American Classic Hubs

[Marius]

...I've got my road bike now for about 11months, it came with a set of American Classic 420's and I'm really starting to dislike them. I?m breaking a AV of 1 spoke per month. The Rear Hub started developing some play, I took it in 2week ago and they replaced 2bearings, one week later the cluster developed some play and they replaced another bearing. <?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

Now last night 17mins into a training ride my front wheel went all wobbly and I had to stop as it was shaving against my brake pads, I opened then all the way but it was still wobbly and then the hub?s goodies started to come out on the sides so I had to stop.

 

I don?t know what I would have done if this happened during the Redhill Race going down the downhill section at 70.5km/h?

 

I?m taking the wheel in today, hopefully it?s not to serious. But I?d like to warn others that may be thinking of buying these wheels/Hubs, they suck!

 

Marius2006-09-21 04:02:27

[NickD]

Hi Marius.

Sadly i have to agree with you. I had a set of AC sprint 350s. I identified two design problems: The rear hub is too narrow which results in too acute a spoke angle. The rim is also some 5 mm narrower than most. The wheel becomes too sensitive to the spoke tension. If the spoke tension is slightly out the rim wobbles. I also believe that the bearings are too small. I sold mine very cheap to someone who had another set and likes them. Replacing the hubs would solve most of the problems.

[Wonder Woman]

I have never had a problem with mine, but then again I don't train on them, have only used them for racing.

[Gumpole]

https://www.bikehub.co.za/forum_posts.asp?TID=3404&KW=american+classic

 

Marius you are two powerful, or two heavy, or have a very jerky riding style for the AC wheels

[RABUBI]

I've had mine for two months now, but only use them for racing. Great wheels.

[Marius]

Gumpole, lets see, No, No and No again. They just starting to break all of a sudden:-/

Well I can?t use them for just racing. The back hub will be taken care off when I have the PowerTap installed. The front hub will just have to be replaced or fixed.

Marius2006-09-21 04:04:39

[fatcyclist]

Marius, face it boy, you're just getting too strong! Have the rear rebuilt with your new PT

[Marius]

yeah, will do that fatty I hear you also looking at getting a PowerTap..

[fatcyclist]

Yeah I wouldn't mind one, but can't afford it by a LONG shot...and Tito raising interest rates time and again this year is killing me...not even slowly.. Only reason I seem to look fitter is because I can't afford to eat properly anymore...

[Donkey]

Marius, I was gonna buy some AM classics.... last year this time..... I heard some bad things about them. Out of true easily.... lots of problems...

 

I went for Richey Protocols rather, I have been very happy.... 1st thing that just happend.... the bearings hav gone after 8 months in the back wheel. They said its wear and tear.... I only race on them

[Mudsimus]

Marius. Ive got the exact same wheelset. I also had the problem with spokes braking. I sent the wheel to cape cycles and they replaced all the spokes with better ones. Apparantly all the wheels were fitted with a bad batch of spokes. With the bearings I did not have a single day's trouble in over a year. I find the hubs awesome.

[Marius]

"better ones"?? what better ones? Marius2006-09-21 05:21:44

[GoLefty!!]

Must be Sapim CX-Ray...

 

The AM use Wheelsmith spokes [murryism on] Unless I'm very much mistaken.....

[ORCA]

Ek race ook met AM 420's geen probleme nie.

In die begin het ek n probleem gehad met die cones op my agter wiel, dit het hulle oor gedoen en sedertdien (touch wood)

ORCA2006-09-21 05:47:59

[Mudsimus]

As far as I know the new spokes are sapim. Just ask your LBS to phone cape cycles and they will sort it out.