For half a century, Chris King Precision Components has been in the vanguard of bicycle component design and manufacturing. Based in Portland, Oregon, our work comes from a hyper-focus on the critical details that most people don’t notice. We make the best performing bicycle components possible within the parameters of sustainability and environmentalism we’ve set for ourselves. Above all, we keep bicycle components from being thrown away. We want every Chris King component to last a lifetime. Our processes must all be sustainable, so we create as little manufacturing waste as possible. And, we invest time and energy in making the Chris King® factory and offices a nice place to work, while giving back to the cycling community we live and work in.
A Hyperfocus on the Critical Details
Everywhere the bicycle moves there are bearings, i.e. headsets, bottom brackets, and hubs. So, Chris King began by making better bearings, moving parts that work better than anything else available. Then we looked at ways to isolate those bearings, to protect them from shock, drag, and wear, which makes each component perform its best.
Nothing Disposable
We want every Chris King component to last a lifetime. To that end, we build durable parts that can be serviced easily, that are backwards compatible and use materials that are recyclable. Nothing we make is disposable. Even the packaging we ship our components in is recyclable or compostable. We believe the bicycle is the answer to so many of the problems we face. Making bike parts that don’t exacerbate those problems is its own kind of success.
Responsible Manufacturing
In our manufacturing process, we reclaim as many of the resources that have gone into making our raw materials as possible. We capture and separate all the chips of aluminum and steel that are the by-products of turning bar stock into our components. We strain and separate the cutting oil and compact the loose chips into dense pucks of material. This makes it easier to transport and more efficient to recycle. We use organic canola oil, not traditional cutting fluid which has to be changed often, not to mention that it’s a skin irritant for workers. Our canola oil has an infinite lifespan because we’ve developed a recapture process that filters it. Using canola oil means we have to machine more slowly than we would with a traditional cutting fluid, but we believe the environmental benefits far outweigh the cost of slower machining speeds.
Build Trails. Build Community.
We are invested in our local environment and in our people. Mountain biking isn’t possible without the people who build and maintain the trails we ride. Our Trail Builder in Chief (and GM), Kris Bedsaul, leads by example and puts in hours throughout the year building trails and organizing a youth-development MTB team. He actively encourages employees at Chris King to contribute as well by hosting build days each year at our local trails, where they can skip work and do some digging.
