American Classic 420s

...if you should purchase them. If you remove the stickers from the rims, then you void the warranty.

I am currently using the AC 420's. I weigh 198lbs down from around 220lbs. I am yet to buckle them or damage tham after hitting some big potholes and riding on some crappy roads. To date I think they are an awesome wheel IMO. Hope that helps

Where'd you pick 'em up from Sambo...JB's?...Cheers (What about price?...yeah, I'm in OZ too)

Borg said:

Where'd you pick 'em up from Sambo...JB's?...Cheers (What about price?...yeah, I'm in OZ too)

I had considered them, but ended up going for Rolf Vigor Prima instead. I recall that I didn't like some of the reviews on the ACs compared to the Rolfs.

FWIW, the Rolfs have been great so far. Rode a century on them, several shorter hard rides, etc. They're smooth, light, quiet (despite some really steep outta the saddle climbs, etc).

I bought a pair a year ago from Jb cycles by mail. They are light and I haven't had problems with the rear wheel but the front is always going out of true, no matter what happens.
I weigh in at under 75kg (most of the time) but these wheels also seem a bit flexy for my liking.
They are also not deep enough or well enough profiled to give a worthwhile aerodynamic advantage (though a low spoke count might help a tiny bit)
I am investigating some Zipp 404s to replace these, they are too flimsy.

Mine came on my new bike from my LBS. They had already swapped them from the shimano wheel set that was on the bike. I did notice a little flex in the front wheel but back then I was 97kg :eek: . I am currently 88kg and do not notice the flex anymore while sprinting or climbing out of the saddle.

Borg said:

Anyone recommend them? What's a good alternative for a 180lb dood? (Under$1000)

It depends what you're using them for.

If you train on rough roads and smack wheels around, I'd go for a handbuilt wheelset every time - American Classics vs other pre-builts stacks up very well for price and performance (especially in Oz where choice is limited). However, if you want something that will really last and you ride big K's, go handbuilt. There's no point complaining about wheels going sloppy after a year having trained 400+ km a week on rough roads on pre-builts. That's what you expect.

That said, against comparably priced wheelsets American Classic are excellent - stiff and light, very good value.

Thanx lads.

Well after 6 weeks and around 2000k's of pretty average roads (some smooth, some not so smooth) and enduring my weight loss from 97 to 88kg I just snapped a rear/drive side spoke whilst riding along a smooth flat road under relatively little load. Am taking wheel down to LBS shortly to have it replaced and see what they have to say about it.

Seems a little premature failure considering. Prior to this I had nothing but praise for these wheels though I am now a little concerned as yesterday I had been descending hills after an uphill TT in excess of 70km/hr and would have hated to have that happen mid corner or on the front wheel.

Will now look in to a set of training wheels and keep these as race wheels only as I dont feel confident in using them for both.

I used them for a few months and then starting breaking spokes on the front wheel. I only weigh 170, so I think maybe it was the wheel and not me. Anyway, I now use these - http://www.velocarbon.com/carbonclincher.html as a great alternative to the Amercian Classics, plus the carbon effect looks cool.

Pez recently had the American Classic 420's on test.

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=767

Jakebrake said:

Pez recently had the American Classic 420's on test.

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=767

Pez review: Thanks for the free kit. Please give us more. They were wonderful. Superlative, exaggeration, superlative. 5/5.

I'll listen to what they say the moment they start putting up some genuine criticism of a product or actually highlight some negatives - car magazines do it, why do we have to settle for less?