Shimano Linkglide: Sturdy Components Especially for Ebikes

In the meantime, it’s time for new bike launches for the 2022 season. The focus is often on new frame designs, new motors or new accessories. E-bikes with drive components from Shimano will have an additional update that quickly takes a back seat. Though unjustifiedly. After all, it can have a major impact on your long-term riding experience.

Robust and smooth at the same time

A new abbreviation has entered the Shimano drive world. This is LG, which stands for Linkglide. You can find it as a logo on cassettes, chains, rear derailleurs and shift levers of the 1×10 and 1×11 Deore XT groupset as well as the Deore groupset. This holds the idea of a counterpart to the well-known Hyperglide or Hyperglide+ standard, or HG for short. In comparison, the LG parts are more solid, more robust and designed with minor technical modifications. All together, they are aimed at three things in particular:

• increased resistance to the stresses on the e-bike
• clean shifting processes
• reduced wear and maintenance

1. Linkglide cassette
2. Linkglide rear derailleur
3. Linkglide shift lever
4. Linkglide chain
5. Compatibility of Linkglide with other Shimano groupsets

Shimano considers these strengths to be primarily required for e-trekking bikes and e-mountain bikes. Riding these bikes is characterised by frequent shifting and a relatively high proportion of gear changes under high loads. Due to the high torques on e-bikes, experience shows that this leads to high wear and tear on the components. At the same time, e-bike riders, who tend to shift less and usually stay in their favourite gear ratio, will have noticed that on the cassette, for example, two or three sprockets wear out significantly faster and more than the rest.

Replacing the components afterwards costs money, time and effort. According to Shimano, beginners and everyday riders in particular want to save themselves this kind of hassle. Comfort and long maintenance intervals are more important to them than ultimate shifting performance and the low weight of individual components. That’s why you’ll find Linkglide installed on e-bikes aimed precisely at this target group.

1. Linkglide cassette

One of the parts where the stresses and strains of cycling are most noticeable is the cassette. That is why Shimano has devoted much of its attention to this component.

According to the Japanese, they have refined the teeth profile. At the same time, the teeth base is thicker and more robust than before. Each individual teeth therefore retains its original shape longer, which should prevent the chain from jumping quite effectively. The teeth offer the chain improved support. Internal tests at Shimano have shown that the Linkglide cassettes last three times longer at high torques than comparable HG cassettes.

Fine-tuning the shifting gate

There are milled structures on the teeth of a shifting cog, the shifting gates. They control the movement of the chain during the shifting process and ensure the chain moving seamlessly to the next cog. The design and position of these shifting gates have also been changed so that the chain runs more smoothly between the cogs. In practice, you should notice this primarily on outward shifts. Due to the greater forces, the pedalling shock is particularly strong in the case of e-bikes. This design improvement is particularly advantageous for e-bikes.

However, the improved functionality comes at a price. And it is around 200 percent. Fortunately, this does not apply to the purchase price, but to the weight. A Linkglide cassette weighs about twice as much as a Hyperglide version.

• Linkglide 11-speed cassette with 11-50t: 780 grams
• Hyperglide 11-speed cassette with 11-34t: 379 grams

• Linkglide 10-speed cassette with 11-43t: 634 grams
• Hyperglide 10-speed cassette with 11-34t: 351 grams

A positive aspect is that the cogs with 11, 13 and 15 teeth can be replaced individually if necessary. With a unit price of probably less than five euros per cog, you can save a lot in case of doubt.

2. Linkglide rear derailleur

Adapted to the Linkglide cassettes, there are also corresponding Linkglide rear derailleurs. Here, an improved stabiliser gives the chain more smoothness and minimises the initial pedalling shock during the shifting process. The result is supposed to be a smoother shifting experience. In addition, Shimano speaks of a flat profile of the Linkglide rear derailleurs, which have been optimised for off-road use.

3. Linkglide shift lever

Due to the specific spacing of the sprockets on the Linkglide cassettes, the LG cosmos also features its own shift levers. Their transmission ratio differs from that of other 11- and 10-speed systems from Shimano. However, you can adjust the position of the levers as usual and adapt them to your needs. The operation itself is identical to that of other shift levers from the manufacturer.

With the Linkglide groupset for the 11-speed system, there is both the shift lever, which you can connect directly to the brake lever thanks to I-SPEC EV, and the lever with the clamp. For the 10-speed system, the offer is limited to the clamp-mounted version. On the other hand, you can read your current gear ratio on the gear indicator.

4. Linkglide chain

Theoretically, Shimano could have done without a special Linkglide chain. Under the label “E-Bike Rated”, the manufacturer already has several chains in its range that are not only designed for the requirements of e-bikes, but are also compatible with Linkglide. This also includes the CN-E8000-11 chain, which has been awarded the “E-Bike Designed” label. Nevertheless, another product is available with the new CN-LG500. This costs less than the previously mentioned chains and can be used on any e-bike equipped with Linkglide.

The following existing chains are compatible with Linkglide:

• CN-E8000-11
• CN-HG901-11
• HG701-11
• HG601-11

Shimano is somewhat reticent about making a statement about durability. The manufacturer emphasises that less wear can only be expected if gear changes are made regularly. In this case, the CN-LG500 has advantages, especially when shifting outwards. However, if you always stay in the same gear, you will not notice any difference to Hyperglide chains.

5. Compatibility of Linkglide with other Shimano groupsets

Linkglide technology is intended for the 1×10 and 1×11 Deore XT groupset as well as the Deore groupset. However, it is a largely self-contained world. Whoever uses “normal”
Deore XT and Deore components cannot mix anything here. If you want to change to Linkglide, you have to choose the complete range:

• cassette
• rear derailleur
• shifters
• chain optional

Of course, the drive also includes a crank and chainring. On e-bikes with a Shimano e-drive, only single speed cranksets are employed. Here there are less strict general conditions. All Shimano Deore XT single speed cranks and chainrings are compatible with the Deore XT Linkglide system. The same applies to all Deore single speed cranks and chainrings as well as the Deore Linkglide system.

Pictures: Shimano