I’ve been looking at these wheels

http://www.amclassic.com/en/products/mtb-wheels/wide-lightning-29-tubeless

They seem to be incredibly light and wide which is what I’m looking for but just not convinced they will last. I’m more a xc rider but I’ve only one bike so it has to be able to take everything.

I’m looking to replace some hope hoops on stans flow. Initially I thought arch but they are narrower than my flows.

Is anybody riding these? How have they lasted? Any dings, still true? And what’s the hub and freehub like? Are they easy to service?

Thanks

Not the same wheels but Kevin has got some American Classic All Mountains in 26″ which are light and wide. He has had them for four years and they have been very durable. Only thing that they have needed was a rear axle change for 142 bolt through.

No dings still run true.

I have some on my 29er FS. Replaced Arch-EX. Ridden all over the place include a rocky week in the Pyrenees. So

– light, and spin up fast. Seem to freewheel forever. When I first had them it felt like an extra gear
– Stiff. I’ve some carbon rims on another bike and they don’t feel much less stiff than those (but I’m rubbish at noticing). They don’t get deflected in big, rocky stuff and do feel less noodly than the Stans.
– Wide. Make a big difference to type profile (had to modify my mud hugger as the 2.35 DHF touched it after swapping rims). I like the wider profile.
– Low pressure. Run mine at 20ish PSI and I’m 74KG. Love the grip you get and it doesn’t seem to affect rolling resistance much. No idea why.

So recommended from me. Quite expensive upgrade (esp as my old wheels were fine), but definitely a noticable improvement.

Oh only had them four months but covered about a 800km. No dinks or dents. Don’t seem to scratch very easily either (esp compared to my carbon ones)

At retail they look to be about £600?

For a similar price I built AM Classic hubs on Light Bicycle XC rims, which are 1370g with Revolutions. I’d have those every time over the factory build.

Anyone know who has these AM classics on offer?

@njee which LB rims did you go for? They seem to have so many. Are the revolutions holding up? I’ve not had much luck in the past with them. What hubs?

Disc 130 and 225, XD body 15mm and 142x12mm thru-axle. I got the Hookless XC rims, there wasn’t as much choice at the time. 27mm maybe? The lightest ones they do. 355 and 356g.

Revs have been fine, but I’m only 67kg and they don’t get thrashed overly hard.

I have the exact same as NJee but weigh 74kg – they’ve withstood my relatively insensitive line choices on southern XC routes.

I ride the 650b versions, not a problem really good wheels, I picked mine up for £460 off LBS. also run the hubs laced to other rims for the last 3 years and really rate them. I also have the normal MTB tubeless 29er wheelset which again use same hubs just rims are a bit narrower at 26mm, but still light at 1600g and these have been excellent too

ps, much prefer the American classic rims to stans, everything is better the valves the rim strip and so so easy to use tubeless to seat tyre

I was keen on the American classics until I figured out the freehub. I don’t like the single point of failure in the timing spring combined with the fact you need to replace the freehub if it goes. To me that means either a 60 quid spare just in case or not being able to get it just when you need it. To be fair, they have a pretty good reputation for reliability these days.

I came round to DT Swiss as posh hub of choice- still has a spring as a single point of failure but that’s cheaper and small enough to have in the car (or even the camelback!) if you’re away, for example.

I’ve got the hubs waiting to do a lb carbon build, but just admit I was sorely tempted by this – posh wheels

@jonny rocky mountain
Where did you get them for £460?

I had a pair for 6months on test. Loved them. Then when I had to give them back, I bought a pair. Also have the 27.5 versions. Ace wheels.

I have had my 29er all mountains since January and have done about 600k, so far so good. Mostly local xc stuff with a couple of Welsh trips away. Nice and light, stiff and easy to set up tubeless. Rear hub doesn’t pick up as fast as my old hope but pleased overall.

My American classics finally arrived after a 2 month wait for back order. Really impressed with them so far.

Weighed with rim tape and tubeless valves straight out if the box

They replaced some hope hoops on stans flow which weighed 2040g so a big saving. Having run hopes for years it’s strange not having the angry bees following you.

The hans dampf 2.35 actually measures 2.42 and the nobby nic 2.25 measures 2.32 due to the rim being so wide.

Beargrease, sorry for late reply, but my LBS earnshaws in Huddersfield did them for me at £460, ask for Rob

Bit of a thread revival…

Does anyone have any more feedback on these?.
I’ve got a new bike on the way and these looked like a good upgrade. They’re going on a Fuel EX 9.8, which will be used trail centres, long XC all dayers and some bridleway bashing. Ta

For pretty wide, pretty light, I ended up going for a velocity blunt ss. Between arch ex and crest for weight, 26.6mm internal and, key here, 60 quid if you do bend one. Built onto a second hand dt swiss 240s, light, wide rear wheel. Cost just over £200 and I have an extra rim and spokes off the hub in that too…

So far it seems to work. It’s been too muddy to say much else on performance. The wider rim has ruined the conti trail king on it though, the side knobs simply don’t bite anymore (they’re not really on the side anymore) so it’s terrible on anything off camber!

As stated above by swanny853 the freehubs fail due to a tiny spring which rounds off and means the pawls don’t engage.
It’s a massive design cock up and I’ve just had my third one go.
I’m now so fed up with spending £50 every time this happens that I’m not going to replace it any more and will change wheels instead.
I’d avoid American Classic hubs like the plague.

I’ve had the same AC hubs (race29) for 2 years on 2 bikes. They’ve been fairly well battered and haven’t missed a beat. I did destroy the rims, but they were designed for “race” conditions.

My next wheels will be WL’s for sure, hubs just keep rolling.

I’ve been impressed with mine so far. Survived some pretty technical downhills. Still true, no dents and free hub is still working. Still early days but I really like them

The single engagement spring doesn’t inspire confidence. I’ve had a circlip style spring fail mid ride on a different brand hub, which was very frustrating.
A plus for the Hope hubs I guess. I’ve never had any major mechanical issues over 15 years or so of using various models of Hopes.
Not going to rule out the ACs just yet though.