Founded in the back room of a Santa Barbara bike shop in 1976, Chris King Precision Components celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026 with a series of anniversary-related drops throughout the year, beginning with the introduction of a new Matte Gold colorway, giving the company a chance to reflect on a storied history that has taken in three different factories, a generous handful of patents, and hundreds of thousands of satisfied riders who made the King headset an industry icon.
“Chris King, the company, is a testament to what you can achieve if you stick to your ideals,” said CKPC President Kirby Bedsaul. “Right from the beginning, Chris, the man, set out to make longer lasting, better performing components in the most environmentally responsible way possible. He was a self-taught engineer and a brilliant machinist and a fighter, who showed us how to solve problems the right way. I know everyone here is really proud of our work, and we’re going to celebrate that in a big way in 2026.”
Matte Gold will be available for the entirety of the coming season and then retired permanently. All matte gold hubs will carry a unique 50th anniversary bee logo laser mark. Stem caps and espresso tampers will also have 50th anniversary markings. The only products not available in the new finish will be threaded headsets and rim brake hubs. There is no upcharge for this one-of-a-kind color.
“I never thought I’d make a living manufacturing bicycle components,” laughed company founder Chris King, “but I’ve been crazy for the bike since way back, and year after year, through this company, I’ve been able to solve a few of the problems I saw with the equipment people were using, and build a fun place to work to boot. I’m really happy, not only for myself, but for all the people who worked so hard to make this thing go for 50 years.”
Matte Gold will be available across the company’s lineup and is not a limited edition. The company will scale production to fill all orders for the full season. Stay tuned for more news from the King 50th celebration, which will include an interview video series with the company’s eponymous founder, a book, a softgoods capsule, and a couple of exciting new products.
Chris King
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