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Chris King adds XDR compatible driveshells for SRAM Red & Eagle* AXS

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You know how this goes. When a big company like SRAM introduces a new drivetrain, smaller companies are quick to introduce compatible parts for their own products to allow them to play nice. Chris King announced today via social media that they are adding XDR freehubs for their R45 and R45D Centerlock road hubs.

All photos c. Chris King

While the XDR freehub design was created for SRAM’s RED eTap AXS cassettes, it also opens up the ability to run Eagle cassettes – provided you use the correct spacer. Even though the XDR freehub body is 1.85mm wider to allow for the proper clearance between the smaller cassettes and the spokes, SRAM tells us that it is possible to run an Eagle cassette (including those for the new AXS group) on an XDR freehub body with a spacer.

Because of that, XDR driveshells like those from Chris King, are compatible with both XDR and XD cassettes. However, XD driveshells are only compatible with XD cassettes. That makes us wonder a bit if XDR will eventually replace all of the XD options out there, or if we’ll just end up with another freehub standard to keep track of.

Back to the CK XDR driveshells, Chris King says that they will start taking orders on March 1st. After that, the first parts will begin shipping on March 18th.

chrisking.com

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Brad J Sedola
Brad J Sedola
5 years ago

Aside from a bottom bracket, still no fatbike love.

Mitch
Mitch
5 years ago
Reply to  Brad J Sedola

The definitely make fat bike headsets.

Mitch
Mitch
5 years ago

Poor move on Shimano’s part to exclude Chris King from Micro SSpline. Shimano is making it hard for King fans to upgrade their drivetrains and wheels this year.

thesteve4761
thesteve4761
5 years ago
Reply to  Mitch

Exactly how? The MicroSpline Cassettes don’t exist in the real world anyhow.

Mitch
Mitch
5 years ago
Reply to  thesteve4761

DT Swiss has Micro Spline freehub (driveshell) bodies available today. I know where you can get an XTR 12s drivetrain right now. In the US.

But again, what if I have a nice set of wheels built around King hubs and need/want to replace my drivetrain. Sram eagle is the only 12s drivetrain that would work. Shimano not allowing King to use the Micro Spline design in the foreseeable future. Shimano is on the edge of alienating a lot of King fans. Not good, Shimano.

This is only a problem for Shimano 12s fans, which is not widely available at the moment, but is around if you know where to find it.

K-Pop is dangerous to your health
K-Pop is dangerous to your health
5 years ago
Reply to  Mitch

I wonder how many “King fans” would be left if they bothered to check out glassdoor.com and see what their employees have to say about working there. Pretty horrendous.

thesteve4761
thesteve4761
5 years ago
Reply to  Mitch

Ok, bluff called, where do these magical cassettes exist?

Phred Pedals DDS
Phred Pedals DDS
5 years ago

how long until boost is abandoned in favor of a new ‘standard’ based on dubious arguments that it optimizes XDR and micro spline drivetrains. My money is on model year 2021 or a year from this summer.

Salvatore
Salvatore
5 years ago

It is already gaining traction… Super boost… Or really what they should’ve went with all along was the DH hub spacing of 150mm, which has been in existence long before boost.

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