Cane Creek Angleset: A headset that teaches geometry.

Cane Creek has rewritten the book on what is possible with a headset with the AngleSet. No longer just the steering bearing, this headset allows a rider to alter the whole geometry of his bike. With gravity racers trending toward ultra-slack and low geometry, the AngleSet originally seemed geared for them. Recently, though, many other segments have shown interest in having adjustable geometry as an option. Both the 6.6-inch-travel Pivot Firebird and 4.5-inchtravel Niner R.I.P. 9 tested this month came equipped with AngleSet headsets.

Tech features: The Cane Creek AngleSet uses orbital pieces called gimbals to allow the steerer tube to travel through the head tube at a slacker or steeper angle than the original frame design. It allows the rider to change the bike’s head tube angle up to 1.5 degrees in .5-degree increments. The AngleSet uses aluminum cups and covers, a fully face sealed crown race and sealed cartridge bearings. It is designed to work with Cane Creek’s Interlok spacers. The AngleSet sells for $175 with a single 1-degree offset option, or $225 with all three offsets. It’s available for traditional 1.5-inch straight head tubes, traditional 1.5-inch tapered head tubes and 1.5-inch zerostack head tubes. Cane Creek can be contacted at (800) 234-2725.


Field test results: This is not an easy headset to install. The offset cup that provides the angle change must be installed perfectly straight so the fork doesn’t come off the head tube crooked. There is no built-in check to ensure this is aligned. Instead, Cane Creek relies on the eyeballs of the mechanic to ensure it’s straight. Just like trying to align a stem perfectly, it’s not as easy as it looks. Additionally, the assembly order of the headset is critical for the headset to pull together properly when the bearings are tensioned. Fail to follow the correct procedure and your headset will make loud cracking noises with every impact to the front wheel. The gimbals must be assembled with the bearings, compression ring, seals and top cap before the unit is inserted into the frame. Be sure to use plenty of grease on both the bearings and gimbals. Will most riders be able to feel the difference between a 0.5- and 1.5-degree setting? Absolutely. We found that adjusting the geometry provided very noticeable differences in the ride quality and not just in the steering response (either slowing it down or speeding it up). This head angle adjustment also slightly affects the bottom bracket, bar and stack height, although these changes are not as noticeable as the change to the steering. Experimenting with the AngleSet is no easy task. The offset cup needs to be changed to make the adjustment, and this means removing the bearings, compression ring and seals from the frame each time you want to try a new setting. This is not something you can do quickly. It requires special tools and requires specialized knowledge of how it works. If you thought of the AngleSet as a quick adjustment to be made between runs at the bike park, you will be disappointed.
The AngleSet proves to be more of a Band-Aid than a breakthrough. If you purchased the correct bike, you shouldn’t have to mess with its head angle. If you purchased the wrong bike and feel the need to slow down or speed up its steering, the AngleSet is a better way to do it than buying a shorter- or longer-travel fork.


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