Cane Creek took a great idea, and made it even better with their announcement of the AngleSet headset today. The all-new AngleSet threadless headset can be used to transform the head angle of your mountain bike easily, with up to six offset angle adjustments. Check out the press release:
As riders have stretched the limits of what is possible on a mountain bike, they realize a need to fine-tune frame geometry to optimize performance. Cane Creek is proud to introduce the AngleSet, a threadless headset that gives users the ability to change the head angle of their frame – meeting their demands.With the all-new AngleSet threadless headset you can now transform the head angle of your mountain bike with ease, as AngleSet offers up to six offset angle adjustments. Steeper or slacker adjustments from 0.5 to 1.5 degrees makes dialing in the perfect geometry to attack the trail a breeze.The patent-pending design of AngleSet is head-tube length independent and fits most popular head tube standards. A self-aligning feature between the bearings and the steerer tube ensures a perfect fit and makes fork installation a snap.
The Cane Creek AngleSet could be a game changer. Photo: Cane Creek
Three different AngleSet models will be available: one for 1.5″ head tubes that will work with 1 1/8″ steer tubes, and two for tapered headtubes that will fit 1 1/8″ steer tubes. The Angleset will be available as a stock or upgrade option on a number of 2011 bicycle models from Intense, Pivot, and Santa Cruz among others.
Mounted on a Limited edition Intense 951. Photo: Cane Creek
Angle changing headsets aren’t new, as companies like K-9 have been producing them previous to this announcement. However, they are hard to find. My brother recently put on on his Giant Glory Freeride bike in conjuction with a Boxxer fork to change the geometry of the bike to be more like the Giant DH Race bike. While he is pleased with the performance of the product, sourcing it took almost a month.
But what does it really mean to the average rider? For a rider like me, it is huge. Bikes I would never consider riding based on the geometry will now be given a second look. Personally, I love the handling that comes from a 67 degree head angle, typically found on All Mountain bikes. I won’t consider most 5″ travel trail bikes because I’m simply not interested in the quick handling of a 68 or 69 degree head angle. With the 1.5°+/- adjustments, a bike like the Santa Cruz Blur LT carbon becomes something I would consider riding.
For example, the stock headtube angle of the Blur LT is 69.0°. With this headset, I could make it more like 67.5°. All of a sudden I have a XC racable bike that can shred groomers with the best of them. To be honest, I’m not even sure what my next bike purchase will be at this point- there are just too many options now. Taking the Blur LT example further, I could add a coil sprung Cane Creek Double Barrel Rear shock to it and add a ti spring, and I would have a bike that would simply destroy the local trails and straight kill it at the local Super D races. And you could still race the thing in the local short track.
Get more info on the Cane Creek site.
Anyone else have a blown mind here? Drop a line below.
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
The last two sentences are spot on.
I’m starting to compile a list of 140-150mm frames that could now be that much more shred-tastic.
Off the top of my head, we have:
Ok, a bit of a rookie question, but do forks all come in 1 1/8″ or are some 1.5″ to work with the larger head tubes? Would the stock for on a bike with a 1.5″ head tube work with this? Or would you need to replace your fork too, not just your headset?
This product was initially developed to address needs/desires of the DH crowd, where 1.5″ headtubes are much more common. Fortunately a number of manufacturers have adopted the tapered 1 1/8″ to 1.5″ headtubes, so they will be compatible. If you have a tapered steerer on your fork, you’ll need to use a different fork.
For the applications I’m thinking of, ie, XC/AM with a decidedly DH feel at the controls, this is perfect.
You’d need to get a fork with a different steerer if you have a tapered steerer. Most DH racer types replace their gear fairly regularly though, it is just part of the game.
I am wondering if this headset could be of use for the following: a Trek session 88 with a Fox 36 , 180mm …??? It has been suggested to me that this headset could help compensate the shorter travel?? Otherwise the Trek boys are saying only”NO” to this set up!! Anybody care to share a knoledgeable opinion??
Technically that would work. Not sure why they don’t recommend it, the first Session 88 FR was spec’d with a 7″ travel totem. The lower axle to crown length just made it a bit steeper. The current anglesets only work for 1 1/8 steerers though. For a DH bike, having the tapered Steerer is nice. I’m guessing the people you spoke to were probably recommending going with a Scratch for a 180 fork.
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