To develop the AER line of ultra-light headsets Cane Creek partnered with Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics, the world leader in polymer plain-bearing technology. The AER headset incorporates Saint-Gobain's latest innovation in composite bearing technology, Norglide X2. A revolution in bearing technology, the X2 material sandwiches an aluminum base between a layer of low-friction PTFE tape and an elastomeric rubber backing material. This configuration yields a composite bearing that weighs scarcely 1.5 g while eliminating the need for ultra-precise pre-load adjustment that is common in traditional plain bearings.