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American Classic Launches Deeper Argent Road Tubeless Wheels, Standalone Rims & Fresh Graphics

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2013 American Classic Argent road tubeless wheels for everyday use

American Classic’s Argent Road Tubeless is an entirely new wheelset with a deeper rim profile than their original Road Tubeless wheels. The originals are meant as a race wheel, the Argent is the everyday training/riding wheel.

The rim is 30mm deep and 19.4mm/22mm wide (inside/outside). Rim weight is claimed at just 390g, and wheel weights are listed as 568g front and 786g rear (1372g set).

They’re built with AC bladed spokes and alloy nipples and get a new dark gray anodized color. Spoke count is 18/24 and is compatible with Shimano 11-speed. To do that, they used a 1.85mm wider freehub body and a thinner lock nut on the opposite side, and the wheel is redished. Parts and service are available to retrofit their older wheels for 11-speed, too…

2013 American Classic Argent road tubeless wheels for everyday use

The 11-speed freehub bodies are dark gray, making it easy to pick them apart from the silver 8/9/10 speed hubs.

Parts are $85 for the 11-speed freehub body and two new bearings. Redish labor is extra but necessary to get the rim centerline back where it needs to be, and unlike Zipp’s retrofit deal, AC says your local shop can do it if they’re comfortable building wheels. Hubs are the same, only the freehub body and non-drive side bolts change…and the dish.

2013 American Classic Argent road tubeless wheels for everyday use

Bead hook profile on the Argent gets tweaked slightly from his other road rims.

2013 American Classic Argent road tubeless wheels for everyday use

Hubs all get the new dark gray ano, doing away with the black ano or white paint.

Price will be under $1,400 and include standard chromoly skewers. Tubeless rim tape is pre-installed, but you can run them with tubes and tires.

Not shown, all wheels get new graphics and branding. Mountain bike rims get the “Cloud”, road bike alloy rims get “Upper Cut” shattered graphics, the ‘cross/trekking wheel gets “Galactic” dot patterns and carbon road wheels get “The Tour”. Some of the rim graphics spill to the hubs on a few models.

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New 101-Series rims are their first standalone rim offered to anyone to build up with whatever hub and spokes you want.

Weights are a very respectable 329g (26″) – 357g (650B) – 381g (29er)

All three share the same extrusion, which uses thicker walls than their higher end rims on their wheelsets. This was done to make them “less finicky” for shop folks to build up. That said, they’re still really light. Some of that lightness comes from using about a 5mm shallower height that what you find on their XC and AM wheels. They’re 18mm tall and 21mm/25mm wide (inside/outside). That’s narrower than their wheelset rims, too.

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The thicker walls also make it easier to manufacture, and the extrusion shape helps make it competitively stiff. Shook said it’s made to be as strong as the competition but lighter.

Pricing finalized soon, they’ll be under $100.

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11 Comments
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Larry Falk
Larry Falk
11 years ago

Although I am not a big AC fan (I don’t like their tiny bearing hubs -I like cup/cone hubs), I’m glad to see more road tubeless wheels.

Chris
Chris
11 years ago

Will the road tubeless rims be available as standalones soon?

Tom
Tom
11 years ago

I hope those decals, especially the ones covering the nice polished hubs can be peeled off!

IJBCape
IJBCape
11 years ago

Under 1400 they should be. I love road tubeless, have had 4 sets of Alphas with DA hubs, AC hubs and also the ZTR hubs. But the price of these AC wheels is too high. If they start selling the road tubeless rims I’d buy the rims and build the wheels. If they make the wheelset $800 I’d probably buy it.

mtb
mtb
11 years ago

IJBCape,
Did you build your Alphas w/ washers? Just wondering if you had to build them w/ much higher spoke tension.

Thomas
Thomas
11 years ago

+1 If they start selling the road rims I’d buy the rims and build the wheels. Specifically their Magnesium Clincher rim.

Sam
Sam
11 years ago

The 101 rim compares looks like it compares pretty well in weight, shape, and price to road rims like the Velocity A23. Hope they make a version with a machined brake track, sounds like it would make a great cross rim.

Orville
11 years ago

I dig the closeup shots but do you think you can post the whole wheelset next time, you know, to show the whole new graphics in context. Thanks!

WV Cycling
WV Cycling
11 years ago

@Thomas –

OH YES! I would love a set of their mag rims! <3

alloycowboy
alloycowboy
11 years ago

Don’t you just love it when companies put big ass heavy graphics on really expensive light weight wheels?!!

Mike C
Mike C
11 years ago

The new Alpha 340s don’t need washers. The beefed up the spoke bed. Now they weigh 380g

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