Cane Creek HCR System Makes Internal Cable Routing Less Painful

Cane Creek HCR System Makes Internal Cable Routing Less Painful

“Internal headset cable routing systems have become increasingly prevalent in modern road and gravel bikes, offering cleaner looks and some marginal aerodynamic performance gains. While they bring an appealing modern aesthetic, these systems have consistently been a source of frustration for riders and mechanics alike. Today, Cane Creek introduces the HCR Stem and Headset – a solution for internal cable routing that they say is easier, higher quality, lower weight, and doesn’t break the bank.” – Cane Creek

Easier

“The HCR system (standing for ‘Hidden Cable Routing’) hides the brake/shift cables from view without enclosing them in the spacers or stem. This allows for much easier installation and maintenance. It also allows riders to swap stem lengths and spacer stack without disconnecting their brake hoses. It gives the clean and modern look of internal cables without the complexity often associated with it. HCR uses one-piece, aluminum slotted spacers to complete the simple and stress-free design.”

Quality Focused

“Cane Creek identified that nearly every other internal cable system is built around stems that are visually bulky with basic, matte black finishes. In an effort to raise the bar on the aesthetics, the HCR stem borrows the proportionality, shaping, and polished finish from their popular GXC and eeSilk stems. It’s a clean and traditional design that intentionally steers clear of the aero-inspired stems that have been offered until now.”

“The HCR system uses all-metal construction, free of flimsy plastic parts. One-piece, aluminum spacers replace the plastic, ‘puzzle-piece’ counterparts exclusively used by competitors. They not only look better, but they’re much nicer to work with as well.”

“The HCR Headset uses stainless steel Hellbender bearings, enclosed in a completely sealed design to reduce the stress and high cost often associated with maintaining an internally routed bike. While other ICR systems often expose the headset bearings to additional contamination, HCR uses a unique cable seal that prevents water and dirt ingress into the headset. This can save the rider hundreds of dollars in complex maintenance and adjustment down the road.”

Lightweight

“The HCR stem is the lightest cable-hiding stem on the market. In some cases, these stems can weigh double that of a traditional, externally routed stem! The HCR stem is 16– 68g lighter than the competition, while the headset is 30g lighter than the leading competitor.”

Premium Value

“HCR achieves all of the above at a price that’s less than half of some of the other premium options.”

Fully Independent

“While the HCR Stem and Headset are designed to go together for the most seamless setup, they can still be run independently. The HCR Headset can be used with any standard stem, or one-piece carbon cockpit, and the bearings will still be protected by the fully sealed design.”

Availability

The complete HCR system will be available Tuesday, January 6th at Canecreek.com and select dealers and retailers starting at $229.99 USD. Headsets and stems will also be sold individually, with headsets starting at $129.99 USD and stems at $99.99 USD.

Technical Details:

• Stem Material: Forged and Machined 6066 Aluminum
• Stem Weight: 160g (90mm stem)
• Headset Weight: 147g (EC44/EC44 headset + 15mm of spacers)
• Stem Lengths: 70mm, 80mm, 90mm, 100mm, 110mm, 120mm
• Stem Angle: -6 degree
• Headset Codes: EC44/EC44 & IS52/IS52
• Drivetrain Compatibility: Optimized for wireless drivetrains, compatible with mechanical
• Stem Hardware: Stainless Steel
• Headset Cups: Machined 6061-T6 Aluminum
• Headset Bearings: Hellbender stainless steel bearings
• Seals: Interlocking cable seal, steerer tube seal, bearing lip seal, dual-lip crown race seal
• Spacers: One-piece, machined aluminum HCR headset spacers, included with stem (1x10mm, 2x5mm). Standard converter spacer included with headset for use with non-HCR stem.

Learn more at the Cane Creek Website