the hubs needs servicing alot according to this thread
http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/apologies-to-brant-and-the-ti456

and that dodgy headset in the classifieds is shockingly scuffed.

Overpriced and overhyped IMO. Ive never owned anything CK and probably never will, even though I can afford it.

The rear hubs are very high maintenance and although they’re clearly very high quality, overall I wasn’t terribly impressed with mine. There was nothing I could do to get the rear axle to stay tight and it drove me nuts. Also the feehub body is very soft (the alu allow not the stainles steel version) and you can’t run road cassettes on them as the torque created by single sprockets gouges big chunks of metal out of the splines. Oh and I cracked the first axle I had – needed to replace it with the heavy duty version.

Ive never owned anything CK and probably never will,

well done

I’m glad you can afford it. So can I. And what I have of it I’ve been very impressed with, from both a quality, durability and function point of view.

If you think it’s overpriced and overhyped that’s fine. You buy other stuff instead and smile to yourself at your thrift.

Its just re-badged Superstarcomponents stock.

What ?

I don’t recall saying they needed serviced a lot. The pewter set has been ran in every type of weather for over 18 months. The Pink set is brand new and needs bed in just like any precision component.

Windmills into thread…..come on you slaarrgs I’ll take you all on…

I have had no problems with both the Chris King wheel sets I own and the same for the headsets. In fact I still have a Chris King headset I brought 5 years ago and it is faultless and the only maintenance its had is a bit of grease and its on its 3rd frame. I’m now trying the new BB and that seems fine (mind you its only had a couple of rides). If you think Chris King is over hyped take a good look at some other hubs on the market I’ve seen hubs that are only a few weeks old with split bodies/missing pawls split eyelets….

you’ll always get a "bad one" every now and again whatever product you buy.

i’ve had both and both were on a bike for two years through all weathers with no need for servicing? they are the ultimate in engineering and yes they may be overpriced but its nice to splash on something thats special, something over the top that you don’t NEED but WANT.

Haven’t got them anymore but its something thta i’m giving some thought into getting again.

Trolling again, scruff?

just like any precision component

LOL! ‘Precision component’, on a bike, ffs!

I can’t afford CK, but I’ve been more than happy with my Hope stuff, I have to say. I really can’t see the point of spending all that money, when Hope seems to be just as good, ime.

As for money-no-object type stuff, well, I’d probably rather go with Tune, or DT 190 Ceramic, tbh, as they’re lighter. And possibly cheaper. Headsets? I’ve had £20 FSA ones last for years.

Biting Mr Merlin ? I know you have a soft spot for shiny Californian tat.

(you all healthy and OK now?)

Depends – For the the money I think it’s hard to beat Hope Pro II hubs. But I’d still go for a CK headset. I’ve had Hope too and they’re very good but I think CK edges it.

lbs says hope are the best for the money. they don’t bother with chris king saying it’s over priced hype and not consistent quality you pay for.

dt.swiss say they use the best industrial bearing but upon going to a bearing shop for replacements mate was told those that were inside were available for a 1€ a bop. replaced with better quality at 25€

hope are also industry bearings and man in shop said they were better quality then those from dt hubs….

so on this info i’m going for hope hubs next time round. price/quality ratio is prob the best.
and hope has funky colours.

J

Hope Pro2s reliability is worse than CK, I’ve seen two fail while on rides in just the last 6 months. Both less than a year old, Never had a CK failure, had problems, but never a failure. Both of my sets of singlespeed wheels have been trouble free for over 2 years. my normal wheels aren’t much over a year old.

CKs engage much faster than pro2s, they sound better and they look better. If you buy savvy, they aren’t much more exppensive than Pro2s.

I use FSA pig head sets, "even though I can afford it". Can’t mess with a headset that costs £15 and has been on my bike for 5 years. Sometimes I lube it, but mostly I don’t bother. never had any problems.

lbs says hope are the best for the money. they don’t bother with chris king saying it’s over priced hype and not consistent quality you pay for.

😆

I really dislike anyone who slags off anothers product. Immediately gets me thinking that they can’t get an account for some other ‘reason’.

CKs engage much faster than pro2s, they sound better and they look better

I don’t know anything about that- had my King hub since c2002. Its brake-bumped everywhere and I’ve no plans to replace it with anything else.

Pro2 aren’t even that cheap. Yes- buy savvy

CKs engage much faster than pro2s, they sound better and they look better.
OK, purely due to the price diff, I can appreciate that CK is probably better than hope. But is it twice as good (as that’s the average difference)? Does the kit last twice as long? perform twice as well? look better X200%? Weigh half as much? NOPE
I doubt it, I don’t think that CK(or hope) is twice as good as Deore.
I have no doubt it’s among the best kit that you can buy but it’s overpriced IMHO.
Wheels CK £420, Hope £210 odd.

I hate Chris King rear hubs. They might be the best money can buy, but they sound like a mosquito.

Is Chris King still the best? I thought Industry Nine now held that title.

So what’s the point of a thread slagging off a product you’ve never owned and have no intention of owning.

Please don’t feed the troll.

I am not impressed with my hope pro IIs, i repalce the front bearings every 3 months, I have also repalced the rear 3 times in 2 years.

THat said my GF’s old XC hubs havent been touched in 6 years, and I know many others who have had similar longetivity wirth their older hubs.

Why are the latest stuff much poorer quality.

As for CK their headsets are nice, but the design is not good for longer travel forks.

Problem with CK is that its so precision engineered, everything they fit into isnt!!

How can this stuff be the best? Its not even the most expensive.
And whats with the colors- what man wants to have a pink headset for christs sake. And that rasta one. who dreamed that up. Those are potheads colors. No real enginneer would ever let that out the door. I bet there really a bunch of stoners and wasterz sitting around in a halusinagenic daze in a smoke filled room putting stickers on commie made stuff laughing at the suckrs that buy them and keep there crack pipes filld.

My King rear hub needed constant fiddling to stop it coming loose, there was loads of drag in the seals, and it was heavy. Small point, but it was also a totally different colour to the headset, as I’d bought all 3 bits to match that was a bit annoying, although I know anodising is hard to make consistent.

I certainly wouldn’t buy another of their hubs, although I think their headsets are excellent.

I’ve also never known a King hub ‘fail’ just need maintenance, I have seen a number of Pro IIs fail, often seriously, although for the money they’re a fantastic bit of kit.

Really like my Kings. Agree with some points above – alloy used in the drive shell is too soft, but I’ve replaced with a steel one – much better.

I don’t think the need to maintain it more frequently makes it shit as some seem to think. I actually like the fact I can get into easily and get the parts readily to maintain it.

I9’s are also very nice – have a pair and they build a very nice looking, very strong wheel. Can recommend them if you’ve got the cash.

Are they worth more than Hope, Shimano…I couldn’t give a shit about that personally.

Regarding this alleged problem with King Headsets, can someone show me some incontrovertible evidence? I’ve run mine on three bikes, and latterly on long travel forks with no problems with this whatsoever with respect to the steerer. Was discussing this with the owner of my LBS about it and the guys in there have never seen any such problems either (and they are a King stockist).

ActiveDuty – you are right about that, that Raster headset is definitely the work of a pothead.

It’s what all the cool kids have innit!

Activeduty, You come across as such a twunt.

Pothead colours? That’s the colours of the Ethiopian flag you twit! Are ALL Ethiopian’s potheads? The Rastafarian movement accepts the ritual and spiritual use of cannabis, SO what? Us Brits binge drink. Does that mean that Hope’s employees would be drinking themselves into a stupor and battering the closest person to them because "they looked at me funny" or perhaps while making the Patriot headset, Chris Kings Portland (that’s in Oregon Scruff, Not California) employees are eating to excess while plotting to invade the Middle East and steal all the oil?

Don’ use stereotypes when you’ve got no clear idea what you’re saying!

Additionally, what’s wrong with a bloke having a pink headset? It’s a colour FFS! And who’s to say that all riders are male?

Clearly a number of people commenting on CK stuff have never owned any of it. I’ll agree that I don’t think the front hubs are worth the extra money over a Pro 2 and If I were buying either black or silver wheelsets (where the anodizing would match) I’d buy the Hope. However for the rear, the CK is leaps and bounds ahead of the Hope, both in reliability and performance. Hub weight isn’t much of an issue as it’s at the centre of the wheel.

think what mr activeD was saying was toungue in cheek. don’t take it to heart….

Blimey. Maybe someone should skin up, so’s people can chill out a bit…

Not Skunk, though; that stuff’ll screw yer mind.

(Puts on heavy Dub)

Daffy – Member

Activeduty, You come across as such a twunt.

Pothead colours? That’s the colours of the Ethiopian flag you twit! Are ALL Ethiopian’s potheads? The Rastafarian movement accepts the ritual and spiritual use of cannabis, SO what? Us Brits binge drink. Does that mean that Hope’s employees would be drinking themselves into a stupor and battering the closest person to them because "they looked at me funny" or perhaps while making the Patriot headset, Chris Kings Portland (that’s in Oregon Scruff, Not California) employees are eating to excess while plotting to invade the Middle East and steal all the oil?

Don’ use stereotypes when you’ve got no clear idea what you’re saying!

Additionally, what’s wrong with a bloke having a pink headset? It’s a colour FFS! And who’s to say that all riders are male?

Clearly a number of people commenting on CK stuff have never owned any of it. I’ll agree that I don’t think the front hubs are worth the extra money over a Pro 2 and If I were buying either black or silver wheelsets (where the anodizing would match) I’d buy the Hope. However for the rear, the CK is leaps and bounds ahead of the Hope, both in reliability and performance. Hub weight isn’t much of an issue as it’s at the centre of the wheel.

LOL….Anyway, I’ve had a King headset and thought it was carp.

king headsets and hubs here on all my bikes.
so simply maintained, and capex -v- opex they’re a winner every time.
I9 aren’t so easily serviced / maintained.

Great thread, a very enjoyable read. It was very close but I have to declare takisawa2 the winner with the reply "Its just re-badged Superstarcomponents stock". Genius.

😆

TLR – you must work in the oil business….

and capex -v- opex they’re a winner every time.