SHIMANO SORA has evolved as an entry-level road bike components series and as a components series that anyone can use easily. Imaging riding a road bike joyfully under a clear blue sky as the message to communicate the attraction of road bikes to a wide range people, Shimano chose SORA (meaning “sky” in Japanese) as the name of this series, hoping to have entry-level riders experience the enjoyment of cycling. The logo for the first-generation model was fringed in sky blue, suggestive of the sky. Attaching importance to ease of operation, Shimano incorporated new ideas for enhancing operability into SHIMANO SORA, including a thumb operated release lever on the hood to share shifting release duties with the brake lever so that even riders who were not familiar with drop handlebars could shift smoothly while maintaining a grip on the hoods. In 2012, for riders using bikes to go to school and commute to work, shifters for flat bar bikes were added. SHIMANO SORA continues to evolve as a components group to have more people fully experience the enjoyment of riding bicycles.