Kinlin Wheels with Chris King Hubs

What Kinlin rims and Chris King hubs each bring

• KLM41 alloy. Kinlin developed this aluminum alloy with manganese and niobium, and lists the XR-31, TL-23 and TL-29 in it. Kinlin says it offers twice the elongation of conventional alloys, so the metal stretches further before it fails.
• T-10 process. Kinlin cold works each rim once it is round, rolling it twice on a patented machine, and only then heat treats it for 8 hours. It rates that higher in total strength and steadier in durability than the T-6 process it compares against.
• Steps kept in house. Kinlin says it runs the T-10 courses in house, including cold working, heat treatment, surface treating, drilling and finishing, and that T-6 makers outsource most of theirs. One factory stays responsible for the rim from start to finish.
• RingDrive sits inside the shell. Chris King moved the engagement mechanism inboard of the large hub shell bearing. It says that gives more contact area than a traditional freehub and handles drivetrain torque better.
• Every tooth engages at once. Two heat-treated stainless steel rings mesh at 72 points on mountain hubs and 45 on the R45, all at the same moment. Chris King rates the system above 800 foot-pounds of torque and says that is three times the other high-end hubs it tested.
• Bearings it makes itself. Chris King designs and builds its own sealed angular-contact bearings, and each one is inspected and assembled by hand. Unlike a common radial bearing they can be adjusted in use, and Chris King says they wear in rather than wear out.