The new Crank Bros Cobalt SL directset made its way into our hands today at the shop and I've gotta say that my ideas of what makes a headset have been pretty much blown apart.
From redundant cups to completely eliminating the need for sealed bearing, the Cobalt manages to be pretty damn revolutionary while still maintaining the style that made Crank Brothers famous.



If the thing looks small to you, it's because it is. You can easily clutch this baby in a closed fist and, by getting rid of the need for an internal sealed bearing, the Cobalt weighs in at a dainty 65 grams. I can see the roadies and xc kiddies drooling already.



As for cleaning, you'd figure any headset that doesn't have a sealed bearing would probably be a bitch to clean. Turns out you can just pop off your shock and stem, remove the seals one at a time and clean and regrease while the headset is still in your frame.
My final review? Any headset this light, this stylish, and this simple to service is making its way onto my cross country bike without a second thought. They Should be on the site today sometime, so I suggest you do the same.

Till next time,

- The RT Group