Matt Vandart Posted April 16, 2009 Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 I wanna know whether Chris King hubs are worth the extra money over good freewheels (Like ENO) or Hope pro 2.Please fill in the poll and add comments below.Please only answer this if you have:A: Owned a Chris King hubB: Have had a go on a mates bike that has a King, and you have ridden it for more than just a few seconds.Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.Wood Posted April 16, 2009 Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 I couldn't really vote, as theres my opinion on Kings is middling...I owned one for a year and a bit, and after the first 8 months or so it was the worst non-Shimano hub I've ever used. It skipped constantly (yeah it was cleaned out, both by myself and King UK who used Tri-flow on my request) and the final straw was it skipping a full rotation on a gap up to front.I swapped to a Pro2 and had alot more confidence, as they NEVER skipped.... (Til they cracked, but thats a different matter)So for me, my experience wasn't great. HOWEVER II know plenty of people who have had theirs for years and they havn't missed a beat, maintained or not. If you're lucky, it'll be the best hub you've ever owned. If you're not, a Pro2 or even better and ENO is a better choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali C Posted April 16, 2009 Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 they are VERY well made and are brill hubs, but they are not my first choice for trials. When mine slipped, it would slip half a rotation! I snapped axles and hub flanges. The HD and steel freehub body version is heavy too.I much prefer having front freewheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaRtZ Posted April 16, 2009 Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 id personally say no, not worth the extra money, but I wouldn't say no biggest rip off....etc etc. They're not a rip off at all to be honest, you're paying for very high quality, very low tolerances. The reason I say no, is because my tensile freewheel which is more than 10th the price does the job JUST as well, not skipped on me yet...albeit its 5 months oldMy profile hub I had on my mod never skipped on me either. Or my ENO after I cleaned it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonMack Posted April 16, 2009 Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 I wouldn't ever trust a FFW over my King. I've owned 3 and none of them have ever missed a beat. I would definitely recommend buying one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Pearson Posted April 16, 2009 Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 As others have said, I think its more personal choice. Prawn and Bigman (both beyond 18 stone) swear by theirs, but I hated mine (11 stone).I would probably say to people Pro 2 every time, but its your money, and clearly they work well for some and not so well for others (whereas Pro2's generally seem pretty sound all round).One thing I will say: I have never seen a king hub skip in a small way. It has always been a full half rotation skip like Ali said, and that usually does some damage to whoever is riding it.Up to you man.Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fwad Posted April 16, 2009 Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 (edited) I've had my king for well over 18 months and I love it, but on the other hand when I rode 20" I had an eno freewheel and that was just as equally as good. I'd choose my king over an eno for one reason only and that is I don't get my trackies caught in my king. lol Edited April 16, 2009 by nathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikeperson45 Posted April 16, 2009 Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 I've never tried a King, but I was just out riding with my new Pro 2 and so far it's been pretty amazing. But, never tried any others Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross McArthur Posted April 16, 2009 Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 I own two kings, used them both for 4 years. I love mine.Best bet is to try for one second hand. Well worth it then. Maybe not for full price. I've snapped a few axils and broken a few flanges but I’d take 72 engagements over 36 or whatever any day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trialschallenger Posted April 16, 2009 Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 ive owned hubs from shimano lx to ddg to hope bulbs and now i have a king,i must admit it has skipped a little but only once or twice since i got it 4 or so years ago,id say they were worth the extra money(got mine threw insurance after bike got stolen) but then again you cant go wrong with hope there a great make and ive used a few of there products. i cant say id ever complain so i reckon its a coin toss if you have the money spare splash out for a king if not go for a hope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max-t Posted April 16, 2009 Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 I wouldn't ever trust a FFW over my King. I've owned 3 and none of them have ever missed a beat. I would definitely recommend buying one.Very much my words. Thanks Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guuuuuuuuu leeeeeeeee Posted April 16, 2009 Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 i wouldnt buy one the overated id get a pro2 for stock or and profile for mod Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muel Posted April 16, 2009 Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 I'd never own one, I've seen too many go wrong.I also hate the way they feel to ride, but that's just me being wierd, I can't stand 72ep freewheels because they don't feel notchy or slid enough, I much prefer Tensiles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
totaltrials Posted April 16, 2009 Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 With a king, the harder you kick the tighter it engages. People having problems with it slipping either need to clean it out properly or look at the spring/ helical spline movement because it's getting caught/clogging up around that area.I've had the same King hub for about 5 years, it's never slipped.Probably the best thing I've ever bought, such a worthy £280 odd spent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash-Kennard Posted April 16, 2009 Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 it all depends, kings only seem to skip on preloads, for either gaps or sidehops or whatever. pretty much the point you will be putting the biggest force through your drive terrain. from my experiance, if you have quite a floaty style dont get a king, get a pro 2. if when you gap, you keep your foot down on the engagement point and just push the power though, then a king will generally be pretty good. this is pretty much just from watching bigman and prawn and everyone who has a pro 2if that doesnt make sense tell me, i have had a few now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.Wood Posted April 16, 2009 Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 People having problems with it slipping either need to clean it out properly or look at the spring/ helical spline movementNormally I agree with you but with my King nothing could stop the skipping, it was absolutely spotless, skipped with a new drive ring and spring, on hard preloads and while just riding along.Sometimes you just get a bad 'un.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigjames Posted April 16, 2009 Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 Mine has been absolutely fine in the period ive owned it, it has only ever skipped a tiny amount when just rolling along and not putting it under any pressure, when putting any force through it its been fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted April 17, 2009 Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 Another vote for king, mines never slipped* and its worked flawlessly for the last 4 years despite being 2nd hand and well used, if it fails I will buy another *the clicking noise I had when gapping turned out to be the cranks hitting the slaves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
16 years later Posted April 17, 2009 Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 Normally I agree with you but with my King nothing could stop the skipping, it was absolutely spotless, skipped with a new drive ring and spring, on hard preloads and while just riding along.Sometimes you just get a bad 'un....What happed then, did they replace it for you?Vote for king here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.Wood Posted April 17, 2009 Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 What happed then, did they replace it for you?Vote for king hereNah, King UK serviced it and after it still skipped I had a chat with them, they denied Kings could ever skip and it was just the axle turning in the frame that was causing the skipping I was feeling... I sold it to an XC rider. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigman Posted April 17, 2009 Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 Nah, King UK serviced it and after it still skipped I had a chat with them, they denied Kings could ever skip and it was just the axle turning in the frame that was causing the skipping I was feeling... I sold it to an XC rider.I would expect it to slip after a King Uk service to be honest, they would have used the special ring drive lube as specified by CK, this is perfectly fine for XC etc but for trials it is too thick, i tend to used very light oil in my hub.My hub gave my trouble when i first got it, but after a new set of drive rings it was spot on, lasted 3.5 years before another new set of rings was needed, love my hub, but i haven't realy ridden any other setups properly to compare. People say about Pro 2's being reliable, its ok if you don't mind re-building your wheel every time you crack a hub sheel, which seems to happen with the old and new style ones......Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.Wood Posted April 17, 2009 Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 I would expect it to slip after a King Uk service to be honest, they would have used the special ring drive lube as specified by CK, this is perfectly fine for XC etc but for trials it is too thick, i tend to used very light oil in my hub.My hub gave my trouble when i first got it, but after a new set of drive rings it was spot on, lasted 3.5 years before another new set of rings was needed, love my hub, but i haven't realy ridden any other setups properly to compare. People say about Pro 2's being reliable, its ok if you don't mind re-building your wheel every time you crack a hub sheel, which seems to happen with the old and new style ones......AdamI told them to use Tri-Flow, and watched them do it (its my local bike shop and know them personally). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobnobs Posted April 17, 2009 Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 I bought my bmx king from mike singleton years ago, i was intending to get a brand new one, but mike had one cheap which had been used by a bmxer for a while, so was bedded in perfectly. It's faultless, and i cant see that changing. In my opinion, if you bed it in properly and service it more than once every blue moon, you cannot buy a better hub. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolver Posted April 17, 2009 Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 I've got one, it works nice. I'm worried about it skipping, but it's not seeming like it will, I just dread if it does happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Cox Posted April 17, 2009 Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 my king was beautiful until the driveshell bearing went, still going strong somewhere else with a new bearing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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