Chris King Headset, Dropset 2 Black

Chris King DropSet 2 is an integrated headset for modern frames, where the bearings sit directly in the head tube without separate bearing cups. This version uses the IS42/28.6 top and IS52/40 bottom standards and is designed for a tapered fork with a 1 1/8" steerer tube at the top and 1 1/2" at the crown.

Integrated headsets are simple and low-profile, but their design also means the bearings sit loose in the frame's machined bearing seats instead of being pressed into separate cups. Chris King's solution is the GripLock system, which separates bearing preload adjustment from the fastening around the steerer tube. This helps the headset maintain the correct adjustment when the bike is subjected to hard braking, impacts, and many miles on rough surfaces.

As with Chris King's other headsets, the bearings are made by Chris King themselves in Portland and are fully serviceable. They can be opened, cleaned, and lubricated when needed instead of being treated as disposable bearings. This makes DropSet 2 especially appealing for a thoughtfully built gravel, road, MTB, or custom bike where you want an integrated headset that can be maintained for a long time.

Compatibility is the key here. DropSet 2 uses a 42 mm 45°/45° upper bearing and a 52 mm 45°/45° lower bearing, with a 2.8–3.0 mm bearing seat depth for the upper bearing. So check the frame's full S.H.I.S. standard and bearing angles before ordering. A head tube that looks the same may, for example, use IS41 instead of IS42 at the top, in which case DropSet 2 is not the right model. Chris King DropSet 1, for example, uses IS41/28.6 at the top, while DropSet 2 uses IS42/28.6.

For a frame built for IS42/28.6 | IS52/40, 45°/45°, DropSet 2 is the Chris King option when you want to keep the clean, low-profile design of an integrated headset while also getting serviceable bearings, GripLock, and Chris King's lifetime warranty.

Quick Specs

• Model: Chris King DropSet 2
• Type: Integrated tapered headset
• S.H.I.S. top: IS42/28.6
• S.H.I.S. bottom: IS52/40
• Fork: Tapered 1 1/8"–1 1/2"
• Upper bearing: 42 mm, 45°/45°
• Lower bearing: 52 mm, 45°/45°
• Upper bearing seat depth: 2.8–3.0 mm
• Upper stack height: 9 mm
• Lower stack height: 1 mm
• System: Chris King GripLock
• Bearings: Serviceable Chris King bearings
• Included: Baseplate for 40 mm crown race seat
• Color: Black
• Fits: Frames with IS42/28.6 | IS52/40 and 45°/45° bearing seats
• Does not fit: IS41 frames or other integrated headset standards
• Check before purchase: S.H.I.S. standard, bearing angle, and upper bearing seat depth
• Warranty: Chris King Lifetime Warranty
• Designed, manufactured, and assembled in: Portland, Oregon, USA