The Cues components already made their first appearance in summer 2022 - in the Di2 version. Now comes the second, cheaper version: the Cues groupset for shifting via cable. As with the Linkglide components at XT and Deore level, significantly more material is used for chains, cassettes and chainrings.

Internal Shimano tests are said to show that Linkglide cassettes are three times more durable in dirt-prone conditions than comparable Hypgerglide cassettes. Three times less wear means that the chain slips less, the drop in performance is lower and can therefore be ridden significantly longer before replacement is necessary. At the same time, Linkglide ensures a smooth and stable shifting function both when shifting up and down.

The teeth of the Linkglide cassettes have a shape that helps to reduce wear under high loads. A more robust and thicker base of the teeth reinforces the area where wear is most severe, while an equally modified shape of the tooth tips and special chamfers optimize the retention of the chain on the teeth and the easy release of the chain when rolling off.

In addition, the shifting aids have been optimized, allowing the chain to glide smoothly and jerk-free onto the larger or smaller sprocket when shifting up or down. This reduces the familiar shifting jerk, which is often accompanied by a certain latency until the power connection is re-established. This also maintains a smoother pedal stroke when shifting, which ultimately not only improves efficiency, but above all riding comfort and further contributes to reducing wear.

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