|   Are Chris King hubs worth it? | riderx47
Apr 25, 2003 4:13 PM | | I need to build a new set of wheels. I was looking at building some up with CK iso disc hubs and mavic 317 rims. But i was wondering are the price of ck hubs worth or should i go with a cheaper alternative. Any ideas for a cheaper alternative would be appreciated. Also whats the best spoke for an xc race wheel with disc brakes. |
| re: Are Chris King hubs worth it? | Trevor!
Apr 25, 2003 5:48 PM | | I havent used them, but I have heard alot of good reviews and a few neg reviews. I would try em out any day. King is like the Bang and Olufsen of Hubs I guess. Would be perfect me thinks. Your race wheelset could use Sapim X-Ray spokes but they cost alot indeed, are bladed profile and are light- made out of Ti I think! Cant beat good old DT Comp or Supercomp spokes!
Other alternatives which will be lighter on the pocket and indeed in weight would be American Classics or Hugi 240s |
| A few reviews... | J.S.
Apr 25, 2003 11:23 PM | | A few of the reviews complained about loose cones after only a few hundred miles, slashing their rating of the hubs based on this observation. Unfortunately, they didn't read the fine-print about this loosening as being part of the break-in process. Others did bring up legitemate concerns.
I use 2001 CK hubs w/ DT Revolution 14/17's and Magic 517 rims. I've tightened the cones once after the initial break-in, and they've been rock-solid ever since. The instant-engagement is just phenomenal, especially when trying to re-start half-way up a steep hill.
Newer CK hubs have lower audible "humm" than the older sets. The 2001 and later model hubs had the noise lowered to address some complaints. |
| YES!!! | stoom
Apr 25, 2003 6:27 PM | | I had a set built up for me a ear ago and absolutley love the maintenance free CK hubs. I have at least 2000 miles of them. They turn like no other hub. CK hubs are the highest quality hubs. That's their specialty. If you have the $$ it is well worth it. You will not be disappointed.
I have mine laced to Bontrager rims with DT 2.0 spokes, Wheelsmith alloy nipples,3X lacing. I am a 155 Sport class racer.
My two cents |
| Absotively posolutely! They have no equal. +Butted DT or WS. nm | Tscheezy
Apr 25, 2003 9:41 PM | | |
| Hell Yeah! | DavidCoverdale
Apr 25, 2003 11:36 PM | | I agree with the above posters. CK's are the best, in my opinion (and with the majority of others). I'm currently running a set of ISO's laced with Mavic 3.1's and DT DB spokes. Previously, I rode a set of classics for over six years before I sold the bike they were on. I definitely would recommmend them. They may be a little pricey (but still less than crossmax's), it'll be an investment well spent! |
| They are the best | ScottW
Apr 26, 2003 5:51 AM | | I've got two sets, the disk set it built with mavic 317's, Wheelsmith 14/15 spokes. The quality of these hubs is exceptional, and as another mentioned the instant engagement is not some marketing hype-it really is noticable. |
| Only partial agreement.... | wheelieWonka
Apr 26, 2003 10:05 AM | | It may be that, especially with respect to disk hubs, they are the best in terms of engineering, but that doesn't mean they are the "best" choice for everyone:
1. They are very expensive. If you don't NEED the weight savings that they provide, there are some hubs that will get you close to their weight at less cost. I think that their low weight figure for the rear hub comes, in part, from having an aluminum freehub body. Your call, but not apples to apples in terms of weight comparisons. Hub weight is not quite as important as rim/tire weight on the wheel, recall.
2. Functionally, other hubs will provide comparable performance. They may not last as long internally, but other hubs can be rebuilt by you or any competent bike shop, which often can not be said about Kings.
3. They are not indestructible. My King tandem rear hub failed beyond repair. That is not the only one I have heard of, either.
4. The rear hub is ungodly noisy. I guess you get used to it, or are not adverse to being the mtb equivalent of a dork with toilet paper stuck to his shoe. The hub sounds like a 1970's Peugeot 10 speed that has never been lubed. It drives me nuts to ride with people who have them.
5. I have a number of disk hubs on my mtbs now, including Hope and Hugi 240 (current production). Both are good hubs, and the Hopes are real values and not all that massive. No failures, reasonable rebuilds, no clicking. I have examined and ridden the NEW XTR discs with race pads and they are DELUXE. If they got the internals as good as standard XTR hubs, they are the wishful choice for me.
6. I put this last as it is not a great reason not to get Kings, but it is meaningful to me at least. There is something counter-intuitive about buying a product that is in theory designed to be the pinnacle of its type, really expensive, withstand a nuclear blast, etc. in a realm (mt bike riding) in which most of the equipment including the frames can be considered to some degree consumable. Stuff wears out at rates unheard of in road cycling. Grinding, schrunching, fatigue all take their heavy toll. I have a pile of frames,parts, and related bits that is 3x as large as the amount of stuff that I have in active service. Stuff wears out. Why buy the equivalent of gold-plated parts when others will do the same job for much less? OTOH, if money is burning a hole in your shorts... |
| well said (nm) | laffeaux
Apr 28, 2003 8:31 AM | | |
| YEAH , just sell your bike so you can afford them !!! nm | princess fiona
Apr 26, 2003 2:15 PM | | i said nm. |
| Sure, and you don't even need a bell or a horn... | Matno
Apr 26, 2003 4:11 PM | | DT makes some cheaper alternatives that are still nice (Hugi, Onyx). American Classic, I believe makes comparable hubs, but I don't know if they're cheaper. Always hard to go wrong with XTR.
As others have mentioned, the real downside to the CK's is the noise in the rear hub. VERY LOUD! I ride group road rides with two guys who have them, and it's annoying as all get out. They obviously don't care, but for the rest of us... |
| You get what you pay for........ | celly
Apr 27, 2003 10:24 AM | | I'll leave it there. |
| Seems to me they are... | glenzx
Apr 28, 2003 2:33 PM | | Like the person above stated, you get what you pay for. I've been running the CK ISO hubs for about 5 months now, and they still haven't broken in all the way. As for the cone adjustment whiners, it takes aprx. 30 seconds to adjust the cones properly. The noise on the later models doesn't seem to be as noisy, IMO, and most of the time when noise would be an issue is when your going slow (i.e. climbing) in which they are SILENT, of course, as you are pedaling! Like an old PhilWood hub I have from 1986, you buy a quality part, it lasts a longggg time. That old Phil hub is still on my fix-gear bike and spins buttery smooth. As for comparable contemporary hubs, there is no match for the CK quality. I've destroyed a few hubs in my time, and I'd be surprised if I actually inflicted harm on these, but if I did, I know they can be repaired easily. If you've never held one, played with it, marveled at the industrial design ingenuity, do so. Especially with there neat-o bolt-on set-up, which I run and love it! |
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