hubs specifically.

Yep.

how good are they? are they worth the investment

Just get a Hope. I wouldn't say they are worth it.

ok, thanks for that. they are proper spendy.

Got a Chris King Headset. Used it maybe 5 or 6 years, never changed the bearing still as new as far as I'm concerned. Is it good value? I guess I'll tell you in another 5 years.

My mate has some, the rear freehub is very clever but eloquently simple if that makes sense. It also makes a really cool noise, like a swarm of bees.

Are they worth the money, not sure, but hold their value well so can always be sold on if you change your mind.

Headsets probably. Hubs, well they get sheep replying to them

I’ve had a headset on my inbred for the last 9 years, never been touched....it was second hand when I fitted it as it came off a frame I bought

Got quite a bit including two sets of hubs..

They are not maintenance free, but if you look after them they're (imo) brill.
The hubs if cleaned, geased & fettled a couple of times a year will last a lonnnng time. The bearings, unlike other hubs, are not meant to be disposable.

The only time mine have given me any grief is when i've put off giving them a once-over going into winter & the free-wheel engagement has frozen up due to water inside. Drying them out is something that can be done 'in the field' though..

Are they worth it? Tbh after the exchange rate has gone south, i'm not sure Tony.
If you do decide to get a rear, then try to get the stainless steel drive shell..

sean_iow wrote: ↑Wed Jul 08, 2020 10:43 pm My mate has some, the rear freehub is very clever but eloquently simple if that makes sense. It also makes a really cool noise, like a swarm of bees.

Are they worth the money, not sure, but hold their value well so can always be sold on if you change your mind.

In Ians (Barrington) blog he talks about his rear hub. Said that (I think the Highland trail) on one of the races one year he ended up stuck cos his hope couldnt handle all the mud etc... then for the next year he took a CK and had similar issues. But cos it was so simple to rebuild he managed to get it al undone and rebuilt midride and finished the ride. Think he got a good time too. Think it was one of the more wet ones (is there such a thing of more and less on the HTR (Highland trail Race)...

If I could afford (for standard headset thats proper pressed in) I'd get the hub no probs. Maybe headset too... the rear hub might be a bit too lpud for your liking though. Meant to be a nice humming buzz though and npt the CLICK CLICK CLICK (speed that up) of the Hopes...

hold their value well so can always be sold on if you change your mind.

They are quite clearly perfect for you in all respects

I’ve got a CK BB. It’s not yet had a chance to prove that it’ll live five times as long as a Shimano but it does expect attention (a regrease) every six months or so and did fall to bits about three months in, requiring me to send it back.

I imagine if I had the special tool to purge/regrease it and did so regularly it would last forever. But I wouldn’t get another one.

If you’re agreeable to spending that amount on a rear hub I’d look at Onyx, mine is an absolute joy to ride. Instant engagement, which is nice but for me the killer feature is the absolutely silent freewheeling with bugger all drag.
I can’t comment on reliability but I’m happy so far, it’s sufficiently different to a normal hub to change the whole riding experience.

Charliecres wrote: ↑Thu Jul 09, 2020 7:28 am I’ve got a CK BB. It’s not yet had a chance to prove that it’ll live five times as long as a Shimano but it does expect attention (a regrease) every six months or so and did fall to bits about three months in, requiring me to send it back.

I imagine if I had the special tool to purge/regrease it and did so regularly it would last forever. But I wouldn’t get another one.

I had a ceramic King BB and the tool to grease it. It lasted the GDMTBR as it was bought for and as expected, I then gave up on it within a year of going on my SS. Hopeless sealing that needed re-greasing after every longer wet ride - the BB was going to go or the cranks would been damaged from so many fit/removals. The BB ended up so worn it falls apart when the cranks are removed. It'll still works but it's now in a box of spares.

Headsets are great but based on the BB I'm wary of the hub sealing.

jameso wrote: ↑Thu Jul 09, 2020 7:58 am Headsets are great but based on the BB I'm wary of the hubs.

I looked into the BBs when I was building the Salsa and a friend said basically the same. They didn't seem to be very well sealed.

My friend with the hubs hasn't had to touch the wheel bearings and the wheels are at least 3rd hand. I'd forgotten that I know someone else with some, I bought some 26" Mavic rims off him years ago when he was rebuilding his best wheels (with CK hubs) as 29", they've since been rebuilt again as 650B so he must like them. They do cost about 3 times what a Hope does though so that's a lot of wheel bearings to change in the Hope before the CK is better value.

I have a headset. It's 10 years old and on its 3rd bike. Of course, it's one of the 2nd gen headsets. The previous design was known to cut your steerer in two.

None of Shimano hubs have ever had bearings replaced so, other than fancy colours, CK doesn't seem to offer any advantage.

King are one of the few companies that make their own bearings, which are superb. I'd describe them as a bearing company that also do fancy anodised Alu.

Had a few King hubs down the years. Lovely kit but I standardised on Hope hubs on all bikes as they last well, adapt to different bikes better than any Hub on the market, are backed by excellent customer service and I prefer to put my money into a UK company which is even more important right now.

Thats not to say King hubs are not good. The freehub can get a bit sticky in winter and a lighter oil is needed.

How does the price compare to DT Swiss?

Mariner wrote: ↑Thu Jul 09, 2020 9:11 am How does the price compare to DT Swiss?

Are you sat down?

DT Swiss 240s rear - around £250
CK ISO rear - around £500

I've never had any CK hubs so cant offer any insight into that.

I generally go for DT Swiss hubs, the cheaper 350 usually do me, though they come with the slower engagement if that bothers you. Occasionally I notice ot, but its pretty rare. Easiest ratchet service ever too, basically takes as long as pumping a tyre up a bit once you have removed the rear wheel.

Hope are good of course, but I had a couple of shell cracks that ended trips / rides so even though they sorted it on warranty with no issues this meant I swapped to DT.

CK always seemed nice, and sounded nice too but I'd read you need special tools to service them (maybe you do, maybe not) at some time which puts me off. That and the old headset gouging steerer back in the day didn't fill me with confidence (how folk still bought them I can only put down to really nice colours ). My impressions are of course from many years ago,

Hubs and headsets here (in pink of course). Bought when it were $2 to £1, remember that? No problems here (ok admittedly the hubs haven’t really been used in the last few years )

I've got one headset and 4 bottom brackets on the go.

The headset is a few years old and lives on my singlespeed. This is my winter bike and gets subjected to all sorts of abuse, neglect and power washing. It's been fine since I bought it.

Bottom brackets are 2x24mm and 2xPF40. I have the grease tools for both. One of the 24mm is on the singlespeed and has endured no end of abuse. The other 24mm I bought before the Divide in 2017, again it's been faultless.

The PF40's are on mine and wifey's carbon wonderbikes. Hers gets a lot more stick than mine as she uses it year round, no problems with either.

Greasing Chris King Bottom Brackets. For those having problems, use a good quality synthetic grease, Phil Wood grease is mineral and not recommended despite what you read on Singletrack. My favourite is Progold EPX grease, I highly recommend it. Assuming you have the injector tool, remove the outer seals before greasing then put them back after.

I guess how much something is worth depends on individual views. "In the old days" of press-in headset cups I thought a CK headset was worth it and they lasted ages. Now with most being internal bearings they are cheap and simple to just replace.

As for the hubs, personally I don't think they are worth the extra.
For a budget option Bitex hubs are brilliant and performance not what you might expect for "budget" options.
DT Swiss also very good and a neat, simple freehub method. The 240S would be a good option for higher budgets.

I am not a hub killer though, so maybe people who are might think differently.

Pirahna wrote: ↑Thu Jul 09, 2020 9:43 am Greasing Chris King Bottom Brackets. For those having problems, use a good quality synthetic grease, Phil Wood grease is mineral and not recommended despite what you read on Singletrack. My favourite is Progold EPX grease, I highly recommend it. Assuming you have the injector tool, remove the outer seals before greasing then put them back after.

I did all that, used Finish Line Synthetic, all the right steps with the injector tool etc, but the grease on the NDS was dirty and gritty within decent 2 rides in winter and sometimes less. I got new seals but in the end thought that replacing them each time was just getting silly. Not doubting your experience though - just it didn't work out for me / on the 2 bikes it was fitted to.