MtnBikeRiders.com received the Cane Creek Angleset Model#: AngleSet ZS49 — ZS49/30 a few months ago to review for the site. Since then I’ve been able to put the Angleset through various riding situations and conditions to really see if there’s a benefit to a simple 1.0 degree.
Product Description
The all-new AngleSet threadless headset from Cane Creek makes it possible to change your game. You can now transform the head angle of your mountain bike with ease, as the low-stack-height AngleSet offers up to six offset angle adjustments. With steeper or slacker adjustments from 0.5 to 1.5 degrees, dialing in the perfect geometry to attack the trail is a breeze.
Price: $120-$150
Installation of the Angleset is pretty easy. As long as you have a headset press, it can be done in a few minutes. The Angleset was installed on my Airborne Taka. This bike has stock head tube angle of 66 degrees. Upon installing the Angleset it brings the the angle back to 65 degrees and you can obviously see a difference on the stance of the bike. The fork’s rake is more pronounced and when you sit on the bike, you’ll see and feel that the fork is “sticking out” further (rake) than when it was stock.
Naturally after the installation, I wanted to see how it affected pedaling and sprinting on the bike. I got on the Taka to do some sprint up and down my street, at that time I couldn’t really tell much of a difference, and that’s a good thing. Here’s the reason why, have you ever tried to do sprints on a bike like a beach cruiser, hybrid, or comfort bike that has a really slack head tube angle? If you have, then you’ll know that its difficult. Sprinting on a bike is easier if the head tube angle is more upright. But with the Taka and its new Angleset, sprinting felt as it was still stock, plus the bike didn’t have a “chopper” feel to the fork.
The first place I decided to try out the effectiveness of the Angleset was at a local DH trail. Bare with me as I try and describe how the Angleset felt…The Taka, now with its slacker head tube angle by 1.0 degree, is more aggressive, the steeps were easier, the fork seem to like the change up and believe it or not, I didn’t feel like I was too upright during my fast descents down the trail.
During my initial ride, I was thinking to myself…”can 1.0 degree make that much of a difference in how the bike performs?” Well the obvious answer to that was a loud YES!
The next testing ground was at a race, dubbed as the Fontana City Nationals, the course for this particular event are usually tougher than the normal Southridge races. The Taka performed beautifully! The Angleset made tackling fast corners so much easier and fun. I’ve actually done a few more races as well as fun DH rides since then and I gotta say, I had quickly fallen in love with the Angleset. I was convinced that EVERY DH BIKE should have the Cane Creek Angleset as a stock item on the bike, if not, then it should be something that bike shops push as an upgrade for their customers.
The Angleset is such a game changer in how a bike’s handling and performance can change. Just think about it, this little headset, that doesn’t cost that much money, can be responsible for drastically changing the way your bike rides and handles.
In my opinion, the Cane Creek Angleset is something that every DH Bike owner should get. Oh and check this out, remember how I mentioned my Angleset was 1.0, well they actually have a 1.5 available! Can you believe how much more of a difference the 1.5 can make. What’s funny about the Angleset, its such a simple and brilliant idea, that I’m surprised that no one came out with this years ago. If anything, I predict that you’ll see Cane Creek on more bikes out there, it just makes sense to do this.
FTC Disclaimer
in theory, the Angleset sounds like a cool idea. the only thing i’d be concerned with, though, is the potential stress it might put on a bike’s headtube. i mean, bike manufacturers design their headtube with a certain angle in mind, and theoretically the frame will handle the steerer tube stress the best when it’s at that angle. obviously the headset looks really beefy, but i wonder if altering the angle of the steerer in relationship to the headtube’s angle will introduce stress cracks in the headtube or welds.
i’m sure Cane Creek did plenty of testing on the Angleset, but i’ll be curious to see if any frame/headtube issues crop up down the line, after more riders install them. (keep in mind that i’m in no way an engineer and i could just be pondering on a non-issue. it would be interesting to see what Cane Creek says on the matter, though).
To CAT: As far as I know adjusting the head angle in this manner should not stress the tube the way this set up is with the gimbles and I have not heard of any problems in this matter. I know what you mean about this and what manufactures do say is not to add a fork that is not ment or recommened to be put onto a particular frame (example: An XC frame with a DH fork.). This is what people would do in the past to change a head angle on a frame, of course my example is extreme, but even going from a say 3″ travel fork to a 5-6″ travel on a XC frame would cuase the problem you are refering to.
With a angle headset you are not changing the fork, but only the angle and this would not or should not hurt the frame.
Hope this sheds some light on the matter.
By the way I’m one of the expert team racers and I will be giving an update on this so please come on back for the read.
Art: cool! like i said, i’ve got no engineering experience, and i suck at anything harder than basic geometry. it was just something that popped into my head. anyway, i’ll definitely be keeping my eye on future updates because i think the Angleset could be a really useful innovation for all types of mountain biking.