Chris King MTB disc hubs, worth it? What else would you go with?

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Chris King MTB disc hubs, worth it? What else would you go with?
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flag JHawks323
Posted: Jun 20, 2013 at 21:14 Quote
I've heard from a few local guys in my area that Chris King hubs are the way to go. People trash them Mtbr reviews.
I am about to build a wheel set, are they worth it?
flag PeixeCruiser
Posted: Jun 20, 2013 at 21:42 Quote
JHawks323 wrote:
I've heard from a few local guys in my area that Chris King hubs are the way to go. People trash them Mtbr reviews.
I am about to build a wheel set, are they worth it?

I can't say to other people's reviews or for hard core jumping, but they are very popular around here in the BMX Racing Scene. Many of us older cruiser riders have switched to racing a DJ as a cruiser. The Chris King hubs are popular on the DJ because they have great engagement and they're light, so they'll help keep the weight down. I rode a couple of them this past weekend as I was testing out some different DJ options I was shopping for. For a race hub, they're probably one of the best, if not the best. The only other thing I know of that is about equal is the Profile Elite. I've read (in reviews) that I9's are good too, but I've never actually seen any.
flag RobFord
Posted: Jun 21, 2013 at 7:10 Quote
I own King wheels and Hopes- the kings are definitely engineering wonders but the hopes are on par with durability if not better. They're cheaper, easier to service and have better anodizing ( my Kings have faded to Guiness brown from black). Ordering from wiggle the hopes are way cheaper but having said that, if you can afford them, you should have a set of Kings once in your life.
I'm just a full hope convert now...
flag Cackerman
Posted: Jun 21, 2013 at 10:32 Quote
I currently have King’s on both my bikes. I was running Hope’s a couple years back. Both are incredibly solid feeling hubs. Both are sealed incredibly well. The King’s engage a bit quicker, which might be important for some. The engineering behind the King’s is quite marvelous to hold.

I have the King service tool, and would say that with that tool and yearly overhauls, the Kings will last a lifetime. The Hopes are not serviceable to the level King’s are. Thing is though, is there even a point to purchasing hubs for a lifetime? In the next 5 years there will probably be some silly new standard making current gear less attractive. Or a need/desire to get a new bike. As the previous poster mentioned though, the durability of the anodizing on King’s is not the best. My red hubs are starting to look pink, and my black hubs are browning.

Are King’s worth the extra money? For raw performance I would actually say no. Hope’s are better value. If you factor in bragging rights though, King’s reign supreme.

In terms of user reviews, you have to be careful for any product that is at the pinnacle of the price point for that item type. You will find a lot of people purposely trying to trash on an expensive item and ranting endlessly about often completely trivial things. Top-end computers, golf clubs, guitars, whatever the product you will see a lot of venomous/resentful comments. As the price point goes up, I find it much harder to sift through the pure haters and the pure fanbois to get good, informative and honest reviews.
flag stevil-1
O+
Posted: Jun 25, 2013 at 19:21 Quote
my profiles are pretty nice...... damn loud too.
sick engagement.tup
flag PeixeCruiser
Posted: Jun 25, 2013 at 20:02 Quote
stevil-1 wrote:
my profiles are pretty nice...... damn loud too.
sick engagement.tup

Must be elites, because the mini's and older models aren't even as good as an simple shimano freewheel. Hate the feeling of pedaling forward and having to catch up with the hub before you're actually engaged. The Profile ELITE on the other hand is second, in my book, only to Chris King.
flag stevil-1
O+
Posted: Jun 25, 2013 at 20:13 Quote
PeixeCruiser wrote:
stevil-1 wrote:
my profiles are pretty nice...... damn loud too.
sick engagement.tup

Must be elites, because the mini's and older models aren't even as good as an simple shimano freewheel. Hate the feeling of pedaling forward and having to catch up with the hub before you're actually engaged. The Profile ELITE on the other hand is second, in my book, only to Chris King.
yes they are elites.
flag code26
Posted: Jun 29, 2013 at 11:13 Quote
stevil-1 wrote:
PeixeCruiser wrote:
stevil-1 wrote:
my profiles are pretty nice...... damn loud too.
sick engagement.tup

Must be elites, because the mini's and older models aren't even as good as an simple shimano freewheel. Hate the feeling of pedaling forward and having to catch up with the hub before you're actually engaged. The Profile ELITE on the other hand is second, in my book, only to Chris King.
yes they are elites.

Yes my profiles make me smile! But my second go would be DT Swiss 240's.
flag RobFord
Posted: Jul 2, 2013 at 6:47 Quote
I had some Hugi hubs (same as DT's) and they're a slightly simpler but more robust ratchet system as the Kings- no helical splines though-and wonderfully loud.
flag Speeder123
O+
Posted: Jul 2, 2013 at 10:42 Quote
JHawks323 wrote:
I've heard from a few local guys in my area that Chris King hubs are the way to go. People trash them Mtbr reviews.
I am about to build a wheel set, are they worth it?

i'd say no

as the pyramid goes up, u need to pay a lot for a little improvement in performance, so it's still popular among some.

i think u can have better rims, carbon ones, not top hubs.
flag chris-adam-media
Posted: Jul 2, 2013 at 11:01 Quote
Absolutely. Materials used, build quality, quality of the bearings, the ring drive system...good luck getting the engagement to ever slip. Theyre like a piece of art on your bike.
Depends though, i like to save up and buy stuff that lasts...buy cheap buy twice. Working in a bike shop i regularly see 10+ year old king hubs come in on the original bearings and they just need a flush out and re-grease.
However, i have always run a chris king rear hub with a hope front...the rear is where you have the all the gubbins that make a king worth owning (proprietary engagement system) whereas a front hope hub you can just drift the bearings out real quick and fit better quality ones when it comes to it.
As for them being superseded by another model or another industry standard...unlikely. As much engagement as you'll ever need and the ability to switch axle types means that you should be set for a good few years.
Hope hubs are the tried and tested workhorse hubs, easily available spares and reliable and easy to strip down. However you'll be kicking yourself when you buy one and the new 80 P.O.E hope hubs gets announced Wink
flag Cackerman
Posted: Jul 2, 2013 at 11:26 Quote
chris-adam-media wrote:
As for them being superseded by another model or another industry standard...unlikely

I disagree. The industry seems to be shoving new standards upon riders faster then ever. Threaded bottom brackets, 1 1/8" headsets, ISCG-old, standards which have been replaced (or in the process of) in a handful of years.

Speaking of which, we are on the cusp of this very issue with rear hubs in the new push towards 1x11 drivetrains. If you purchase a current 135mm 9/10 speed Chris King rear hub, will you be able to slap an aftermarket 1x11 freehub body on it or will you need to buy a brand new hub? When Shimano steps into the 1x11 market, what will their rear hub look like?
flag chris-adam-media
Posted: Jul 2, 2013 at 11:39 Quote
Cackerman wrote:
chris-adam-media wrote:
As for them being superseded by another model or another industry standard...unlikely

I disagree. The industry seems to be shoving new standards upon riders faster then ever. Threaded bottom brackets, 1 1/8" headsets, ISCG-old, standards which have been replaced (or in the process of) in a handful of years.

Speaking of which, we are on the cusp of this very issue with rear hubs in the new push towards 1x11 drivetrains. If you purchase a current 135mm 9/10 speed Chris King rear hub, will you be able to slap an aftermarket 1x11 freehub body on it or will you need to buy a brand new hub? When Shimano steps into the 1x11 market, what will their rear hub look like?

I would say its a fair bet they'll make a retro-fittable XD driver. currently even the soon to be released 'budget' sram 11spd kit is still beyond most peoples reach. Im sure he'll be fine with a standard hub for a while. especially since not everyone is going to be running 11spd, many people would opt for 10 speed out of choice anyway depending on what you ride
flag crackle
Posted: Jul 2, 2013 at 12:51 Quote
Seriously, it's a hub, the chances of it failing are slim to none and spending $600 on them won't be a life- altering experience. Having been a mountainbiker for almost 30 years and an aerospace machinist I can appreciate what goes into the high-end stuff but then you take something like a Jumping Flea rear that costs $250 and I think it's garbage. Yes, Shimano's 2-pawl and poorly assembled freehubs are also generally garbage but so what? If it should ever fail just put on a new one, it's a 5 minute job and they have new ones that are supposed to be better. Try to find exploded-view diagrams and see one you like and go with it, even the expensive ones can have some pretty ridiculous engineering. Cartridge bearings aren't a big deal either, a regular 12x28 has I think 7 balls in it, less than a cup and cone bearing and you can't adjust it.
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