Cane Creek Lowers Price on Helm Fork

Nov 1, 2018 at 9:12
by Cane Creek  
The HELM Suspension Fork from Cane Creek

by CaneCreekCyclingComponents


PRESS RELEASE: Cane Creek Cycling Components

We’re pleased to announce that, beginning today, Cane Creek is adjusting the retail price on the HELM suspension fork from $1,100 USD to $899 USD.

Our guiding principle at Cane Creek is “We believe that riding bikes makes life better - so we work to make riding bikes better.” Part of making bikes better is making our product as accessible to as many riders as possible while maintaining the standard of excellence that we’ve set for ourselves. So, in order to give as many riders as possible the opportunity to ride this amazing fork, we’ve worked to reduce its retail price.

In the eighteen months since the HELM was released, the fork has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from the cycling media and riders alike - appearing on several editors’ choice lists and dream builds. The results of this success have allowed us to pay off some initial costs, such as tooling, that were required to bring the HELM to production. Also, as is the case with any hand-assembled product, we have become more efficient at producing the HELM over the last year and a half. Those efficiencies translate into cost savings.

We could choose to add those cost savings to our bottom line, but we would rather pass them on to our customers and get more riders on a better fork.

That’s it. There are no catches or fine print.

There will be no changes to parts, design or the production process used to make the HELM as a result of this price change. This is the same outstanding fork so many riders and reviewers have raved about over the last eighteen months.

We’re a small, employee-owned company made up of people who love to ride bikes, and we love the idea of more people being able to ride the HELM. So get out, go ride a bike and thanks for supporting Cane Creek.

HELM 27.5
photo
#HELMyeah

www.canecreek.com

MENTIONS: @CaneCreekCyclingComponents


Author Info:
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Member since Sep 14, 2012
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111 Comments
  • 225 2
 I would love to see a BLIND test of forks. Strip off the graphics and wrap them in duct tape! Companies like MRP, Cane Creek, Marzochi etc etc. up against Fox and Rock Shox, without any pre- conceived notions of performance. Just a thought....
  • 25 47
flag DONKEY-FELTCHER (Nov 4, 2018 at 16:41) (Below Threshold)
 Push’s upcoming fork is going to blow away the competition
  • 27 37
flag hardtailsshred (Nov 4, 2018 at 16:52) (Below Threshold)
 @DONKEY-FELTCHER: I run a push acs-3 kit in my fork and it blows away any other fork I've ridden.
  • 15 0
 *Side stepping the hype train* @mtbmdc I would love this, but it would be interesting to see how it would need to be done. Different forks have such different adjustments which would need to be tweaked for the test rider, and that in itself could screw up any real blindnes.
  • 68 1
 @ninjatarian: I think you could let the tester have an hour with each fork, get them set up to their liking, then put them away for a week or more... then wrap up the forks and do the blind test.
  • 11 2
 @ninjatarian: or just get someone else to do any adjustments requested out of view
  • 16 3
 "Without any pre-conceived notions of performance" - posts about Push get downvoted.
  • 37 3
 I dont think this test would be realistic. We all know that if you cover something in duct tape the performance would only get better over the stock version. Especially if you spray it first with WD-40 and hit it a few times with a hammer.
  • 4 0
 Enduro mtb mag did a nice comparison of enduro forks a couple of months ago.
  • 3 1
 That could be tougher than you think. Think about all the different adjustments. So you pre adjust everything. Let someone else duct tape the thing. Number them and roll. Oh and you have a small problem with the Fox. You duct tape them all but i think the kashima coating kinda gives away which one is the Fox. I personally think the results could be very interesting however.
  • 2 0
 Part of what makes a great fork is how well and easy it can be adjusted for terrain. Im not buying anything that the reviewer hasnt fidddled with on super rough tracks etc.
  • 10 0
 @RecklessJack: Put some of those old school stanchion dust boots on the forks!
  • 6 0
 @RecklessJack: true about the kashima. So the only way around this is to blindfold the test riders. A true blind test.
  • 3 0
 Force-match the forks on the dyno and use same rider to blind test. This way no adjustments are needed.
  • 4 0
 @Boardlife69: not true. Fox performance Elite series are the same internals as the factory series so just use those instead and you've got black stanchions
  • 6 0
 @islandforlife: just use legally blind people problem solved
  • 1 0
 Years ago in, I think it was Performance Bikes magazine, they did blind testing of motorcycles using black bin bags taped over the whole top fairings, bars, screens of the bikes. They also had testers of different sizes and experiences, for example a 6'2" 90kg noob, a small racer, etc. The idea was that you read the review of the one that most closely matched yourself. I thought it was an excellent idea. That said, I suspect with mountain bike suspension, most testers wouldn't be able to tell any difference between forks. Perhaps some would instantly know which was which by the sound the fork made. Other than that, probably not.
  • 1 2
 @jaame: I own a Pike, lyric, and a totem. All three of these Forks are basically the same with different diameter legs. I am able to tell a difference in how every one of these Forks function and I'm not blind.
  • 1 1
 @stinkbikelies: true, my totem was a bag of shit on small bumps. The forks I've had since then have all been different, but it would be hard for me to say which was the best. Well, the fox 36 is the best because it looks the best. Maybe that's the key. Just make it work and make it look good.
  • 3 4
 @jaame: yet my totem is one of my favorite single Crown Forks of all time. I think FUX SUX. At the end of the day the only thing for certain is that consumers are the most uncertain group of people on the planet. I always choose things that I am able to turn the wrenches on myself and obtain Service Parts readily easy. The whole world is full of wonderful off-road items today. Very dependable stuff compared to 20 years ago. Today's worse stuff is better than the best stuff I used to have to deal with. I just wish customer service would be like it used to be. In today's world if it breaks it was your fault and you did something wrong.
  • 6 1
 @stinkbikelies: So the Totem (an old fork) is the greatest of all time, and Fox sucks, but then you say today’s worst stuff (Fox) is better than yesterday’s best stuff (Totem).

...So you are saying that Fox is better than the greatest fork of all time?
  • 2 0
 @stinkbikelies: I had a totem coil and air. These forks we're absolute shit. The Air fork was hilariously linear with no ramp up. The damper had no support by any means. It felt like a long travel elastomer fork in its compression tbh. But dam they looked cool as shit
  • 1 0
 @BoneDog: I had quite the opposite experience with a Totem Dual Position. Even if I let all of the air out, it was impossible to bottom just riding around on the driveway. I bottomed it twice in the whole time I had it off this dirty drop with a slightly uphill landing. The compression damping knob made no discernible difference but there was so much stiction when it had been used more than five minutes after a service that compression damping wasn't really necessary.
I had a do on a DVO Onyx SC a couple of weeks ago on a 2019 Giant Reign and it reminded me of the Totem. The stature, not the action. The Onyx had a very nice action but the physical size of the chassis reminded me of the Totem. I remember the first time I saw a Totem and I instantly knew I had to have one. The Onyx has a similar kind of look.
  • 1 2
 @ninjatarian: when I say old Forks old means elastomer newbie
  • 3 3
 @stinkbikelies: stfu shitpump
  • 122 6
 Imagine if they moved their headquarters to Georgia; They could give away the forks for free.
  • 8 3
 Underrated comment
  • 1 0
 Do they also sell forks?
Always thought they were a head protection company.
  • 62 1
 use your money to support companies that actually care about the biking community, their products are top notch, I own a helm and many 110 headsets, rears shocks and many other cane creek products, cheaper helms?! helm yhea!!
  • 25 13
 Never going to buy another Cane Creek product again, as good as heir products are, they become useless without a local service center. i have a DB air cs that's useless because the rebound circuit broke, and the cost for shiping and rebuild is more than a brand new debonair. DVO is a smaller yet they have local service center and does not need to be shipped to another country. Support a product that cares for their customer after they bought the product,
  • 9 1
 @Zuman: im in complete agreement. Cane Creek and Xfusion really needs to change their mind sets about this. Fox has clinics for any shop to attend, and Rockshox had their complete manuals online.
  • 2 1
 How many 110 headset?
  • 9 1
 @Zuman: My Air CS came due for air spring service and I sent it to Cane Creek in NC and had the shock back within the week. The cost was much cheaper than a new comparable shock ($195 for the service I think). Even the nicest Monarch is a big turd compared to the CC shock... I love my Air CS. Sucks you had a bad experience with them.
  • 1 0
 @franko802: Fox has also taken a step towards having a lot of their rebuild instructions online, which is nice. That said, their shocks do require a nitrogen filler if doing a full rebuild.
  • 2 1
 @JudyYellow: Cane Creek never responded to my request for a service quote. Luckily there are third parties.
  • 1 0
 @JackSB: I found the service rates are on their website. Thats how I got my AirCS rebuilt. I called and some dude answered the phone, I gave them my serial # and they gave me a number to write on the box when I sent it in. Maybe try calling?

And I think sure some shops can get air spring rebuild parts and tools. My local shop can service air springs on the Inline and Air CS but not the damper.
  • 1 4
 They could lower the price to $200 and it still wouldn't be worth all of the trouble that fork will give you.
  • 1 0
 @neologisticzand: does anyone know how high of pressure they use in those?
  • 1 0
 @JudyYellow: lucky for you in South Korea Big Grin they have a service center, but in South East Asia, we don't have one.
  • 50 1
 A price decrease? Sure is nice to see for a change. Thanks @CaneCreekCyclingComponents
  • 25 11
 Supply and demand...not enough demand you must lower the price. Simple when you're running a business.
  • 4 12
flag Tonydavies (Nov 5, 2018 at 5:29) (Below Threshold)
 Wrong
  • 5 2
 Looks to me more like demand was higher than expected so because its spread over more forks they can reduce the cost, although that might be what they want you to think. If there wasn't demand i'd expect a sale or price offer to make them look like more of a good deal if price was the issue, not reduce the RRP.
  • 1 0
 @maglor: There are laws in the U.S. regarding distress marketing- you can only have a product on “sale” for so long before it must be returned to an original price. So if CC wants to keep the price low long term, they have no choice but to actually lower the price.
  • 2 0
 @ninjatarian: Wasn't aware of that however every review I've seen has been glowing so selling more than expected wouldn't surprise me and on the flip side if they had a sale for a short time it would get more forks out the door and their performance would do the talking from there.

Maybe i just like to have faith that a company might be genuine about passing the savings on, certainly makes the world seem nicer that way.
  • 14 1
 Better spring into action before the price rebounds
  • 12 1
 You guys are awesome.
  • 7 1
 Best riding fork on the market IMO. It's a huge step up from a Pike or Lyrik. It's actually easier to set up how I like a fork to ride than a Fox 36 and more controlled on big hits than the DVO I last had on my bike.
  • 1 0
 Coil or air?
  • 3 0
 @LOLWTF: You may be surprised to hear that it's the air version. And comparing to air versions of the other forks.

The Helm is so composed when you start hitting stuff hard and at high speed. It just seems to recover and maintain a ride height really well. It also means that you have better front wheel grip through really challenging sections of trail so you can trust the bike to stay on any line that you choose.

It's a big step up IMO.
  • 18 10
 There's only one reason companies slash their prices. Just sayin.
  • 56 0
 To attempt to better maximize the area underneath the Supply/Demand Curve?
  • 47 0
 - To undercut competitors? Buy market share
- To remain competitive with competitors? Protect market share
- To support the market's wider adoption of a product to build brand/product awareness/acceptance as part of a longer term promotion or pricing strategy?
- To optimise the price/volume relationship in order to maximise profit?
- To move excess inventory?
  • 2 0
 @Ktron: Also good points.

My first reaction to this article was that many companies give back the difference in price to their original customers if they do this.

It is a way of doing an interest free loan really.
  • 1 1
 jm2e-
Yeah, makes you wonder.
Seems that there's a new company making $2k carbon wheelsets every week, yet there's only a handful making quality forks at half that price. And sadly, it looks like there maybe one less in the near future
  • 1 0
 @YoKev: not necessarily, look at Hope with the HB160 - they slashed the price even though they had already sold out.
  • 3 0
 Because you are not effectively using your workforce? They have their Marketing Coordinator controlling the rider testing for their products. If anyone in marketing is doing anything but a task that directly drives demand for your product, then you need to replace whoever is running the marketing department. That said, with lower end forks like the new Marz outperforming the upper end, fork prices may be getting pushed down, which will ultimately drive the smaller companies out of the segment.
  • 3 0
 @YoKev: I don't think that is a safe assumption.
  • 4 0
 Just put this fork on my build and couldn't be happier. Super responsive to aggressive riding, plush, supple, and highly tunable. Kinda bummer I paid the higher price, but super cool to see a small company drop prices.

@CaneCreekCyclingComponents Any chance you guys will do a 29" 170mm fork with low offset?
  • 8 2
 This is pretty rad. I know suspension is technical but it’s not Baja 1000 shit
  • 5 0
 Finally something I can complain about because I bought one a couple months ago. It is a great fork though
  • 3 1
 I rode this fork recently not really expecting a whole lot and was really surprised with how well it handled. The small bump compliance was spot on with a Fox Performance or a RS Pike. I would really consider this fork on a future build.
  • 8 7
 These bicycle parts has no basis costing these absurd prices to begin with! The manufacturers talks of tooling an excuse to pass on the buck! The bicycle industry in the only market that uses that excuse! Imagine is the car manufacturers did that or the electronic industry did that!
  • 6 5
 This MTB mark ups are ridiculously excessive!
  • 6 1
 Funny you mention car industry. I just purchased rear carbon spoiler for my BMW. It is essentially a piece of flat carbon with zero structural stiffness and it only needs to fit the car and look good. It cost 4 times as much as top notch carbon handlebar where I can see way more RnD for it to be stiff, compliant etc etc.. I find it hilarious and will never complain about carbon for bicycles being expensive..Big Grin
  • 6 5
 @lp130i: Your overpriced BMW spoiler is a bad example. You can get an entire carbon fiber front end for a car for less than a bike frame. You can get a full set of good coilovers for the price of a bike fork. Bike industry has the most insane baseless pricing of any sport I can think of. It makes everything else look so affordable.
  • 6 1
 I'm not going to defend the pricing as it is absurd, however, comparing the car industry isn't fair as cars sell in volumes premium mountain bikes could only dream of, your average BMW in the car industry is the equivalent of a £500 hardtail, all our carbon fibre enduro bikes are much more comparable to super cars, and they ain't affordable.
  • 3 0
 why do you say that?
Companies need to make margins to pay overheads, develop and market products and make a bit of money on top. It’s business. And the bike biz works mostly on a distribution model.
  • 6 1
 @casman86: Man, I wish you could get a set of shocks for my truck for anywhere near what I paid for my fork.

Set of F150 Raptor shocks - $3000.00 US. Moving to higher end shocks from ICON, or upgraded Fox would have been closer to $6500.
  • 2 0
 @franko802: X-Fusions forks are meant to be serviced and easily maintained at home. oil changes, travel changes, and any maintenance is meant to be easily done by the owner.
  • 2 1
 DIY travel change voids warranty with X-Fusion.
  • 2 0
 @Lee-Gee: That's interesting to hear. Where did you see this, especially since X-fusion even shows you how to do this on certain forks.
www.xfusionshox.com/service/service-videos/481-rl2-fork-travel-adjust
  • 1 0
 @muyguapa: Someone I know bought X-fusion forks online and had to send them to the UK distributor to get travel changed, DIY would have voided warranty. This was a few years back. I owned a sweep HLR and really liked it.
  • 1 1
 After riding can creek rear shocks that came on two of my bikes, I am a solid believer in anything else. Both of those shocks shit the bed after about 10 hours of riding. Don't let these guys fool you, they don't do the R&R that the big companies do. They might feel good and be tuned good, but they fail when it comes to durability.
  • 1 0
 the only thing I would not like on it would be a positive and negative air cambers, i had that back in the day on a rock shox and it was a huge pain in the ass and it was so hard to get it right
  • 3 0
 I want and now am more likely to afford!
  • 5 1
 I'm shocked!
  • 6 4
 Prices have expotentially has gone up for parts made in China, you can thank Trump for that!
  • 2 0
 Hmm I wonder how long this will take to trickle down to UK sales. Oh wait it never will.
  • 2 0
 What Helm model are you looking for? We might well be able to help.
  • 1 0
 i love this fork! so many details. they got it rigth the first time.
was totatly worth the price! now cheaper ? think i need a extra bike just to have one more helm
  • 2 0
 Phil Kmetz abuse his helm fork and still manage to survive. looks to me its plenty strong. Wish i could purchase one
  • 1 0
 @foxfactory & @rockshox. Please note, as I can only imagine, your processes are very likely as efficient or more than Cane Creek's. Competition is looming my friends.
  • 1 0
 Good looking fork and I like the cost savings but....... Never going to buy another product from them again! To many issues with headsets, shocks and trying to get parts
  • 2 0
 Hopefully other manufacturers will follow.
  • 2 0
 I think FOX and RS did the same, on theirs 2016 modes....
  • 4 1
 Tough sales?
  • 1 3
 Can someone at Cane Creek explain why their titanium cranks are more expensive than this fork? I hate all the bitching about price that people do on this site, just genuinely curious. Seems like a fork would cost more to make.
  • 2 2
 They had a dart board with numbers and landed on that number! That’s it! There’s no way, no how that kind of pricing should even exist for that product! The material cost and man hours to manufacture one does not even add up!
  • 11 0
 Machining and welding titanium is an art. Not many can do it correctly. Titanium is the most abundant metal on earth. However, even with carbide tips it’s tedious to deal with. Welding is a whole other ball game. Let’s say you have a 1” plate of A572 12 x 12 and you weld it to another plate of the same size. With a 1/8” fillet. It’ll take any where from 30 mins to 1 hour. Yea take that time and times it by 10 for titanium. This is assuming you want full penetration. And then because it is a crank. Pretty sure they dye penetrate the part to check for any “voids.” And then let’s say their shop rate is $100 (which is super low).
  • 1 0
 @Happypanda1337: thanks for the info. If I had the money i would buy the cranks, they look amazing.
  • 1 0
 @Happypanda1337: Yes I agree. 6Al-4V Grade 5 titanium (most commonly used) is a carbide tool killer. The heat when machining goes into the tool. You cannot get the heat into the chip like you can in steels. New tooling design helps a bit, but after machining Ti bone plates and many other Ti parts and seeing the cost of tooling ( cost of tools not fixturing which gets confused often in the composite world) you can understand why anything Ti with machining or welding is involved is very expensive.
  • 2 0
 Could we also have the option of a 170mm coil please.
  • 4 2
 Still a ton of money for what it is, but more realistic.
  • 5 5
 Brainwashed yuppies are convinced $900 for a bicycle fork is a good price though. Meanwhile in the automotive world you can get quality name brand coilovers on all four corners for the same price.
  • 2 0
 @casman86: I don't really think its the cost of materials that drive the pricing. Not saying there's no markup but its apples and oranges. I'm sure name brand coilovers are coming from larger companies with a much bigger customer base and individual sales numbers than Cane Creek. We are talking about forks that are basically 95-100% equivalent to what the top pros on Earth race on. Can you say the same for the coilovers? You can get a "quality name brand" fork for under $500 if you want.
  • 1 0
 @casman86:

Weird... cause the FOX FACTORY 3.0 Racing Shocks are 6000 dollars for all 4 on my F-150. Kings and ICON shocks are similarly priced. By name brand do you mean rough country cause LOL
  • 1 0
 @s8wood: Yup, and if I still had my racing ATV and wanted Fox suspension all around it would run around $3000. @casman86 must have a hell of a line on some coilovers! Where is this deal at?!?
  • 2 0
 That such a great announcement! Thanks Cane Creek
  • 1 0
 WOW, I just added one of these to my cart on JensonUSA and used the promo code for 20% off and its $719!
  • 3 1
 This is awesome!
  • 1 0
 Wow, that's a huge decrease! Awesome.
  • 1 0
 dat silver ones looks rad.
  • 1 1
 If it was available in 26" and not made by Cane Creek, I'd consider buying it!
  • 1 0
 Peep the Fanatik Super Sonic Transport Tee at 2:37! Bellingham trails FTW.
  • 2 3
 Where are all the complaining comments?
  • 2 4
 ????
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