# Headset coming with CAAD9 BB30 framesets?



## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

Does anyone know what headset is coming with the new CAAD9 BB30 framesets? Same as the production bikes?

Size, brand, part #, etc. would all be helpful.

Thanks,
Chris


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## STARNUT (Jun 19, 2005)

Cane Creek IS-24.

Starnut


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## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

STARNUT said:


> Cane Creek IS-24.
> 
> Starnut


I'm going to have to hide somewhere and ask stupid questions where you can't find me! 

Thanks again Ted!

-Chris

P.S. Is it any good or is this another part they use to keep the costs down?


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## STARNUT (Jun 19, 2005)

Now-a-days a headset is a headset if it's integrated. My only hang up with the IS-24 is that it has (surprise) a 24mm top cap  . You can go to their website and buy a shorter top cap.

Starnut


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## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

Weird :-/ I can't find anything on the web about that headset.

I think I had the same issue with my Synapse?? The "System Integrated" topcap didn't fit on the Specialized Comp stem the shop put on my bike, so they had to use the one that came with the stem instead.

Is that what you're talking about? 

-Chris


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## STARNUT (Jun 19, 2005)

Not really, the HT legnth on a 54 *cough* my size *cough* is a 140 and with that goofy top cap it's actually a 164 which is damn near the same size as a Synapse in the same size (with in a MM of claimed). 

Now if you're someone who has a weird morphology *cough* like me *cough* and need a very specific saddle to bar height/difference becuase of torso length and arm length, it wouldn't work for you with a 164 HT. I _need_ a 135~145 HT on a frame to get it to fit how I like it.





















This brings up an interesting point that is slightly off topic but relevant. People will buy a CAAD9 or, god forbid, a Six in any flavor because they can't be seen on a Synapse becuse it's "less racy" or "less race oriented" than the Super, System, CAAD #, or the Six. *YET*, they will ride the bike with that stupid 24mm top cap and end up with the same stack as a Synapse :roll:. Tis the myth that has been perpetuated 

Stupid 24 mm cap and 164mm total HT legnth









5mm cap and a 145 mm total HT length









That's an FSA BMX headset top cap that has almost no stack height. No I'll not post a pic of the whole frame.

Also, it's why I've always been suspect of Serotta's/Seven's "fit" stuff. This coming from a "Serotta certified fitter" *wank*. They refused to build me a bike about 10 years ago becuase they said "the handling would be awful with a headtube that short". I'm slightly disturbed by the amount of spacers I see on "custom" bikes supposedly tailer made for the rider like a fine italian suit. I digress................. 










This dude's dog shares my feeling about tall headtubes on "custom" bikes and what "fit" means to some. Just because it's "custom" doesn't mean it fits....... it mean you're the only dumba$$ that would ride a bike that way. I'm a _prime_ candidate for a custom bike with my _very very_ long legs and arms for my height, excessivly short torso, and not super flexable. Yet, I've only ever had one "custom" bike that was basically a modification of a stock geometry via a smaller HT length. On top of that I run, what some would consider, a very large amout of drop.

Ahem................ a bit of an exateration but it serves to illistrate a point, imagine what this thing would like like in "custom" flare.................. kripes.































At any rate.............. I'd need to ditch the 24mm spacer for something shorter. It's an OEM headset, well, at least the top cap is anyway. Thankfully, as far as I know, the IS line/family of headsets all use the same bearings and guts (the bigge is teh compression ring) but different top caps. Thus, one should be able to order the shortest IS top cap for the family. So, by extension, not a stupid question.

Starnut


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## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

I own a 53cm '08 Synapse Carbon 3 that exists committing various "sins":

(1) I put Red cranks on an otherwise Shimano-equipped bike
(2) I started out using MTB pedals (OK so I've switched to road, but I rode like that for a while!)
(3) Several spacers under the stem!
(4) Super short stem! (I think it's an 80 or 90mm)
(5) Ridiculous-looking upward angle!

So what I ride is an odd specimen. However I love the way it rides, handles, and fits.

As long as I enjoy riding it, like the way it looks, and therefore want to ride it even more, that's all that matters 

Moral of the story? I have no "pride" and I take criticism exceptionally well. I don't try to win popularity contests, I don't try to impress people any more than the average person does, and I'm officially six months into an obsession with road cycling 

Again, thanks for all of the helpful info you provide. And it really freaks me out that you said you wouldn't post a picture of the entire bike, because I was definitely going to ask  If I had it my way, I'd have my CAAD9 frameset stripped when it gets here and I'd have the entire thing custom painted in the stock white and have a whole black decal kit put on (or the BBQ scheme - matte black with white decals).

It'll probably happen some day


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## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

P.S. I honestly just don't really want that big black headset - if it was white I wouldn't complain.

I know, I know, I'm lame and it shouldn't matter what the damn thing looks like!


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## STARNUT (Jun 19, 2005)

My post was meant in jest............. mostly. Day in and day out we fit people on all kinds of bikes and in the end I'm interested in makeing people happy and any bike that gets ridden is a good bike in my opnion. If that's what it takes to get some people to ride a bike, then that's what it takes. 

I'm by no means passing judgment, I think it was more of an observation about why I sell and see certain bikes more than others. 90% of the time when I sell an R3/SL the guy should be on an RS but can't fathom not being on a "race" bike (this was before PR by the way). Same story with the Synapses. Both are great bikes and would serve the buyer well in every physical aspect just as well as, and sometimes better than, the R3/SL or a Super6. My comments were more about the general myth that the Synapse, RS, whatever the Evil-S makes, etc that have taller headtubes are "comfort" bikes and are not "raceable" or people actually question racing them becuase of the geometry differences. Yet they'll run the damn thing like it's a "comfort" frame. My point is that those bikes are every bit as raceable as their top tier buddies in the same line but for some reason........ people would rather ride a "race" bike with 5 cm of spacers, rather than one that actually fits, _the exact same_, as a "comfort" bike for the same line. Don't take my word for it, go look at the Cervelo forum at the "is the RS a raceable frame" thread.

God help me for what I'm about to say, but Trek did it right. They offer two different "fits" in the Madone. Rather than make it a "V6 vs. V8" argument it's a "buy what fits, dummy" argument. There is a (misguided and uninformend) misconception that those bikes (with tall HT) are of "lower performance"................ that aint the case.


That being said.................. tall HTs still bug me :lol:

Starnut


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## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

I completely agree with you and I know you meant no offense  I was just admitting that I know there are people out there that see my Synapse and laugh at the spacers under the stem, the length of the stem, the stem angle, etc. I admit some setups are more aesthetically-pleasing than others, but who cares? 

And I agree, Trek did to that right  I'm still sticking with Cannondale until Dorel sucks all the life out of them!

If I could say one thing to Cannondale, it would be to give more options for the frameset color choices - they already have all of the paints and the decals - if a customer is willing to spend some extra coin and really wants it, why not take their money and make a happy customer? I'd like the design on the '09 Cyclocross 5, please  -









By the way, everyone keeps calling me emo lately. The sweater I like is emo (and not black), my bike is emo, etc.

Is black automatically emo?? Freakin hipsters


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## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

Update: I e-mailed Cannondale customer service yesterday before Starnut so graciously answered my question  Unfortunately, they seem to change their specs quite often. Here is what Cannondale had to say about bb30 CAAD9 framesets as of 04/21/2009:

Our headsets are Campy hiddenset compatible, 45 x 45 bearing angles, 1 1/8 inch. Cane Creek, FSA and Ritchey make compatible headsets. 

According to our current bill of materials we are using a Tange branded headset with our CAAD9 framesets.

I've never heard of "Tange" before, but they do have a website (with very poorly written English)...
http://www.tange-design.com/

I can't seem to find a section for their headsets though. Weird. What's next - are they going to change the frame material to steel without notifying anyone?? (I'm kidding, I'm kidding - don't throw anything at me!)


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## ti-carbon (Mar 25, 2007)

RoadBikeVirgin said:


> Update:
> 
> According to our current bill of materials we are using a Tange branded headset with our CAAD9 framesets.[/COLOR]
> 
> ...


You are correct and mine came with Tange bearings.
Tange is one of the OE bearing suppliers to Shimano according to my sources.


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## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

ti-carbon said:


> You are correct and mine came with Tange bearings.
> Tange is one of the OE bearing suppliers to Shimano according to my sources.


Intriguing. I looked through the "forks" section of their site - they have a lot of choices - http://www.tange-design.com/tange_2007/forks.htm

No ordering info, copyright on the site is a couple years dated - I don't like it when I have this much trouble investigating a company :-/


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## Hardtail (Feb 4, 2003)

RoadBikeVirgin said:


> Intriguing. I looked through the "forks" section of their site - they have a lot of choices - http://www.tange-design.com/tange_2007/forks.htm
> 
> No ordering info, copyright on the site is a couple years dated - I don't like it when I have this much trouble investigating a company :-/



Try here......

http://www.tangeseiki.com/tangeseiki_news/Glide-1-1a-1.html


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## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

Hardtail said:


> Try here......
> 
> http://www.tangeseiki.com/tangeseiki_news/Glide-1-1a-1.html


Thanks a million for that link  I am SOOOO confused now! So they make the parts for Cane Creek, and some for Shimano? Is this one of those things where people say most of the stuff you end up buying comes from a couple of different factories in Taiwan/China?

Good to know.


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## Hardtail (Feb 4, 2003)

Kinda yeah

Tange-Seiki is a huge company making all kinds of stuff that people put their names on sorta like Araya rims do

That headset in the CAAD 9 is not much more than a couple bearings in reality.
Headsets aren't really all that important in my opinion as long as they are able to move freely it's all good

I will post pics of my Dura-Ace CAAD 9 as soon as I take a few


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## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

Hardtail said:


> I will post pics of my Dura-Ace CAAD 9 as soon as I take a few


Please do!! Let me know what you've put into the build - I always enjoy hearing what components/parts people decide to put into their CAAD builds  I'm still on the fence thinking about what fork to put on mine 

Is that DuraAce 7800 or 7900?

-Chris


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