Shimano replaces three low end groupsets with one new one..

[FluffyChicken]

Shimano is replacing three budget groupsets of Alivio, Acera, Altus* etc with one new groupset.
Cues.

Except this is actually three new groupsets. Just sharing the same name and a number for the range. Doh!

It will be useful if they make this the across budget groupset for all bikes, scraping the road vs mtb and a bit in the middle mess we have now.

Anyway, the main reason for pointing it out is buying your 9 speed cassette are going to be wrong the future.

Shimano Cues kills off Alivio, Acera and Altus, with Tiagra to be phased out

New 9-, 10- and 11-speed drivetrain components replace all of Shimano's low-tier components, simplifying specs and boosting compatibility

www.bikeradar.com

And this is likely to be the keep the old bike going groupset.

*Of course many of us know these correctly as the Exage groupsets, be it Mountain LX or 300LX

 

[hamster]

Hmmm, note that the cable pull ratio is standard across speeds - implying that there is no backward compatibility with anything else. As an 11 speed shifter can run 9 speed in the new system, the cassettes must all be 11 speed spaced but simply missing a sprocket or two.
Note also that cassettes therefore aren't compatible with past stuff.

Come back SRAM, all is forgiven?

 

[Woz]

It's been a mess for umpteen years, and I've never understood how they can support umpteen gruppos and not recognise bleeding edges between MTB and Road. It will be interesting to see where this stuff is made. Tiagra was for the most part made in Japan and the quality made it a great work horse gruppo.

 

[Woz]

Hmmm, note that the cable pull ratio is standard across speeds - implying that there is no backward compatibility with anything else. As an 11 speed shifter can run 9 speed in the new system, the cassettes must all be 11 speed spaced but simply missing a sprocket or two.
Note also that cassettes therefore aren't compatible with past stuff.

Come back SRAM, all is forgiven?

..... are you saying we are going to be pissed about again?

 

[Chopper the ex Copper]

Looks to me as if they're simplifying and aligning the names of the the product rather than much in the way of physical change. The bit about Tiagra seems to be speculation more than anything substantive at the moment.

I love Tiagra, proper workmanlike gear and decent prices, over the last decade its been aesthetically pleasing too, and the longer level throw really suits my big hands far better than 105.

 

[markoc]

I really like the Tiagra kit I have on my RX9 totally agree on the blend of functionality and good looks. Always thought of it a bit like STX-RC; really punching above its weight.

 

[synchronicity]

Terrible name. Horrible.

 

[nickyburnell]

Cue (sorry) some cheap groupsets on the market soon. Claris, Sora and Tiagra at sub current very low 105 prices.

So maybe the leaked 105 12 mechanical won't happen, with a CUE 11 speed?

 

[Titiritero]

I think the title in BikeRadar might be misleading. If the new groupset only goes down to 9, there is still a huge market left on the 8 and 7 speed bikes. And we are not talking only supermarket bikes, but every year Trek or Specialized sell millions of their base models Marlin or Rockhopper in the cheapest option, as that is the most many people are willing to invest on a bike. So unless Tourney becomes the base groupset covering the 6/7/8 speed market, there will still be a need for Altus and Acera...

And if the new groupset is not backwards compatible, they are coming a little late, as there are billions of bikes still running on 7/8/9 speed groupsets that will need to be serviced in the coming 10/15 years, so in the end shops will have to keep stock on both "systems" anyway. And if Shimano doesn't care, Sunrace and Microshift will be more than willing to cover the niche...

 

[jonnyboy666]

i have looked at a few videos etc about this, the one thing that i like is that they are looking to replace claris/sora and tiagra as well, the idea being that all the cable pull ratios are the same so you can mix the mtb/road and hybrid groups are all cross compatible like they used to be, for example, want to run drop bar on an mtb? this can do it, want one chain that works on 9/10/11 speed, no problem, loads of double chainset options, from single ring to low ration double to higher ratio double, no problem, it all works together. i'll be seeing it in the flesh next friday at a trade show, so i'll try and get a bit more info.