Cane Creek is best known for their headsets, but this Fletcher, NC based company does much more than that. We visited this employee owned company for a day to see what they are up to.

Originally the company started its life as a manufacturing site for Dia Compe, manufacturing brakes for various bike brands as far back as 1974. In 1991 the Fletcher, NC group separated from the Japanese parent company and introduced the bicycle industry to the threadless headset - known as AheadSet®. A few years later to avoid any any name confusion, the company officially took on the brand name Cane Creek.

Cane Creek now makes a variety of headsets, spacers, seat posts, shocks, bar ends and a few other products.


All images © Herbert Krabel / slowtwitch.com

Cane Creek is located in Fletcher which isn't very far from Asheville, NC.

Ralph Bagwell is busy getting Double Barrel shocks ready for shipments.

We would think that he could do all these steps with his eyes closed, but Ralph had his eyes on the prize.

Diane Waters is among the employees who have been with Cane Creek forever, but has the passion of brand new employee.

The Double Barrel shock assembly process keeps several guys busy, including John Fennell.

Greg Davis, Ricky Bradley, Dale Baker are also occupied with shock assembly.

Here a reservoir end gets put together.

Tires was one of several dogs inside the Cane Creek facility. They are allowed indeed, but there are rules.

The IT work is in the hands of Nick Gilbert.

The AER headset spacers are crazy light, and of course matching nicely the very light AER headsets.

The aluminum stock that eventually will be turned into headsets.

Headset cups fresh from the CNC machine, nicely protected.

This Forty-Series headset in the hand of Lisa Beverly will end up on a Yeti.

A whole rack of Cane Creek Thudbuster seatposts.

Judy Hill knows everything about the Thudbuster.

Ready for shipments to places all over the world.

Peter Gilbert the VP of Sales could tell you everything about the history of this company, and he has been around to experience it personally.

The bike of engineer Jim Morrison appears to have a prototype headset. Always thinking ahead.

Director of Marketing Holly Colson has a few items from her kids on the desk.

Out in the back the Cane Creek folks have a pretty nifty pump track.