, and any application where chain retention is a concern.}

And, of course, since it’s within the Shimano LinkGlide community* in the future there are upgrade options that exist with the potential for a U6000, Deore M5130, or even XT M8130 clutch-equipped rear derailleur should the ride desire a quieter off-pavement experience. 

*{I strongly dislike the term ‘ecosystem’ so I’m trying out alternatives.}

To tackle it another way, CUES U4000 is coming on rigs that sell for sub 1K CAD, and up. In a shop that occasionally sells derailleurs for almost a grand {over one thousand Canuck Bucks once you add the required battery}, I think getting into a LinkGlide shifting setup at this price point is rad. 

I should probably jump back here and explain what LinkGlide is to folks who may not be familiar. For 2023/24 Shimano launched a new drivetrain community where from this most basic U4000 setup through Shimano XT M8130 the cable-pull ratios would be consistent. In turn, returning their cable-actuated drivetrain world to the ’90s where interchangeability reigned supreme. 

On hand chez MEATengines we have a 9-speed CUES U4000 setup, 10-speed CUES U6000 setup, and 11-speed XT M8130 setups that are all interchangeable. They require wider, longer wearing, LinkGlide cassette cogs {11-speeds take up the same real estate as 12-speeds worth of HG+ cogs}, and the whole system is built around 11-speed chains because they had the best wear and surface contact of existing chains. 

[Aside] For the curious, here’s some of my past scribbling about Shimano CUES & LinkGlide:

• Gambling on the Retrogrouch – Shimano XT LinkGlide M8130 (NSMB)
• CUES & the Great Shimano LinkGlide Reset (BikeMag)
• Tilting At Windmills – CUES Pews and the Battery Blues (BikeMag)
• Happy CUES Day (NSMB)
• SBTISAOAF, May 24th (MEATengines)
• More Precise, Less Fast; More Fast, Less Precise (MEATengines)
• DOES THE FUTURE HAVE FEWER GEARS PT IX – Shimano Inadvertently Upgrades Friction Shifting (NSMB) [/Aside]

I am happy to say this is off-brand, but as a mechanic, I am so excited about less-expensive e-bikes coming with CUES U4000 & U6000 drivetrains rather than a hodge-podge of Shimano Acera, Alivio, and Deore HG, or way worse yet, SRAM SX*.

*{I maintain that SRAM should force all their engineers and product managers to ride SX-equipped bikes for a year. The ones that don’t quit in protest will undoubtedly drive the brand to make a worthy more-budget-friendly drivetrain.} 

LinkGlide can take those huge pedal-assisted-motor hero shifts and survive. Actually, thrive. It shifts fantastically under load. And, key for budget-friendlier bikes, the most important thing about the LG tech is it’s all about the cassette. Any narrow-wide ring and any 11-speed chain are compatible, which opens up a lot of, non-Shimano, budget-focused crank options for product managers.

If building a bunch of CUES U4000 & U6000 bikes this year is a giant joy for me, I have an exciting aside as well. I was putting together a rig today that came spec. with a tool-free travel-adjustable PNW Loam Dropper Post & Remote. 

I think Aaron, Emily, and the team at PNW make excellent value products that are doubly so thanks to fantastic customer service. They’re renowned for being especially nice folks too. I know it’s a big step to be supporting OE products, especially through a bunch of Specialized’s key ‘Expert’ level models. 

I reached out to Aaron for a comment and they’re excited about the potential validation with retailers and the international reach. In fact, he didn’t just say they’re stoked, they’re “very stoked.” Ha. It’s nice to see nice folks’ nice products coming on bikes. 

{Drewitors note: my most recent PNW experience is with their best-on-a-budget Range dropper package – post and remote.}

Yes, I’m always happy to have the argument in favour of more boutique fully rebuildable, all-the-small-parts, options like the BikeYoke ReVive or Wolf Tooth Resolve dropper post. But, in this case, PNW is jumping into the void left by OneUp being swallowed by the PON Stars and some brands choosing to no longer spec their products {that’s the politics of bike spec}. 

[Aside] On the subject of PNW, I have one of their new 50mm rise -10° rise bars but it’s 35mm instead of 31.8mm, and, unsurprisingly, I don’t own any 35mm stems. I have piles of hours on the lower rise 31.8mm model, so once I sort out a stem I’ll write something comparative about the new 50mm option as well. [/Aside]

{Check out Lucinda’s first look at the PNW 27.2 Rainer dropper post.}

Okay, so that’s it for Monday Musings, but if you’re so inclined (and trying to highlight-reel-only the actual news like I am) check back this week for the Tall(er) Stack Conspiracy, If You Read One Thing About Eebs, and a very special (to me) SBTISAOAF for February 21st.

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