IN BRIEF
Shimano is filling a gap in its entry-level offering: the CUES groupset, designed for beginner road and gravel riding, can now be built in 9-speed form with hydraulic disc brakes. Until now, this tier meant mechanical cable brakes. The brand is releasing a new drop-bar control — brake lever and shifter in one — compatible with single or double chainrings, built on its LinkGlide technology, known for its durability. The first prices announced, British ones, start at around £100.
| New product | 9-speed control with hydraulic braking (CUES range) |
| Part numbers | ST-U4030 (pair) · BL-U4030-L (lever only, single chainring) |
| Drivetrain | LinkGlide, 9-speed, single or double chainring |
| Braking | Hydraulic disc |
| Intended use | Road, gravel, allroad, entry-level drop-bar bikes |
| Price (UK) | Lever only £99.99 · pair £119.99 · with caliper £159.99–169.99 |
| Availability | Announced for “the coming weeks” (€ price not disclosed) |
On an entry-level road or gravel bike, the hydraulic disc brake has often remained a luxury. Shimano has just brought it within reach one rung lower: its CUES range, the most affordable of the brand’s drop-bar line-up, is finally getting 9-speed controls with hydraulic braking.
Hydraulic braking moves down a tier
Until now, fitting CUES to a drop bar meant making do with mechanical cable brakes. The new control changes that: it brings 9-speed shifting and hydraulic braking together in a single lever, available as a pair for double chainrings, or as a left-hand lever on its own for single-chainring drivetrains. Enough to fit new bikes — and a few home-built projects — with sharper, more consistent braking, without moving up the range.
LinkGlide, durability ahead of outright speed
CUES is built on LinkGlide technology, which Shimano sets against its usual Hyperglide. The idea: beefier tooth profiles that cope better with load and wear, at the cost of shifting that is “a little less snappy but more reliable”, according to the brand. A deliberate trade-off, cut out for everyday bikes, gravel and the kind of use that is hard on a drivetrain, rather than for gram-counting racing.
How much, and when
Shimano presents these controls as a way for them to “be offered at a more affordable price and adopted across a wider range of bikes”. On price, only the British figures are known: around £99.99 for the lever on its own, £119.99 for the pair of levers, and £159.99 to £169.99 with the calipers. The price in euros has not been announced yet. Availability is given as “in the coming weeks”, with one of the main British retailers currently listing the product as out of stock.
Less a revolution than a gap filled in the catalogue — but at the entry level, that is often where the real arguments are won.
