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OK, who wants a new headset standard?

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Mackie

Mackie

Monkey
Mar 4, 2004
826
0
New York
Apparently Cannondale does.:rolleyes:
From Velo-news


The head tube houses a proprietary oversized headset and 320 gram fork. The fork's steerer tube tapers from a large 38mm at the crown to a standard 11/8 inches at the top, while the head tube's diameter remains constant throughout. Because of the enlarged sizes, Cannondale had to play a role in making the front end's components compliment each other both aesthetically and functionally.

Cannondale’s fork tapers from 1.5 inches to 1.125 inches. Cannondale has done it’s design homework to seamlessly integrate the system’s fork, stem and headset.

FSA makes a proprietary headset with an oversized lower bearing, 1 1/8 inch top bearing and a finessed top cap. Cannondale enlisted Control Tech to make a proprietary System Six stem. The stem is made from carbon fiber with alloy inserts for the steerer and bar clamps, it will be available is 80-120mm sizes. The steerer will also accept any conventional 1 1/8 inch stem.
 
BurlyShirley

BurlyShirley

Rex Grossman Will Rise Again
Jul 4, 2002
19,180
17
TN
People bitch about Cdale alot, but I kind of admire them. I probably wont buy one of their bikes, although I do like the prophet quite a bit (our local dealer is a POS).
Anyway, they go their own way with things, and their bikes seem to turn out fine. I mean, look at the lefty. I dont care what anyone says, that for feels good and really is stiff!
I admire that they made an attempt at motoX bikes. An american company (besides lameass ATK) hasnt done that in FOREVER.

Cdale is a good american company with interesting ideas.
 
Zman

Zman

Oink!
Oct 3, 2001
672
1
lurking like no one else, in Seattle, WA
it actually isnt proprietary for that fork. technology from Mtn bikes was taken. if you read through it is a standard 1.5 lower bearing and 1 1/8 upper. actually using current technology, just mixing it up, and taking from something other than road.....
 
binary visions

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,165
1,261
NC
DHS said:
thats what Giant was using for their Team DH bike for a bit.
Click to expand...
...except that Giant was using a standard 1 1/8" steerer, and was just mixing and matching what they stuck in there for a headset.

Mackie, Cannondale isn't pushing for a new standard (and, of course, this isn't a new standard anyway, it's just a blend of two existing standards). They're just doing their own thing like they always have.

I guess they're getting a better interface with the fork's crown, too, along with the stronger bearing at the bottom.
 
binary visions

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,165
1,261
NC
BTW, it doesn't appear that anything here is really proprietary except for the steerer tube.

I think, by "proprietary" they really mean "custom" or "one-off". If the fork will accept any normal 1 1/8" stem, and the lower steerer diameter is really 1.5, then all the parts to do this are available right now.
 
Ascentrek

Ascentrek

Monkey
Jul 17, 2003
653
0
Golden, CO
sounds like cannondale. Their older bikes had the worst ovalization on head tubes. I never understood why Cannondale comes up with wild ideas that no-one really ever adopts.

Cannondale is kind of like a Pacer... it was cool at first, and then out of style the next day.
 
binary visions

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,165
1,261
NC
Ascentrek said:
I never understood why Cannondale comes up with wild ideas that no-one really ever adopts.

Cannondale is kind of like a Pacer... it was cool at first, and then out of style the next day.
Click to expand...
Yeah... cause that whole 1.5" headtube thing never caught on... Stupid Cannondale ;)
 
DirtyDog

DirtyDog

Gang probed by the Golden Banana
Aug 2, 2005
6,598
0
I think you are going to see a lot of deviation from current standards in road bike design. Companies aren't going to be able to push the weight/performance barrier much further without deviating from old design limitations.
 
binary visions

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,165
1,261
NC
SkaredShtles said:
I'll bet my bike has a 1.5"............. :rofl: :rofl:

It's a good thing headsets last forever or I probably would've gotten one too small for my frame.
Click to expand...
Still got that Giant? It's got an IS headset which is neither standard 1 1/8" nor 1.5". It takes special bearings and cups that press down inside the headtube rather than being external cups. Still fits 1 1/8" steerer tubes though.
 
sanjuro

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
1. The Hollowgram SI is still the lightest crankset/bb combination next to Dura-Ace, Record, and XTR.
2. Ever have a problem with an outboard bb?
3. I heard Specialized is taking the hollowgram bb shell for their own carbon frames?
4. This is for C/Dale's top road frame. It won't affect the rest of their line, but for one thing, considering that most road frames are totally identical except for color, I think this is very innovative.
 
SkaredShtles

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
67,858
14,181
In a van.... down by the river
binary visions said:
Still got that Giant? It's got an IS headset which is neither standard 1 1/8" nor 1.5". It takes special bearings and cups that press down inside the headtube rather than being external cups. Still fits 1 1/8" steerer tubes though.
Click to expand...
Fukkers. :mumble: Good thing headsets last forever. :D
 
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