Chris King

[Michael Press]

In article
<[email protected]>
,
Marian <[email protected]> wrote:

> Are Chris King headsets and hubs really worth the extra cost?
>
> Planning on going on a road bike rather than a mountain bike and a
> substantial chunk of my reasoning is cause they're pretty ... followed
> up by rbt's insistence on handbuilt wheels having somehow gotten under
> my skin and my decision that if I'm going to drop a bundle on wheels
> they ought to be pretty ...
>
> But, are they really worth the extra cost?

I had all options open when I built up the new bicycle.
The previous bicycles were Frankenbikes: good equipment
bought mostly on close-out; up-graded piece by piece.
Building up the new bicycle I decided on Chris King
headset, Phil Wood hubs and bottom bracket. I am happy
with the result. I knew it was good stuff, likely to be
supported for a long time. I did not want to think
about options much and went with the "sure thing."

--
Michael Press

 

[jim beam]

Marian wrote:
> Are Chris King headsets and hubs really worth the extra cost?
>
> Planning on going on a road bike rather than a mountain bike and a
> substantial chunk of my reasoning is cause they're pretty ... followed
> up by rbt's insistence on handbuilt wheels having somehow gotten under
> my skin and my decision that if I'm going to drop a bundle on wheels
> they ought to be pretty ...
>
> But, are they really worth the extra cost?
>
> -M
>

headsets - fine.

hubs - not fine. soft alloy freehub body gets mangled by cassettes.
for that kind of money, no way that should happen.

 

[Pikachu]

In article <[email protected]>,
Marian <[email protected]> wrote:

> Are Chris King headsets and hubs really worth the extra cost?
>
> Planning on going on a road bike rather than a mountain bike and a
> substantial chunk of my reasoning is cause they're pretty ... followed
> up by rbt's insistence on handbuilt wheels having somehow gotten under
> my skin and my decision that if I'm going to drop a bundle on wheels
> they ought to be pretty ...
>
> But, are they really worth the extra cost?

For either headset or hubs, the cost really far exceeds the benefit, so
from a purely accountant point of view, the CK items are not worth the
money. But I realize the bling factor cannot be underestimated. And
yes, I am an owner of CK products.

Another point of view to consider, which no one has brought up yet, is
the CK model of doing business. If what they claim on their website is
true, CK appears to be a business worth supporting. They are
environmentally conscious, treat their employees well, and have a
generous customer care policy. I am not claiming that Shimano,
Campagnolo or DT are evil empires, but I do not think they are nearly as
comparable to CK in those attributes. Regardless, those policies surely
must count for something? If so, at what cost?

Well, I think they count for something, and I'm voting (and voted) with
my wallet.

Pikachu

 

[Michael Warner]

On Wed, 19 Sep 2007 03:14:16 -0000, Marian wrote:

> Indeed, this is a very important matter that I had not previously
> considered. Given that bicycling as a sport is mostly practice by
> people in Europe, North America, Australia, and parts of Japan but is
> not practiced as much in equatorial countries, what problems am I
> likely to encounter by being at 18 degrees north latitude instead of a
> latitude more suited for conventional handlebar tape?

Your greater distance from the Earth's centre, and the higher velocity
of its surface, mean that you should avoid riding in its direction of
rotation, lest you take off.