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Home | Product Reviews | Headset | Cane Creek AheadSet AL | ||||
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Submitted by
Jake Pantone
a Racer
from Huntsville, Ut, USA
Date Reviewed: 3/25/2003 3:52:04 PM |
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| FavoriteTrail: | Porcupine Rim |
| Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month |
| Strengths: | Light, but otherwise none |
| Weaknesses: | Everything |
| Similar Products Tried: | Never used such a big piece of S#%@. Except for the WTB GRease Gaurd |
| Bike Setup: | Full 03 XTR Kona King Kikapu |
| Bottom Line: | This is very light, but the seal basically arn't seals and prove it by not trying to be seals. On a recent three hour ride I had to tighten the HS like 3 times, and yes the stem was on freaking tight. So do yourself a favor and replace it if it comes on your bike with a chris king. |
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Submitted by
Ben
a Cross Country Rider
from New Mexico
Date Reviewed: 9/15/2001 3:57:20 PM |
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| FavoriteTrail: | Signal Peak Race Course |
| Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month |
| Price Paid: | $32 |
| Purchased At: | Gila Hike & Bike |
| Strengths: | Price, Product support, works |
| Weaknesses: | none so far |
| Similar Products Tried: | Dia-Compe |
| Bike Setup: | da Vinci Designs FS, Icon, Dean, Ame', Sram, Cane Creek, IRD, Delta, DT Hugi, Avid, IRC, Inmotion, Action-Tec, Race Face |
| Bottom Line: | I bought this to replace my old Dia-Compe which had lasted three years with no maintenance on my old bike. This headset now adorns my new bike, and hopefully will last as long as my old headset. Live in a dry climate with very little chance of it getting muddy or wet. I bought a Cane Creek shock that they custom valved for my old FS, and there customer support was awesome, so they got my business from now on. |
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Submitted by
Donovan
a Cross Country Rider
from Greenville, SC
Date Reviewed: 9/5/2001 9:45:16 AM |
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| FavoriteTrail: | Paris Mtn- Brissy Ridge |
| Duration Product Used: | 3 months |
| Purchased At: | LBS- Stock on Trek Fuel 98 |
| Strengths: | Has some cone shaped plastic washers to keep grime out of bearings, at least that what I think the intention was. |
| Weaknesses: | High wear or high maintainance, depending on if the owner is too lazy to repack bearings every few months. |
| Similar Products Tried: | many, many old school headsets, and a couple sealed, WTB & FSA |
| Bike Setup: | Fuel 98 |
| Bottom Line: | I was shocked to find an unsealed headset on my $2000 bike! I guess Trek has to make money somewhere. I only noticed because it started to creak after about three months of use. I removed the bearing races, cleaned with Simple Green, rinsed and repacked with white lithium grease. Problem was corrected in 15-20 minutes... Now speaking as an old timer to this pastime, I can remember when you had to repack bearings on the headset and the bottom bracket. If you didn't, you have to replace bearings or races. And yes, if you ape handle the races, you'll drop bearings all over the ^&*% floor. If you object to doing some routine maintainance on your ride, I'd suggest going with a sealed headset, although I can't see spending more than $40 on one, since the FSA's are just about as light as the Chris Kings, it's not worth $100 for some laser etched name to me. I'll probably see how long these will hold up, and replace with a sealed set eventually, leaving myself more time to ride. |
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Submitted by
Jeff
a Weekend Warrior
from Victorville, CA
Date Reviewed: 2/6/2001 4:04:33 PM |
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| Duration Product Used: | 2 Years |
| Purchased At: | Stock on Traek 8000SL |
| Strengths: | None |
| Weaknesses: | Has creaked since the first day I got my bike dirty. |
| Bottom Line: | It came stock on my Trek 8000SL. I asked Trek, and they said it was dirt getting in between the bars and neck. I replaced both, and the problem still exists. I have come to the conclusion that it's the headset. It won't creak on the road, but once I get it in the dirt, it sounds like the bearings are grinding together. It's so loud that the other riders comment on it. I am not impressed. It looks like Chris King is the way to go. |
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Submitted by
norton
a Cross Country Rider
from nor cal redwoods
Date Reviewed: 12/23/2000 12:46:51 PM |
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| FavoriteTrail: | rough go |
| Duration Product Used: | 6 months |
| Strengths: | none |
| Weaknesses: | will not stay tight. constantly comes loose and will not adjust. it came with the build kit for my son's bike. i had hoped that it would last a little longer before i upgraded the headset, but unfortunatly it did not. i should have known better than to try and save a little money, so it serves me right. |
| Similar Products Tried: | chris king |
| Bike Setup: | superlight with lx/xt, judy sl, fox rear. |
| Bottom Line: | i have a race face real seal on order and i hope that this will do the trick. |
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Submitted by
Alacritter
a Cross Country Rider
from Alabamy
Date Reviewed: 10/2/2000 12:28:15 PM |
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| Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years |
| Price Paid: | $25 |
| Purchased At: | various mailorder houses & lbses |
| Strengths: | cheap & light, parts available at most shops |
| Weaknesses: | It's not sealed |
| Similar Products Tried: | couple of Tange threaded, Ritchey Threaded, Aheadset ALC |
| Bike Setup: | XC hardtails |
| Bottom Line: | I've been through so many of these things that I've lost count. They last me about 6 mo.-1 yr. before they get so trashed from grit that I replace the headset. I clean them out & regrease occasionally, but that doesn't stop the headset from rapidly wearing to the point that the two halves of the cups end up rubbing each other. If I'd just bought a King to begin with, I'd have easily gotten my money's worth out of it by now. Right now I'm taking a break from chasing *&^%# loose balls all over my floor so that I can tell my fellow cyclists to spare yourself from this product. I'll give them a little credit for being cheap and available, but I've learned my lesson. |
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Submitted by
Phil
a Weekend Warrior
from Montreal
Date Reviewed: 8/25/2000 10:14:35 AM |
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| Duration Product Used: | 3 months |
| Price Paid: | $20 |
| Strengths: | cheap, bearings |
| Weaknesses: | the seals sucks a**, they let in mud and water and dust. i rode in the mud once with it and i could hear the crap inside of it alreafy. it's loose and the seals aren't even supposed to be tight on it it's made to be slack. |
| Bike Setup: | lx |
| Bottom Line: | don't get it unless you plan to stay on the dry road and even then. dirt gets inside it really easily. but you get what you pay for |
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Submitted by
Jim Wheeler
a Cross Country Rider
from Cupertino CA
Date Reviewed: 1/12/2000 5:19:41 PM |
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| FavoriteTrail: | Wilder Ranch |
| Duration Product Used: | 6 months |
| Strengths: | Price |
| Weaknesses: | Seals, too much maintenance |
| Similar Products Tried: | Chris King, Diacomp, Richy Logic |
| Bike Setup: | M2 Comp Pro. XT, Paul Breaks, Judy's, Mavic Cross Links |
| Bottom Line: | The Aheadset is a good headset for the money, but the unit needs to be cleaned on a regular basis and re-greased. If you do not do that the seals let in too much grit and you will have to replace it after a while. My knock would be for the amount maintenance it requires under adverse conditions. Otherwise it is a good product. |
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Submitted by
Bobby Filar
a Cross-Country Rider
from Athens, OH
Date Reviewed: 8/7/1999 |
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| FavoriteTrail: | Monday Creek |
| Duration Product Used: | less than 1 month |
| Strengths: |
Cost durability good handling |
| Weaknesses: | nothing yet |
| Similar Products Tried: | threaded stem |
| Bike Setup: | 800 Trek Spyder shocks |
| Bottom Line: | Good product for the money |
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Submitted by
peter sellers
a cross-country rider
from wales
Date Reviewed: 11/3/1998 |
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| Bottom Line: | Its truly amazing that this light and cheap headset has got so few reviews!It the best money can by for relialbe servicable all year round replacable parts componentry. it slick as a king its four times cheaper, it wont attract thieves and label scum bags. Im sitting here with a big smile thinking about all you suckers that either paid out big bucks for some over priced cartidge thing and those lucky people that Have got that head set that cost maybe £10 lessbut needs to be serviced five times a year and replaced once a year cos it feel so shitty after a while.Happy cheap time to be had at the hand of this thing. oh yes |
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Submitted by
Sean
from california
Date Reviewed: 12/24/1997 |
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| Bottom Line: | my friend put an ahead al on his bmx racer and we slaughtered that thing in a week . the cups were cracked after an hour of some mid size sections . its pretty light . but duribility just plain sucks . i dont ride a king or nothing . i figure my sx1 aheadset is the best thing on earth . you all out mtbers are spoiled. and bent on maitenance.just dont buy this headset. go buy an se1 and a metal cap and your set.if the cup breaks buy a dcup. you know just a few years ago everyone had a threaded 5 dollar headsets. all the sealed ones are gimmicks . |
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