Not really OT: American Classic is closing.

[sales guy]

Very surprised by this. I used to work for them as Production Manager and set up their wheel line. I made seatposts, hubs, wheels, bottom brackets, headsets and bottle cages in house in Tampa. I knew they were switching some things around but didn't know about this.

Very very Wow.

http://www.bicycleretailer.com/industry-news/2018/01/05/american-classic-closes-factory-puts-ip-assets-sale#.WlAAViOZNPM

[C40_guy]

Sad to hear.

[false_Aest]

What a bummer!

[vqdriver]

that's sad to hear. their og seatpost was my favorite for a long time.

[tuscanyswe]

I always thought they were doing quite good. Lots of ppl seem to regard their stuff as great around here.

Sad to hear.

[David Tollefson]

I've still got an American Classic bottle cage from the early '80s, and an unbuilt front hub in 28-hole. Sad to see them closing.

[GregL]

Disappointing, but not surprising. Without a big OEM presence on production bikes, it's hard to get market share. With all the big brands equipping their bikes with house brand components, it's even harder for a small manufacturer to survive. I have several American Classic seatposts and bottle cages. They have served me reliably.

Greg

[David Kirk]

Bummer.

dave

[GonaSovereign]

As a kid racing mountain bikes in the late '80s, I distinctly remember eyeing another guy's bike at a race because it had the sleekest QRs I'd ever seen. That was my intro to American Classic and to interesting bits to put on my bike. They were a gateway drug.

http://d2ydh70d4b5xgv.cloudfront.net/images/1/e/vintage-american-classic-quick-release-skewers-front-and-rear-mountain-bike-qr-b3df383c76154dec350eb232910ac7ca.jpg

[sales guy]

^^^^^^ I used to make those!!!

[dddd]

Did you know an engineering guy named Eric back then? I worked with him at NASA many years later, he designed the top cradle of one of their posts iir.

[Chief]

I had Bill in one of my engineering courses at The Ohio State University many moons ago--like 35+ years.

[sales guy]

Did you know an engineering guy named Eric back then? I worked with him at NASA many years later, he designed the top cradle of one of their posts iir.

Not when I was there. I worked there when American Classic first moved to Tampa at the end of 2001 till mid 2003. It was literally 5 of us for the first 6 months. Then 6. No Eric at that time. We had 1 full time wheel builder(me) and 2 part time guys. One we had to fire after a few months cause he was building wheels and when they were finished, they weren't straight or there were problems. He then said, well, I was paid to build them. I want to be paid to FIX them! He was let go.

I was building 3500+ wheel sets a year as well as doing some sales, making hubs, qr's, headsets, cages. All sorts of stuff. I made the wheels for the tradeshow booth, made wheels for mags and prototypes for people like Gary Fisher. It was a very wild ride. We were super busy. Bill had just bought back AMC and moved everything down and was teaming up with Rolf for the 350 and 420 rims. We were on Generation 2/3 of the rear hub and went to 4/5 while I was there.

[witcombusa]

The AC bottle cages are some of my very favorites. A while back I bought a lot of 10, NOS just to have on future builds. The design holds it own even today, simple, light and keeps the bottle secure and doesn't make them black. :hello:

[charliedid]

The AC bottle cages are some of my very favorites. A while back I bought a lot of 10, NOS just to have on future builds. The design holds it own even today, simple, light and keeps the bottle secure and doesn't make them black. :hello:

Agree

I ran across a couple of the mounts in a box the other day but cages long gone.

i've always thought to look for some but I am lazy. Any chance you have any idea if your source has more?

Sad to see them go.

[fa63]

With all the big brands equipping their bikes with house brand components, it's even harder for a small manufacturer to survive.




This.

Sad to hear they are closing. I have ridden with Bill Shook many times around Tampa; great guy. Wish him all the best.

[donevwil]

I never really thought/think about AC, but in looking at my oldest bike circa '89 it still has the original AC cages and post. Both still do their jobs very well.

[berserk87]

I loved their seat posts.

Their Ti skewers were pretty cool. They fit nicely into my trainer mounts.

[Tickdoc]

Does this mean the two sets of their wheels I have hanging my garage are worth something now?

[sales guy]

I loved their seat posts.

Their Ti skewers were pretty cool. They fit nicely into my trainer mounts.

The posts were great until they were made overseas. We had tons of posts come back. Almost every single one on the Fujis came back. When he switched to 2 pc posts, that sucked.

The qr's, yeah, they were nice. Still have a few laying around. And a bunch of spare parts for them too.

[likebikes]

i was always pretty meh on their stuff. seems like they made unremarkable stuff that occupied the sorta-niche between weight weenie stuff and "regular components" from campy or shimano.

that said i have an original am classic seatpost which i love.

[witcombusa]

Agree

I ran across a couple of the mounts in a box the other day but cages long gone.

i've always thought to look for some but I am lazy. Any chance you have any idea if your source has more?

Sad to see them go.



https://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-VINTAGE-ULTRALIGHT-AMERICAN-CLASSIC-EQUIPMENT-WATER-BOTTLE-CAGE-SET-BLK/272584143658?hash=item3f7747f32a:g:9wQAAOSw~AVYwDE b

[csm]

I've got a wheel set and front hub somewhere around here. I should clear some of this stuff out.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Hindmost]

...When he switched to 2 pc posts, that sucked...

This caught my attention. Which post is this:

[Mark McM]

This caught my attention. Which post is this:

The photo isn't as clear as one might like, but it appears to be a two piece post.

One piece vs two piece is just like it sounds like: In a one piece post, the head and the shaft are made out of one solid piece of metal; in a two piece post, the head is a separate piece that is bonded into the top of the shaft. (Note: All Titanium A.C. posts are two piece, with an aluminum head bonded to a titanium shaft.)

[Hindmost]

Sorry about the too small image. Up close it's clearly a two-piece post with a narrow seam between the shaft and the head.

Should I consider this post a display-only piece or is it worthy of an Eroica ride?

[charliedid]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-VINTAGE-ULTRALIGHT-AMERICAN-CLASSIC-EQUIPMENT-WATER-BOTTLE-CAGE-SET-BLK/272584143658?hash=item3f7747f32a:g:9wQAAOSw~AVYwDE b

Thanks!

[sales guy]

This caught my attention. Which post is this:

The photo isn't as clear as one might like, but it appears to be a two piece post.

One piece vs two piece is just like it sounds like: In a one piece post, the head and the shaft are made out of one solid piece of metal; in a two piece post, the head is a separate piece that is bonded into the top of the shaft. (Note: All Titanium A.C. posts are two piece, with an aluminum head bonded to a titanium shaft.)

Hindmost,
That is a 2 piece model. We had a ton of problems with them. It was sightly lighter than the 1 pc but significantly cheaper to make. Different alloy. Made in Asia vs US. 1 machined head and extruded tube vs 1 pc machined entirely.

If your's is solid and the head doesn't move you should be fine. They moved pretty quickly, not like over time. But the first like 2 batches were a major problem. And pretty much every Fuji that had them was a bad one.

And Mark is correct on everything listed. We didn't bond the head on the ti post tho. We used a 20 ton press to press them into the post. Never had one of those come loose. The alloy posts- 2 pc ones, the heads were bonded and pressed in to the post but the posts were slightly oversized and the bonds didn't hold.

[Corso]

As a kid racing mountain bikes in the late '80s, I distinctly remember eyeing another guy's bike at a race because it had the sleekest QRs I'd ever seen. That was my intro to American Classic and to interesting bits to put on my bike. They were a gateway drug.

http://d2ydh70d4b5xgv.cloudfront.net/images/1/e/vintage-american-classic-quick-release-skewers-front-and-rear-mountain-bike-qr-b3df383c76154dec350eb232910ac7ca.jpg

I have a seat-post quick release to match!

[regularguy412]

This caught my attention. Which post is this:

IMO, it 'could' be the 2-piece post but can't really tell. I still use, to this day, 2 of the one piece aluminum posts (at least they look like one piece -- they were about $90 each back in 1993) with the 2-bolt clamp. VERY easy to adjust and they NEVER creak.

I also use, to this day, the afore-pictured aluminum bottle cages with the plastic grippers. I've never lost a bottle on rough roads. They're light and durable.

Both the posts and the cages are well over 25 years old. Mebbe that could be why they had tough times; the stuff just doesn't wear out. I've only had to replace ONE small adjustment bolt on ONE of the posts in all these years.

His stuff was well thought out and just plain GOOD.

Mike in AR:beer:

[echelon_john]

If you’re riding a bonded Alan the post is the least of your worries!

:banana:

Sorry about the too small image. Up close it's clearly a two-piece post with a narrow seam between the shaft and the head.

Should I consider this post a display-only piece or is it worthy of an Eroica ride?

[sales guy]

IMO, it 'could' be the 2-piece post but can't really tell.


It's a 2 piece. I can tell by the shape of the head.

[regularguy412]

It's a 2 piece. I can tell by the shape of the head.

Ah vg.

I dunno for sure which ones I've been riding, but they are my daily drivers. Am using different posts on my fix and tandem. I'm really amazed how well the AC stuff has held up after all these years. The posts are not the lightest things on the planet, but they've sure been worry-free.

Mike in AR:beer:

[regularguy412]

If you’re riding a bonded Alan the post is the least of your worries!

:banana:

True THAT!

[batman1425]

I always heard good things about their wheels, but never saw many people riding them. Unsure of why. Seemed like quality stuff.

[witcombusa]

Anyone remember their sealed bearing headset :banana:

[charliedid]

Anyone remember their sealed bearing headset :banana:

Yep..

I feel like the MAVIC one was the same design wasn't it?

[sales guy]

Anyone remember their sealed bearing headset :banana:

I used to make those.

The bearings are from a Boeing airframe. They support the control rods for the aileron. They have a side load of 5000 pounds.

I had a guy send a headset back. The lower bearing was cooked. I called him up about it and he was super pissed it was dead. He said it should never have died, EVER! I told him it'll happen. I asked him how old it was? He told me 11 years. I said well there you go! 11 years on a bearing that's never ever been maintained is unbelievable. He then told me that he got it used from someone, a friend of his. I said, well that's fine. The friend had used it for 8 years! 19 year old bearing finally died and he was pissed. Wanted a new one for free. Those bearings were $17.00 our cost back in 2002. We ended up giving him one.

I have spare parts for hose headsets. Have a few NOS ones too.

[sales guy]

Ah vg.



If you look at the head, on the one piece it is smooth with no lumps. On the 2 piece ones there are lumps(circled). It was just machined down more for weight savings. You can see the lumps on the one post in the Alan. And you can see the line where the post and head are put together.

[oldpotatoe]

The posts were great until they were made overseas. We had tons of posts come back. Almost every single one on the Fujis came back. When he switched to 2 pc posts, that sucked.

The qr's, yeah, they were nice. Still have a few laying around. And a bunch of spare parts for them too.

One of my employees had a AC SP break and spent a couple of days in the hospital(you don't want to see pictures of where he was 'nailed')..

Their hubs(rear) was always a goofy design, essentially one pawl. Their flange spacing too close to CL..proprietary front hub bearings...not really a fan but always too bad when some bike company goes under..

[Mikej]

Am I the only one who thought they made junk?

[Cicli]

Am I the only one who thought they made junk?

No, the only hub I ever had fail was theirs. Several rears.

[Corso]

Anyone remember their sealed bearing headset :banana:
Still running one on my Klein mountain bike!
Well the top half.

Bottom bearing seized many years back-I recall it didn’t last very long. After sitting in a box for many, many years, last winter I took it apart for the heck of it.

The balls in the sealed bearing are really tiny, smallest I’ve ever seen in a headset. After that discovery, I’m surprised the top half is still working!

[Corso]

Hmmm, I also have a seat post, used on another mountain bike, 1 piece model- I don’t think I ever had issues with it.

I have 2 water bottle cages, used them on my road bike for over 25 years. One has aluminum mounting clips, the other plastic. Guessing the aluminum one is older.

Sorry to see another company go...

[AngryScientist]

snowcrash here sold me some nice hubs which i thought were pretty nice. i also had a pair of the 420 wheels that were fantastic - really light for an aero wheel of the day. sad to see them go under.

https://instagram.fewr1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/t51.2885-15/e35/19533969_219389385248685_6738463560373895168_n.jpg

[katematt]

AC ti seat post was one of my first prize possessions 30 years ago, still going strong on the fixie!

[bigbill]

I've got two AC seatposts in odd sizes, I think a 26.8 and a 25.0. The 25.0 is branded as Kingsbury. I also have a 27.2 that was in my MX Leader for about 12 years. I like how quick and easy they adjusted.

[sales guy]

One of my employees had a AC SP break and spent a couple of days in the hospital(you don't want to see pictures of where he was 'nailed')..

Their hubs(rear) was always a goofy design, essentially one pawl. Their flange spacing too close to CL..proprietary front hub bearings...not really a fan but always too bad when some bike company goes under..

when i was there we didnt have anyone with injuries but that as not saying it didnt happen after me. wouldn't be surprised given how many we had come back.

we had issues with the hub maker(who make stuff for Ritchey also). They were using the wrong material(alloy) for the axles of the hubs. They were bending. We knew what the issue was but telling them the problem was a problem. You can't just tell them they are wrong. You have to still give them respect while trying to tell them they are wrong. really odd and difficult.

That hub design, that's actually something Cinelli did back in the 60's and 70's. Bill didn't even come up with it. He had the original Cinelli patent and design/drawing on his wall when I was there. At first it was 6 pawl engagement then 12. It had flaws for sure. I used to do the warranties for them as well. Most of the time it was related to poor manufacturing. When we got them in they were preassembled. I pushed and it eventually happened, that we get them in bare to assemble. It made things easier to check for problems. We had problems with slightly oversized baring bores too. It really came down to bad manufacturing QC. Which is why Bill went and got his own factory.

The front hub bearings were around. It was the rear ones that were proprietary for awhile. Until we started making them for Rolf, WTB and others they were more available. And then they switched to the oversized ones, again proprietary for a bit.

[sales guy]

I've got two AC seatposts in odd sizes, I think a 26.8 and a 25.0. The 25.0 is branded as Kingsbury. I also have a 27.2 that was in my MX Leader for about 12 years. I like how quick and easy they adjusted.

Long and odd story about Kingsbury and American Classic.

So AMC burned down once when they were in Ohio. Bill went looking for someone to make the parts. He found Allen Kingsbury. Allen started making things for AMC and then decided he could make them under his own name. They were the same thing. He was just stealing the IP. This lead to Bill finding someone else.

The posts were really nice when they were made in the US. Very simple design. And very light back in the day. And they made a ton of sizes for all the odd bikes out there. And they were longer than normal. So people had room for adjusting and fitting. And for awhile there they still made the Paramount/Schwinn internal expander wedge design post. And it was longer than the stock ones. And they did posts black and other colors. Long before others did.

[Gummee]

Anyone remember their sealed bearing headset :banana:

I'll argue that those headsets were better than Kings. Not nearly as popular tho

IIRC I still have a top cap for one. I don't remember if its the threadless version or threaded.

M

[zap]

Have a number of AC seatposts (two on our '93 CoMo tandem) and one Kingsbury. All still in use. Excellent product.

Around '04 I purchased a set of AC carbon wheels-AC hubs and Zipp 303 rims. The rear hub was not very good. Never considered AC products after that.

[Gummee]

I built a fair number of wheels out of the AC freewheel hubs.

I really liked that they came in different drillings.

I inherited a really scratched up black seatpost. Looks like paint, not anodizing. May have to get it re-painted or re-powder coated

M

[MaraudingWalrus]

Hey, @sales_guy - I grabbed a likely older than I am American Classic hub off the eBay. I think it was called a speedster hub, funky narrow flange TT hub (https://i.ebayimg.com/thumbs/images/g/3UUAAOSwbHZaW7vH/s-l225.jpg)

You know anything about these puppies? Will it kill me if I lace it radially ( which I assume it's begging to have done to it) ? What about if I slot the flanges for big ass bladed spokes?

[eric01]

I had one of those. Radially laced it with older bladed wheelsmith spokes. Not the extreme bladed which required slotting. Wheel was fine.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[MaraudingWalrus]

I had one of those. Radially laced it with older bladed wheelsmith spokes. Not the extreme bladed which required slotting. Wheel was fine.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk



https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180407/f11b7363b4bdbaa7a7767b9a087aa028.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180407/88f8a39cad938e8918e6b5473037deb2.jpg

Did it last night. Here's the hub next to a more current AmClassic Micro58 hub for comparisons sake of the flange spacing.

[zap]

Might be a tt version of the 58 hub.

[redir]

As a kid racing mountain bikes in the late '80s, I distinctly remember eyeing another guy's bike at a race because it had the sleekest QRs I'd ever seen. That was my intro to American Classic and to interesting bits to put on my bike. They were a gateway drug.

http://d2ydh70d4b5xgv.cloudfront.net/images/1/e/vintage-american-classic-quick-release-skewers-front-and-rear-mountain-bike-qr-b3df383c76154dec350eb232910ac7ca.jpg

I have those same skewers and American Classic hubs on my '92 Schwinn Paramount MTB :)

[cmg]

have a few sets AC sprint 350 wheels. lightest rims on the market. too bad for the company.