Chris King | ARD44 Wheelset

Portland, Oregon - Chris King has a new, high-performance road wheel, the ARD44. It’s designed for serious cyclists who want all-out speed on flats, climbs, and through corners. It’s an aero wheel that shines across a wide range of terrain, from smooth pavement to rough gravel roads. The ARD44 was designed and built in collaboration with CSS Composites, pioneers in thermoplastic carbon fiber technology and inventors of FusionFiber ^TM. 

Built to surpass even the most rigorous industry standards, the ARD44 Wheelset is built around King’s industry-leading R45D hub and an aero-profiled, 44mm deep FusionFiber^TM rim. The combination delivers unparalleled power transfer, speed, and stability.

The ARD44’s rim produces a stable, responsive, and nimble ride while reducing bodily fatigue and strain on the rider due to the superior damping attributes of Fusion Fiber’s thermoplastic technology. It effectively minimizes unnecessary road feedback and vibrations, resulting in better traction and a smooth, comfortable ride that will keep riders fresher, longer, and make the next day’s ride easier too.

"While we were fine-tuning the GRD23 and MTN30 rims, I knew developing our own road rim was the next step. To design a high-performance wheel that’s worthy of the King name is no small feat, but the moment I rode the first prototype, I knew we were on to something special/unique," said Greg Hudson, Wheel Product Manager at Chris King.

King’s R45D hub serves as the perfect core for this wheelset, with their superior, house-made bearings, perfectly matched races, and single-piece axles. The R45D’s flanges are optimized for lateral stiffness and durability. The final piece is Chris King's renowned RingDrive^TM system, which maximizes engagement throughout the pedal stroke by providing 45 points of simultaneous engagement. King’s reputation throughout the industry is built on bearings that wear in, not out, coupled to RingDrive’s high engagement super-efficient core. 

Hudson continued, "We all used to think that 19-21mm wide tires inflated to incredibly high pressure produced the fastest ride. We mistook the harsh ride that setup produced for speed, when in reality it caused a loss of speed, through lost traction and body fatigue. These ARD44 wheels represent everything we’ve come to understand about what makes riders faster. We already had a hub we knew outperformed the competition, but getting this rim completed the picture. That the rim could also be made in a more sustainable way, and that, ultimately, is the cherry on top.”

The ARD44 Wheelset is aerodynamically tailored for 28mm-32mm tires, and its 25mm internal width and 30.5mm external width accommodate a broad range of tire sizes, up to 47mm. The TSS hookless, tubeless rim design simplifies installation and maintenance while optimizing the interface between the tire and rim bed.

*The ARD44 meets the 2022 ETRTO standards, with a minimum tire width recommendation of 28mm that we have tested and validated. While we stand by this width, we recognize the 2023 ETRTO recommendation for a 25mm internal rim width is a minimum tire width of 29mm. We suggest considering this option while acknowledging the ARD44 has been validated with a 28mm tire according to the 2022 ETRTO standards.

The ARD44 Wheelset comes with a lifetime warranty, so you can ride with confidence knowing you are backed by Chris King's commitment to quality and durability. No matter what challenges you face on the road, you can be sure the ARD44 Wheelset will provide you with the speed, stability, and reliability you need to achieve your goals. 

 The ARD44 Wheelset is available now through authorized Chris King dealers and on the Chris King website. It is available in all of the 2023 colors finishes to coordinate with any bike. Upgrade to the ARD44 Disc Wheelset today and experience the ultimate ride. 

New Wheel Logos -

Alongside the all-new ARD44 wheelset, Chris King unveils their new unified logo mark on all FusionFiber wheels. The GRD23, MTN30, and New ARD44 come subtly embellished with their new “KING” logo that will now be standard on all their new wheels.

The new decal design is a minimalistic interpretation of the iconic Chris King logo that compliments the unique gloss finish and construction of the King FusionFiber wheels without taking away from the wheel as a synergetic unit. The hubs, rims, and unbeatable ride characteristics do the talking, and the label serves as a refined and inconspicuous reminder of the heritage behind the final product.

What is FusionFiber -

Thermoplastic FusionFiber^tm is a proprietary material and process from a USA-based composites manufacturer CSS Composites. King has partnered with this manufacturer because rims produced with FusionFiber™ are superior to traditional carbon fiber rims. More robust, durable, better handling, and recyclable – all without adding additional weight. 

To understand what FusionFiber™ is, it’s crucial to have a good grasp on the basics of carbon fiber. Traditional carbon fiber components are made with thermoset carbon fiber and epoxy resin. Thin strands of carbon are woven together, mixed with epoxy, and then used to lay up a desired component - Learn more about FusionFiber^tm here! 

Specs: 

 435g (+/- 15g) Rim