The uncommon ti Chris King headset is again in a contemporary replace for the newest modern built-in headset bikes, in King’s first-ever Titanium DropSet. King Ti headsets solely pop up each few years, and in very restricted portions. So, whereas even their common rainbow of anodized aluminum headset cups are “constructed to final a lifetime, totally serviceable, and backed by [their] lifetime built-to-last guarantee“, these titanium variations take it to the following stage.
If you wish to actually make your bike pleased, get it a King Titanium DropSet!
Chris King Titanium DropSet endlessly headset for contemporary bikes
It’s in all probability been greater than 15 years since we actually began to see built-in headsets take off in an enormous manner, pushed first by extra carbon frames after which by tapered steerer tubes. However it’s solely been 6 years since Chris King bought into the built-in headset recreation with their unique DropSet, fixing the variable bearing preload drawback with their patented GripLock wedge system.
The important thing to GripLock is its unbiased preload of the headset’s loosely dropped-in bearings individually of the way it clamps in opposition to your steerer tube, in order that the bearings keep preloaded as you trip, making it “impervious to the unwell results of load spikes from giant hits and heavy braking”. The result’s an built-in headset that within the course of created among the longest-lasting built-in headsets which have ever been made.
“Many of the new, carbon highway and gravel bikes have inside bearing designs. When bearings aren’t pressed securely right into a cup they shift and transfer and lose preload, which makes them transfer, creak, and finally fail. The DropSet solves that drawback.”
– Jay Sycip, Chris King Design Supervisor
And now, Chris King are lastly providing these built-in DropSet headsets in uncommon and sought-after titanium!
Chris King Titanium DropSet headsets – Pricing, choices & availability
The brand new Chris King Titanium DropSet is available in 4 fashions – DropSet 2, 3, 4 & 6 to suit most trendy highway, gravel & mountain bikes with a tapered steerer tube and built-in headset. (Not totally built-in inside cable routing, which would want the completely different AeroSet.) Every sells for a similar $300 in matte ti with a ti heasdet cap & bolt, a 40% premium over the usual colourful alloy variations.
They don’t elaborate on what number of of every headset they’ll make in titanium, however my previous expertise is that they’ll most definitely promote out. And certain it received’t take too lengthy till they’re gone. Then you will have to attend 5 and even 10 years till they pop up once more.
These are headsets that can outlast your bike. And these are headsets that you just’ll perhaps even take from bike to bike over time. Snap one up now so as to add some bling to your present bike, and probably even to your subsequent bikes down the highway or path.
Overview: A lifetime King Ti NoThreadSet titanium headset
The King Ti headset I’m truly reviewing right here is round 20 years previous, and has been pressed into a number of bikes over these a long time. And sure, it deliberately has the symmetrical cups pressed in the other way up. Blame that on previous bike store rat traditions.
Now it’s on an old-school Soma Double Cross S&S-coupled canti all-rounder that I’ve been driving since round 2002, and has carried out every little thing from racing cyclocross to basic all-road driving & touring to what we now name gravel.
It’s had this headset in it because it bought repainted in 2015. And the bike’s been ridden in about 6 or 7 European international locations since then. Right here it was on high of the Madonna del Ghisallo for its road-style biking pilgrimage. However it’s again as extra of an off-road gravel touring bike as of late.
The headset was in two completely different mountain bikes earlier than this. First in a full-sus Kona path bike I believe, then a ti XC softail.
And it nonetheless spins as easily as when it was new, having realistically had solely 2 or perhaps 3 full tear-down providers in its lifetime, thus far. Bearings opened up, cleaned, regreased, and reassembled. Even the one time that it appeared like I had waited too lengthy, soak in degreaser and it was shiny like new a pair days later.
However there’s loads of lifetimes left in each these titanium cups and the precision chrome steel Chris King bearings inside.
The fantastic thing about the 1 1/18″ threadless commonplace was that there have been tons of bikes coming out and in of my workshop in these previous 20 years that would match this headset. Although tapered steerers have taken over for probably the most half, there’ll at all times be frames to suit this headset.
Now that built-in headsets are a bit nearer to being standardized, a ti DropSet means being extra possible to suit your subsequent bike too! Wanting round the home, each my spouse and I’ve a gravel bike and a mountain bike that would match a Titanium DropSet. The toughest determination could be choosing which bike deserved it first!
