Cane Creek’s affordable premium Hellbender 70 headsets get two upgrade options with a new 70 Lite that’s now lighter than a 100 and a 70 Slam with one of the lowest stack height ever, so you can #slamthatstem to get your bar down. Plus, their ever-popular, super-fancy rim-brake eeBrakes get a new El Verde limited edition that goes on sale today…
Cane Creek Hellbender 70 Lite headset
What’s to say about a lightweight headset except that it’s lighter? The new version of Cane Creek’s made-in-Taiwan 6061-T6 aluminum sealed bearing threadless Hellbender 70 headset series is now 35% lighter than before, making it even lighter than their top-tier US-made 110. Compare an Integrated IS 70 Lite at 54g vs. the 110 at 79g, or a ZeroStack ZS Lite 70 at 90g vs. the 110 at 107g (all Cane Creek weight claims.)
How is it lighter?
Cane Creek says the new alloy cups are internally contoured (machined?) to remove excess material without compromising strength. And they get new hybrid construction Hellbender LITE sealed cartridge bearings with a steel inner ring/ball race and a red-ano aluminum outer race. Cane Creek calls them an “optimal balance between weight savings and durability”
Another interesting point here, the 110 shares the same standard Hellbender bearing tech with the 70, so the existence of a 70 Lite suggests a 110 Lite could be possible soon, as well.
The new Cane Creek Hellbender 70 Lite headset is available to pre-order now to fit many lightweight bikes. An IS headset sells for $100, and a ZS headset sells for $117 with deliveries expected later this month.
Cane Creek Hellbender 70 Slam headset
The new Hellbender 70 Slam headset is built to… well, slam. In its various configurations, Cane Creek says it offers about the lowest bearing stack height possible from a full-enclosed headset, for riders looking to slam their stems without compromising on bearing life or proper bearing preload.
The 70 Slam gets lightweight 6061-T6 cups & covers with internal contouring, but sticks with their standard premium stainless steel Hellbender bearings (not the alloy LITE hybrids).
How far does it slam?
A ZS Hellbender 70 Slam headset upper cup has a stack height of just 2mm (vs. 8mm for the standard 70) and an IS Slam upper has a stack of just 4.6mm (vs. 9mm for the standard 70).
Perfect for roadies looking to get low, gravelers needing to fight the crowing headtubes of adventure bikes, or 29er mountain bikers working against long-travel forks.
The new Cane Creek Hellbender 70 Slam headset is available to pre-order now in Integrated & ZeroStack versions. An IS headset sells for $100, and a ZS headset sells for $117 with deliveries expected to ship in May 2022.
They aren’t the first Cane Creek #slamthatstem headsets, but they are now more affordable!
Cane Creek limited edition El Verde eeBrakes
Twice a year Cane Creek issues another limited edition run of their intricately machined eeBrakes rim brakes, now in El Verde silver & green ano. Said to deliver unparalleled stopping power at wild low weight, they’ll also attract stares every time you stop in the group ride.
The Cane Creek El Verde eeBrakes sell for $780 in anodized green & silver, with a claimed weight of 169g for the pair (without pads). The rim brakes will fit wheels 19-28mm wide, are made in the US, and assembled by hand at Cane Creek in Asheville, NC.
The regular mount eeBrakes are only available in pairs, with pre-ordered starting today for deliveries to start in June 2022.
