This is a technical question for those that are running such forks. I have the ouzo aero 700c 1" 40mm rake. My question is if I am missing a piece. On my stock trek forks, I have a metal ring that securely attaches to the bottom cup of my Chris King Headsets. It appears to make it flush, just like the top cap does. I looked on their website, but it does not appear to have it on either. Plus, went to their installation manual, where it shows this piece firmly fitting into the bottom of the headset. I have the carbon steerer model, which could make the difference. My concern is that it leaves the bottom of the headset exposed. Am I missing something here or is this how it is suppose to be? If I am not missing a piece, what can I run on it so my bottom cap of my headset is not exposed? Any help from the bike guru’s would be great.
I think you’re referring to the crown race. It is considered part of the headset since they provide a smooth surface for the bearings of the headset to rotate against. Typically it’s a metal ring that flares up near the center a little.
The little ring can be removed from your Trek fork with a crown race removal tool so stop by your LBS and ask them for some help. It would probably be best to bring your Reynolds fork too so that they can pound the crown race onto your new fork. They use a special tool so that you don’t damage the interface with the bearings.
Alternatively you can go to your local shop and buy new one. As mentioned above they are brand and model specific so you will need to go to a shop that sells Chris King headsets.