Why We Make This

Originally, we made this hub to be the cornerstone of our hub product line. We put all our hub and bearing experience into this product and ended up with a hub that struck that perfect balance between weight, performance, durability, and looks. Since the advent of disc brakes (and the R45D), we've kept making it because it’s still that cornerstone hub, and so many of our riders still love to rock their rim brakes on road and off.

Why You Want It

The R45 front hub is lighter and more aerodynamic than most built-to-last hubs on the market. We use a narrow hub body and low flanges to make the R45 a rock-solid starting point for any fast wheel build.

Our bearings, both steel and ceramic, have heat-treated, surgical-grade steel races that are machined simultaneously to ensure perfect matching. The quality and speed of our bearings is what you will feel (and hear) on every ride. As Chris King bearing tracks burnish, they actually get faster. A little bit of regular love (i.e., service) will keep this hub rolling for years upon years of demanding use.

  • Engineered, manufactured, and assembled in Portland, Oregon, USA
  • Legendary made-in-house bearings
  • Easily serviceable with a 2.5mm hex and pick or pen knife
  • Completely re-buildable with our R45 Hub Service Tool
  • Available in 28-hole and 32-hole
  • Ceramic bearing upgrade available

Our Bearings

At Chris King, we design and make our own bearings in-house. They are the foundation of everything we sell, and producing them ourselves gives us full control over the entire process to manufacture bearings that are purpose-built for use in our components. This allows us to design products that not only perform better but also have greater longevity. Every single Chris King bearing is inspected and assembled by hand.

Unlike common radial bearings, we build sealed angular-contact bearings that allow for adjustment as they are used. Rather than wear out, our bearings wear in; like a fine wine or a quality guitar, they get better with age. All of our bearings are user-serviceable without special tools. Simply remove the snap ring and seal, clean, and re-grease the bearing for a lifetime of faithful rolling.

Product Code: SB75-CKRHF32QRG