I have a black CK headset on my dh bike and I have a FSA Pig dh headset on my hardtail. The only thing I think the CK might be better at is being light weight.
Chris King headset survey..
- Thread starter Ti22
- Start date
Rosta King
I use Cane Creek and FSA mostly, and I've never had a problem with them at all. I would like to use a CK, it obviously is good product, but I'd rather put the money into bearings that actually spin and effect the performance of the bike. Plus most of my bikes look fine with a black headset. Spending $40 rather than $80 gives me the opportunity to move up a class of hubs, (at least one anyway) and I'd rather do that.
try 120 -130...jeb4 said:
i have 3 kings, the newest being a red one in my bianchi cuss... thid is the only one i ve paid full whack for... seriously good kit... for me the 'set and forget' aspect justifies the $$...
i ve used fsa pigs and they are just that... heavy as... cheap but brick like...
I've been running a WTB since I got my bike (5 years or so). Meh, I probably couldn't tell the difference in performace between a $30 headset and a $100 headset. As long as it works, I'm happy.
All my bikes & my wifes have CK's. They are the best, hands down!!!!
Two chris king (03 Specialized Epic disk, 04 Titus talas switchblade), One cane creek (06 Specialized enduro expert), one FSA (05 Specialized Roubaix Comp). Wife has a CK on her Pink racer X, and an unknown head ser on her OCR2. If I buy an aftermarket headset for a bike I build or upgrade it will probably be a CK.
same boat here... of our (wife and i) rideable 5 (complete) bikes - 4 kings...Reactor said:
Well both my poll here, and on the "other forum" where I phrased it "Poll: Do you use a Chris King headset?" are coming down roughly the same..
There it's 68%, 3%, 14%, and 14% giving CK about 71% of users, and here it's 63%
Chris King is definitly "King" in terms of use by majority of mtbers, and I for one believe it's the best headset if money is no object.. and in my case I told my self money was not going to block building the "perfect" bike, so I chose the Ti version... I doubt that my bike, and most of it's components will last as long as this headset.
Thanks for taking part in the vote fellas..
There it's 68%, 3%, 14%, and 14% giving CK about 71% of users, and here it's 63%
Chris King is definitly "King" in terms of use by majority of mtbers, and I for one believe it's the best headset if money is no object.. and in my case I told my self money was not going to block building the "perfect" bike, so I chose the Ti version... I doubt that my bike, and most of it's components will last as long as this headset.
Thanks for taking part in the vote fellas..
I have been running a Ritchey on my Surly for awhile it works wasn't cheap but it wasn't as pricey as a CK, I think CK is a good product, but its more bling than zing these days.....
I'd bet you a case of your favorite beer that the actual usage, even among bike enthusiasts, is not even remotely close to that number. Not even anywhere near that.Ti22 said:
I think there are a lot of forces at work here, from the thread title, to the type of user on a mountain bike message board, but there's no way CK provides that kind of majority of headsets.
I have five Kings from back when the retailed for $89, I have warrentied four of them. I already own them so there is no reason for an upgrade, but next time I will be buying an FSA orbit, sure it may only last three years, but with the money I'll save I can buy three replacements.
That is skewed because, that is the unverified number of King users, furthermore most people wouldn't respond to the poll unless they used King. The only true test is to see how many people you stopped on the local trail use them.Ti22 said:
not being a dick or anything, but i surprised... i m curious, how the h3ll have you warrantied 4 king headset ???maxyedor said:
I'd have no problem pimmping the pink.zmtber said:
I have Kings on both my mtbs, I remember when my first one arrived and I pulled it out of the box for inspection. It struck me as a work of art - I was also impressed by how light weigh it was. It maded every other headset I'd had experience with look like total crap. Thats said - I've never had a headset fail... I bought the Kings for pimp factor only. I'm shallow.
Now, if I were a rich, Volvo driving suburbanite wannabe like Partsy, I would love to go CK. But alas, I have kids (And they need to eat, dam*it! I have tried to wean them from food, but it aint working!) and reality and a wife who controls the $$ stops me! I like Cane Creeks, they work and last for awhile. Besides, I am such a meat head I dont think I would know the difference between a $25 HS and a $90 > HS. Also, I have always looked at BBs and HSs as being fairly disposable, ride em til they blow up type of gear.
CK headsets and cockroaches are the only known things to survive a nuclear blast : )
my last chance for a ride was tomorrow... sunday... snow / ice has ended that johnE... fark... you ll have to bring ya carcass down to norcal so we can ride... i ve done my last ride here... time to pack it up tomorrow... ships out tuesday...JohnE said:
come on down johnE...but please, don t drive the minivan... :devil:
I switched the Aheadset on the XC bike to a CK based on the fact the Sports Garage Guys in Boulder said, "It will outlast you and your children will inherit it" or something like that...
i used to have a frame with a ck and when i compared it to my cheap aheadset the difference was amazing. ive even ridden bikes with decent headsets and none of them had ever felt that good. it just felt super smooth.
One was with a monster t so that one I'll forgive. But the other two were on trail bikes, one had bearings start to creek realy bad after 4-5 months, poped it out and sent it back, still creeked sent it back two more times, before I got a new one out of them, the other one got ovalized, go figure. I may be unlucky, but it seems silly to me to spend the price of the new ones and possibly still get these issues and only get a ten year warrenty. With what a good, and might I add lighter FSA, I can replace them every 3-4 years and still come out on top.partsbara said:
3 silver and one pink at my house. ck look the best but my fsa pig pro is the best headset i have.
Strored his bikes in a swimming pool in 6ft of water.partsbara said:
maxyedor = BenderBrian HCM#1 said:
It doesn't allow multiple answers. 
i've never owned a CK and have no use for one. Headset has got to be the most inconsequential part of a bike.
FSA and Aheadset that came stock.
FSA and Aheadset that came stock.
Dude I can't believe you said that! Headset failure has got to be one of the scariest things that I can imagine happening to you on a ride. You're just riding along and BAM! Your steering get all notchy and it is slightly harder to turn! If you were riding on the edge of a 1000' cliff you could possibly be distracted enough to plummet to your death. You laugh but it could happen. I don't know about you but my life is worth a King headset. You can take your chances with some inferior headset but not me......Skookum said:
No my S&M BMX bike is the only bike ever to go into the pool, and the Campy record headset worked without fail even after that.Brian HCM#1 said: