Cane Creek Hellbender 70 Headset — ZS44/28.6 Upper + EC44/40 Lower (Tapered Fork Compatible)

The Cane Creek Hellbender 70 is a mid-range, long-life headset designed to sit between Cane Creek’s 40 Series and 110 Series. It uses the same stainless Hellbender bearings found in the premium 110 line, but packaged at a more approachable price point. This specific version is built for frames with a 44mm head tube top and bottom, paired with a tapered fork (1-1/8" to 1.5" steerer). Key Functional Details Complete headset (upper + lower assemblies included) Upper: Zero Stack ZS44 / 28.6mm steerer Lower: External Cup EC44 / 40mm crown race Premium stainless steel Hellbender cartridge bearings 6061-T6 machined aluminum cups and covers Low-friction upper bearing seal Double-lip lower bearing seal for wet / dirty conditions Bright-dip anodized finish Designed to bridge durability between Cane Creek 40 and 110 Series Compatibility & Technical Notes Frame head tube: 44mm top AND 44mm bottom Fork steerer: Tapered (1-1/8" upper / 1.5" lower) Upper SHIS: ZS44/28.6 Lower SHIS: EC44/40 Requires 40mm crown race (included) Not compatible with straight 1-1/8" forks Not compatible with 52mm lower head tubes Designed for modern MTB, gravel, and adventure frames using 44mm head tubes Includes Stem Cap and Star Nut Service / Ownership Context This headset uses sealed stainless bearings and aggressive lower sealing for extended service life. Cups must be pressed using a headset press. Crown race must be installed using a proper race setter. Bearings are replaceable when worn. Fit & Use Signals Good Fit: Frames with 44mm head tubes running tapered forks, riders wanting near-110 durability without 110 pricing. Not A Fit: Straight steerer forks, frames with 52mm lower head tubes, or integrated headset frames. This is ZS44 upper + EC44 lower — NOT IS and NOT 52mm. Top presses inside the frame, bottom presses outside. Requires tapered fork with 40mm crown seat. Biggest customer mistake is assuming all “44” headsets are the same — they’re not. If fork is straight 1-1/8, this won’t work. Hellbender bearings are stainless — noticeably longer life in wet riding. Lower seal is excellent for MTB and gravel. Install requires headset press + crown race tool. If customer doesn’t know their head tube ID, measure before ordering. Common confusion: EC44 still uses 44mm frame bore — cup just sits externally. Good upgrade from 40 Series when customers ride year-round.