Does this look correct? the bike tech who installed it said it is correct. every one I have seen before the lockring nut is contacting the adjusting ring. he said the gap is fine, which it may be I just have not seen a gap between the two parts before. It feels tight and it is smooth.

Looks right. From the CK website. GripNut™ – Chris King Precision Components

Good luck with that POS. I used one briefly. Not even the LBS veteran could figure the stupid things out. Near impossible to get the too small tab to stay in the notch.
I then found a nice old Shimano one that came with 15 caged 1/4" balls. I buggered one, so it now has 18 loose balls. I liked it so much I got another NOS on fleabay.
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Edit .... Never mind I guess it was my installation error.

Not sure what "small tab" you're talking about. Diagram is not showing it. GN_032004-A1page (shopify.com)

you are the first person I have heard say a CK is a POS. Most consider them very good headsets.

there is a key on the collet that goes into a slot but that is not an issue. I was hoping some bike mechanics or techs who have done installs of the KC would weigh in.

Ah, OK. I just realized I didn't read your post correctly. To me that gap also looks normal. Of several that I have seen they had the same gap and my threadless CK also has the same gap. Great headset by the way, fit and forget. I clean and grease the bearings every 3 years or so which seems to be waaay overkill but for what these cost, I'm not taking any chances.

OK I was likely installing it wrong, I just got it out and played with my broken steerer. I think I figured out what we were doing wrong.
The think I had the top 3 pieces separated, while it should be all together and almost tight already. Maybe I should also have greased the angle compression too.
And the top nut has a lip that may or not be a good idea. The top of steerer needs to be cut down precisely. So changing it to a different headset later may be a problem. I have 4 threads sticking out of mine now and have a thicker nut.
I also just didn't like the feel of the sealed bearing fit anyway. I also had a Cane Creek one at first.

+1

Apparently you haven't seen my comments on them. The TiCycles custom fix gear of my avatar came with one. Inside of 400 miles I was tightening it to get rid of the rattle. For the next 8000 miles, 200 miles before rattle was the usual, by 400 it was driving me nuts. This was true whether adjusted by myself, some of Portland's best mechanics or the Chris King factory. I now am at 20,000 miles on the bike and just starting on my second $30 Tange. One tweak after install and a few rides, ~1/8th of a turn a year if I ride a lot and at 7-8000 miles I swap the lower cage for loose ball or vice versa and get a couple thousand more miles.

I have owned very few headsets that were worse experiences than that Gripnut. And I am pretty certain my issues have nothing to do with the bike. (Headtube and crown facing and alignment. Nothing changed there when I went to the Tange. It pressed in like it belonged and functioned perfectly outside that one tweak to dial in the adjustment (despite having a random assortment of Tange parts to get a stack that matches the Gripnut). Now the headtube has been shaved down and the Tange drops right in. Pure joy.

chris king got back within a few hours and said it looks correct and it is the 2Nut that does not have the gap but the grip nut does.

I have owned the same headset for at least a decade. Needs frequent adjustment. Very frustrating. I also have the gap showing threads.

I have a gripnut 1 in threaded on on my kirk. I did the set up, had to tighten it once, at maybe 100 miles, As far as i can tell, i did not get it quite tight enough initially
1000 miles later no problems...... super smooth

I like their threadless headsets, don't like their hubs that also seem to require frequent adjustments when they come in on bikes for shop service.

so.. $200 for a headset that doesn't set well, and needs fiddled with fairly regularly...

i'll stick with tange, thanke.

Looks good and no you don't have to fiddle with them regularly and they don't suck. I have run 2 grip nuts (and still run them) and zero issues and no adjustments or at least no more than any other threaded headset.

I think people too often have a minor issue usually on their end and then say must be crap because everyone else says it's good and they just got something on install wrong or something like that. Chris King headsets are quite nice and can last a loooooooooong time. I have known some people with 20 year old CK headsets that have moved to several frames. I will say these days their hub game may not be as good with Industry Nine killing it on the noise and the engagement and also having a SS hub which CK got rid of but I haven't had much time on their hubs. Overall yes it is an expensive brand that sees a lot of hype but not for no reason, they are really excellent headsets.

maybe this "gap" your seeing is from the scuff washer?

https://chrisking.com/collections/he...t-scuff-washer
"Headset scuff washers protect your headset's anodized finish, eliminate unwanted noises, and make up for some variance common in non-Chris King headset spacers."

How do you explain me taking my GripNutted custom to the King Factory to have the HS adjusted, only to have the exact same rattle back in the same amount of time as when I do it or various (good) Portland mechanics do it? Actually, I'll grant that my GripNut might have lasted in perfect shape to this day but at adjusts every 400 miles (ie 55 of them) - just, no thanks. By contrast, the good Tanges are a pure joy. (Just returned from 50 miles on that bike. Sublime. With the GripNut, 1 in 4 that the rattle would be there by ride's end.)

But the CK headset is very important if you require bright anodized colors.

Bike's brushed ti. It gets along just fine with chrome.

That I cannot explain as I haven't seen your bike but it sounds like a potential warranty issue at least if I heard that story that is what I would have suggested. At least you seem to have had a more serious issue if CK, you and various good mechanics couldn't figure out the issue and solve it but again that sounds to me like a warranty issue which I don't know if was pursued. Some people don't however you have generally seemed like a smart enough poster that maybe you had gone down that route but can't say for sure.

Mine haven't had any issues so far and I know plenty of folks who run CK stuff with no issue including some people who are CK addicts and one who has probably 30 bikes all with CK headsets plus some spares. It is not to say a problem cannot happen but there tends to be a lot of noise from people who have something minor that they can't fix themselves and didn't get fixed (the opposite of you) and might be a result of not reading the manual (again not you).


Tange makes good stuff no doubt. My Tange tubed bike is a bike I keep wanting to replace and it always comes back to a similar build with minor upgrades that won't make me love that bike even more. Many of my other bikes have changes I would make on a new bike and the old bike could go no problem but that one I cannot let go.

I didn't pursue it simply because I'd completely fallen out of love with that HS. I knew a cheap Tange could give me exactly what I want - a trouble-free, perfect HS (that, yes, needs attention and replacement 10k later (but with plenty of advance warning). I gave CK a chance to win me over. Fail. I wasn't going to waste any more time over it. Now, the threadless CK on my bike has been flawless and a joy. It will stay on unless I decide to go threaded.

".... one who has probably 30 bikes all with CK headsets plus some spares..."

wallflowers rarely need adjustment.

busted.