Chris King Base Plates

The base plate, or crown race, serves as the critical interface between your fork's crown and the headset bearings. It provides a precise, durable seat that ensures your steering remains smooth and free of play.

You need to match the base plate's inner diameter (ID) to your fork's steerer tube diameter and the outer diameter (OD) to your specific headset model. For example, Chris King offers specific options for pre- and post-April 1995 1-1/8-inch headsets, so verify your headset's production date if you are servicing an older model.

Both materials offer exceptional durability and precision, consistent with Chris King's manufacturing standards. Stainless steel is the standard for long-term reliability, while titanium provides a lighter weight option for riders looking to shave grams without compromising the integrity of their headset interface.

Devolution base plates are designed to adapt your headset to different steerer tube sizes. They allow you to run a fork with a smaller steerer tube diameter than your headset was originally designed for, providing flexibility when upgrading or swapping components.

It is strongly recommended to use a genuine Chris King base plate. These components are engineered to specific tolerances to match the bearing geometry of Chris King headsets, ensuring the smooth, reliable performance the brand is known for.