Chris King has finally taken advantage of the slightly smaller 17mm-diameter axle used in its R45 road hubs, adding a Campagnolo-compatible driver that will be available beginning January 2012.(Image credit: Chris King)
The new Chris King Campagnolo-compatible freehub body will be machined from aluminum in-house, just like the Shimano/SRAM-compatible version.(Image credit: Chris King)
Naturally, Chris King will also offer dedicated machined aluminum lockrings (in both 11T and 12T varieties) to go with its new Campagnolo-compatible R45 hubs.(Image credit: Chris King)
Chris King's road-specific R45 hubs feature lower drag than the company's other models plus a modified RingDrive mechanism that also runs quieter.(Image credit: Chris King)
The new Campagnolo-compatible Chris King R45 hubs will be offered in the usual array of ten anodized colors.(Image credit: Chris King)
Among the features of Chris King's road-specific R45 hubs was the promise of Campagnolo compatibility afforded by the slightly smaller 17mm-diameter axle – and that day has finally arrived. Chris King will offer complete hubs and separate freehub bodies to fit the Italian cassette standard beginning January 2012.
Also new for the R45 range is a ceramic bearing option to go along with the ceramic bottom bracket announced last month.
Other features for the R45 are unchanged for 2012, including the 102/221g claimed front/rear weights (ceramic bearing equipped versions are 3-5g lighter), lower-friction 45-tooth RingDrive internal mechanism and bearing seals, 20/24/28/32-hole drilling options, generous five-year warranty, and your choice of ten anodized colors. Just as before, R45 hubs will also continue to be manufactured in Chris King's Portland, Oregon facility.
