American Classic Conversion Cassette

[GONE4ARIDE]

Does anyone have experience with the A/C 10spd conversion cassette? I am interested to know how the shifting performance (and durability) is in comparison to a Campy 10spd cassette.

While I am very satisfied with the D/A 10 on my other bikes, my CSi is due back from re-paint in the next week and it begs for either a Record or Chorus 10 group. Given that I am a Shimano guy at the present time, I have an assortment of Shimano compatible wheels that I would like to be able to use if in fact I go the Campy route with the CSi. I am hoping the A/C cassette might be the solution.

[Matt Barkley]

'found that it works well - not quite as nice as a campy cassette but a close and inexpensive 2nd. The shifts feel more like a Shimano cassette in the rear. :beer: - Matt

[Bill Bove]

Boy was I ever excited when I got mine. I could use any wheel I wanted. Or so I thought. It does not fit on any wheel I've tried it on, not a one. Mavic wheels, Ksyriums, Heliums, nope. Shimano wheels, prebuilt Dura Ace or DA hubs strung up to Mavic rims, uh uh. Velocity, Corima? No, no, no. So I get a pair of American Classic wheels, ya think it works on their own hub? Before you buy an American Classic S to C cassette try mine, I've got no use for it.

It's not that the shifting isn't just right, it doesn't fit on the freehub body. The last cog sticks out farther than the locknuts on every wheel I've put it on. A totally useless piece of junk.

[GoJavs]

Before I make an $89 mistake! Not that I haven't made bigger ones before :crap: , but I've been putting off buying one of these for a while ;) . If it's true they are duds :confused: , then I guess I am better off going one way (Shimano) or the other (Campagnolo) and forget about mixing things up.

Look forward to hear from the rest of the group...

[H.Frank Beshear]

The shop owner at my lbs has had good luck with these. I have no personal experience with them. But it is another option. Frank

[GONE4ARIDE]

Thanks for the input guys. I am bit confused however when Matt says that he finds the A/C cassette works well and Bill says it's a useless piece of junk. I believe both of you, but now I am curious about your conflicting experiences.

Matt - what wheel/hub have you run the cassette on? Any issues with the fit of the cassette on your hub like Bill has experienced?

[Blastinbob]

I mounted one on a Rolf Elan, it shifted fine when it left my house. I did see in someones catalog that it is recommended that you "don't" use a
C-10 chain, so I put a wipperman on it.

[rwl]

I've used one for Bontrager Race-X-Lite tubulars, with a C-10 chain, on a Legend. No problems, once i snugged down the lockring sufficiently. Now there isn't a lot of room to play around with, so no debris on the body, tight lockring, etc was really needed.

The unexpected but very nice surprise is that 0 trimming/adjustment is needed to swap between Eurus and these wheels. (I did panic for a bit when i caught a tiny bit of cork tape in my brifter and couldn't get it to shift right at all when I first installed it :crap: )

[cinelli]

I ran an American Classic cassette with a Wipperman stainless chain all of last year. Clean shifts, no problems. Good buy for the money. :)

[Matt Barkley]

GONE4 - I have put it in 8spd D/A cassette body hub, Neuvation Cycles shimano splined hubs, maybe 1 more... Hope that helps a little.. :beer: -Matt
OH yeah, - white industries shim. body too...

[saab2000]

I have a set of Mavic hubs with a Shimano-compatible cassette. I do not know if the cassette is 8-speed or 9-speed or, for that matter, if there is any difference.

I once owned an American Classic 12-23 10-speed cassette and the shifting was acceptable,but no better. What made it good was that my Shimano compatible wheelset was suddenly useful again with my Campagnolo shifting. It did not shift as well as Campy though.

I don't think that the steel is the highest quality, but it worked for me. The shifting, especially under load, was not great, but it did work.

Having said that, the last cog was very close to not fitting. Make sure there is NO grit or anything on them when installing them. You want that lockring to grip as many threads as possible.

I replaced the AC cassette with one from Wheels Manufacturing. It shifts better than the AC but it also costs more.

I would consider buying the AC again.

[Rich_W]

I was under the impression it works best on A/Cs current shimano freehubs. I actually plan to pick one up so I can use my shimano CR420s on my campy bike.

I'm happy with my A/C wheels... so I'll give the cassette a shot.

[GONE4ARIDE]

Thanks for all of the input guys.

[NateM]

I have used it on Helium wheels and Velomax Ascents. The lock ring doesnt grab as many threads but seems to hold well enough.The shifting is ok,not as nice as all Campy.The wheelset that it doesnt fit is an old set of Spinergy Spox.They use a shimano xt freehub which is a little shorter and the 12 starter cog doesnt engage the splines.You can always return it if it doesnt fit your wheels.I use the 12-25.

[Longdaddy]

I know this is an old thread, but I have used an AC conversion on my Mavic Cosmos Wheelset for 4 years...no troubles. You must use the mavic spacer that should have come with the wheels (if using Mavic). Good shifting, no skips. I use a wipperman chain (nickle and Stainless).
Quality of manufacture, imho, is not as good as Campy, of course. My AC cassette is stamped "made in malaysia" (insert "zoolander" joke here).

I'm slowly converting to Campy hubs/wheels, and I have found that the Campy compatible cassette made by Miche works very well and costs about 70 bucks. Miche can be custom built into any size, (ie 11-21) (which is only available on Record, for about 250 bucks)...

good luck