New Shimano 8 speed groupset with brifters.

[Retrorockit]

Shimano has a new budget 8 speed entry level groupset for gravel, trail, and light mtb/ touring use.
The cassette is 11-45t 8 speed 11,13,15,18,22,27,35,45t.
The derailleur is a GS cage Shadow derailleur (not Shadow+) but has a "clutch type" feature. I don't think there is a lever.
There is also an 8 speed drop barbrake/ shifter with classic HG cable pull (not CUES) and cable brakes. So none of that silly hydraulic crap.
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/shimano-releases-new-drivetrain-with-8-gears.html

 

[ishaw]

What is this witchcraft?

Next they will add a double then triple ring, 9sp and the circle will be complete.

They sounded a bit Darth Vader.

 

[Retrorockit]

It's Deja Voodoo.

 

[Frankenorange]

Probably doing triple chainsets now as this was new at the end of '23 and available spring '24.

 

[Retrorockit]

It's not available in the US yet. It seems we're actually more retro than you are. I'm trying to buy some for my Ebike.

 

[Tootyred]

So..shimano are only making Cues for lower end from now on...oh.....apart from this stuff?

They need to decide what that are actually doing! Preferably incuding stopping making rubbish and go back to some decent quality parts.

 

[Retrorockit]

The US Shimano site says it's NEW. I did see it offered at Rivendell, Hogwarts, and other UK,EU, and CA vendors. I had no idea it had been out for over a year. Most US vendors seem to be unaware of it.
I have experience with the 11-40t version of this cassette. I also have experience with the Sunrace offering.
The Shimano is "less" crap because they took the time to make some evenly spaced ratios instead of just using existing cogs from an 11-32.
It also has the 2 largest cogs riveted together with a spacer between them. This shares the load on the freewheel splines.
On my 1500W urban Ebike this adds up to a very useful cassette, and at a price I can justify replacing it with every chain swap.
The 45t bottom cog would allow me to go slower around pedestrians.

 

[Tootyred]

I assume these have their new raised height thicker base teeth...in a bid to stop the cassette wearing out on an e bike in 300 miles.

Im told the shifting suffers badly as a result....has anybody tried this revolutionary old skool cog profile?

Nothing like some backwards to go forwards.

 

[hamster]

As far as I can see its main advantage is a short cage mech that can handle big cassettes and still be compatible with road 7/8/9/10. It might be handy on my folder. SRAM mechs also can do something similar (11-40 is a stock 9s cassette from them).

However 11-45 sounds like horrible jumps between gears - maybe OK on an eBike though.

 

[Retrorockit]

The gear splits are similar in percentage as much as possible. Closer ones result in either double upshifts, or wasted time making extra shifts and cutting power to do so. The 3-8 gears are the same between to 11-40, and the 11-45t. With a 50t ring these are the road gears. Only the 2 lowest gears are wider. The cable pull will be wrong for 10s. It does add a clutch feature that didn't start until 10s. So that's new for 8s. This with wide narrow rings helps with chain retention. This is important to me because I run a front freewheel mod on the Ebike. But there's not much in it for a pedal bike. The motor can still handle double shifts, but the gear splits provide a useful selection of cadence for any cruising speed
I follow Zero Friction Cycling's advice on lubrication (Efffetto Mariposa drip wax suits me) and wear seems "acceptable" to me. But it's a fact of life running bicycle parts in moped service.
FWIW the Zee M640 can run up to 11-42t with an SS cage on a Hardtail. It has a clutch and can run 8s with Sram 1:1 shifters.
So there are other options for this.