When we took our tour of Cane Creek this summer, Jason gave us the heads up that their S Series was going the way of the Dodo, replaced by the all-new 40 Series headsets. 40 Series will be Cane Creek’s most robust line and incorporates any and every headset configuration currently used. You may recall their announcement from about a year ago, Cane Creek is offering their upper and lower sets separately, and along with other changes you’ll read in a second, they’re making it easier than ever to get the right headset upgrade or replacement no matter what sort of setup your bike comes with.
Now, about the new 40 Series: The upper and lower cups get internal reliefs to make them a bit lighter, and they get new graphics. They’re made of 6061 T6 aluminum rather than the pricier CNC’d-in-NC 7075 of the 110 Series, but still, they’re darn nice.
The ZS (Zero Stack) and IS (Integrated, shown above) will have both tall and short UD carbon and aluminum top covers available, all of the others versions are alloy only, and all bottom portions are alloy only. Prices for the 40 Series headsets range from $50 to $100, with the carbon ones coming in about the same in weight but costing $20 more…meaning the carbon’s mainly for aesthetics.
The carbon fiber caps are made in Taiwan, but they’re assembled in their Fletcher, NC.
Check out the updated 110 Series and AER headsets after the break…
UPDATES FOR 110 SERIES
The 110 Series gets a new Captured Compression Ring that clips into a groove in the top cover so that the assembly basically becomes one piece, which reduces the number of loose parts on the headset. What’s new is that the compression ring has an angled split and more beveled edges, which plays nicer with carbon steerer tubes.
NEW AER TALL TOP CAP
Making it’s debut on the Cervelo Project California and 2011 Trek Madones, Cane Creek’s AER headsets will have new taller top caps available to reduce the number of spacers used and shave a few precious grams. How many grams? See our on-the-scale comparisons in this post.
UPDATES FOR ALL
All of their headsets get new seals to improve sealing at the top and bottom without increasing (or creating) any drag.
All of the headsets also get new nomenclature to help identify which model/part fits what size headtube. For example, TR49 (TRaditional 49mm Insertion Diameter, which is a 1.5″ headtube) or ZS44 (or Zero Stack 44mm Insertion Diameter).
RELATED: Cane Creek unveils Headset Fit Finder website to determine your frame’s HS type
