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Cane Creek Angleset 1.0 Review

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.
angleset

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.
taka angleset

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!
cane creek angleset

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.
taka angleset

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.
taka angleset

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.

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