SHIMANO ALTUS was introduced as a components series for sports bikes in 1978, when drop handlebars were the mainstream. ALTUS was coined from “alto,” meaning “high.” This components series was developed for full-fledged sports bikes as the series next to SHIMANO 600. At that time, the shifting system that consisted of shift lever, rear derailleur, front derailleur and freehub, together with the SELECTA for the front chainwheel set, was released as SHIMANO ALTUS SELECTA SERIES. After that, in the 1990s, when the mountain bike (MTB) boom spread, Shimano shifted the character of SHIMANO ALTUS to an entry-level components series for MTBs under the RIDE LIGHT concept, which promoted the enjoyment of sports bikes among many more people. It became a highly cost-effective model featuring functionality that enabled any riders, even those new to MTBs, to easily use bicycles for commuting and other daily use and general touring and to cycle safely and comfortably.