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Submitted by
Adam
a Cross Country Rider
from Ajax Ontario Canada
Date Reviewed: December 4, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Seaton Hiking Trail -- Durham Forest | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$225.00 | | Purchased At: | E Bay | | Strengths: | Looks and light weight . Short spoke length makes for a tight wheel .. | | Weaknesses: | Bearings are ... well they suck ... wear out way to fast . Find some good cartridge bearings .. I'm sure they would last a lot longer. | | Similar Products Used: | Chris King , TNT , XTR , Bontrager | | Bike Setup: | Titus Switchblade Fox Vanilla 125 RLC XTR Race Face Mix with Juciy Seven's 8"front 6"rear American Classic's with Red Velocity rims | | Bottom Line: | I would save my hard earned money and go with King or XTR ... Both last forever ..XTR can be had cheaper and isn't that much heavier. Both can be made really light and will last !
P.S. Never had bearing issues with either ! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
allister blanco
a Weekend Warrior
from atlanta
Date Reviewed: October 7, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | anything with dirt | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | Pro Deal At Bike Shop | | Strengths: | Light Weight. Customer Service was nice to me although I did identify myself as a bike shop tech. I run 36 hole hubs with mavic XM719 D/B spokes & Alloy Nipples. Maybe b/c I have maximum displacement of stress I have not experienced the failures of other posters here. (know on wood) | | Weaknesses: | These are not the type of wheels you mount and go. I think this is where the problem lies, as you have to mount the rear wheel in the drop outs to adjust the bearings. This means having to have an exact closing point on your quick releases. After mush trail and error I can pretty much do it by feel. The front Hub I mounted and it seems to do OK. If AC can come up with an easier system for their bearings and parts that are more robust I think alot of these complaints will go away. To be fair I did have to order parts from them before I could get wheels built because some were comprimised outof the box (end caps) | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano Disc, SRAM Disc, 240 Disc | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz SuperLight, Fox, Reba, All XT, Avid BB7 Discs, Titec & Thomson Bits, Specialized Saddle - workhorse set up. Frame is a 2000 and outside of standard axle & shock bushing replacement it won't die. | | Bottom Line: | I like my wheels, but had to adopt a whole new learning curve to get these dialed in right. Also 2 9 mm wrenches (I might be wrong on these sizes)required to adjust rear hub. The one size wrenches even my bike shop had to order b/c it was not standard sizing for bikes. AC has some ways to go before they are loved by all. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
dave
a
from Pojoaque NM
Date Reviewed: September 22, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | light | | Weaknesses: | Reliability, Quality, Customer service. Did I mention reliability?
Don't be deceived by the smoothness of the bearings when you hold the hub in your hands. When clamped into a fork/frame, their poor design/fabrication results in end loads that cause drag and premature bearing failure.
| | Bottom Line: | American classic hubs are totally unreliable. I had a rear hub seize (after a month of use, bought brand new) while descending causing a crash and long walkout. American Classic informed me that they had been mis-machined and the problems corrected. The new hub failed the same way. The new hub also came with the bearing journal oversized so the wheel had play. American Classics elegant solution was to tell me to put loctite in the bearing journal to fill the gap and hold the bearing in place – now that’s a professional organization! Just what you want when you buy a “high-quality” product.
I thought I would hang on to the front hub, thinking it was simple enough that even American Classic couldn’t mess it up. Wrong! They seem to spin freely but when locked in a fork as a hub alone have terrible drag. Turns out the hub body (on both the front hubs I have from them) were poorly machined (one bearing journal not deep enough, the other one just poor quality machining and oversized aswell) so that the bearings were end loaded meaning that they run with lots of drag and fail prematurely.
Customer service likes to claim that is it the consumer's fault. Have you noticed that virtually each year they come out with a new model that supposedly corrects the reliability issues of the preceding ones? But they never get it right and their customer service is abusive and condescending. They recently told me that getting a season or two out of mountain biking equipment is all you can hope for.
Read the reviews here and you will catch the recurring theme of poor quality control, questionable designs, and inadequate customer service. They work OK for some people. Obviously, if you make enough parts some will be OK for a while but you really can’t count on them and I suggest you not waste your time or money.
By the way, WTB hubs have been made by American Classic and are subject to the same kinds of problems. Check those reviews as well. If it looks like an American Classic and smells like one it probably is one and should be avoided like the plague.
Get a King, they last forever with little maintenance. DT Swiss hubs are excellent as well.
| Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
chris hayes
a Cross Country Rider
from buffalo, ny, usa
Date Reviewed: July 3, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | finger lakes trail | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$225.00 | | Purchased At: | campus wheel works | | Strengths: | the hub body and flanges are very good | | Weaknesses: | in the 1 yr and 2 months that i have owned my american classic rear hub, the hub has loosened and developed side to side play.. about 1 month after buying the 05 hub for my new 05 bike the hub had enough side to side play that it needed to be adjusted.. 2 to 3 months later the hub started making a grinding/ or crunching noise... the following spring ( 06) i had the hub examined again and found out that the bearings in the hub were shot after only 4 months of riding... in may 06 the store replaced the bearings, cassette body, and the clutch plate( compliments of American Classic)after the repair at first the hub had a tendency to not disengage the clutch plate when coasting, which caused the chain to drop into the frame, it eventually partially broke in.. ... 6 weeks (30 hrs of ride time) later the hub started creaking again and the hub developed side to side play again... the bearings and other internal hub parts are very cheap and poorly made..my local bike store manager told me that after all the problems taht american classic was not willing to replace the hub even though i have had nothing but problems all along... I ended up replacing the hub with a DT hub...
adjusted to tighten the hub and eliminate the
| | Similar Products Used: | White bros( non disc) and DT | | Bike Setup: | 2005 Jamis dragon custom buid, Xc race bike | | Bottom Line: | Ive had nothing but problems with the internal parts of the hub and American Classic does not want to stand behind their product.. it's junk. do not waste your time or money on the American Classic Disc Hubs....only those who own or work in a machine shop and can make their own hub parts
should buy this... it's just junk!!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Greg Martin
a Cross Country Rider
from Mountain Home Ar 72653
Date Reviewed: June 5, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | slymore | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Purchased At: | Bear cycles | | Strengths: | These hubs were used on a wheelset that I had built they are light and mine rolled well | | Weaknesses: | These are the crappiest hubs on the market I have never broken hubs These have failed 3 times the dogs break The first time they said they had a problem with hardening parts the secound time they said that I had gotten some bad parts each time they failed I had a big walk out the last time was the last time I walked out 11 miles. Do not buy These. They are junk | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano Xt and XTR Bontrager | | Bike Setup: | Giant Reign all Xtr race face stem thompson seat post ( The best part ever made for a bike) | | Bottom Line: | Do not buy these hubs they are junk junk junk junk junk junk junk. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Evan Price
a Cross Country Rider
from Cape Town,WC,South Africa
Date Reviewed: March 8, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Harkerville | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$150.00 | | Purchased At: | Action Cycling (lbs) | | Strengths: | Very light, decent enough construction | | Weaknesses: | do they have any seals? wouldn't appear to be the case
should you really break a rear axle without going off anything bigger than knee height? | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano LX hubs | | Bike Setup: | Blur frame,Fox Float 100X & RP3,SRAM X-9 groupset,Deus cranks and finishing kit,formula B4 Pro+,American Classic hubs & Mavic XC717 Disc rims | | Bottom Line: | Bearings have been replaced twice within a year...the good news being that you can use standard bearings and go and get yourself cheaper yet better quality (refering to seals) bearings from SKF or other bearing manufacturers.
I broke the rear axle...not sure how as I don't jump off anything, they replaced it free but upon looking at the design i could see why, their is one point where the amount of metal holding the system together is well, lets say less than you might feel comfortable with!
They're superlight but this light for this money and something's gotta give...i guess you get what you pay for! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brandon Kirk
a Weekend Warrior
from Hong Kong
Date Reviewed: February 24, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Tai Mo Shan | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | Shun Lee, Tuen Mun | | Strengths: | It's black | | Weaknesses: | rear hub spins freely in both directions | | Similar Products Used: | XT | | Bike Setup: | Salsa Bandito Hardtail | | Bottom Line: | I've posted a more detailed review under the "wheelset" listing; basically, the 2 paper-thin pawls broke after less than 20 rides. I never stand up and "hammer," though it did happen during a race, putting me out of the year's toughest competition when I was in the best shape of my life. Don't rely on these hubs as anything other than paperweights. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul
a Cross Country Rider
from Christchurch, New Zealand
Date Reviewed: November 16, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | Came with bike | | Strengths: | Light, stiff with good engagement. | | Weaknesses: | Poor reliability: Drive side end cap has broken off the axle twice in the last 18 months.
Poor customer service: No response to emails about axle reliability. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XT and DT Swiss oynx | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Epic | | Bottom Line: | I can't rely on these hubs so I am saving my money to buy a more reliable setup like DT Swiss 240s, Chris Kings or maybe some Mavic's. I would like to have something I can depend on when racing or riding in the backcountry. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nate
a Racer
from Reno, NV
Date Reviewed: October 14, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | -light
-roll smooth
-American Classic customer service (excellent) | | Weaknesses: | -like all light products it may be a little fragile if you're hard on 'em
-they're supposed to have a little play when they're mounted at first it was a little wierd feeling, but I got used to the washey feeling | | Similar Products Used: | CrossMax (I had a bad experience with these hubs, they were grabbey and hard to adjust)
Bontrager
Ritchey | | Bike Setup: | Stans No Tube Wheelset | | Bottom Line: | At first I hated these hubs. I even broke the rear axel (I don't know how). I called Amer Classic and they had a new axel to me the very next day, no questions asked --awesome!
These hubs are supposed to have a little play when mounted correctly. I am used to the feeling now and actually like it.
I do not take these hubs on freeriding expeditions, but many of my races are just as hard with no time for forgiveness on my gear. Besides the axel breaking in one race (I've had about 40 races on these hubs -NORBA series, Xterra series and local Thurs night races at N-Star) they've worked well.
I've read all of the reviews below and believe that American may have had some issues in the past, but I'm willing to give 'em the benefit of the doubt and go for a top rating. Especially since their customer service overnighted me a new axel with no questions asked. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Slowman
a Cross Country Rider
from Sydney, NSW, Australia
Date Reviewed: January 26, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Lightweight, looks, straight and true | | Weaknesses: | endcaps on the drive side keep breaking | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Stumpjumper 2003 Disc version | | Bottom Line: | These hubs came as part of the AC 350 MTB wheelset, which saved me about 700g over the previous wheelset that came on the bike (Deore disc hubs with Mavic X223 rims).
When I bought them my LBS said to bring them back for a service in a week and he's upgrade the axle in the rear hub. So it looks like some of the bearing problems complained of were acted upon with some engineering changes.
Anyway, ever since, the axle replacement, I have had the axle end cap break 3 times now. I weight 185lbs and while I am not a lightweight I'm not in the Clydesdale category either, in addition to this I've never been particularly tough on wheels or equipment. I ride pretty much pure XC as well. A riding partner has a pair of AC350s too and never had the problem but then he probably only weighs 145lbs.
The end cap broke for the 3rd time yesterday at the beginning of only my 2nd ride on it, as soon as I hit some corrugated hard pack. Fortunately, not far from home so back for a replacement wheel. The LBS said that this was a new reinforced end cap, it looked a bit different but the part that juts out and sits in the drop out still looked wafer thin and I was sceptical when I saw it.
I'll take it back today but I am thinking of getting my LBS to replace it with some kind other hub. This will be a major pain, because it is under warranty, so my guess is that AC won't want another brand hub in their wheelset, which will mean delays while they argue back and forth.
Only 1 chilli for overall rating this problem is a real showstopper. The wheel ends up rubbing hard against the chain stay. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
denizen
a Weekend Warrior
from batangas city, ph.
Date Reviewed: December 19, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | i'm a weight weeny that's why i like AmClsc Disc Hubs...its much cheaper than the other i wish i had.. | | Weaknesses: | the cassette body wherein the cogs are placed on is soft...probably that's the setback of having a light disc hubs...mine actually had a damaged part, fortunately i now use a 9spd cogs its' smaller spacing in between avoided the damaged part of the cassette body. | | Similar Products Used: | shimano deore disc hub | | Bike Setup: | xc set-up, with avid mechanicals | | Bottom Line: | it's light...dunno if it'll stand my kind of riding...although i'm into xc racing, i also love trail riding onto different terrain...including roots, jumps and other stuffs you'll enjoy riding with your bike.. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ratt
a Cross Country Rider
from Carlsbad
Date Reviewed: October 10, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$175.00 | | Purchased At: | eBay | | Strengths: | Superlight, cheap, knowledgeable wheel builders are willing to use this hub | | Weaknesses: | Poor customer support, hard to sort out 100's of versions of the hub but none really modernize the hub for easy serviceability | | Bike Setup: | Lite weight Xc Fs mtn bike | | Bottom Line: | There is supposed to be a problem with these hubs with a pin being put in backwards. I can't find any reference to any pins in their online manual and they won't answer emails about it.The design of the hub seems somewhat original in my limited experience,but except for the pawl mechanism the hub seems like it was designed in the third world. To take the hub apart you have to place the axle in a vise? Pretty stupid if you ask me, why didn't they cut the axle hole with a 5mm hex so that you can loosen it up that way. The axle nut is held on with a 19mm jam nut, a 19mm cone wrench is near impossible to find (i had to grind a wrench down) and why didn't they just put a nyloc nut or one held in there with an o'ring. The pawl mechanism is pretty neat but uses a lot of moving parts and the spring wire is pinged into the freehub body so if the spring breaks the body has to be replaced. Why couldn't they just have the wire held in with a set screw? The drop out end caps are press fit aluminium to aluminium. Why couldn't they use a press fit O'ring to aluminium so that they don't wear out and get too loose?Ok the design of the hubs are a bit arse backwards and very third worldish but you can't find a lighter hub at this price and you can find the WTB versions for $200/set very easily. If I had the money it would be King Iso all the way but I build my wheelset for less than the price of a rear King hub. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave
a Cross Country Rider
from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Date Reviewed: September 3, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Wheelset from Notubes | | Strengths: | Light, strong positive engagement mechanism, excellent customer service, easy to service. | | Weaknesses: | Bearings only available from American Classic. Bearings not well sealed. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano, Mavic, Cane Creek | | Bike Setup: | 1999 Santa Cruz Heckler, Marzocchi Marathon, Fox Vanilla | | Bottom Line: | 45 minutes into first ride the rear hub quit engaging. When I took it apart (easy with the instructions on the web site), the spring on the cassette body that pushes the cam plate clockwise to engage the pawls was broken. It had been cut too long and so it protruded through the cam plate and caught on the hub body. I could hear it (very loud ratcheting sound) but I did not know this was a problem until it broke. American Classic sent a new cassette body as soon as I phoned them.
Initially I was concerned that the hub depends so much on a little 1 mm diameter wire. However, closer examination of the ingenious patented mechanism showed me that it is actually much more robust than Shimano & Mavic Crossride freehubs. These depend on a loop of really thin spring wire to push their two pawls into engagement. In the AC hubs, the wire spring only has to move the pawls into engagement, not hold them there. Once they are engaged they stay engaged without any help from this spring. The pawls are much more positively engaged in the AC hub than in the Shimano type. The AC has six pawls that engage deep channels in the cassette body, compared to two pawls against shallow contact ledges in Shimano, which can disengage just by moving inward a small amount or slipping off the ledges. The AC pawls absolutely can not disengage until you stop pedaling forward. The cassette actually has to move backwards a few degrees relative to the hub to disengage the pawls. You can feel this happening if you turn it by hand.
The freewheel mechanism in the hub is really easy to service - a good thing since there is only a single thin rubber seal against the cassette body and dirt will likely get in past it. The bearings are better protected, with a rubber cap in addition to the cartridge bearing seals. Two of the three bearings in the rear hub did get rusty after travelling on the back of the car in the rain. American Classic sent me replacements.
I would be happier if the cartridge bearings were made by the major bearing companies instead of only an obscure company in China, but bearings rarely fail suddenly, so I should be able to order them from AC before I really need them. Note that free play in the bearings should be set with the wheel in the frame and the skewer tightened, to ensure bearings are not side loaded at all. The bearings are not a press fit so they have to be loctited into the hub, and then you have to let it harden overnight.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ryan
a Racer
from Interior,BC, Can
Date Reviewed: July 17, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | OEM Spec | | Strengths: | Light. Great engagement mechanism. Stiff. Great customer service. | | Weaknesses: | Bearing protection, must constantly clean and grease cartridge bearings. Expensive to replace bearings. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XT, Hayes, Mavic, Formula, Hopes | | Bike Setup: | Epic Titanium, Manitou, Sram XO, Martas | | Bottom Line: | Great hubs for racing, likely the best on the market. Great engagement design, light and reliable. For an everyday rider, you have to be too careful around water to justify. A set of freehub bearings lasts about three weeks when riding in the rain and mud. Its really easy to service the bearings, but why bother when you can pay less for a Hayes or Hope hub and not have to bother. Unless you are a racer or a weight weenie, and hubs are the least important weight to remove, get something else and spend the time riding. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kayu
a Cross Country Rider
from Penang
Date Reviewed: July 11, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | k3. 168 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$105.00 | | Purchased At: | CCI | | Strengths: | Light, Quite (Maybe) | | Weaknesses: | Disign of qick release clipper is not user friendly | | Similar Products Used: | This is my first disc hub | | Bike Setup: | Giant NRS XTC Team
Avid Cable Disc
XTR RD-M960
XTR Cassette M-950Ti
XTR Rapidfire M-952
XT FD-M750
Easton EA-70 STEM
RockShox SID Team
TruVative Stylo Team Crankset
Mavic X221 Rim | | Bottom Line: | The design of the quisk release clipper is unique but not friendly to user. The clipper is too close to the spokes and difficult to close and open.
2 bad experience:
When Open - Eventhough the clipper is designed in slightly curve form to allow fingers to go though (I suppose) and open, I injured my finger muscle as my finger couldn't go in totally, I used the tips of my fingers and force open it. And the result, I injured my finger muscle until now.
When Close - I often clip my finger between the clipper and spokes. Painfull! Again, this is caused by the design of the clipper.
Generally this is a good hub except the clipper. I now change the clipper to Shimano clippers. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
dave
a Cross Country Rider
from pojoaque, nm
Date Reviewed: May 8, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$170.00 | | Strengths: | lightweight, cool engineering for the engagaement | | Weaknesses: | durability, quality control | | Similar Products Used: | lx, lx silent clutch, xt, xtr, chris king | | Bottom Line: | first of all, i am 160 lbs and do mainly standard xc riding on technical trails. i was psyched to use these hubs because they are so light but.... after about a month of riding time, first one siezed up as i was coasting at 15 mph down a rocky trail, i nearly wrecked. the hub wouldn't freewheel or accept enough torque to be pedaled - resulted in long walk/run out. sent back to ac, was told that holes for pins that engage the cam plate were misdrilled so that only one pin was engaging, it locked and that siezed the hub causing massive internal damage including 3 out of 6 broken pawls and a deformed hub shell. they sent me new hub and promised it was a freak accident that would never recur. i could not get the bearing play adjusted out of the new hub and was told that a bad anodization process resulted in oversized bearing journals. the "fix" for this was application of bearing lock compound. that did work but it is a sleazy fix and shouldn't be needed in a top-quality hub. after a month or two on the new hub, in moab on the rim trail near hidden canyon it repeated the lock up trick but not as severely as the first one. was able to ride out. when i took apart the hub at home i found another broken pawl. long "discussions" with ac and they finally agreed to refund most of my purchase price.
bottom line is that these hubs are light and have some neat engineering but that the execution leaves something to be desired. if you can't afford to be stranded in the middle of a ride, i'd recommend chris kings. after the initial, long break-in period they run very smooth, are absolutely dependable, and are responsibly light. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
D
a Cross Country Rider
from Beaverton
Date Reviewed: March 16, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | Through local shop | | Strengths: | Light! Look good | | Weaknesses: | The rear hub has problems. The engaging pieces breck into little pieces! | | Similar Products Used: | Cross Max, Chris King, etc!! | | Bike Setup: | Independant, Sram XO, King Etc. | | Bottom Line: | The engaging pieces failed twice in a row!! Called company and they sent out warrenty parts. Their president told me how to fix the problem. But, then it happended again. The engaging picies got toasted!!. Sent back to the factory and now They said it had the wrong pieces in the hub. I told them their president sent me the pieces and they finally fixed it !! I hope! Selling them To anyone who wants crapppy hubs that only work for five minutes!!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a Weekend Warrior
from Tucson, AZ USA
Date Reviewed: January 8, 2003 | | Favoriate Trail: | Too many.... | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Rear: SpeedDream, Front: Odds & Endos | | Strengths: | Light, strong, smooth, great ratcheting mechanism, looks nice. | | Weaknesses: | None. | | Similar Products Used: | Formula; Stout (Specialized, but I think made by Formula, also). | | Bike Setup: | '01 Homegrown Pro frame mostly all XT; '00 SX-R; hand-built custom wheels w/Mavic X317 rims and AM Classic hubs... | | Bottom Line: | Lightest disc hubs on the market. These are the newer ones without the grease ports. They are smooth, strong, and look great. They include a very nice set of skewers. Some of the complaints below are irrelevant to the current situation. Special freewheel grease, replacement bearings, and tools are all available from Mike Garcia at www.oddsandendos.com. (I think that's the address...) My hubs have been in use for about a year and have needed no servicing yet. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve
a Cross Country Rider
from Winchester,Ct USA
Date Reviewed: January 4, 2003 | | Favoriate Trail: | Nepaug State Forest | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$420.00 | | Purchased At: | Universal Cycles (www.) | | Strengths: | Very light.Solid drive engagement. Customer service!!!! | | Weaknesses: | Overall durabilty. | | Similar Products Used: | Nuke Proof, early Mavic Crossmax | | Bike Setup: | Cannondale Jekyll.Easton carbon bars & seatpost.Sram 9.0sl.Early Stans No-Tube kit.Rock-Shox Psylo Race.Continental Vertical Pro tires. 317 Mavic rims with Wheelsmith spokes. I weigh 165 lbs and ride very aggressive. But would not consider myself a Freerider by any means. | | Bottom Line: | Overall I'am very happy with the American Classic Disk Hubs. There has been two problems dealt with in the first 9 months of use. 4 months into the season the rear axle became slightly bent. If you removed the rear wheel and turn the axle with the wheel stationary you would see the cassette had a small wobble. Called AC's customer service and receive a new axle with in 2 days. They were very helpful. Still riding into November and I noticed the cassette would'nt spin as freely as normal.Had a small glitch. Thought it just needed a good cleaning and some fresh grease.While cleaning off all the parts found that the cassette body had a few teeth tips chipped off. Contacted AC's customer service and was told to sent them the whole rear wheel. It cost me $10.05 shipping to have them replace all the internal parts, the cassette body, the seals and one axle end cap. The wheel was returned to me in 6 Business Days. Between CT and Fl. Thats fast. Their customer service people are very nice and helpful.
If your a all-mountain bike rider who's looking for the lightest disc wheel set, by all means get these. The drive train to this hub never let me down,even with the junk floating inside.
The front wheel has been bomb-proof. None of the bearing problems others have mentioned.
Even with the two problems, I give these hubs 5 Flamin'Chilis, thanks to American Classics customer service. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John Nelson
a Cross Country Rider
from Athens - Greece
Date Reviewed: November 10, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | Kithara - Parnitha | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Gatsoulis - local shop | | Strengths: | They are light (really light) | | Weaknesses: | Low quality, bad choice of bearing units, short life for such a product (hey! were riding trails) | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano LX (good quality for the money), Shimano XT (the best!) | | Bike Setup: | FS Carbon / Kevlar prototype! (see previous review at 10/17/02. Nothing changed exept the hubs - now i use Shimano XT, the 2002 model | | Bottom Line: | This is a follow review of my 10/17/02 one.
After changing those.. horrors, (placing a pair of XT disc hubs)i discoveret the following:
A) The front hub.
The bearings were moving left & light about 2 milimeters! you can imagine how unstable the bike felt with those...
The disc rotor was rubing on the caliper every time i was leaning the bike!
B) The rear hub.
The bearings were boving left & right about 3 milimeters!!!
The hub's spline was deformed badly. Apparently the spline was machined from some kind of soft alloy. I am lucky not to destroy my cassette!
The rear disc rotor was affected by the left & right play.
So...the bottom line is that with those hubs i was aftraid that my prototype was suffering from poor quality bearing units at the suspension arm mechanism! It prooved that my custom machined bearings are perfect! No play at all!
So, if you are looking for a good quality hubset, better avoid the American clasic units!
They roll moderately & won't last a season.
Really poor product (i'll keep those hubs -especially the rear - for demostrating reasons). | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott Grainger
a Cross Country Rider
from Asheville, NC, USA
Date Reviewed: October 26, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | Bennett Gap | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Light weight and quiet! | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano | | Bike Setup: | Titus Loco-moto - Nothing fancy, except the wheel set. | | Bottom Line: | These hubs build a super light weight wheel. I ride them hard and in some really wet conditions and I have had no problems at all. They continue to roll great and I will definetly purchase them again. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Doug
a
from Rocheste, NY
Date Reviewed: October 21, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Park Ave Bike | | Strengths: | Very light, Off set flanges, Silent | | Weaknesses: | None so far | | Similar Products Used: | Mavic, White Industries, Shimano lx | | Bike Setup: | American Classic ultralight rear dis hub, DT double butted spokes, aluminum nipples, Velocity Synergy Asym rim | | Bottom Line: | This is a very light and strong disc wheel. I have had no problems with the bearings as previous reviewers have and my hub has the grease injection port. The problem may lie in the fact that to use the grease injection port you must first remove all inboard bearing seals which is clearly stated in the manufacturers directions. The freewheel mechanism runs very quietly which makes the bike feel fast. This is the lightest disc hub out there and it costs less than a King. I do occassionaly notice a paused engagement when spinning the hub splines by hand but I do not notice any difference when actually pedalling compared to other hubs. The best thing about this hub for me are the off-set flanges. They do this to reduce the dish in a wheel build. I combined this aysm. hub with a asym. rim and i have a zero dish rear wheel. This means even spoke tension on both sides and even length spokes which I think builds a stronger wheel. The wheel has not needed trueing for a whole season of use. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John Nelson
a Cross Country Rider
from Athens Greece
Date Reviewed: October 17, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Gatsoulis - Local Shop | | Strengths: | They are soooo light! | | Weaknesses: | The hub bearings... Despite the grease ports those bearings seem to .... melt at every ride!
The hubs move left & right, especially when leaning the bike..... | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano LX (great for the money). Shimano XT (The best). | | Bike Setup: | FS carbon kevlar prototype! Manitou X-VERT DC front (the one with the weird blue color - but no problem as i painted the front end of the bike the same!!), FOX FLOAT R 165mm, Shimano XT cranks 44 - 32 - 20 (aftermarket granny), Shimano XTR front & rear derailleurs, Gripshift shifters, Shram cassette 32 - 11, Titec 100mm stem, ritchey logic aheadset, Mavic 517 disc rims, Shimano XT discbrakes, Roox 420mm long !!! seatpost.
The bike is my first try (i have never build something simmilar before). The main purpose is to proove that my suspension system (internationally patented) is working.
The bike (125mm front travel, 150mm (with 200mm option) rear travel works wonterfully!
It climbs (despite the weight) like nothing else! | | Bottom Line: | These hubs are imressive at first glance! The weight is minimal, but... dont get carryed by that, as the hubs become rolling harder after every ride! Thei started playing left right, giving a hard time to my XT discbrakes!
Mind that my bike ha no play at the suspension arm, so the hub loosening is tranferred with .... worying effects!
My oppinion:
If you're not a sponsored racer (so you don't have to care changing wheels every 3000 kilometers) DONT BUY THEESE!!!
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bob
a Weekend Warrior
from NJ
Date Reviewed: October 12, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | Ramapo | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$400.00 | | Purchased At: | Odds and Endos | | Strengths: | smooth, strong, light. This is the latest version, with the 'groove'.....and sealed bearings. | | Weaknesses: | The 'clicking' of the freewheel is very low.....nothing to scare the bears off! | | Similar Products Used: | American Classic, previous version, XT. | | Bike Setup: | Custom build Id | | Bottom Line: | This is my second set of American Classic disc hubs. The first were great and were the ones with the ports. I sold those so I could mount these up to a set of Rhyno Lite rims and get a bigger contact patch. I guess I'm a Clyde and ride hard and slow. I don't do any BIG jumps, but I do come down hard at times from the smaller ones. I feel that these hubs are PERFECT for the kind of riding I do. (Along with the bike) I like the weight and strength of them, along with their build. I've had no problems with them at all, even though I've had the wheels trued once. I've bent my saddle rails, but not the wheelset. I'm 225 lbs so I'm not a light weight and the bike is about 30 lbs, so its not a racer setup. These hubs are part of a great build by Mike Garcia @ Oddsandendos.com. Thanks Mike! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Wil
a Weekend Warrior
from N.J.
Date Reviewed: July 14, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | anything new and bumpy | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$400.00 | | Purchased At: | Odds and Endos | | Strengths: | Nice finish and very low resistance, especially the front. Strong and light. Like the grease fitting and also the sealed bearings. (I have one of both) These are part of a super build by Mike Garcia of Oddsandendos.com. Large flange helps build a great wheelset. I'm 200lb + and do technical trails and small drops...no problems. | | Weaknesses: | None so far. I ride through all 4 seasons, including mud and rivers and they haven't stopped me yet. | | Similar Products Used: | XT disc hubs | | Bike Setup: | Truth, romic, avid mechanicals and levers, thomson, truvativ cranks, XT drive, monkeylites, | | Bottom Line: | Stong, light and has taken a beating with out any hassle. Part of a great built by M. Garia who I HIGHLY recommend. No adjustments needed. Love the grease fitting.....just wipe off the gunk and keep riding.... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rick
a Cross Country Rider
from Pasadena
Date Reviewed: April 8, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | Any single strack | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Light, works well, great customer service | | Weaknesses: | I have not experienced any | | Similar Products Used: | no other disc hubs, Chris Kings, XTR, Bontrager | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz SL - XTR, Avid cable discs, Tompson stem/post, Mars elite | | Bottom Line: | I have been using these wheels exclusively for about 6 months now with no problems. Grease ports make maintenance a snap (just watch the amount of grease you use) and AC is always helpfull and friendly with any questions. This is a great, light weight, high quality product that is reasonable priced. For XC use I highly reccomend them. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eric Hos
a Cross Country Rider
from Palo Alto
Date Reviewed: April 8, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | Berkeley Hills | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Light Weight, supposedly improved? | | Weaknesses: | Strange spoke sizing, 259, 260, 261, 262....had to custom cut as LBS carries even sizes only. | | Similar Products Used: | Tune King/Kong, Chris King ISOs. | | Bike Setup: | Fondriest U107 MTB - Replaced Full Dynamix Olympic. DT Ti MMC spokes, alloy nipples, 200lbs rider. | | Bottom Line: | Followup review, 200 miles later, all offroad. Mostly in Australia where I changed my frame, and got more time in the saddle.
No problems whatsoever, they must have changed the design from what the previous reviews had (i.e. I have No grease ports, and the rachet has been fine through cold/wet, and now hot/sandy in Oz). I have even bought SKF replacement bearings in the same size, just in case, but no need to change them yet.
Lighter and better value for money than Tune King/Kongs, and CK ISOs. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Noah
a Racer
from Hot Springs, SD, USA
Date Reviewed: March 10, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | 401 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | In theory, good design, big fan of grease injection, but....... | | Weaknesses: | The outboard drive side bearing disintegrated in exactly 1 week of riding. Granted, this was under some serious backcountry touring pressure, but still, Alivio should even last longer than that. | | Similar Products Used: | WTB, White Industries, Shimano, Ritchey, Specialized, and so on | | Bike Setup: | Steel mtb touring rig | | Bottom Line: | I'm having the shop that build this wheel up for me (after a previous Bonty Asym rim split along the seam, also touring) replace it with an XTR. Touring in developing nations is not the time or place for equiment that fails that quickly. Great concept, but I'm guessing the execution needs work badly, better bearings would be a good start. Of course, the woman who co-runs the shop was shocked to see it, said they'd had over a hundred of these hubsets out on the trail, and never had a failure like that one. But like I said, out with the AmClassic, in with heavier, but bomber reliable XTR. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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