American Classic have been there since the beginning of 29ers. A new set of light wheels is the key to improved performance of your bike. This is especially true for cross country riding and racing on 29ers, where riders search for more acceleration on climbs, speedy descents, decisive handling and faster rolling on the flat. Bill Shook dialed in this concept with the design of the tubeless 26mm wide x 23mm deep rim which is wider, stiffer and supports the tire better for more ground control. Bead barb technology hooks on the tire bead to help keep the tire in place without burping. Riders seek American Classic for the best 29ers out there to turn a good day of riding into a great day.
Can be ridden with regular tire and tube.
WIDE RIMS IMPROVE CYCLING PERFORMANCE
Everybody is talking about wider rims for both road and mountain bike. What does it really mean for you, the rider? There are a few wide rim profiles on the market but they are either heavy, or too light and flexy. Bill Shook used his mathematical abilities to design our revolutionary wide rims, attaining the goal of being light, stiff, strong, aerodynamic and wide, all in one rim. To start, wide rims mean riding lighter, smaller performance tires with cushiony, high air volume and firm surface grip. Larger width tires offer more air volume but they are heavy with a sluggish ride quality. The desired combined wheel and tire qualities are achieved by stretching out the smaller tire casing on a wide rim and effectively making the tire bigger. Also, smaller tires on wide rims reduce tire roll on the rims. With a narrow rim and a wide tire, the rim floats from side to side on the tire. Using a wider rim with a smaller tire minimizes float for improved handling, confidence and control. The rim is lower weight at the extreme outer edge of the wheel decreasing rolling resistance and boosting speed. Our wider, lighter rims translate into crisp accelerations, firm ground control, faster rolling on the flats and decisive handling for the extra edge needed by competitive athletes.
WHY MTB TUBELESS?
THE NUMBER ONE REASON TO RUN TUBELESS WHEELS IS TO AVOID FLAT TIRES.
Our mountain bikers have been successfully riding and racing AC tubeless wheels for the last few years. Bill Shook is taking tubeless rim technology to the next level. Our tubeless wheels are set up with two AC honey colored tape layers to cover the spoke holes. Next, install tubeless ready clincher tires and pump liquid sealant into the system through our proven AC valves. The liquid sealant replaces the conventional tube. You may ask how our tubeless system works. Bill Shook designed the rim with a bead barb running along the edge of the bead shelf. When installed, the tire firmly pops into position over the bead barb. The tire bead centers and tightly grips the circumference of the rim creating a sealed environment to hold the liquid sealant without burping. The number one reason to run tubeless wheels is to avoid flat tires. The sealant quickly fills and closes small holes in the tire preventing flats caused by rocks, thorns and other trail debris. Pinch flats can not occur because a tube is not needed. Our tubeless system is about speed. It lowers wheel weight at the extreme outer edge of the rim resulting in lower rolling resistance. In a traditional clincher set up, the tire and tube interface moves as the wheel rolls, creating friction and energy loss. With the AC tubeless set up, there is no frictional energy loss between the tire and tube because the tube is gone. Liquid sealant is lighter than a tube. You can ride lighter weight tires with our tubeless system because you don’t have to use tires made with heavy, inflexible puncture layers. Overall, our tubeless system is lighter and the wheel will spin up faster with less rider energy output. And the best part is flat tires are past history