Submitted by
azbb23
a Cross Country Rider
from Phoenix, AZ, USA Date Reviewed: August 19, 2009
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Looks good, silky smooth bearings
Weaknesses:
None, once I figured out what the problem was.
Similar Products Used:
Ritchey Logic, Chris King, other Cane Creek "S" series
Bike Setup:
Soma Juice, RockShox Reba Race, Sram X.9, Avid BB7 Disc Brakes, Easton EA50 seatpost, stem and bar.
Bottom Line:
I was just about to jump on-board the hate train for this headset after I installed my Reba Race. Up until this time it had worked perfectly with the IRD rigid fork that I had been using for almost a year. But after I installed the Reba, suddenly it became hard to adjust, creaked and would bind-up. Turns out that there was a small imperfection inside the headtube that caused the bottom bearing cup to bend inward and make contact with the tapered aluminum steerer of the Reba. A little Dremel action and no more problems. If you have the money, get a King, if not, save 60 to 100 dollars and get a Cane Creek, I've got them on all my bikes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gary
a Cross Country Rider
from USA Date Reviewed: June 26, 2008
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
Nashbar
Strengths:
Silver color. That's about it
Weaknesses:
Everything but the silver color.
Similar Products Used:
FSA
Bike Setup:
The kind with two wheels
Bottom Line:
Once in a while, Nashbar does a blowout sale on some items, and you have to wonder why the price is so low. In this case, the headset is absolutely junk. I can see whey Nashbar were practically giving them away. Like the previous reviewers, this headset will not sit still. You have to constantly adjust it. I have Cane Creek's Thudbuster and wheelset, and they're both great. But this headset is a total bust.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dominic L
a Cross Country Rider
from Northern California Date Reviewed: May 16, 2006
I've had this headset for over 3 years, came with the bike. I ride 3 to 4 times a week in all conditions. It has been through mud, dusty and wet conditions and have never had to replace clean or do any maintenance to it even when I spray wash my bike. If you can get one of these for a good price I would buy it. The s6 has a stainless steel crown race that will prevent corrosion and rust over the lower end models of this brand and many other competitors even in the higher price range. If I ever have a problem I just replace the bearings with not special tools or having to remove the cups and these bearings are available and made by different manufacturers and can be found really cheap if I ever need to change them. The only issue I have is a slight discoloration but all headsets will change color in wet, heat and sunny conditions.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matthew Raggett
a Cross Country Rider
from Singapore Date Reviewed: February 4, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Vancouver Island
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$65.00
Purchased At:
In Singapore
Strengths:
Solid, looks nice
Weaknesses:
In the wet. This is not the headset to use if you ride in wet conditions (or if you clean your bike!)
Similar Products Used:
Aheadset DiaCompe
Bike Setup:
Blur LT, RP3, Vanilla R, XTR, Mavic CrossLand
Bottom Line:
After 6 months the thing needed taking apart, cleaned and greased up to stop it grinding, now it needs the same treatment very week. Next week I think I'll froget the cleaning and buy something with a little more 'seal' to it. Singapore gets lots of rain and is very hot;any moisture that can get in will start doing its damage at a speed like nothing I knew in Europe or on Vancouver Island. I have never taken a headset apart until using the S6. It is very strong and I would not be changing in if I lived in the dry.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Thad
a Weekend Warrior
from Princeton, NJ Date Reviewed: October 14, 2005
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$45.00
Purchased At:
performance
Strengths:
Smooth, sealed bearings, silver looks good.
Weaknesses:
Seems heavier than my other. If you can't push the weight of this headset...give up.
Similar Products Used:
Stock with bike.
Bike Setup:
GT Avalanche 1.0
Bottom Line:
I bought this because I killed my stock headset after 2 years. It is afordable, I've had no problems, and it looks fine. Good for an upgrade from stock equipment. It's a headset, why pay more?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Zachary
a Cross Country Rider
from Golden, CO Date Reviewed: July 18, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Apex Park
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$55.00
Purchased At:
QBP
Strengths:
Works well at sealing out dirt and is adequately light.
Weaknesses:
The bearing set is lousy. I am going on my third set this year. The headset needs to constantly be adjusted. I have had it looked at by 3 different pro mechanics and it won't stay adjusted correctly.
Similar Products Used:
Aheadset SAS, Cane Creek IS
Bike Setup:
Gunnar, Custom
Bottom Line:
If you like to constantly wrench on your bike this is your dream headset. If you're like me and want to just get on and go, this product helps Dante create a new circle. I think it's time to pry my wallet open for a king!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Cliff
a Cross Country Rider
from Las Vegas Date Reviewed: April 3, 2004
Favorite Trail:
dirt
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$55.00
Purchased At:
internet
Strengths:
Lightweight, smoooooth sealed angular contact stainless steel bearings, Cane Creek tech support
Weaknesses:
None for riding in dry conditions; for a lot of riding wet/rainy conditions, seals look like they could "seal" a little better - but assuming the bearings are fully packed with a top quality waterproof grease... yep I'm reaching
Similar Products Used:
Aheadsets, FSA, S-2, Dia-Compe?, generic
Bike Setup:
Older Trek URT with SID SL, XTR. Also in a newer Jamis Dakar (S-6 bearings in Cane Creek OEM ZS cups), XTR or similar level components w/SID XC fork
Bottom Line:
No problems; silky smooth bearings - hold inner race with one hand and push and turn outer housing with the other. Nice...can't feel any bearing roughness or play. Even better on the bike. Looks like a pretty good seal setup on the bearing itself. Same after several months use, including rock garden hammerings and mild drops, downhill 2 to 3 feet with 185lb rider.
Buy if you need a great XC headset; especially if you can find it on sale in the $50 dollar range. The bearings should say "stainless steel" on them. Currently, bearings for 1 1/8 inch s-2 and s-6 interchange so if you have an s-2 (I did), you can upgrade for about $30 to the s-6 bearings but check with CC tech support first. Cane Creek Tech is, as usual, very good.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
El Tempo Gigante
a Cross Country Rider
from Copenhagen, Denmark Date Reviewed: March 1, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
Nice machining. Laser engraved text.
Weaknesses:
I'm a bit disappointed with this headset. There’s 1mm (yes…1 full mm!!) of difference in diameter between the upper cover and the upper cup. Lots of room for mud getting in close contact with the bearing. Now I perfectly understand why it’s a sealed industrial unit. I’m a mechanical engineer and I know when I see a lousy construction. This is one of them. Luckily, I got this headset dirt cheap. Intended to use it on my XC bike when I bought it, but now I will use it on my daily driver. Guess it will hold fine on tarmac. Oh.... and the black color is not even black.. more like brownish black.
Similar Products Used:
Ritchey Scuzzy Logic Pro... much better than the S6.
Bike Setup:
Principia, XTR/XT driveline, Hope brakes.
Bottom Line:
NOT intended for use in the dirt!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott
a Cross Country Rider
from PA Date Reviewed: January 16, 2004
I've been upgrading my Specialized hardtail for the past two years. I thought the OE headset was perfectly fine until I rode the SoLos. Significant weight savings, and the bearings are frictionless, or so it seems. This headset , along with a Thompson stem and Easton EC70 flat bar has made my bike a lighter and much more efficient riding platform
The SoLos headset also carries a 10 year guarantee.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
james boggs
a Cross Country Rider
from hickory, nc Date Reviewed: July 13, 2003
Favorite Trail:
turkey run
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$2500.00
Purchased At:
(included fuel 100)
Strengths:
smoooth, strong, easy to grease & clean
Similar Products Used:
diacomp, aheadset
Bike Setup:
stock fuel 100
Bottom Line:
Man, it is very, very, very, very hard to try to come up with 50 words to describe a headset, but I'll try. I was mad because I thought my s-6 was creaking and had been for almost 2 years and was going to write a bad review. I finally figured out that it was my seatpost, so I am giving the s-6 a positive review because it has worked well for 2 years.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Robert Merrill
a Cross Country Rider
from Lakewood, CO USA Date Reviewed: April 5, 2002
Personally I think this is a great heatset. has survived Moab twice, Fruta several times and many, many miles of Colorado trail. Even my bike mechanic likes it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt Nikkila
a Racer
from Chicago, IL Date Reviewed: January 31, 2002
Favorite Trail:
anywhere
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$80.00
Purchased At:
Waukegan Schwinn
Strengths:
Feels so much better then the stock a headset that came with my bike. Was easily put together.
Weaknesses:
none.
Similar Products Used:
a- headset
Bike Setup:
xt, Rockshox, Easton, Thomson,
Bottom Line:
Well, if your worried about a good headset that isn't going to take 3 checks go for it. There's nothing wrong with cane Creek.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave
a Cross Country Rider
from South Carolina Date Reviewed: January 15, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Pisgah (all of em)
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Stock on my Fuel 100
Strengths:
The good name.......Cane Creak!
Weaknesses:
Creak, creak, creak, creak... Never would stay tight. Can't keep the bearings from moving and creaking. Nice metal dust coming out of the bottom bearing cup.
Similar Products Used:
Chris King Nothread
Bike Setup:
Stock Fuel 100, Raceface Next LP cranks, rings, and now Chris King Headset
Bottom Line:
Pretty weak headset......I admit, I am a big guy in bikeworld (205 lbs) but never had problems with a King.
It may be fine if your a 140lbs and ride neighborhood streets.
1 chili only cause I have to.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric
a Cross Country Rider
from Ashland, OR Date Reviewed: October 11, 2001
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Light-weight Sealed Bearings Precision construction
Weaknesses:
Well, it was a challenge getting headset in my new Ibis Mojo--but that could have the frame (and the fact I did not use a headset press)
Similar Products Used:
Aheadset Ritchey Cane Creek S5
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Heckler with Marz X-fly
Bottom Line:
The headset went together perfectly. By far the easiest installation of any headset I have ever used. I recommend this headset to everybody. Silky smooth turning ever since it was installed.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
What's New
»
BEST OF MTBR - Check out the highest rated bikes, parts, & gear!
»
LED BIKE LIGHT SHOOTOUT 3 - We test all the newest products and latest light and battery technology in this comprehensive guide»
$ 90.00
Overall Rating:
Overall Rating:
