Description:The ZS ("Zero Stack") headset has an extra-low stack height. But it's only available on new bikes. The ZS is only compatible with specially machined head tubes. It cannot be retrofit to an existing bike.
Two versions: the ZS-5 and the ZS-2
Submitted by
Jim
a Weekend Warrior
from Kila Date Reviewed: March 19, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Spencer Lake
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$4000.00
Purchased At:
Jenson's Cyclery
Strengths:
Very short, and light. Super excellent customer support. Is that descriptive what.
Weaknesses:
First set was stiff turning. Was to loose, or to tight with only a fraction of a turn (of set screw). This spring I ulled bike up stairs to do tune up, and found my head set totally siezed up. Pulled it apart and was indeed rusted ???
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
Raleigh Inferno XC Pro frame, full Shimano XTR, Spinergy wheels w/Stan's no tubes using Hutchinson Python Gold Elite tires, Marzocchi Marathon S forks...NNNice :)
Bottom Line:
As I read on this Review board, I e-mailed Cane Creek customer support, explained my delema, and recieved an extreemely positive responce whithin 24 hours. I will be receiving a new head set soon, and fully antisapate that I will be completely satisfied with the new and improved head set. Did I say that the customer support is supper excellent!!! To me that means that they really believe in their product.
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Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Bristol, CT Date Reviewed: April 10, 2004
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Seems Ok after a hard year of riding
Weaknesses:
None as yet
Similar Products Used:
Regular headsets in other bikes. The GIANT NRS requires a Zero Stack Headset
Bike Setup:
GIANT NRS
Bottom Line:
Since Cane Creek warranted the defective cups last year, I have had absolutely no problems with loosening or creaking of the headset. Very solid. I have regreased the bearings once last fall, but they were very clean, not gritty. I hope to get at least another year of use out of it.
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Submitted by
Greg
a Cross Country Rider
from Germany Date Reviewed: May 17, 2003
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Looks good. ZS-2 has better seals than the ZS. Cheap.
Weaknesses:
The original ZS has a flawed design, so don't buy it under any circumstances! The ZS-2 seems to be much better but the seals on the lower bearings could be a bit better.
Similar Products Used:
ZS, ZS-2
Bottom Line:
Well, you can get this headset for relatively little money on ebay. Good value. There are better products out there but hey - it's only a headset.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joe Mc
a Cross Country Rider
from Dublin, Ireland Date Reviewed: November 26, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Lord of the Rings, Gran Canaria
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Cycle Inn
Similar Products Used:
Std Cane Creek h/set
Bike Setup:
Giant XTC Team
Bottom Line:
Stock CC h/set on Giant was cack. There was play in the bearing in race, and the bearings fell to pieces after 12 motnhs. I bought a similiar replacement h/set from giant, but the same thing happened. I called CC, and I received a new h/set!! Looks like its better quality than the last, so I'll give it a go. Thumbs up for customer service.
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Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Ravensdale, WA Date Reviewed: September 1, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Seals out dirt and moisture fairly well. Smooth, easy to install.
Weaknesses:
Original set was defective. Called Cane Creek and a replacement set (complete) was mailed out
Similar Products Used:
C2
Bike Setup:
Giant XTC, Raceface crank, Shimano shifters, Sun Singletracks, Duke 100, Thudbuster, Laser V, Azonic bars, Stiffy stem
Bottom Line:
So far so good. The replacement set was easy to install. The original set was either too loose, or too tight. Cane Creek has great customer service other company's could take a lesson from. Not too many choices for Giant owners when it comes to integrated headsets, without hesitiation I would buy these again.
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Submitted by
NATSU
a Weekend Warrior
from HAWAII Date Reviewed: August 26, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Waimea Valley
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
came stock on AC1
Strengths:
Good looks, simple design, low stack height, customer service.
Weaknesses:
Everything excluding the above on first generation ZS headsets.
Similar Products Used:
Chris King, WTB Momentum
Bike Setup:
AC1
Bottom Line:
Headset was defective and did not work properly after first 4 months. Contacted CC and was sent the wrong replacement bearing set. Contacted CC again and they sent me a whole new headset. Very pleased with CC's commitment to their products and their customer service in making it right! As far as the new headset, it works like it was supposed to; simple, smooth and maintenance free.
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Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Bristol CT USA Date Reviewed: April 12, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
ZS-2 Headset...Bearings,cups, crown race...Pretty simple in concept.
Weaknesses:
Was defective on a new frame. Bearings were sloppy from the get-go.
Similar Products Used:
Chris King Aheadset..Rock solid, never had a problem.
Bike Setup:
2001 GIANT NRS 1, custom build.
Bottom Line:
Well, this Zer-Stack headset deserved ZERO chili's for being a hunka junk from the start. It was impossible to preload the bearings and remove the play in the fork tube/ frame interface. BUT , Cane Creek sent me a bearing and race kit , complete, free of charge when I used their customer service email. I recieved it fast and the new bearings are noticeably different from the old ones. Looks like a better seal system, and they don't have radial slop like the old ones. When a company responds in this manner, THUMBS UP.. I will have to give their air shocks a look over when I get in the market for a new one. I can't stand my Rock Shox SID, it's hard to adjust. I would buy from Cane Creek in the future, even though a bad headset came with the fork. They realized it was a mistake and corrected the problem as soon as they were told.
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Submitted by
kent
a
from mandeville Date Reviewed: March 9, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
customer service cartridge bearings
Weaknesses:
bottom race
Similar Products Used:
plenty of other headsets
Bike Setup:
diamondback xsl pro
Bottom Line:
i had a problem with mine. cane creek rules. the customer service was great, they helped me and fixed my problem. they had better service then most companies ive bought from. thanks cne creek, kent hoggatt
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Submitted by
David
a Cross Country Rider
from Calistoga, California, USA Date Reviewed: December 28, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Now if I told you that, I't wouldn't my favorite trail any more.
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Looks sweet...all intergrated into the frame. Bigger serface area at point of conection to frame which means to me it can be stronger while being lighter.
Weaknesses:
Abosolutly the bearings!! Mine too, after a year, went out so to speak. Grinding noise is never a good sound on a bike.
Bike Setup:
Giant XTC SE-1
Bottom Line:
It worked great up to a year, but thanks to Rick and Eli's post, I'm calling up Cane Creek and getting hooked up. Thank's for the info Guys!
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Submitted by
Rick
a Cross Country Rider
from Baltimore Date Reviewed: October 5, 2001
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
It works!
Weaknesses:
Will only fit certain bikes
Bike Setup:
Giant XTC NRS
Bottom Line:
After a year of hard riding, the bearings went bad. Called Cane Creek and right off the bat they are sending me the new improved bearing kit free. With the exception of an apperant problem with the original bearings, the headset works great, and does its job wonderfully.
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Submitted by
geko
a Weekend Warrior
from Philippines Date Reviewed: September 16, 2001
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Looks nice.
Weaknesses:
Cartidge bearing self-destructed after less than 3 months of riding!!!
Similar Products Used:
Raceface Headset
Bike Setup:
Giant XTC AC1
Bottom Line:
We deserve a better product than this.
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Submitted by
Rob
a Cross Country Rider
from Tasmania,Australia Date Reviewed: August 23, 2001
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
It is a headset. It does the job very sweet. No problems so far.
Weaknesses:
Maybe not so good having it only fit those bikes with a machine headtube.
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
Giant ATX 890
Bottom Line:
It does the job of a headset very well. It looks great, coz its not beefy above and below the head tube.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eli Stair
a Cross Country Rider
from Providence, RI, USA Date Reviewed: August 10, 2001
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Light?
Weaknesses:
Relatively poor craftsmanship, shipped in a defective condition, bearings self-destruct when installed, all milled parts are not polished, have mill marks and burrs. Too light and flimsy.
Bottom Line:
This is an update to my post below. I received the replacement bearings, crown race, compression ring and top cap from Cane Creek. After installation the headset actually works! It adjusts properly, is smooth and the bearings are even a little beefier than those provided originally. Bottom line: You'll get this headset if you buy a bike that can use it, and if you do call Cane Creek at 800-234-2725, and they'll send you the "correct" parts. No product should ever be distributed with such a flaw, but at least they fixed it. 1 chili value, it retails for $70, and 2 overall, it's not well made but it works OK.
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Submitted by
Eli Stair
a Cross Country Rider
from Barrington, RI, USA Date Reviewed: August 8, 2001
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Being that the headset/headtube are wider than normal there may be a benefit in frame stiffness from the design.
Weaknesses:
Feels flimsy, the crown race is just plain cheesy, the cups aren't polished to any degree (still have cnc marks), and the bearings don't feel precise at all. The headset, in the form it came with my Giant NRS Air frame, doesn't work properly. It is either too loose, or too tight but never "just right". I called Cane Creek and they said they've redesigned the bearings and crown race/tension ring and shipped me a new set for free.
Similar Products Used:
Race Face Real Seal (A+), Cheapo WTB (F), Cane Creek C-2 (B)
Bike Setup:
Black.
Bottom Line:
The headset seems to have been rushed out the door so to speak, as the parts do not function correctly together. However it would appear Cane Creek is aware of this and is correcting it for free. Unfortunately for most people who buy a bike with this headset, at least at the shop I got my frame from, it won't be fixed off the line. The shop mechanic I talked to before calling CC said "basically, all the ones I've seen do that", wrong answer, MINE won't do that. I wish Cane Creek would have informed the companies they sold the headset with and let them know they've fixed a known issue. I will update with the new bearings when I get a chance to.
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Submitted by
a Weekend Warrior
from United States Date Reviewed: July 11, 2001
Favorite Trail:
that's classified
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Well it came with the bike, so that was one less component I had to buy. works, keeps out dirt
Weaknesses:
Zero stack height means you'll need spacers, can only fit bikes with specially machined headtube, not Chris King
Similar Products Used:
generic 1" on my beach cruiser
Bike Setup:
giant Xtc
Bottom Line:
It's a headset for Christ sakes. The seals are good, keeping out dirt. I can turn the bar...I'm not really asking for much more than that. I guess the low stack height helps keep the bearings clean. If I get a new frame, it probably won't fit. I'll deduct on chili because it lacks the King pimp factor, but so far, I haven't had to think about the headset, it quietly does its job.
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