Chris King headset worth it?

carl_p

Thinking about swapping out my current Kooka headset for a CK as it feels a bit rough. Are they really worth the money? What is a decent alternative? I've noticed most of the used CKs on Ebay show signs of cable rub on the logos, which is disappointing bearing in mind the price. I don't want to pay over a £100 for something that doesn't appear that durable on the outside.

I reckon the pewter one will look lush on my titanium frame but it's a lot of dosh!

Salsa

Everything will wear if cables rub against them. For what it's worth I have 2 CK headsets, the first one I still have from my original Identiti DJ Jekyll dirt jump frame bought 15 or so years ago. It's been through 3 mountain bikes and is still going strong long after that bike has gone. Never bought new bearings for it and after the first 5 years of use I gave up periodically opening it up as it always looked like new inside if I did. The other one I bought 2nd hand for £40-£50 4 years back and is in my everyday bike, again zero problems.
Worth the money? Not sure, other headsets might have lasted as long but it looks nice and I've had more than my moneys worth out of it. Fit and forget so I'd buy another if I need one.

FatTed

Salsa wrote:

Everything will wear if cables rub against them. For what it's worth I have 2 CK headsets, the first one I still have from my original Identiti DJ Jekyll dirt jump frame bought 15 or so years ago. It's been through 3 mountain bikes and is still going strong long after that bike has gone. Never bought new bearings for it and after the first 5 years of use I gave up periodically opening it up as it always looked like new inside if I did. The other one I bought 2nd hand for £40-£50 4 years back and is in my everyday bike, again zero problems.
Worth the money? Not sure, other headsets might have lasted as long but it looks nice and I've had more than my moneys worth out of it. Fit and forget so I'd buy another if I need one.

My experience as well, no idea if another headset would have done the same. I have a campagnolo one on my bike now, seems just fine.

Grifcp

Built my VN Zephyr about 10 years ago and looked at CK headsets, couldn't justify the price so went with a Cane Creek S8, over 20K miles later and the headset is still perfect, I think it was less than a third of the price of the CK at the time.

FatTed

My cane creek lasted a year.... I suspect it had something to do with the person who put my bike together.

itboffin

I've been through three or four cane creeks on one bike in the same time and mileage as one record headset on another.

ugo.santalucia

The limitations of integrated headsets are not in the quality of the headset, but in the quality of the frame/fork interface, as modern headsets are little more than just bearings. As a result, a cheap FSA could last 10 years, while if you have a bad fit, then no headset will last. In the days of headsets with press fit cups a good quality headset was an investment, right now I think they are all disposable... IMO not worth spending 100 pounds on one

keezx

I have 2 FSA headsets on my bikes, 1 Orbit MX and 1 integrated, both still perfect after 3 years of hard use.
Price was 1/5 of CK.

animal72

I've just retired my 20-year-old Santa Cruz MTB frame. I splashed out on a Chris King headset and, after years of abuse, it was still working fine at the end.

Oddly enough, I've just bought another for the new bike.

cycleclinic

no they are not worth it. All my cheap headsets last a long time/many miles of bad weather use.

nweststeyn

similairly to what's been said above, I have a CK headset which has just passed over 20,000 miles in all weathers and I have no issues whatsoever. It still feels like new. However, it's possible that a cheaper headset would feel just as smooth... I wouldn't know!

Matthewfalle

Just changed the £12 head set in the winter training/commuter bike: 9 years old and thousands of miles.

Replaced it with exactly the same.

Theoretically I could get 8 or so of those for the price of a CK one - 8x9= until the day I die.

I'd like CK because they are lovely but can't justify it.

step83

Pretty much what everyone else has said, fit it correctly and maintain it (check clean and lube as needed) it should last ages. Winter I usually put a bit of waterproof grease on to help stop the water getting in.

Bottom brackets though ive bitten the bullet an fitted a Hope one to my mountain bike. see how long that lasts.

keef66

+ 5 or whatever. I have a cheapish FSA integrated something or other in my oldest bike (Racelight Tk), and that's heading for 9 years old and never been touched; still no play or roughness of any kind. The fact the bike runs full guards in the wet may have helped though.

The supplied Ritchey Logic Zero headset was fitted to the CR1 when I built it up 3 years ago. That rarely goes out in the wet so I fully expect that too to last for years.

Leeuw

Definitely worth the investment. I've been running CK headsets in my road/MTB/track bikes for over 20 years and they all run sweet as anything. They really are a 'fit and forget' component.

dennisn

NO not in the least.

cycleclinic

Ck headsets still ned periodic servicing. The are instruactions for it, they expect you tl do it.

cmcdonnell

Worth it if say. I put a CK one in my Ghisallo 10 years ago, ridden it all through winters and maybe 40000 miles and it's still fine. I don't do anything with it ever so fit and forget. Used one on a steel Dolan I had in the 90s and it was fine, previously went through several campy ones and a cane creek each lasting a year or so; the CK one was fine when I sold the frame. So if you are going to keep the bike I'd fit a CK happily

keef66

So in summary, cheaper headsets can last just as long as CK ones. But not always.

I think having proper mudguards makes a bigger difference to the outcome than the make of headset / bearings.

Matching CK hubs, headset and seatpost clamp do look quite tasty though...

Bobbinogs

I had repeated problems with cheap headsets...then I cottoned on to fitting a small square of insulation tape over the bolt head which keeps water out (I end up riding in some dreadful weather). I haven't had a single problem for the last couple of years and only replaced the tape once. That may say more about the quality control of cheaper headsets though.