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Limited Edition Chris King 40th Anniversary Olive Crate kits now available plus accessories and wheelsets

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This year marks the 40th Anniversary of Chris King. They dropped the official word this year at NAHBS, but we’ve known the iconic brand has had something up their sleeve to celebrate for awhile. Rather than a single option however, Chris King has a sprawling collection of ‘Olive Crate’ components to you to choose from. There’s even an olive green Santa Cruz 5010 loaded with the 40th anniversary components you might be able to get your hands on. While the parts are beautiful, and sure to be a conversation starter, if you want to land one of the 40 collector’s kits (technically 160), you had better bring your wallet…

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All photos c. Chris King

The way Chris King has the sale set up, it appears the only way to get any headset other than a standard 1 1/8″ NoThreadSet or any bottom bracket, you’ll have to buy one of their Collector’s Kits. These kits will be sold in 4 different configurations with only 40 kits of each style available. The four kits available include R45 road, R45 Centerlock Disc (100×12 and 142×12), ISO, and ISO-B (Boost), with your choice of bottom bracket and headset standards to match your frame. Limited to one kit per person, the prices are set at $1,976 which includes a ceramic hubset, ceramic bottom bracket, headset, a 58mm espresso tamper, a headset spacer kit, BB conversion kit, a timeline booklet and letter of authenticity with the full kit individually numbered. Curious, we ran the numbers on the prices we could find for the R45 kit to see what standard Chris King parts would run – with the same parts, it worked out to just under $1500 , so there is a substantial premium for the limited edition parts which isn’t surprising.

Along with the kits, customers have the option of having their hubs from that same kit built into a complete wheelset for an additional charge. A number of rim options are available depending on the the kit, and the pricing for the wheel upgrade seems pretty reasonable. However, if you don’t want to buy the whole kit but still want a set of wheels with the Olive Crate hubs, Chris King has 15 options with Stan’s, ENVE, and HED rims. Prices start at $1,180 for Stan’s Flow wheels, and each wheelset has CK 40th Anniversary decals, while the ENVE wheels have the option for additional color matched decals.

salt_and_pepper__77912.1462231972.1280.1280 40th_tamper__12457.1462234466.1280.1280

40th_headset_nothreadset__65864.1462232094.1280.1280 40th_headset_2nut_B__37506.1462232192.1280.1280

Then there are four single options which may be the best choice if you just want something small to celebrate Chris King’s 40 years. In typical fashion there are salt and pepper shakers ($149) and a 58mm espresso tamper ($100). You also have the choice of the original 2Nut headset or 1 1/8″ NoThreadset on collector’s stands. Whether you leave it on its pedestal or put it on your bike, it’s one pricy showpiece at $276. These standalone items are limited to 100 pieces each.

Everything is available for preoder online, directly through Chris King’s website, with product shipping 60 days after the order. As of writing this, there were still Collector’s Kits in all four configurations available, but they probably won’t last long.

ChrisKing.com

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33 Comments
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Buzz
Buzz
8 years ago

The color is the result of botched batch of anodizing

Austin
Austin
8 years ago

>>accuses everyone else in the bike industry of profiteering a month ago
>>heavily marks up his 40th anniversary kits that are just a rehashed color he discontinued a year ago

Oh CK you’re too funny.

myke2241
myke2241
8 years ago

Will these really have any value in 10 years? I mean beyond that of new stuff?

anonymous
anonymous
8 years ago
Reply to  myke2241

No, because in 10 years there with be a 50th anniversary edition.

Timb
Timb
8 years ago
Reply to  myke2241

Who cares, we ck customers don’t buy Ck parts to sit on a shelf for 10years. We buy them because they’ll still be around in 10years and running reliably. Moaners should stick to their rebranded novatec hubs

postophetero
postophetero
8 years ago

Espresso tamper in the kit with actual useful parts? Me thinks the Po’tland rain has gotten to C.K’s brain.

Sam
Sam
8 years ago
Reply to  postophetero

The tamper is the only thing here that I’m actually interested in

Potato
Potato
8 years ago

Keep in mind they are also selling this consumer direct, so CK is making its normal dealer margin AND end consumer margin. Nice touch, double dip the public who support you as an “anniversary gift” to yourself.

NoLongerAFan
NoLongerAFan
8 years ago

“they probably won’t last long…”

Nah, they’ll last a while. Talked to some people inside and it seems like price gouging isn’t in fashion any more and sales aren’t so rad. Then again, it sort of sounds like the company is having some issues in general.

Their Glassdoor account is probably a better window inside the company than some glossy photos, new logomark, and a dreary color.

Mike D
8 years ago

Here in the PNW, CK stuff on anything other than a city bike is looked at as a joke. Based in Portland, but can’t make a hub that you don’t have to urinate on when temps are below freezing. Don’t even get me started on servicing a rear hub…
The novelty of anodized shiny bits which require frequent maintenance and come at a prohibitive price is wearing thin. I’d love to see these guys really push to innovate again!

PFS
PFS
8 years ago
Reply to  Mike D

Wow, I couldnt disagree with you more. As a fellow portland rider (MTB, CS, and road) I have yet to find a hub that works as well in our conditions. Riding in hub deep water and muddy trails nearly year round. I like them so much I bought 4 sets. I wont buy the anniversary edition because they are too flashy, I prefer black.

Hales
Hales
8 years ago
Reply to  PFS

Really? I would never in a million years dream of riding CK’s in inclement weather unless I derived some sort of pleasure from doing complete hub overhauls every few months. Shimano seems to get as close to worry free “bomb proof” as possible, and seem to do a much better job of being the hub for the everyman with an attention to quality and longevity.

Thankfully for PNW riders, we don’t have to worry about the temperatures getting much below freezing. But be careful during the next cold snap…

Veganpotter
Veganpotter
8 years ago

These look great!!! You can get a close look at them every 40 miles since you’ll need to take your wheel out and adjust the preload so often. Maybe the 50th anniversary hubs will last 50 miles before needing adjusted

sad
sad
8 years ago

so thats like 1600USD margin? Its not even special, just a color.. and in a cardboard box.. I wonder who’s going to buy this stuff…

MaraudingWalrus
8 years ago
Reply to  sad

Maybe they’re treating it as crowdfunding to pay for manufacturing of a fancy new thingy!

xxx
xxx
8 years ago

like Chris King’s new house or car? XD

MTBwrench
MTBwrench
8 years ago

I find it perplexing that so many people are complaining about CK hubsets… I’ve been using them for 5 years now, and I rebuild once a year and adjust bearing tension 50 miles after a rebuild. I’ve never had issues with them acting up in freezing temps, or needing frequent adjustment…

Hate to be a dick, but as a tech in the industry I’ve noticed most times that people complaining about a decently regarded high end component not working are usually just complaining about the fact that they (or whoever they have do their work) don’t understand how to properly use and maintain it.

Bikemark
Bikemark
8 years ago
Reply to  MTBwrench

So some people have a great relationship with CK hubs; others don’t. Consider the possibility that both points of view are right; in which case CK has some issues with quality control. I’ve had issues with their quality control, which then lead to me — and my LBS — having a bigger issue with their non existent customer service.

So to recap: premium pricing, cynical product offerings such as this 40th anniversary edition hubset, the need for proprietary hub adjustment tools, the need for a break-in period after which you must return to the shop or own the tool, poor customer service, and design choices that sacrifice durability for weight (aluminum axle and cassette hub body).

Maybe it’s time to stop blaming the customer and start blaming the company.

Veganpotter
Veganpotter
8 years ago
Reply to  MTBwrench

I’ve got about 35,000 miles on two sets. I was adjusting them all the time. What a pain in the neck. I didn’t learn my lesson after putting 25k on a set and hoped the other set would be better. Nope, same junk

Glenn
Glenn
8 years ago

Super disappointing. I need a rear hub for me ECR and was psyched for the color, but this is ridiculous. Another XT it is, I guess.

AlanM
AlanM
8 years ago

I love that the pricing is based totally upon the year CK started. “Hey, I thought of a great way to really jack up the prices on some stuff!”

CXisFun
CXisFun
8 years ago
Reply to  AlanM

The instructions literally explain their “maintenance” intervals and if you’re skipping those, which you clearly are since you’re calling them “maintenance free”, you’re voiding your warranty

CXisFun
CXisFun
8 years ago
Reply to  AlanM

Oops, replied to the wrong thread.

CycloFreak
CycloFreak
8 years ago

Same here, been using CK hubs on road, gravel and mountain bikes for 5+ years. Once you adjust the bearing tension within the first 50 miles after servicing the hubs, they are maintenance-free and reliable. Quite surprised with all the hate here. Maybe MTBwrench nailed it…?

Hales
Hales
8 years ago
Reply to  CycloFreak

They are NOT maintenance free. Their marketing department isn’t in any rush to dispel that rumor, but you call their customer service and they’ll laugh in your face about “maintenance free” and say that maintaining their hub is like maintaining a sports car.

I’ve had to work on a lot of these in my shop and they need to be overhauled every 1-2 years depending on the rider before they get completely gummed up.

Oh and want to service your supposedly super serviceable hub? That’ll be a $200 proprietary tool please. Ride both mountain and road? That’ll be another proprietary $200 tool. Blow up a SINGLE bearing? $75. Notch your freehub over a summer of riding? $100. Bought a new 11 speed group? $300 conversion kit.

Buying a CK hub because you think it’ll save you money in the long run is like buying a new Mercedez because you think they’re built well so you’ll spend less money on maintenance.

Tim
Tim
8 years ago
Reply to  CycloFreak

“They” are maintenance free? I’ll take your word for it that YOURS is maintenance free- but only after you go and grab your rear rim and pull it back and forth laterally, nice and hard, and tell me with a straight face that the hub doesn’t have some play in it. And let’s suppose it passes that test- does that really mean that everyone else’s hubs also work and they’re all imagining the problems with them (rattling or tightness). I was a shop mechanic for years, and for years was on the King Kool-aid- I had three different rear hubs, and all of them had issues. Those were the only hubs that had issues that I ever owned, or even that I ever saw.

CXisFun
CXisFun
8 years ago
Reply to  CycloFreak

The instructions literally explain their “maintenance” intervals and if you’re skipping those, which you clearly are since you’re calling them “maintenance free”, you’re voiding your warranty

Eric
8 years ago

I run CK hubs on my CX/Commuter bike, I ride year round in Portland Oregon. I have to service the freehub (large inner diameter) bearing on a regular interval. Clean out the grime/old grease/dirt with a light oil and compressed air until it spins like new, then repack with new grease and put the seal and snap ring back in.
I always know it is time for the service when I back-pedal and my chain sags below the chainstay tube due to freewheel drag.

My two other bikes (mountain bikes) run M-786 XT hubs ($100 for the pair) and I have never, ever, ever done any kind of service on them ever…at all! They still work like new. And the mountain bikes get the dirt/mud/hose treatment way more often then the CX bike.

just sayin’……..

xxx
xxx
8 years ago
Reply to  Eric

‘xactly

Mark
Mark
8 years ago

As much as I love bling, There’s simply not much reason to use anything other than old Faithful Shimano XT hubs or the DT Swiss. Shimano makes the best skewers as well.

JH Aberschmidt
JH Aberschmidt
8 years ago

(deleted)

Tim
Tim
8 years ago

Glad to see so many people here trashing King hubs; it seems people are finally waking up to what a ripoff they are. On the other hand, if you were in as enviable a position as King is in to charge 1600USD for run of the CNC mill hubs- wouldn’t you do it, too?

Obie
Obie
8 years ago

Waited for this, but just ordered a cane creek. Disappointed…

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