Out of Fletcher, North Carolina, components brand Cane Creek has launched a new fork, limited-edition featherweight brakes and a water-resistant spares pouch ahead of the Sea Otter festival, which kicks off later this week.
Helm Works Series 130
Cane Creek says the new Helm Works Series 130 fork is optimised for aggressive riding on short travel bikes. Built on the brand's Helm platform, the new 130mm fork is claimed to provide the same stiffness and support as the standard Helm 29 Air fork, with a few new bells and whistles for the XC and lightweight trail crowds.
The fork will take both 29in and 27.5 wheels and is built around a 44mm offset hollow crown, 35mm stanchions and a D-Loc axle. Cane Creek says it has shed 100g (1,999g claimed weight) from the Helm 29 Air by optimising the internals.
“Since the HELM was released we’ve heard from a lot of riders who love the fork for its stability and stiffness combined with the ability to adjust it down to shorter travel for aggressive XC and downcountry riding,” said Cane Creek product manager, Sam Anderson. “After hearing that feedback, we sat down and asked ourselves what the perfect HELM fork would look like if it were optimized for that style of riding and that’s how the HELM Works Series 130 was born.”
The new fork also gets a 'Climb Switch' allowing for the suspension to be 'stiffened' mid-ride to create a stable climbing platform, though Cane Creek doesn’t explicitly say it offers a full lockout.
Inside, the 130 sees the same independently adjustable dual chamber air spring and accessory-free air volume adjustment as the Helm 29 Air.
Set to retail for $899, the Helm Works Series 130 with be available with a polished black anodised crown and gunmetal grey lowers with black graphics. The fork will hit stores in May and international pricing is to be announced.
eeBrakes El Platino
If you’re after bling factor on the road, eeBrakes are about as flashy as they come. However, with the new El Platino limited-edition stoppers, Cane Creek has turned it up to eleven.
This platinum and pewter colourway of the acclaimed eeBrake G4 is the fifth limited-edition brake the company has produced following the El Dorado, El Chulo, El Diablo and El Rosado, all released over the last two years.
Known for their low numbers on the scale, and high numbers at the cash register, the eeBrakes El Platino are available in direct mount and regular mount varieties for both front and rear. Claimed weight is 78.4g front and 78.2g rear for the direct mount and 85.3g front and 83.7g rear for the regular.
Developed by component designer Craig Edwards, they are assembled by hand in Cake Creek's facility in North Carolina. The eeBrake G4 is made entirely with CNC machined parts and has a wider design optimized for 22–28mm rims, a stiffer back arch spring, a revised one-piece centre adjuster and ‘ghosted’ laser etched graphics.
These brakes are strictly limited-edition and the deadline for orders is 19 April with expected delivery this May. Should the El Platino brakes take your fancy, they will set you back $680. International pricing is to be announced.
Road Cache
We all need to carry a spare out on the road, but for many (this writer included) that takes the form of a ziplock bag. If you’re looking for a more elegant solution, Cane Creek has also announced the Road Cache, a water-resistant pouch designed to fit in a jersey pocket.
The brand says it will fit a 700x25 tube, tire levers and a CO2 inflator. Made from black neoprene, the pouch sees a clamshell design and is claimed to weigh 27g. It will cost $14 and international pricing is to be announced.