The simple answer is that many contemporary bicycle frame designs call for the headset bearings to ride inside the frame’s headtube.
After decades of making press-in bearing headsets, we needed to make headsets that worked in these newer frames.
From the beginning Chris King understood that integrated headsets posed a unique challenge in that the bearings are not pressed into a cup and sit loosely in the frame. When bearings are not pressed securely into a cup they shift and move, rapidly losing preload. As preload drops, the bearings are more susceptible to creaking, damage, and failure. That’s a problem they know how to solve.
Enter, Chris King's patented GripLock™ bearing cap. The GripLock™ preloads the headset independently of clamping onto the steerer, so it retains preload far better than the competition and is impervious to the ill effects of load spikes from large hits and heavy braking. This means smoother steering, no more creaking, and a longer lasting headset.
The GripLock™ design also takes the guesswork out of preloading a headset, because the bearing preload force is independent of the clamping force. These headsets can be preloaded to a torque spec.
Compatible withOpen, 3T, All City, Low, Cinelli, Lynskey, and more.
Features:
- Engineered, manufactured and assembled in Portland, Oregon USA
- King Lifetime Warranty
- Legendary made-in-house bearings
- Patented GripLock® retention design for dependable headset adjustment (US Patent 8662517)
- 42mm 45x45 upper bearing for 2.8-3.0mm bearing ream depth.
- 52mm 45x45 lower bearing
- Compatible with Chris King's included baseplate and 45 degree integrated crown races