A 44mm headset built around Chris King's in-house sealed bearings and patented GripLock retention, for a straight 44mm head tube and 1-1/8 to 1.5in tapered steerer — designed to be serviced, not replaced.
SKU: CKIS744
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For Australian customers, expected delivery is typically 4–7 business days. Deliveries are sent via Australia Post with tracking provided. International deliveries usually arrive within 1–4 weeks, depending on destination.
Have a question before you buy?
Chris King's patented GripLock design (US Patent 8662517) keeps headset adjustment dependable over time, rather than loosening or requiring constant re-adjustment — a common failure point on cheaper headsets.
Chris King machines its own bearing races and bearings together in-house, and the bearing tracks actually burnish smoother with age rather than wearing out — the basis of the fully serviceable design and the lifetime warranty.
44mm straight head tube only — confirm your frame’s head tube standard before ordering.
Fits a 1-1/8″ to 1.5″ tapered steerer.
Steerer must be tapered (1-1/8″ top, 1.5″ bottom) — not for a straight 1-1/8″ steerer throughout.
Tools needed: headset press, crown race setting tool, torque wrench. Headset fitting is a specialist job — have it fitted by Auren or a qualified mechanic.
Confirm compatibility. Check your frame's head tube is 44mm straight and your fork's steerer is 1-1/8" to 1.5" tapered before ordering.
Press the cups. Press the upper and lower cups squarely into the frame's head tube using a headset press.
Fit the crown race. Press the crown race onto the fork's steerer, seated firmly against the crown.
Install the fork and headset. Slide the fork through the frame, fit the bearings, and assemble the stem and spacers per Chris King's stated stack order.
Adjust and torque. Set headset preload so there's no play and the steering turns freely, then torque the stem bolts to spec.
Chris King Precision Components was founded in 1976 in Santa Barbara, California, when Chris King set out to build a better bicycle headset, and the company now manufactures entirely in-house at its own factory in Portland, Oregon. It's best known for its sealed angular-contact bearings and the distinctive buzzing freehub sound on its hubs, both of which have become a kind of signature within serious cycling circles. Every component is designed to be fully serviceable and rebuildable rather than replaced, backed by a genuine lifetime warranty on its core products, and the brand was the first in the bike industry to meet B Corporation sustainability standards. Its bright, anodised colourways have also made it something of a status marker on a build — riders notice Chris King hubs. On a custom titanium build, Chris King represents the premium end of the parts spec: a component chosen by riders who want investment-grade hardware that will outlast the rest of the bike.
Auren designs and builds in Melbourne. One workshop, one builder, frames made by the person you can actually reach.
Every Auren titanium bike comes out of a simple idea. Founder and engineer Will Young wanted to build custom titanium the way it should be done: a frame shaped around the rider, not picked from a range. Your geometry, your parts, your bike, designed with you from the first conversation to the final build.
Building direct means there's no dealer between you and us. When you're planning a build, talking through your fit, or need something sorted years down the track, you talk to Will, the person who made the bike. Every Auren titanium is built to last decades and backed by real support that doesn't disappear after delivery.
That's reflected in our reviews: five stars across Google and Trustpilot.
Not sure something will fit, or which option matches your build? Chat with Will over email or on a call before you order.
info@aurenbikes.com.au Enquire