rear hub doesn't engague fast enough if run single speed.
Similar Products Used:
mavic tn719 laced to king iso
Bike Setup:
lynskey pro 29er
Bottom Line:
i liked them when i ran them geared but when switched to ss i noticed they engague slow. this was super annoying when out of the saddle. they are strong though, i am 250 lbs and they survived some real beatings. all in all, it would be hard to go back to ac hubs after riding king hubs but for the money ac are great wheels
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ez5
a Weekend Warrior
from ONTARIO Date Reviewed: July 1, 2009
Favorite Trail:
frankenstein
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
speedgoat
Strengths:
weight
Weaknesses:
dont understand the question?
Similar Products Used:
cross max 26"
Bike Setup:
american classics w/sram pg 990 scwalbe rr on rear + weirwolf front, rampages on stock rims for mud, race face next sl c.f. riser bars, salsa 25 deg stem, e-thirteen bashguard, crank bros mallet 3's, wtb pure v team saddle, titec el norte offset post.
Bottom Line:
do what theyre supposed to: be light and roll.
i guess others have had reliability issues? mine work great so far, very light make my bike feel like a 26" effort wise.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
twizzler
a Cross Country Rider
from Dana Point, CA Date Reviewed: June 2, 2009
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
MTBR Classifieds
Strengths:
Light with good rolling resistance. Good looks. Rims seem to hold up well.
Weaknesses:
Hubs keep loosening up on me and I have to re-tighten every couple of rides. This is annoying. They loosen up on my rides and then the rear cassette begins to have too much play which causes the chain to slip. I've taken these wheels into my LBS and they keep tightening the hubs. But then they just come loose again... very annoying.
Bike Setup:
Niner Air 9
Bottom Line:
The price was right when I bought these wheels. But knowing what I know now I would've chosen to pay more money for better reliability wheelset with better hubs that stay tight. Overall the rims are good, the spokes have stayed tight, only problem I've had is the loose hubs. The rims can be a bit flexy, but it never has seemed to affect my riding. They're good wheels but have a pesky hub problem for me. I'm a XC rider/racer and these are my training/racing wheels for my level of riding I would choose a different wheelset. But for the recreational rider or weekend warrior I think these wheels may be a good bargain and should hold up to their riding.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scot 2
a Cross Country Rider
from Westchester, New York, USA Date Reviewed: April 13, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Canaan, West Virginia
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$775.00
Purchased At:
Frank's Bike Shop -
Strengths:
Light & Stiff (1650 gms)
Weaknesses:
Sensed a little lateral flex on the rear wheel initially out of the box but advised by AC to adjust the cup a hair.
Similar Products Used:
DT Swiss Hugi 240 Disc laced with 3X Revolution Spokes on a Velocity 700 CC Rim (light & Bombproof over 6000 miles)
Bike Setup:
Custom STRONG Ti Cross Bike Complete Dura Ace w/FSA mix
Bottom Line:
Purchased the aforementioned wheelset after being in the market for a replacement wheelset for my Cross Bike with Avid Mechanical Disc Brakes. After long thought and limited free time I decided to go with the AC MTB 29 Disc also known as 700 cc wheelset. Unfortunately there is not much to choose in this market for reason's unknown to me. The wheelset looks great on my Cross Bike as long as you can deal with the MTB 29 marking's. As for only giving it (4) Chilis at this time, I do not want to commit without the test of time
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
epxhammerhead
a Cross Country Rider
from athens, ga, usa Date Reviewed: August 1, 2008
Favorite Trail:
ft yargo , winder, ga
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
seem light, I can accelerate well, look nice
Weaknesses:
spoke broke after 3 rides, but probably due to bad setup from Bicycle Haus, Scottsdale , Az
Similar Products Used:
only 26" wheels
Bike Setup:
niner emd9, great frame!!!!
Bottom Line:
spoke broke after 3 rides
seem pretty good
cross country rider, not hard on components
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Aaron
a Cross Country Rider
from Folsom, CA, USA Date Reviewed: May 23, 2008
Favorite Trail:
South Yuba
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
Universal Cycles
Strengths:
Good looks, light weight, tires mount easily, VERY light, spin up very fast, roll super smooth, accelerate very well
Weaknesses:
Seem a bit flexy, especially the rear wheel
Similar Products Used:
Salsa Delgado Race 29 wheels w/ Shimano XT hubs
Bike Setup:
Niner MCR9 w/ full Shimano XT drivetrain, Reba 80mm fork, RaceFace Deus stem and seatpost, Niner FlatTop 9 bar, Oury lock-on grips, Maxxis Ignitor front tire and Crossmark rear, WTB Speed V saddle, Avid BB7's
Bottom Line:
What I like: These wheels are very light, roll super fast, spin up quickly, and roll very smooth.
What I am not sure about: I am a little concerned with the flex I am noticing in the rear wheel. It feels a tad noodly to me. I have had the wheels re-tensioned after a few rides which helped a bit but the jury is still out.
I had a set of Salsa Delgado Race 29 wheels w/ Shimano XT hubs on the bike before. While these were heavier, I think they were a stiffer, more solid feeling wheel.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
DLH
a Cross Country Rider
from Pacific NW Date Reviewed: March 4, 2008
These are very, very good wheels. Felt the difference in rolling resistance, acceleration, and climbing ability immediately. And it keeps getting better. Seem strong as well -- although they don't seem happy landing any significant amount of air -- but I don't think 29er wheels like air in general, which is just dandy with me.
If you are looking for a fine XC wheelset that seems to have all the advantages of wheels twice their price -- give these a try. I think you will be happy you did.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brian
a Cross Country Rider
from Ohio Date Reviewed: September 18, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
downshiftcycles
Strengths:
They are light and actually feel fast, which seems to be more significant in a 29er than a 26er. I have dropped and launched on them with no problems. I'm 185#. With the correct tubes, they hold the tires on.
Weaknesses:
These are more personal preferences: I don't like the engagement of the freehub ratchet - but then I've had a King hub for about 10 yrs., so I'm prob'ly spoiled. It's solid, but it feels delayed. I didn't like that the cog set fit pretty sloppy on the splines. AC said that it's normal. I have had no problem since I installed them. We will see how they look when I take it back off. Didn't like the QR's - both wheels moved around in the dropouts. The one bad thing is that you cannot service the wheel yourself if you smash it up like I did (the wheel had been perfect through many high-stress impacts, but I ran off the trail and plowed a big log - totally my fault - any wheel would have folded). You have to send it back to AC, and for $170 they build it up again. They would not send me a rim to allow me to do it myself. I would have needed a funky nipple driver anyway to avoid dropping them inside the rim (some people might hold them with another spoke to install them).
Similar Products Used:
26" Mavic x517/King (not really similar, huh)
Bike Setup:
Full rigid MCR9. Tubes. Maxxis Ignitors.
Bottom Line:
The price and quality of the AC's are all in line. They seem like they can take a beating, too. I think WTB makes a wheel that uses a similar hub. If someone could convince me that the WTB rim is as good as the AC (which I doubt it is), I would prob'ly go with WTB.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John Brow
a Cross Country Rider
from Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: September 4, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
Bike29/Universal
Strengths:
Light and stiff, bomproof for me so far
Weaknesses:
Expensive (but cheap for the weight).
Similar Products Used:
WTB Dual Duty rims on XT hubs
Bike Setup:
Originally mounted on a SIR9, now transferred to a RIP9
Bottom Line:
I've read a lot of smack talk about the AC wheels but they have been great for me. Very, very light and fun to ride. In the year I've had them I've destroyed two bottom brackets and thrashed a frame but the ACs have just kept on rolling like the day I bought them. I've ridden them through sand, snow, mud, rain, roots, rocks, hub-deep puddles, you name it. Lots of bunnyhopping and 1-2' drops, no problem. I almost tacoed the front a week ago by doing something stupid... I saw it flex several inches, but it sprang back perfectly true. Phew.
Bearings have been completely problem free. Ditto pawl.
I liked them so much I bought a second set to build up another bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Yves Gagon
a Cross Country Rider
from Victoria Date Reviewed: July 11, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
Stiff and fast
Weaknesses:
None as of now
Similar Products Used:
Bontrager Race disc 29
Bike Setup:
GF Paragon, xt AC wheels SM8/specialized rubber.
Bottom Line:
Right from the start, I noticed the weight difference. I could climb one gear harder on steep and slow single track. The Stan tubeless set-up was easy and so far without trouble. I am 195 lbs and the wheel fell a lot stiffer then the Bontrager. I will update this as I use and abuse them. Stan suggest using 26" strips for these wheels. AC has deep dish, narrow rim, so the inner diameter is smaller. These are great value. If you have any ? email @ellygagnon@telus.net
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
What's New
»
BEST OF MTBR - Check out the highest rated bikes, parts, & gear!
»
LED BIKE LIGHT SHOOTOUT 3 - We test all the newest products and latest light and battery technology in this comprehensive guide»
$
Overall Rating:
Overall Rating:
Overall Rating:
