Chris King R45 Experiences?

[rhump]

All of my "nicer" hand built wheel sets have used White Industry T11 hubs (one set is laced to HED Belgium C2s and the other to H+ Plus Son Archetypes). I have a new set of wheels incoming that use CK R45s laced again to HED Belgiums (28/32).

For the folks that have owned R45s, is the maintenance really as bothersome as some have described? I've got my first custom bike incoming this month (Hampsten Max) and I wanted to have some really nice wheels for it (hence I was drawn to the top shelf reputation of the CKs).

I've bookmarked / skimmed over all of the R45 service manuals, but I was surprised at the lack of online videos in regards to maintenance or preload adjustment.

Thanks for your time,

Rob

[kgreene10]

I've got four seasons of training and some racing on my HED Belgium CKR45 wheels. They are still going strong and have been maintenance free; however, ever since I paid a mint to have the rear converted to Shimano 11sp, the hub is slightly loose and my local wrenches (who are typically superb) say they can't get it any tighter without causing other troubles. It's enough play to be bothersome for a super-expensive piece of kit. Other than that, hassle free, angry bee.

[FlashUNC]

Had a set for a while. Sold 'em. The buzzy buzzy was not my cup of tea. The unique lockring. The proprietary tools for service.

Nicely made and all, but I didn't lose any sleep parting with them.

[Cat3roadracer]

I have a few sets that have been great. I like the noise very much.

[ptourkin]

Had a set for a while. Sold 'em. The buzzy buzzy was not my cup of tea. The unique lockring. The proprietary tools for service.

Nicely made and all, but I didn't lose any sleep parting with them.

The R45s don't have the "buzzy buzzy" of the Classic if they're properly set up and maintained. I have over 12,000 miles in the last year and a half or so on mine and they've been flawless and quiet.

[oldpotatoe]

All of my "nicer" hand built wheel sets have used White Industry T11 hubs (one set is laced to HED Belgium C2s and the other to H+ Plus Son Archetypes). I have a new set of wheels incoming that use CK R45s laced again to HED Belgiums (28/32).

For the folks that have owned R45s, is the maintenance really as bothersome as some have described? I've got my first custom bike incoming this month (Hampsten Max) and I wanted to have some really nice wheels for it (hence I was drawn to the top shelf reputation of the CKs).

I've bookmarked / skimmed over all of the R45 service manuals, but I was surprised at the lack of online videos in regards to maintenance or preload adjustment.

Thanks for your time,

Rob

Very nice hubs but IMHO, compared to comparable hubs, DT240/350, 9000/6800, White Industry, Record..I think they are over complicated and have lots of proprietary stuff in them. AND rather than OVH with simple hand tools, 5mm allen, cone wrenches, open end wrenches, you need a rather expensive too kit to open and close completely.

SO...

[FlashUNC]

The R45s don't have the "buzzy buzzy" of the Classic if they're properly set up and maintained. I have over 12,000 miles in the last year and a half or so on mine and they've been flawless and quiet.

They were less buzzy, but they were still buzzy. I prefer the bowling ball in a dryer sound of Campy hubs personally.

Unless fresh out of the box doesn't count as properly set up.

[ptourkin]

They were less buzzy, but they were still buzzy. I prefer the bowling ball in a dryer sound of Campy hubs personally.

Unless fresh out of the box doesn't count as properly set up.

Gotcha - it is still more noise than those. The propietary stuff is a PITA and the guy who builds my wheels, who I respect, much prefers DT Swiss. I wanted to match headset, bb... so CK...

[AngryScientist]

i have both, and like both, but now that WI offers colored hubs, i see no advantage of CK over WI.

[Kentf14]

I've also had both. Right now I'm using 2 whelkiest built on CKs, one set on Archetypes and one set on Enve 3.4.
The aluminum wheels are MUCH quieter than the ENVEs, I think it has something to do with the carbon rim resonating the freewheel sound (but I could be crazy).

I've had pretty good luck with the cone adjustments and with the exception of one rear being a little fiddly to dial in perfectly, they have been perfect. The proprietary lock ring is a little bit of a PITA and on my "daily driver" wheels, I'd rather just use the steel campy ring that came with the cassette, since the friction surface (teeth) on the CK ring seem to be wearing down a little every time I take off the cassette to deep clean it.

I've only done basic maintenance on the hubs after a few thousand miles, but they are running strong without issue so far. I'll probably get the CK tool for disassembly in the future, but the hubs don't need it yet.

All in all, no major issues and I'd certainly buy them again if I needed to.

[Uncle Jam's Army]

I had them and I hate them. Too complicated and finicky. Converted to DT Swiss 240 for trouble free miles.

[beeatnik]

In layman's terms, they build a strong, fast wheel, shine like russian jewels compared to the costume jewelry look of other anodized hubs (Tune, included), have the best resale on the market, and weigh less than the other bombproof premium hubs (9000 and DT240s).

Paging Madcow...

[velomonkey]

I had 3 sets, but got rid of them all in about 3 months. The ride great, no doubt tight and smooth, but I just wasn't crazy about the wheels themselves (H Plus Son, HED Belgium +, and ENVE 3.4 clinchers).

Went to a Fulcrum Race 1 that I got new for $500 - I miss the buzz and the 'cool' factor, but as a complete wheel the Fulcrum 1 is awesome. My race wheels are a set of Bora One Tubular.

[miguel]

Great hubs, I only wish they came in centerlock

[macaroon]

I've never used them, and never will. There are loads of other hubs available that make much more sense. White Industries being one.

[berserk87]

I have 2 sets of the Classic hubs. If the R45's are similar, routine servicing can be done with 2 allen keys. An overhaul requires the proprietary tool, which not all bike shops possess. It should be rare that a complete overhaul is needed.

I have had my road set for 15 years and have had to have an overhaul once via a local shop. I raced and trained on these wheels and rode them in rain, heat, cold, dust, and so on. I did neglect to service them (as in I did NOTHING to them) during that span outside of the shop visit 2 years ago - and they are still like new.

The mountain set has been abused in more advanced fashion and are further along on the wear and tear scale, but they are still humming.

Whether King hubs are right for you is a personal decision. They are not right for everybody. I hate the cost, but did not pay retail for either set of mine.

If you like the instant engagement, durability, and being able to ride and forget for long periods, they are worth the look.

[bcroslin]

Very nice hubs but IMHO, compared to comparable hubs, DT240/350, 9000/6800, White Industry, Record..I think they are over complicated and have lots of proprietary stuff in them. AND rather than OVH with simple hand tools, 5mm allen, cone wrenches, open end wrenches, you need a rather expensive too kit to open and close completely.

SO...

This is almost exactly what my wheel builder buddy told me and the reason why I went with a set of T11's.

[Kentf14]

I had them and I hate them. Too complicated and finicky. Converted to DT Swiss 240 for trouble free miles.

Can you expand on what you mean by finicky?
I 've personally been able to "set it and forget it" with mine, but this is compared to old skool hubs with cones and loose bearings.
I'd be interested to hear where your troubles came from.

Cheers

[11.4]

Let's face it, nobody makes hubs as trouble-free as Campy and Shimano. I've had plenty of problems with DT's, I've had to return a fair number of Tunes, I've had slack in the bearings of White's, and on and on. Chris King hubs offer the following to me:

1. fairly light weight.
2. pretty good management of rear wheel spoke tension.
3. bulletproof performance.
4. minimal maintenance -- I have the hub service kit but frankly in twenty-five years on Chris King hubs -- Classics and now R45's -- I've never once had to use the tool kit. Relubricating bearings doesn't require the service kit and I could relube the hubs every two or three years and never need more than two allen keys and a spray can of Triflow.
5. noise is pretty muted on R45's. Not silent like Shimanos, but current DT's are far from silent.
6. parts are always available.
7. King always has great service and support, including great maintenance videos on their website.
8. Great finish -- they aren't the only one with colors but they do a very classy job of hues and finish quality so they don't look like cheap anodized toys.

Seriously, why debate it? If you don't like them, use something else. Do we have to prolong a thread that goes nowhere? It must be winter.

[R3awak3n]

I have some purple CK campy hubs.

I think they look better than WI hubs, the logos are nice and subtle, like the shape more.

Have had to do 0 maintenance so far, they are still as good as new.

The lockring thing is annoying, mine came with one for a 11T cassette and had to buy one for 12T cassette, they weren't cheap either.

I don't mind the killer bee sound but I definitely like campy sound more, its louder but less obnoxious but CK sound doesn't bother me.

They are expensive hubs and some of the colors only come in 28 holes (like the purples) which I would have preferred in 32.

[mktng]

So far..... The Royce hubs I got off paceline last year are the best hubs I've ever rolled on. Had them relaced to Belgium's. Bullet proof wheelset. They quickly replaced my King Classic wheelset.

[beeatnik]

11.4, I like your style.

[notoriousdjw]

I have 2 sets and did have a rear hub that needed a little extra tightening to get rid of the play. It's an easy procedure with a 2.5mm allen (i think) and beyond that they hubs are silky and trouble free. They always engage instantly and I pass fat dudes on downhills; what else is there? Between the 2 sets I've logged 10k trouble free miles while performing no maintenance.

That said I wouldn't pass on a good set of WI hubs and have a set of Hope Pro 2 Evos on the cross bike that have also been fantastic.

[SlowPokePete]

I have two sets on my MTB's for years now, and have always loved the quality, engagement, and bling, so when it was time to get some nicer wheels for my Parlee I went with R45's on HED Belgiums, delivered to me on Christmas Eve. Have only put a couple hundred miles on them so far but definitely have no regrets...

SPP

[AngryScientist]

They always engage instantly and I pass fat dudes on downhills;

haha, awesome.

[Likes2ridefar]

I had some pretty blue ones and while they did work, the rear came loose or needed adjustment multiple times. I love the buzz, but the r45 did not buzz enough for me like the mtb and classic versions do to make them worthwhile. and once i went 11s and discovered it was 2 or 3 hundred to swap that was it.

besides the neat buzz I think they are not worth it.

[PaMtbRider]

I have T-11's, Chris King, and DT 240's on different bikes. They're all good hubs. The biggest advantage I see with the Chris King are purely aesthetic. If you want to match color of other CK parts, ie headset, bb cups, the other hubs might get you close but not a match.

[Tony]

I've had to return a fair number of Tunes,

What model tune hubs did you return and why?
Thanks

[NickR]

Several trouble free seasons on CK45 hubs and I'm an uberclyde

[enr1co]

I had 3 sets, but got rid of them all in about 3 months. The ride great, no doubt tight and smooth, but I just wasn't crazy about the wheels themselves (H Plus Son, HED Belgium +, and ENVE 3.4 clinchers).


Very happy with the HED Belgium +, and ENVE 3.4 clinchers w/ R45's acquired from VM!

Love the smoothness and bling. The buzz took some getting used to but a non issue now.

Also, sold off the HED Belgium + to pare down my wheel inventory but felt they were a great wheelset and they served me well. Still loving the ENVE 3.4 clinchers!