Chris King ThreadFit Bottom Bracket: Rider Review

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Although it sometimes can go unnoticed, properly maintaining your bottom bracket can go a long way in keeping your bike quiet and comfortable. Our customer went all out and decided to add a Chris King bottom bracket to his Santa Cruz. Check it out!

Overview

I chose the Chris King ThreadFit 30 Bottom Bracket for my latest bike build, a Santa Cruz 5010, based on my past experience with this bottom bracket. This same bottom bracket with the same conversion kit works on both my Nomad and 5010, each with 30mm RaceFace cranks.

Attention to Detail

This is obviously not the cheapest bottom bracket, but its quality is obvious and the serviceable bearings and 5-year warranty make it worth it. As opposed to replacing cheaper bottom brackets over time as they wear out, this could actually be the more affordable option in the long run. The machining and anodizing on these components are top-notch, making a beautiful accent for the bottom of your bike. I went with the mango option to match some of the orange accents I put on my carbon colored Nomad, and the black option to go with the all-black accents on the purple 5010.

Installation

While obviously visually appealing, this bottom bracket most importantly provides a dependable, friction and play-free ride. I recommend using Chris King’s dedicated BB tool for installation, careful use allows for installation with proper torque without damaging the anodized finish. I should also note that I did use all three optional 0.33mm spacers that came with the conversion kit in order to achieve proper bearing preload for this bottom bracket on both of my bikes.

While the bottom bracket on my 5010 is nearly brand new, I have been riding one on my Nomad for a few months in some wet, muddy, and dry, dusty conditions in New Mexico. Although I haven’t detected any noise or gritty feeling from it, I performed some preventative maintenance on the BB before taking the bike on a road trip to Sedona, just to make sure it was running perfectly. The bearing service procedure is straightforward. There is a dedicated BB grease injector tool from Chris King, but I opted for the more “analog” service option. With the cranks removed, this can all be performed with the BB cups still installed. It was a piece of cake.

Final Thoughts

The bottom line is that this bottom bracket is not only incredibly stylish but also functions perfectly and is easily serviceable. I highly recommend this product for anyone looking for a quality bottom bracket that they intend to keep running smoothly for the long haul.