First Look: American Classic Re-Enters MTB with Sub-$50 Tire Lineup
After a successful 35 years in the industry and a three-year hiatus, American Classic returned to the bike world last fall with a new lineup of gravel and road offerings, and today announced its re-entry into mountain biking with a lineup costing between $45 and $50 USD. With four tread patterns and three constructions, the range offers a variety of both 27.5" and 29" options.
The all-around 2.5" Vulcanite model is designed to work as both a front and rear tire, and it's available in 27.5" and 29" versions using either the beefiest 2-ply EN Armor or the midweight 2-ply TR Armor constructions. Weights range from 1010g to 1230g, depending on the version.
 | What goes up must come down–and the Vulcanite is ready to tackle both. The Vulcanite is a go-anywhere tire, featuring tall knobs for traction in loose terrain with hatch marks and siping for additional traction in hard-packed conditions, and ramped center knobs for straight-line speed. And its semi-open tread block layout reduces debris build-up, thus increasing bite on rocky terrain and roots. |
Up or down, front or back, the Vulcanite is made for it all.
Focusing on the front, American Classic has introduced the Tectonite, also available in a single 2.5" width for 27.5" or 29" wheels, and with EN Armor and TR Armor options. Interestingly, the Tectonite has the same claimed weights as the Vulcanite: between 1010g and 1230g.
| The Tectonite relies on a directional tread that includes ramped center knobs, angled shoulder lugs, and alternating transition knobs delivering numerous angles of traction in high-speed cornering. Engineered tread block positioning and varying sizes provide consistent and reliable cornering no matter how hard you push into the turn. |
The Tectonite takes cues from a recent crop of aggressive enduro-focused tires that have emerged in recent years.
Rounding out the trio of aggressive tires is the rear-specific Basanite, which comes in a 2.4" width, again with 27.5" and 29" options. Like the Vulcanite and Tectonite, the Basanite is available in the TR Armor trail version and EN Armor enduro mode. Meant to balance rolling ability with braking authority, the Basanite weighs in a bit lighter than its siblings at 990g to 1200g.
| Loose berms, choppy trails, and rugged rock gardens stand no chance against the Basanite. The Basanite is specifically designed as a rear tire with ramped knobs for improved rolling speed that alternate in shape and size for braking control. Alternating shoulder lugs and central knobs provide grip at any angle. And the large knobs all include hatch marks, or cupped profiles, improving grip on harder-packed terrain. |
The Basanite uses what just might be the most tried-and-true tread pattern out there.
Finally, the outlier of the new releases is the - for lack of a better term, I'm sorry - downcountry Mauka, a straightforward tire available in a single 29" x 2.4" version with the light-duty, 1.5-ply TR-L Armor construction that's topped with the Rubberforce G compound that the brand uses for flat protection and abrasion resistance on its gravel tires.
| Mauka is Hawaiian for 'toward the mountain,' and that's where this tire excels. |
The downcountry-oriented Mauka.
The most surprising detail is that each of the tires retails for about half the price of some competitors, set at $45 USD for the Mauka, $48 for the TR-Armor models, and making the big $2 jump to $50 for the EN-Armor versions.
The tires are now available at amclassic.com and from the company's Amazon store.
I recently received some test tires, so stay tuned for a review once I've spent some time on these reasonably-priced options.
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But, seeing how often guys with American flag are complaining about tyres prices, I wonder if you pay always a full retail price?
Because I never do. 90% of the time I just order tyres from some German web shop. I've just checked, the Assegai in 3C Exo+ is currently on 25% discount (55 Euros for shipment to Ch or 60 for Germany). I'm sure that I could get it even a bit cheaper (this is the first place I looked)
It´s just their best tires which are more expensive.
So who produces these "American Classic" tires and where?
And are they any good?
The specific tyres were kind of niche (DD/MaxxGrip Assegais and DHR IIs in 27.5"), but even so, availability and pricing was good. I expect it'd be different for 29er tyres, but it's definitely worth considering shopping overseas if you can't deal with UK RRPs.
Euros!?
My tiny American mind just exploded.
I love the dual compound EXO Maxxis tires on front (DHF or Assegai), and an Aggressor in the rear. The DC compound lasts absolutely forever and has plenty of grip and is usually cheaper. Note, I live in CA, so wet roots/rocks aren’t a common sight on my trails.
Only a tool pays full retail for tires..
I love Specialized tires..!
When the best MX tires and the best Mtn bike tires are the same retail price, I’d say there’s some price gouging going on.
Check in with your local Specialized dealer as well, sometimes they have some solid discounts.
I can see the lightweight of a Mtn bike tire being a factor, but I can’t see any less R&D going into Moto tires for sheer performance. It’s every bit as competitive.
But here’s one I always found ridiculous- price by size. 1/4” difference in tire width means a manufacturing cost difference? Where again, Mtn bike, Moto and car tires can be comparably priced?
No thanks, they can keep their rational..
I’ve been out of it for a bit, but I wouldn’t be surprised. To me the major R&D difference is acceleration. 70hp from a machine seemingly designed to rip your arms out takes a certain knob material with the right flex and carcass strength to hook up without wearing out in a single Moto. Unless you’re on a pro tire!
As an example, cutting knobs to get a sharp edge just doesn’t work because it affects the knob structure- the knobs flex, and you have a ruined tire.
So making a tire for a machine that can dig a ditch with a turn of the throttle makes for a few challenges Mtn bikes will never deal with.
So just to call out two things
I work with materials that weren't even around in a commercially available state 10ish years ago that have insane strength to weight properties. Now they are showing up in commercial product but are still REALLY expensive. So I'd be willing to bet that the fabric casing layers on say the Michelin StarCross 5 are much heavier and cheaper fabric that what is on say Maxxis EXO+. It's way cheaper even as a consumer to go out and buy 1000D nylon canvas material than the same dyneema fabric that has the same strength properties of that nylon at orders of magnitude less weight.
I'd bet the rubber compounds for MTB tires are also a more expensive mixture than moto tires. That and the StarCross has a single compound of rubber in the tire. Why that maters is that the manufacturing of it is way less labor intensive vs a 3 compound layup that a Maxterra has. And in this day and age extra labor time really drives up cost even in Asia.
Okay fine, I’ll do my research. Maybe the low volume sales of Mtn bike tires compared to car tires makes for a lower profit margin for Mtn bike tires.
NorCal Nomad. I’ve spent a bunch of time in NorCal. I’m ex Tesla Motors, just in case we might know each other..
Here’s some dual compound off road motorcycle tires that weight about 7 times that of a Mtn bike tire.
Hey look, a Maxxis from 2014! Do you know what goes into them?
Each one takes up about the space of about 12 Mtn bike tires and aren’t folded up in tiny boxes, so shipping per unit isn”t even comparable.
So this size, weight, and a whole lot more dual compound is no match for the cost modern Mtn bike tire?
KENDA K786 WASHOUGAL II DUAL COMPOUND REAR TIRE
Sedona MX-208SR
Shinko 520 Dual Compound
MAXXCROSS MX IT circa: 2014
Waiʻanae: backcountry
Waimanalo: downcountry
Waikiki: upcountry
Waialae: high country
Iowa: cross country
Hopefully it's just an isolated incident - I really want to like a $50 tire with a simple shopping experience and a naming convention that's not some baffling secret code.
www.pinkbike.com/photo/22957873
American Classic stands by our tires, and want to keep our customers rolling. Our Road Hazard Replacement Policy offers our customers the promise that if you puncture or tear an American Classic tire while riding, and it no longer holds air, you can contact us for a claim form for a one-time 50% off the MSRP of the same or comparable product. The replacement program covers American Classic products purchased through authorized dealers, www.amclassic.com, or the American Classic branded Amazon store, and product included as original equipment components of a new bicycle purchase. The Road Hazard Replacement Policy does not include shipping and handling.
I also continue to improve uphill times on the dbl-Assegai setup (this is even DD casings) tho I don't focus on that, and I still continue to improve my DH times w/ dbl- Assegai. And yeah - this is just the video game that is Strava but Im also booting bad data, etc.
My point is - maybe these are not the fastest uphill, but Im not seeing any speed reductions at all on downs. Ive tried every combo now for rougher riding (Maxxis anyway) and also love Assegai front / Dissector rear, but I think its the better grip and more confidence from the dbl Assegai setup that does it… at least for me where I ride.
Anyone else have a similar experience?
You have to ask yourself one thing- is the rear of my bike stepping out since the tire change? If not, then you now have a more efficient bike! Cheers!!
Ha! Funny you should say that..
I threw a 27.5 on the back of my old Santa Cruz Tallboy and thought it was the cure for old school geometry.
Rode it for about 7 rides, loved it,I switched back to the 29’ed and OMG what was I thinking..!?
The front end was super planted (again) and now I can’t imagine a single benefit to the smaller wheel. It felt fast, and was not!
I do like that whippy, nearly outta control feeling the 27 gives in the rear, esp w/ the right tire (Breakout is just OK as a tire anyway and not good in wet) and my times are as fast as any of my 29'' rear wheel times (and increasing as much as on 29s) so its fun to play around with but I hear you on being planted...29's def best for that. Its especially fun w/ a 180mm fork, 27' in rear, coil shock ,and low flipchip position in parks...much more fun (regardless of speeds) for playing around than the 29s (on mine anyway).
I can only imagine the bikes actually designed for mixed wheel are even better and more balanced - probably worth a try. And of course, in terms of speeds, the DH pros are pretty much all on MX now except the occassional switch back to 29s pending conditons (like Amaury did recently, Ft William?) but - I don't pretend I'm at all on that level. Mostly its just fun.
Yeah I didn’t go any further with that experiment.. I just want to get the specific feel. But, the Tallboy was bike of the year for years running, back in the day, and so I expected it would be Russian roulette with a loaded gun..
But I have a very different riding style that can be described as downhill on an XC bike (Tallboy). I don’t steer, I lean. I don’t avoid, I get loose and go over the top. I actually preferred my MX bike to be stable (Kawasaki, Yamaha), so I feel unsafe on bicycles. But, bicycles it is!
Damn Sizzlean commercials..!
I’m not really out to win here. Good exchanges and some knowledge to pick up along the way will do.
I’m assuming an actual MX bike works, unlike my kludged together attempt. Never tried one, but I’m kind of stuck with the bike I have (2021 Santa Cruz Tallboy Carbon CC. Poor me..)
I can say that anytime I’ve ridden a “faster” bike it usually turns out anywhere from “meh” to horrible. I just dont have the balance for something that quick. I was running pro speeds on my MX bike, and would have turned pro if I could. They say I made it look easy. But I’ve never been good at even jumping bicycles. No clutch lever, no throttle, no weight! But I love the heavy feel at the bars from my new Tallboy. 4 degrees slacker than my last bike!
I have to go inspect my carbon bars now.. Because, yikes.
That said, I've got a pair of American Classic semislicks on my town bike. They're decent but what I like the most is the price.
Sounds like they work well
Being able to run Assegai/MM or MM/DHRII without cross-branding your tires: priceless
...And they're sold out...
I'm using the DH34bp this summer and the rubber feels slightly harder than maxxis dual compound, though the braking edges may be chunking slightly faster than DC would. It's not like Maxxis makes a DD/DC DHRII so the point is moot.