Short answer: Shimano CUES is the 2023 range that replaced Altus, Acera, Alivio, Deore HG and Shimano's trekking groups on hybrids, trekking bikes and entry mountain bikes. It comes in 9, 10 and 11-speed, every version uses Shimano's LinkGlide shifting and an 11-speed chain whatever the number of cogs, and it does not mix with older Hyperglide drivetrains. So CUES works with CUES, and with LinkGlide Deore and XT, but a single CUES part will not drop into an old Altus or Acera bike on its own.
Contents
- What CUES is, and what it replaced
- The CUES series
- LinkGlide, and why the chain is always 11-speed
- What works with what
- Replacing a worn Altus, Acera or Alivio part
- CUES on drop handlebars
- Upgrade paths
- CUES parts we list
- Frequently asked questions
- Working out what your bike has
What CUES is, and what it replaced
For years Shimano's non-racing drivetrains were a long list of separate groups: Tourney, Altus, Acera and Alivio on hybrids and entry mountain bikes, plus Deore and a dedicated trekking range above them. Each had its own speeds and quirks, and parts did not always cross between them.
CUES, launched in 2023, folds most of that into one family with a common shifting system. Together its series replace Altus, Acera, Alivio, the older Hyperglide version of Deore, and Shimano's trekking components.
That matters to you mainly in two situations. If you are buying a hybrid, trekking or entry mountain bike made from about 2024 onwards, there is a good chance it runs CUES. And if you own an older bike with Altus, Acera or Alivio and something wears out, the replacement Shimano points you to is increasingly CUES, which does not simply bolt on. Both are covered below.
The CUES series
| Series | Speeds | Intended use |
|---|---|---|
| U3000 | 9 | Entry level, basic city and hybrid bikes |
| U4000 | 9 | Casual and everyday riding, commuting |
| U6000 | 10 and 11 | Trail and sportier daily riding |
| U8000 | 11 | Trekking and urban, replacing the old trekking group |
The part codes follow a pattern once you know it. The prefix names the part, so RD is a rear derailleur, SL a shift lever, FD a front derailleur, FC a chainset and CS a cassette. Then U and the series number. RD-U4000 is a U4000 rear derailleur. Cassettes are the exception, coded by their LinkGlide level instead, such as CS-LG300 and CS-LG400.
A trailing number or letter usually tells you the configuration. On a chainset, -1 means a single ring and -2 a double. On a derailleur, SGS means a long cage and GS a medium one.
LinkGlide, and why the chain is always 11-speed
Every CUES drivetrain uses LinkGlide, the shifting system Shimano first introduced on its Deore and XT mountain bike groups. It was designed for durability rather than low weight: thicker steel teeth and a tooth profile built to shift smoothly under load and to last considerably longer than a Hyperglide cassette.
The part that surprises people: every CUES drivetrain uses an 11-speed chain, whether the cassette has 9, 10 or 11 cogs. LinkGlide standardises the cog spacing and the cable pull ratio across its speed counts, and the whole system is built around an 11-speed chain. So a 9-speed CUES bike takes an 11-speed chain, not a 9-speed one.
Shimano rates CUES derailleurs for either a LinkGlide or an HG 11-speed chain. What you must not fit is a 9 or 10-speed chain to a 9 or 10-speed CUES drivetrain, however natural that seems.
What works with what
| Combination | Works? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| CUES with other CUES parts | Largely yes | Shared pull ratio and cog spacing; the shifter sets the gear count |
| CUES with LinkGlide Deore M5130 and XT M8130 | Yes | Same LinkGlide system |
| CUES with 11-speed HG chain | Yes | Shimano rates CUES for LinkGlide or HG 11-speed chains |
| CUES with old Hyperglide 8, 9 or 10-speed parts | No | Different cog spacing and pull |
| CUES with Hyperglide+ 12-speed MTB | No | Different system entirely |
| CUES with road groupsets | No | LinkGlide does not mix with road Shimano |
| CUES chainsets across speeds | Often | Many are rated for 9, 10 and 11-speed |
The rule that keeps you out of trouble: within LinkGlide, parts cross over far more freely than Shimano parts ever used to. Across LinkGlide and Hyperglide, they do not cross at all. The cassette, rear derailleur and shifter must all be LinkGlide, and the chain must be 11-speed.
Brakes sit outside all of this. Only the U8000 series has CUES-branded brakes, and the other series pair with Shimano's existing brake ranges, so brake choice is independent of the drivetrain.
Replacing a worn Altus, Acera or Alivio part
This is the situation most people are actually in. Your bike runs an older Hyperglide group, one part has worn out, and the shop, or the internet, offers you CUES.
You have two honest options.
Stay on Hyperglide. If a like-for-like Altus, Acera or Alivio replacement is still available for the part that failed, fitting it is the cheapest and simplest fix. A worn cassette, a tired chain or a bent derailleur can all be replaced within the old system while parts last.
Move the drivetrain to CUES as a set. Because CUES does not mix with Hyperglide, switching means changing the shifter, rear derailleur, cassette and chain together, as one job. Your chainset and front derailleur may be reusable, which depends on the specific parts, so that is worth checking before you buy.
What does not work is the tempting shortcut: fitting just a CUES rear derailleur to an old 9-speed cassette, or just a CUES cassette to an old Acera shifter. It will not index properly, and no adjustment will make it.
If you are looking at a converted drivetrain anyway, the durability case for CUES is real, particularly for a commuter or hybrid that covers a lot of ground.
CUES on drop handlebars
CUES began as a flat-bar family, but in early 2025 Shimano added drop-bar shift and brake levers, with the 11-speed version sitting in the U6000 series. That opens CUES to drop-bar touring and gravel bikes built for durability over light weight.
It does not make CUES compatible with Shimano's road groupsets. A CUES drop-bar lever still needs a LinkGlide derailleur and cassette, not a 105 or Tiagra one.
Upgrade paths
- 10-speed to 11-speed within U6000. The RD-U6000 rear derailleur is rated for both 10 and 11-speed, so moving up needs a new shifter and cassette rather than a new derailleur.
- Beyond CUES on a mountain bike. The next steps up are Deore M5130, which is 10-speed LinkGlide, and XT M8130, which is 11-speed LinkGlide. Both stay within the same system, so they work with the rest of a CUES bike.
- To 12-speed. Moving to a 12-speed mountain bike drivetrain means leaving LinkGlide for Hyperglide+, which is a complete drivetrain change rather than an upgrade of parts.
CUES parts we list
Standards outlive stock, and most CUES parts are currently out of stock, so ask before you plan a rebuild around a particular one.
| Part | What it is | Price |
|---|---|---|
| CS-LG300-9 | 9-speed cassette | ₹1,700 |
| CS-LG400-9 | 9-speed cassette | ₹2,570 |
| CS-LG400-10 | 10-speed cassette | ₹4,600 |
| CS-LG400-11 | 11-speed cassette | ₹6,060 |
| RD-U3020-SGS | 9-speed rear derailleur, 2x | ₹2,180 |
| RD-U4020-SGS | 9-speed rear derailleur | ₹2,870 |
| RD-U4000-GS | 9-speed rear derailleur, 1x | ₹3,550 |
| SL-U4000 | 2x9 shift lever set | ₹1,540 |
| SL-U6000-10R | 10-speed right shifter | ₹2,010 |
| SL-U6000-L | Left shifter, 2x10 and 2x11 | ₹1,970 |
| FD-U4000-L | Front derailleur, 2x9 and 2x10 | ₹1,430 |
| FC-U4000-1 | Single-ring chainset, 9, 10 and 11-speed | ₹2,980 |
| FC-U4000-2 | Double chainset, 9, 10 and 11-speed | ₹1,870 |
| FC-U6030-1 | Single-ring chainset, 9, 10 and 11-speed | ₹4,730 |
| FC-U6040-1 | Hollowtech II single-ring chainset | ₹7,870 |
| FC-U6030-2 | Double chainset, 9 and 10-speed | ₹6,810 |
| FC-U6040-2 | Hollowtech II double chainset, 9 and 10-speed | ₹8,630 |
Note the chainsets: the single-ring versions are rated across 9, 10 and 11-speed, while some doubles are rated for 9 and 10 only. Check the rating against your drivetrain before ordering.
Prices are indicative and move with exchange rates and import duty.
Frequently asked questions
Is Shimano CUES better than Altus or Acera?
Yes for durability and shifting under load, which is what most hybrid and commuter riders care about: CUES uses LinkGlide, with thicker steel teeth designed to last considerably longer and to shift more smoothly while you are pedalling hard. The trade is weight, since that durability comes from heavier steel, which matters to almost nobody on a commuter. For a bike that covers a lot of city kilometres, CUES is the better long-term drivetrain.
Can I use a regular Shimano HG chain on a CUES drivetrain?
Yes, as long as it is an 11-speed chain: Shimano rates CUES rear derailleurs for either a LinkGlide or an HG 11-speed chain, and that applies to 9, 10 and 11-speed CUES alike. What you must not do is fit a 9 or 10-speed chain because the cassette has 9 or 10 cogs. LinkGlide is built around the 11-speed chain at every speed count, so the 11-speed chain is correct even on a 9-speed bike.
Will an 11-speed CUES cassette fit my existing wheel?
Often, but check before you buy: LinkGlide cassettes take up more space than a Hyperglide cassette with the same number of cogs, so an 11-speed CUES cassette can foul the spokes on some older 135mm and 142mm rear hubs. The 9 and 10-speed versions are less likely to have the problem. If you are converting an older bike to 11-speed CUES, have the wheel checked first, because the fix is sometimes a new rear wheel rather than just a cassette.
Is CUES a good choice for monsoon and dusty riding?
It is one of the better choices at its price, because LinkGlide was built around durability: thick steel teeth that tolerate grit and wear more slowly than lighter Hyperglide cassettes. It is not immune to neglect, and a chain left dirty and dry through the rains will still wear everything out early. Clean and re-lube after wet rides, and check chain wear monthly, and a CUES drivetrain will comfortably outlast the groups it replaced.
Can I add Di2 or automatic shifting to a CUES bike?
Shimano added an electronic version in 2025, the U6050 series, which is single-chainring only, with 10 and 11-speed rear derailleurs, and which appears to be built with Shimano's Q'AUTO automatic shifting in mind. Converting an existing mechanical CUES bike means replacing the shifter and rear derailleur and adding a power source, so it rarely makes sense outside a new bike purchase. If automatic shifting appeals, it is something to look for when choosing the bike.
Working out what your bike has
The part code is printed on the component itself. Look on the back of the rear derailleur and on the shifter body. If it starts RD-U or SL-U, it is CUES. If it reads RD-M or SL-M followed by a three-digit number from an older series, or says Altus, Acera or Alivio, it is Hyperglide and the replacing section above applies.
Ask TBA Guide with the codes from your rear derailleur and shifter, or bring the bike to the Kondapur workshop and we will tell you exactly what fits.
