MEET THE STIFFMASTER - COCKPIT STIFFNESS ON A NEW LEVEL
Fast turns, sprinting or horrible rock gardens, a stiffer cockpit is necessary for fast and hard riding. But it is not done with a stiff handlebar. The handlebar itself should have some small flex for symmetrical loads to increase comfort, but one sided loads should not make the system bend. The one-piece spacer increases the stiffness further (one is included). With the current model it is not necessary to use an Intend Spacer. You can put every other spacer there without an Intend spacer as well as additional to the Intend spacer.
Note:
The Stiffmasters stack height is 14mm. For general height just add spacer height to stack height. One Intend spacer of your choice is included. Additional Stiffmaster spacers are available in our webshop. The Stiffmaster headset is a complete headset. Just swap your existing top headset with a Stiffmaster unit and you´re all set!
The stiffmaster is only available in ZS49 and ZS44. IS41/42 is not possible or planned for the future.
Ride Style Enduro/Freeride
Weight From 88g (Upper shell excl. spacer)
Stack Height 14mm
Steerer Tube Diameter 1 1/8″
Bolt Torque
3Nm
Material
High strength alloy
Colour
Black anodized
Other Available for ZS44 and ZS 49 headtubes / 14mm stack height / One-piece spacers available in 20, 12, 7, 1.5mm (one included)
Technology
Since the end of 20th century there was no progress of bicycle headsets. 2017 Paul Aston from Pinkbike came and we talked about forks, doublecrowns and singlecrown forks. He mentioned the weak point of the sinclecrown versions, in his eyes the steerertube is to flexy that the handlebar (one side) can move up and down. Doublecrownforks would avoid this and make a stiffer and more precise ride.
He was right. I never thought about the handlebar stiffness when it is about a fork. I told him “I will think about that and find a solution”.
Two weeks later I showed him the ideas of the Stiffmaster headset.
So what does it do ?
On the left side you can find the drawing of a traditional headset. Conical ring (red), bearing (blue), caps and spacer (black).
The steerertube is 28,6mm with wallthickness of 2mm. (for comparison a handlebar is 31,8 or 35mm with about 3mm wallthickness). This tube is really bending due to the high loads of one sided handlebar actions like sprinting or fast turnes. The connection between the bearing, the conical ring and the steerer is not tight, there is just “no play”, but these parts can move relative to each other, that’s why bending of the steerer appears.
On the right you see the Stiffmaster headset. The green shell is fixed to the steerer with the clamp of the upper cap. So the cap and the shell becomes one unit with the steerer tube. If there will be any bending of the tube, this construction will avoid this bending, while it lays down on the axial needle-bearing. It’s not possible for the steerertube to move in any way.
The massive onepiece spacer on the top (20, 13, 7mm or 1,5mm) increases this stiff feeling.
FAQ
Do I need a lower headset if I buy a Stiffmaster ?
Yes, the Stiffmaster is an upper headset only
Do I need something else between frame and Stiffmaster ?
No, you simply install the Stiffmaster as a normal headset
Can I install the Stiffmaster aditional to my existing headset ?
No, the Stiffmaster replaced your former upper headset
Do you offer a IS41/42 version ?
No
Can I ride the headset without your Stiffmaster-Spacer ?
Yes
Can I add other spacers on top of your Stiffmaster-Spacer ?
Yes
I have an angleset, can I put the Stiffmsater to my angleset ?
No, that is not possible, Stiffmaster is only offered in a straight version
