The 105 is FD-R7100 and the Cues is FD-U6030.

What that California bike scene is doing nowadays (the steel frames made at MaxWay) from Rivendell to Sklar, is just beautiful. I personally love the Black Mountain bikes, maybe someday…

Honestly, I’m behind the curve and have never used indexed shifting. I bought these CUES stuff before they had the drops stuff. I just went from downtube to handlebar.

Yes, they were famously overheated at the factory. The consensus seems to be that all the bad ones are probably dead by now. I bought this one used and well ridden. I seriously doubt my legs can deliver that kind of torque.

Taking into account it’s the cheapest Shimano line, I cannot complain. I did all the installation and setup, and everything works as intended. All possible complaints are probably layer 8 problems (related to the fact that I am not a bike mechanic, merely a manual reader and video watcher).

Yes. ENE Ciclo (Dia Compe) shifters mounted on the Genevalle OM levers: https://www.gevenalle.com/product/om/

I really enjoy them, they allow me to be on the hoods most of the time (and I like that). But, I cannot compare them to modern brifters because I have never had a set: went from downtube to these.