Interbike 2011 - Dirt Demo Day 1 in Photos.

 yea, I can't wait to get them. For a long time I thought that there is nothing complicated with two ball bearings to pay so much money for a set of CK. But apparently I went through 3 sets of different 1.5- 1.125" reducer headsets one VP and 2 CCs and I think I will need a new one. They either weigh a ton, or despite of faced HT, come out of alignment causing eaither self loosening or seizing... ugh... I'm done with semi solutions

 ^ I agree. I used to snap headsets ALOT. Yeah, kind of a rare thing I guess, but I still did it, ALOT. So I was reduced to buying cheap FSA pig DH headsets, which would last anywhere from a week to 6 months depending on how lucky I got...then finally I bought a CK, been running it for 2 years now on the same frame with no problems!

 That reflects worse on King than Giant though, doesn't it?

It's taken til 2012 before King can comprehensively cover tapered and integrated frames - at least 6 years behind the times! Don't forget, Giant tend to be ahead of the curve on these sorts of things (tapered/integrated headset on the 2006 Glory, tapered headtube on the 2009 XTC29).

I wouldn't be suprised if we're all rocking 1.25" steerer/stems in 5 years time.

*disclaimer* I actually think OD2 is a daft idea, and totally unnecessary. But we'd better get used to it anyway.

 OD2 is 1.25 top and 1.5 bottom, it's a larger steer tube at the top, it's nothing new as far as the cups and bearings go. Chris King has had an OD2 headset since it came out, they simply had to create a new top cap/spacer combination to fit the new steertube to their existing top cups...

 So will they make an integrated (flushed) headset fitting 1.5" HT and 1.125" Steerer?

 Yes the Inset 4 (i4 in the photo) headset is a 1.5 headtube cup that fits a 1.125" steerer

 Yes! Have you heard if they will sell combos/separate up&down sets like CC, where you can buy pretty much any combination you like for steerer/cups? For example I can't use integrated reducer bottom cup on my old frame as the dials on the crown of the fork will hit the down tube. So I need the "normal, outside" lower cup.

 I'm not sure personally, and they are done with the show now, but I wouldn't be surprised if they did. They have a lot of different options and they want to make people happy.

 Thx for the info Ian,

They look so great that CK could arrange with you some photoshoot with models and put all those one them, or next to them as jewelry. If they can make beer cap cover for headset top cap at niner bikes, why not make a diamond ring holder from a headset for a womans makeup desk?

Cheers!

 If only Pinkbike and Hooters merged into an unstoppable super amazing being of awesomeness!!!!!!!!!

 I think you're on to something rhys. We'll have our people call their people.

 hmmm..with that include a daily H(hooters)OD, then?

 unlike owners wee willy...

 You are not doing anything wrong - you are planning for your future. Then you can buy all the bike parts you want.