Shimano has released a brand new 8-speed groupset called Essa. It should be designed for dynamic driving and will surely integrate future entry-level electric bikes.
If you don’t know anything about electric bikes and are trying to understand the Shimano transmission ranges, you have to hang in there. Or at least it was necessary. The Japanese manufacturer has in fact reorganized its catalog, in order to be clearer to the general public.
It started with the 9, 10 and 11 speed systems intended for high-end e-bikes, renamed under the “Cues” family in March 2023. Now, it is the turn of the versatile entry-level groupsets to undergo an overhaul. Their 8-speed bicycle transmissions will now be called Shimano Essa.
Shimano continues with new products
Meaning “ESSence of Active”, this groupset replaces the previous 8-speed Tourney, Altus and Acera. This new name targets rather sporty city electric and muscle bikes, fitness bikes, VTC bikes as well as entry-level e-MTB bikes. This excludes road or gravel bikes, in short anything that does not have a straight handlebar. The Essa family is based on two components:
- an RD-U2000 derailleur;
- an FC-U2000-1 crankset in two versions 32 and 40 teeth.
Source: Shimano
Source: Shimano
In detail, the crankset features special gear tips to “better channel engagement”, according to Shimano. This especially applies to the small 32-tooth chainring, even sportier with the profile “Dynamic Chain engagement+”.
As for the derailleur, it would be designed to reduce chain drops by optimizing tension, with a design “profiled”. These indications speak to those who will walk paths or degraded roads.
To complete the group, the Japanese firm will integrate its 8-speed CS-HG400-8 cassette. Everything is compatible with the Hyperglide standard, and other existing Acera, Altus or Tourney components.
Essa is coming soon to your future electric bike
Concretely, if you do not have to change your transmission, this new feature does not concern you. This generation of Shimano Essa transmission will mainly be of interest to cycle assemblers and manufacturers. It will therefore gradually appear on new electric bikes in the coming months, and more probably from 2025.