American Classic wheels are now available in the UK after half a decade without a distributor, and they're already flying off the shelves.
New importers Eurobike are onto their third shipment since opening their doors in April, so we thought we'd give you the lowdown.
The company make a full range of road and mountain bike wheelsets, as well as seatposts with side-to-side as well as fore/aft adjustment.
Wheel prices start at £299.99 for a basic mountain bike set, topping out at £1,799.99 for a carbon time trial disc wheel.
At the core of American Classic's wheels is their unique rear hub which features three patented technologies: a special pawl system to reduce drag; steel faces on the splines of the aluminium freehub body for added durability; and a split sleeve designed to reduce forces on the bearings.
The Six Pawl Cam Actuated Engagement System consists of six double-tipped pawls which engage in unison with 12 of the 24 ratchet teeth on the cassette when you stamp on the pedals. When coasting, these pawls retract for ultra-smooth freewheeling.
American Classic's rear hub features three patented pieces of technology. In this picture you can see the double-tipped pawls gripping the teeth on the cassette body
... While in this picture the arms have pulled back to allow minimal-friction freewheeling. You can also see the split sleeve designed to protect the bearings.
We've yet to put this system to the test, but we've been promised some review samples so we'll let you know how they fare.
Mountain bike
The MTB 26 Disc wheels pictured at the top of this article weigh in at 1,520g a set (700g front, 820g rear), with 32 Sapim stainless steel spokes laced three-cross, front and rear, six-bolt disc mounts and chromoly quick-release skewers. RRP is £449.99. They're also available with 15mm or 20mm axles.
Eurobike assure us that a resin coating on the white rims mean they'll stay looking good for longer than the usual painted or stickered finishes.
American Classic also do singlespeed, 29er and even 650 versions, as well as heavier duty all-mountain and downhill wheelsets. The Terrain 26 Discs offer the same technology for those on a budget (£299.99), with the payoff being higher weight (1,824g/pair).
Road
On the road side of things, American Classic do everything from magnesium tubulars and clinchers to aero track and time trial wheels. These are their Carbon 58 Clinchers, designed to be both stiff and compliant, and with an aluminium bead for better braking.
The front has 18 radially laced bladed spokes and the rear has 24, laced two-cross. Weight is 1,880g a pair (836g front, 1,044g rear). Available extras include ceramic bearings, titanium quick-release skewers and PowerTap hubs.
For more details about the American Classic products available in the UK, visit www.eurobike.uk.com.
