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Return of the 1″ Threaded Headset: Wilde x Cane Creek, Rene Herse Launch Premium Models

Wilde Bicycle Co x Cane Creek 1 inch threaded headset black and silver
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While the majority of the industry seems intensely focused on marginal gains at any cost, a few brands are keeping it classic – and classy. Following the recent announcement of a new line of 1″ threaded headsets from Rene Herse, Wilde Bicycle Co. today launches another 1″ threaded option manufactured by Cane Creek.

Cane Creek 110 ZN 1″ Threaded Headset

Calling it a Wilde exclusive, the new Cane Creek 110 ZN headset uses their top of the line 110 cups, with ZN40 sealed cartridge bearings. Offered in black or silver, the headset will sell for $120. Wilde is preselling them now, with the product expected to ship in late October. There’s no guarantee that these will be made in more than one batch, so if you want one, you probably should pre-order one.

Specs

  • Fork type: 1″ English threaded
  • Stack height: 41mm
  • S.H.I.S. Upper: EC30 / 25.4-24tpi
  • S.H.I.S. Lower: EC30 
  • Crown Race: ISO (26.4mm)
  • Machined from 7075 series aluminum
  • ZN40 Sealed Cartridge Bearings
  • Weight: 91g

Rene Herse 1″ Threaded Headsets

Wilde Bicycle Co. and Rene Herse had similar reasoning for launching a premium 1″ threaded headset – there simply weren’t many options. Suddenly, we have three different premium options including the Rene Herse Rinko and Low-Stack headsets. Rene Herse takes that a step further though by creating two new premium headset models with needle bearings instead of the standard cartridge bearings.

Both are premium 1″ threaded headsets utilizing durable needle bearings with circlip retainers to keep the bearings in place when you remove the fork. An interesting detail is that the Rene Herse headsets are not anodized, meaning they conduct electricity. That’s apparently a key detail when using your frame/fork as the return path for your generator lighting system. I learned something new today.

For those that need a lower stack height, the appropriately named Low-Stack version is offered for $189. Otherwise, the Rinko is sold for $209.

Low-Stack Specs

  • Weight: 96 g
  • For 1″ steerer tubes
  • British threading
  • Stack height: 14.3 mm (lower) + 23.7 mm (upper) = 38.0 mm (total)
  • Needle bearings
  • Upper and lower bearings oriented in parallel to reduce stack height
  • Use 32 mm headset wrenches to tighten
  • Not anodized (conducts electricity)
  • Made in Taiwan

Rinko Specs

  • Weight: 119 g
  • For 1″ steerer tubes
  • British threading
  • Stack height: 16.9 mm (lower) + 29.8 mm (upper) = 46.7 mm (total)
  • Needle bearings
  • Circlip retainers keep the bearings in place when the fork is removed from the frame.
  • Use 32 mm headset wrenches to tighten
  • Not anodized (conducts electricity)
  • Made in Taiwan

Both are available now from Renehersecycles.com.

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22 Comments
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Jon
Jon
21 days ago

I really miss constantly adjusting my loose threaded headsets. Those darn no thread headsets are just too boring. I install them then forget about them because they just work. Maybe we can bring back freewheels next. I haven’t bent a rear axle since freehubs came out and I miss fixing axles also.

Grillis
Grillis
21 days ago
Reply to  Jon

You realize that no one is forcing you to use these, right?

Makoshart37
Makoshart37
21 days ago

Anodize is not conductive

Alan
Alan
21 days ago
Reply to  Makoshart37

As they state in the article, & specifications…

Eggs Benedict
Eggs Benedict
21 days ago

I think I’ve got a NOS 1.25″ threaded Mavic headset in my parts bin. One of those eBay purchases from a couple of decades ago.

FrankTheTank
FrankTheTank
20 days ago

I’m with Jon on this one. Why? Threaded headsets have no value other than wanting to make your bike look like an antique. Energy would have been better spent on designing a better looking threadless stem.

Robin
Robin
20 days ago
Reply to  FrankTheTank

Because there are still a lot of people with bikes that have threaded headsets, and there are a lot of bikes on the used market with threaded headsets.

There are also a lot of people who just appreciate bikes of all kinds. Weird, eh? Liking bikes and not being snotty about bikes…..

I’ve got a friend who’s got the gamut of bikes: modern CF bikes, modern gravel bikes, classic bikes.

Maybe your myopia prevents you from noticing as much.

Mike
Mike
20 days ago
Reply to  Robin

“(…)there are still a lot of people with bikes that have threaded headsets, and there are a lot of bikes on the used market with threaded headsets.”

Those bikes are mostly worth much less than those headsets, so they’d rather just get a newer, better bike.

As for hobbyists, that’s another topic.

Robin
Robin
20 days ago
Reply to  Mike

That might be what you think, but how you value such bikes really has no bearing at all on their actual value or how their owners value them. You are aware, aren’t you, that there still bikes being made that use threaded headsets, right? And people are having custom bikes made that use them.

Pum6443
Pum6443
18 days ago
Reply to  Mike

My 1983 is worth over 1000 usd

FrankTheTank
FrankTheTank
19 days ago
Reply to  Robin

Look. Everybody is entitled to their opinion. But I speak from experience, I’m not just a ‘modern is always better’ person. Threaded headsets were a maintenance nightmare on my first two mountain bikes, and very noodley on my loaded touring bike. My 23-year-old, steel, Bruce Gordon touring bike is still my favorite bike, but I’ve upgraded it to an “Ahead Set”. Trouble free for 15 years.

Robin
Robin
19 days ago
Reply to  FrankTheTank

My point was that there are still people who want these, people who have bikes that need these. Your experience doesn’t trump what those people want or need. You get to choose what you want, what you think is best. Others get to choose what they want and think is best. Your experience doesn’t trump that.

Robin
Robin
19 days ago
Reply to  FrankTheTank

To be fair, your experience and preferences bear no relevance to what other people want, need, or like. Your experience may not be the same as those of others. Your opinion doesn’t outweigh that of a given rider when it comes to what that rider needs or wants.

Choice is a wonderful thing.

Pum6443
Pum6443
18 days ago
Reply to  FrankTheTank

I commute and don’t have problems with mine.. I prefer threadless but I’m not about to drop 3k to have a comparable bike when mine works great

Pum6443
Pum6443
18 days ago
Reply to  FrankTheTank

I ride a 1983 cuz it was handmade in Japan and I just don’t have a reason to replace it

Bumscag
Bumscag
20 days ago

Lots of really nice old bikes with 1” headsets out there, and a few people still making new ones. So this isn’t totally surprising.

More concerning is the Cane Creek looks *exacltly* like a Chris King. Not that there’s a ton of design freedom, but the Hearse is clearly different… Seems extremely lazy on the part of CC

BillB
BillB
18 days ago

Return? Did the Chris King GripNut ever go away?

K.M.
K.M.
18 days ago
Reply to  BillB

Plus there¨s plenty of options that cost a fraction of these, and provide 99% of what these do.

OriginalMV
OriginalMV
14 days ago
Reply to  BillB

GripNut never went away, but Chris King dropped the 2Nut from their product line years ago. A GripNut has a very low stack height and does not allow the use of spacers, so it’s a good thing that King headsets are pretty durable because you probably won’t be able to change to a different style of headset later. And the mechanic had better measure accurately and use good tools, because there is little margin for error. I have cut 600-1000 steerers (admittedly mostly threadless), but installing a GripNut always makes me a little nervous.

The GripNut has another issue that the 2Nut, CC 110, and most other headset designs don’t. Since the GripNut doesn’t allow for the use of spacers, you also can’t use a steerer mounted cable hanger. Work-arounds exist, but they tend to look kludgy and/or make stem adjustment annoying.

I miss the King 2Nut, but in many ways I feel like the CC 110 is technically better though sadly only available in black or silver. On the other hand needle bearing headsets have never had that much appeal to me, though they have always had their devotees like Rene Herse’s Jan Heine. Premium 1″ threaded headsets are very much niche these days, but I can make a much stronger argument for their existence on the market than I could for 3D-print Ti GPS mounts or yet another boutique tubeless tyre sealant.

David
David
18 days ago

Kinda makes me want a new (old) bike!

Pum6443
Pum6443
18 days ago

Campagnalo still makes a nice affordable 1”.

Im one of those people who doesn’t mind working on my bike. I don’t NEED sealed bearings but I live somewhere with year round commuting weather

King County
King County
17 days ago

Yrs ago, I installed a Tange 1″ sealed/alloy cup, threaded headset on my errand bike, a nice dbl butted steel Fuji, (converted to flat bar). I don’t have a lot of $ into that bike, but do like a nice headset if I am keeping the bike. If I had to spend a lot for a nice headset I would have just went with a basic one. The Tange was decent price, but that was many yrs ago.

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