A Tour of Precision: Chris King’s Manufacturing Center in Northwest Portland

Chris King‘s manufacturing center in Northwest Portland was like stepping into a cyclist’s dream world. It is a place where engineering perfection meets artisanal craftsmanship. In moments, it felt as if we were standing in Willy Wonka’s factory, but instead of chocolate, the wonders were made of metal, precision, and innovation. In fact, at one point during the tour, Jason Bolt turned to me and said, “This place is like Willy Wonka’s for bikers,” and he couldn’t have been more accurate.

The level of commitment to precision, quality, and sustainability at Chris King truly knows no equal. As someone who has worked in manufacturing as a CFO for over 30 years, I can confidently say that this operation is in a league of its own. You could eat off the floors at Chris King. The reason? They use canola oil and walnut shells as their primary inputs, along with high-quality steel, aluminum, and other alloys. Everything at Chris King is recycled—yes, even the air and the oil from the air compressors that power their machinery.

On August 7th, a group from Built Oregon, a local consumer products accelerator, had the privilege of touring the facility. The group was a blend of founders and mentors dedicated to supporting Oregon’s vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem. Craig, our guide from Chris King, walked us through every stage of the operation—from the arrival of raw materials to the precision machining processes, all the way to the assembly of the finished goods.

Now, we get to the bikes. At Chris King, the bikes are legendary. One of the highlights of the tour was spotting an old downhill bike belonging to Greg Minnaar, a name that any mountain biking enthusiast would recognize instantly. A piece of mountain biking history was casually sitting in their corporate café.

Chris King’s approach to business is all about doing things the right way and taking the long road—quite literally, the long road home on your bike. It’s about organic growth, quality over quantity, and a commitment to sustainability. This tour was truly awe-inspiring and easily one of the best factory tours I’ve ever experienced.

I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone at Chris King for allowing a group of aspiring bikers, founders, and mentors the chance to witness their world-class operation firsthand.