[Toddre]

MMcG was kind enough to let me try a pair of Amer.Classic wheels for a few rides and I just wanted to report on what I thought.
I titled this "Take 2" due to the fact that the first ride was on my Super Cal which I currently have a poor relationship with.
Last nite's ride was with MMcG on my hardtail.
When I first saw them, I thought they were pretty cool looking, I'm a geek and like that deep dish, big sticker look.
One of my "mantra's" when it comes to bikes is kinds of like the famous Bontrager saying "Light, durble, cheap..pick two". Give me "Reasonably light, reasonably durable, reasonably cheap" anyday.
I'm not a huge gram counter, but I am aware of weight. These were pretty light.
Rims are pretty narrow which isn't really my cup of tea. I had to add a bit more air to the tires than I usually do.
I gotta say, they rode really well. Wheels to me ride well when I don't notice them. That's what these did. No flex, tracked well and the free-hub engagement was spot on.
All in all a great set of wheels. If you prefer a wider rim look else where, but if you are a "light" rider or a racer, I don't think you can do much better.

 

[MMcG]

Good ride last night Toddre - thanks for the tour of Tyler Mill. Those wheels looked pretty damned good on that Steel Stew of yours. Nice work on that frame.

 

[Toddre]

My pleasure...and thanks for the compliment

 

[jgsatl]

i've got a set of american classic hubs with the 15mm innards in the rear. i *think* the wtb disc lite hubs i have are the same hub. do the newer hubs have a better seal around the freewheel? one of the bearings was completely seized up. easy enough to replace, but i don't think the seal was very good and 'crud' got in there. the newer hubs better sealed?

 

[Mike B.]

WTB Laser Disc Lite hubs and American Classic hubs are different in a few ways. The seals haven't changed on the AC hubs to amount to anything but in 2006 they changed from carbon steel cartridge bearings to stainless steel and it's been night and day as far as reliability. I'm guessing you have the carbon steel in which case you can get bearings from AC and swap out the old. The stainless handle moisture really well.

 

[jgsatl]

i got some enduro bearings and they seem to be pretty good. oddly, this is on a set of wheels i'll probably put up for sale. not much cause for snowcat rims in georgia

i'm using the laser disc lites and was hoping they'd fare a bit better than the bearings in the a/c hubs. thx for the info!

 

[Mike B.]

WTB has a larger bearing which is a good thing but with the same limited sealing. The downside is they use carbon steel bearings. I typically don't recommend WTB hubs for those that ride in wet conditions very often including the Northeast and Pac NW of the US.

 

[Toddre]

New England rider here..I have a set of WTB hubs that have been pretty damn reliable for me the last few years...Just had the freehub body rebuilt but the bearing have held up fine.

 

[CrackedHeadtube]

The older AC hubs, as well as current WTB hub use, as Mike said, carbon steel bearings. In Europe folks DESTROY the WTB bearings. Current niether AC or WTB offer the 15267 bearing (for 15mm hubs) in a stainless version. sorry.

 

[MMcG]

Thanks for the post CH!