BIKE summary of the Cues 6000
As a value-for-money groupset, the Shimano Cues 6000 cuts a fine figure on many e-bikes from city to SUV or even MTB. The cassette and chain from Shimano's Linkglide series promise good durability, and the feel will make all but the most critical cyclists happy. The range and gear gradation are impressive. A good all-rounder at a fair price.
Shimano Cues 6000: The facts
| Model | Shimano Cues 6000 10R 1x10 |
| Price | 179 Euro |
| Weight | 1204 grammes |
| Bandwidth | 436 per cent |
| Smallest gear | 7.9 km/h |
Price and weight are manufacturer's specifications and refer to the complete shifting system with trigger and rear derailleur. For the smallest mountain gear, we use standardised parameters for tyre size and cadence and a 40 trekking chainring (28 inch, 47 millimetres, 60 rpm).
Shimano's shifting portfolio can sometimes be confusing. The Japanese company has long had the right drivetrain in its programme for all types of bikes. That's good, because it means there is a suitable drivetrain for every application. But keeping an overview is a little more difficult. Especially with the cues, which always have the same name and yet cover completely different characters. Here we have tried to break down the cues portfolio in detail.
Solid mid-range with good function
The best orientation aid at Shimano is still the numerical code behind the model name. With the Cues 6000, we have the mid-range (formerly Deore level) in our test. There is also a 4000 Cues with nine gears for entry-level bikes and the 8000 Cues with eleven gears for the upper class.
To add to the confusion, the 6000 cues are also available with ten or eleven gears. The Cues 6020 (tested here) is the version with two chainrings for classic trekking bikes. The Cues 6000 with one blade is more optimised for e-bikes.
Ten or eleven gears?
Even the more affordable ten-speed version was fully convincing in the test. It is available with wide-range MTB cassettes with small climbing gears, as well as with moderate touring options. The operation is nice and crisp for an e-bike derailleur. Only sensitive minds will notice that Shimano's Hyperglide drivetrains (non-e-bike) or the best options from Sram engage with a little more definition.
Because the Cues is optimised for e-bikes, it shifts fairly smoothly even under load and promises a particularly long service life. What's more, the 6000 Cues has a much higher quality finish than the only 50 euro cheaper version Cues 4000 (tested here) and offers strong derailleur damping against chain slap via the Shadow Plus lever. This is a benefit if you don't just ride your bike on hard tracks.
The eleven-speed version of the Cues 6000 is similarly positioned to the cheaper ten-speed version and comes close to the top-of-the-range Cues 8000. We think: On an e-bike, 10 gears are more than enough for everyday use and touring. This means that the price is particularly fair while maintaining a high level of functionality.
The Cues 6000 at a glance
Strengths:
- Price-performance ratio
- Versatile range of use from touring to SUV-MTB
- Rear derailleur damping and superior feel
- Linkglide parts for more durability on the e-bike
Weaknesses:
- Hyperglide shifts even faster and crisper
Adrian Kaether
Editor
