Why are Chris King headsets...

[Kona-Ian]

What about FSA? they been around a long time now.

 

[reanimation]

It's a supply and demand and costs of smaller companies isn't it? like made in UK/USA can be rare and more expensive and not made in bulk like Taiwan or china etc. I paid £70 for a White Industries freewheel as it was the best and much better than crappy ones including the Shimano MX the bike came with! It turned out to be as fab as I hoped, rebuildable and spares available too. Headsets I've been happy Cane Creek and FSA at good prices for all my bikes, though I plumped £70 for a fitted Hope on my Cotic. Must say CK is a bit posh for my builds though maybe if I had only one good bike I might but I struggle to see the point.

 

[JamesM]

Re: Re:

most boutique parts manufacturers, Hope, Chris King etc. don't actually produce their own bearings, they buy them in. They make the housing, be it a hub or headset, but not the actual bearings themselves.

Chris King do make their own bearings, even the balls. That's one of the reasons they are so expensive.

 

[Fudd]

Its all about quality and attention to detail. Sure, a £10 Chinese headset will do the same job as a CK, just like a £400 Carrera road bike will carry you 100 miles in the same time as a £6k Cervelo. If you are the type who would rather save the cash and buy the Carrera then CK is not for you.

Here's a link that gives you an idea where the prices come from - http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Chris-King ... -2012.html

 

[hirosawa]

Re: Re:

most boutique parts manufacturers, Hope, Chris King etc. don't actually produce their own bearings, they buy them in. They make the housing, be it a hub or headset, but not the actual bearings themselves.

Chris King do make their own bearings, even the balls. That's one of the reasons they are so expensive.

Was gonna say, I thought that too.

They are expensive because they are better quality than nearly everything else. They last for years and you don't have to do anything with them.

As a few people have already said, not all bearings are the same.

 

[Wold Ranger]

Re:

They are not that expensive really, plenty of other headsets BETTER designed and machined and more expensive, Some of the top end Cane Creek headsets are more money, Phil Wood etc.

One of the flaws in the CK design is the lack of top race compression ring. I've seen steerers scored by CK headsets to the tune of not being safe!-- You can buy a conversion kit which needs the taper filing off the top race and a compression ring inserted, surprised CK have never done this, but then that would be an admission the original design was flawed.
I've also found when they have been inserted a few times, the insertion flanges get compressed and fit can then become pretty slack, virtually hand press fit.
Most of the CC made headsets like FSA Orbit XL11 extremes are pretty good and the beauty of the bearings is they are cheap and easy to replace, I've had these last many years without a problem

 

[al-onestare]

So expensive?
:|

Because they last forever. You get what you pay for. I've never had to replace a single one - it's the sole mainstay of every build.

 

[al-onestare]

Re: Re:

I suspect even though the CK's are super smooth and gorgeous to look at, the cheap ones on ebay are just as good and as per usual, you're just paying for the name really....

No, no you're not.

 

[ultrazenith]

The one reason I'd pay out for a CK is that a CK headset has a 10 year warranty - so for somebody approaching 40, with several bikes on the go, this would effectively a headset for life.

 

[mattr]

Re: Re:

One of the flaws in the CK design is the lack of top race compression ring. I've seen steerers scored by CK headsets to the tune of not being safe!-- You can buy a conversion kit which needs the taper filing off the top race and a compression ring inserted, surprised CK have never done this, but then that would be an admission the original design was flawed.

I believe it was down to patent issues.