As of the middle of last week apparently, Chris King Precision Components has decided to shutter the Cielo Cycles frame production brand. Citing updated company goals moving forward, the frame building business did not seem to balance with their core component production. So it seems that they are going back to the core of what built their reputation – headsets, hubsets & more recently bottom brackets…
Cielo Cycles
Chris King have stopped taking new Cielo bike orders, effective immediately. They are said to be refocusing on their component production. Cielo will follow through on the completion & delivery of bikes ordered up until the start of last week. And Chris King itself will continue to support the warranty service needs of Cielo owners. But now if you want a custom bike built around Chris King bearings, you will need to look elsewhere.
For what it is worth, following along through social media over the last year or so, it’s clear that Chris King continues to show a desire to work with other specialty & custom bike builders to collaborate on unique projects. So that will surely carry over. Plenty of custom bikes with precision American made bearings will carry on for quite some time.
The king has spoken
Da King of Da Norf …West?
Well shit. There goes my dream of having a Sycip-built gravel grinder without getting a Sycip-branded gravel grinder.
Budget in another $250 to get it sprayed by an auto body shop.
This article was like eating a fresh fish taco after a long day of surfing without any fish. This is pretty big and interesting news and providing the “between the lines” story would have been very satisfying. Oh well, I guess a missed opportunity and we will have to be satisfied with “did not balance” as the reasoning.
Sorry, but how is this that big and interesting? I would guess that custom frame-building simply took top much time and energy and resources away from the primary business of component manufacturing which Chris King is best known for. CK likely decided to let go an aspect of the business that will not be terribly missed, what with the relatively high number of other custom framebuilders in business now.
Well, if there was some back channel reporting maybe you wouldn’t have to “guess” and we would have more actual information.
This site is called Bikerumor for a reason.
This is where I get my daily E-bike news
They weren’t into custom frame building.
More like people weren’t into custom frame buying.
yeah like eating a steak sandwich after knitting for a day without a gazebo, i can count to potato!
Also competing with one’s customers may not be a best business practice for CK.
This! Definitely a weird dynamic in the market. also, can we get pink headsets again??
In the custom frame world, I really doubt that was an issue. Custom frames are so much like art anyway, as a customer I’m going to buy the style and aesthetic that I like. It’s not like producing the anodized bearing holding bits gives them some huge advantage.
Ugh, it’s hard work introducing one to two new colors of existing products every year. Making a WHOLE BIKE FRAME? Who’s got time for that?
Cielo later ! 🙂