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AC
Pro Chain Guide System
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Submitted by
joe momma
a Downhiller
from sf, ca usa
Date Reviewed: May 27, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | mtbr | | Strengths: | none | | Weaknesses: | everything | | Similar Products Used: | mrp | | Bike Setup: | santa cruz, MRP MRP MRP | | Bottom Line: | the bottom line is that AC is one of the worst companies i have ever dealt with. thats right, you know who you are. i previously wrote a review about their ac chain guide sucking, and believe me it does suck. well the "owner of ac" emails me and, like a child, cries about how i shoudnt be talking negative in MY OWN REVIEW of a bad product. he complains of how i do not know anything about downhilling and that this product is only for pro's. THEN WHY ARE YOU SELLING TO THE PUBLIC. so i reply to this email explaining how in my own review i should say whatever i please, upon which i learn that it was NOT the owner of AC to begin with, but his lowly intern pretending to be him, BUT the owner himself began defending his product just as the intern did. first off, he should be arguing with me if i am a paying customer. and secondly, why is he hiring less than able employees that impersonate you. isnt there some kind of negative chili rating? | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
kurtis gale
a Downhiller
from Reno, Nevada,
Date Reviewed: January 31, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Gieger downhill | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | looks cool keeps chain on | | Weaknesses: | loud, hard to get set up, hard to fix | | Similar Products Used: | mrp | | Bike Setup: | cheeta prowler with hanbrink and hays | | Bottom Line: | does the job but i would stick with a mrp | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
J
a Racer
from SA
Date Reviewed: September 8, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$150.00 | | Purchased At: | AC directly | | Strengths: | adjustable, anodized and stainless parts, compatability with frame | | Weaknesses: | million and one parts, setup | | Similar Products Used: | mrp | | Bike Setup: | 1998 GT STS-1000, retro with Fox Vanilla RC (all you GT LTS frame owners, drop me a line and see how to get up to 6 inches of rear travel), AC Lowepro cranks, XTR drivetrain, Hope discs, Rhyno-Lite rims, set up for old school dual slalom. | | Bottom Line: | The bottom line...I have raced semi-pro dual slalom for two years and have never dropped a chain. I have the AC Pro designed specifically for the LTS/STS frame. If the chainguide ever does fail though I will replace it with a different product. It requires too much maintenance, setup is difficult if you are not familiar with setting up your own bike, and best of all it sounds like you are dragging a million cans behind you on every ride. At least the other guys know when you are coming and to get the heck out of your way. I know that they know offer a "free" insert upgrade to make the upper guide quieter but I don't think that 10.00 for shipping two pieces small enough to fit in an envelope can be considered free. I think it's a little too late for mine anyways as the chain has worn the upper plate almost paper thin. Yes, it is set up properly. I think that AC finally figured out that a chain repeatedly rubbing against something as soft as aluminum is prone to premature wear and tear. I do recommend the red loctite when setting up and my Sachs chain has lasted longer and ran smoother with this system than any Shimano one that I have tried. I do have to give props to AC for designing such a sexy/complicated guide for the GT frames. For intended use and reliability, 5 chilis. For the headache of setup, maintenance(attracts mud like white on rice), number of parts, and the unhelpful and rude sales/tech individaul at AC(you know who you are), 0 chilis. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Neil
a Downhiller
from Modesto CA
Date Reviewed: August 3, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Strengths: | Looks sweet!!, Lighter than others, It works!! Quiet if you get the upgrade. | | Weaknesses: | Nothing | | Similar Products Used: | I own an MRP, but the people there are Fukhead asswholes. (I can spell, I just didn't want to get it deleted) Mr. DiryGizmo, works great | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Super 8, Hanebrink LT-9, Kore strickly-D bar, Mavic D-321's, Nokian 3.0F/2.6R, king headset, the works
| | Bottom Line: | There are some tips to getting this thing to work correctly. Firs, locktite every screw before you even install it, and go to any hardware store and pick up a heavier spring. Plus, for all the people who complained about noise, all the new models come with teflon/nylon impregnated upper guides, and they are a free upgrade for the older ones. They run super quiet now. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
AC Staff AC Staff
a Downhiller
from Westlake Village, CA
Date Reviewed: June 13, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Suicide | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$149.00 | | Purchased At: | AC | | Strengths: | This is the AC staff writing to inform all users of the Pro Guide system that a free upgrade is available for the upper guide to quiet the contact between the guide and the chain. | | Weaknesses: | We are currently redesigning the next generation Pro Guide . Please feel free to post any suggestions for improvements to current chain guide systems - what are your pet peeves ( regardless of manufacturer)? | | Bike Setup: | Giant ATX | | Bottom Line: | We are always striving to improve our product line, and the new chain guide system will be available at the InterBike Show. Drop by and see us!
AC Racing | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a
from California
Date Reviewed: April 9, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | It looks cool | | Weaknesses: | It is noisy, hard to set up, doesnt work well, some of the bolts are stuck and the bike shop cant even lossen them up. | | Similar Products Used: | MRP (MUCH better) | | Bottom Line: | I am not one to critise most things but this thing is pretty bad. I just want people to know that it is a waist of their money and to not even bother. An MRP is so much better and it is almost the same price. the only reason why i am still using it,is because i dont have any money to spend on my bike right now. DONT GET THIS THING IS THE BOTTOM LINE. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matrix
a Downhiller
from Knoxville, TN
Date Reviewed: March 30, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | long downhill's /jumps / | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | 99Giant atx1-dh | | Strengths: | It works.... | | Weaknesses: | A/C has no website ?? | | Similar Products Used: | MRP -still had to modify on B-17 | | Bike Setup: | 99 Giant atx1-dh..Mavic 321--Hayes 8" rear--7"Monster-T--Stratos Helix DH shock/7" travel... | | Bottom Line: | It took me a while to set it up...i ran it with the top only but chain came off--so i put on the lower...have to zip tie it -because i had to put "stopper deal" on left side of lower guide so i could move the thing OUT more...i think it will work good.... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Johnny
a Weekend Warrior
from Fremont, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: August 18, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Soquel Demonstration Forest | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$150.00 | | Purchased At: | some guy on mtbr | | Strengths: | looks cool like you are a hardcore dh rider, when in fact i am not. works good. good lower spring loaded pulley guide design. | | Weaknesses: | a B1TCH to set up! you have to have the right bb spindle width, it should come with other spacers for the upper guide. or i didnt get any extra spacers. whatever. loud too. | | Similar Products Used: | MRP slalom and world cup 2 | | Bike Setup: | heckler, z1, azonic aframe pedals and bars, raceface stem and post, sunringle suv wheels, xtr cranks, now an MRP. | | Bottom Line: | i didnt like how incredibly difficult it was to set up. with an mrp you just bolt it on and ride. this thing had multiple adjustment bolts and sleeves and what not. my chain kept rubbing the upper guide and getting caught in the upper guide. you cant backpedal or chain suck will occur in the guide. i never heard of that: guide chain suck! well thats just what the AC is. it, all in all, sucks. it works only sometimes. they should give you extra spacers for the upperguide so that you could size it correctly instead of having to buy new bottom brackets. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Luke
a Downhiller
from Mass
Date Reviewed: April 8, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | keeps the chain on | | Weaknesses: | weak, very noisey | | Similar Products Used: | MRP | | Bike Setup: | GT Lobo, RS Boxxer, XTR drivetrain | | Bottom Line: | Too noisey, i only had it on for alittle while and i'm already switching back to MRP, the bottom feels too loose and rattles around alot. MRP is the best | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff
a Downhiller
from MA
Date Reviewed: September 11, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
open dh | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
looks okay
keeps chain on | | Weaknesses: |
-biggest fucking waste of time setting up-weak as hell-loud as hell-doesnt fit intense w/o a lot of filing | | Similar Products Used: |
MRP slalom
MRP Ultraspeed 2 | | Bike Setup: |
Intense DH, Monster T, Hayes | | Bottom Line: | okay but i'd rather stick with an MRP if my lazy ass has the effort to switch back. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mr. Extreme
a Downhiller
from from a extreme place
Date Reviewed: July 1, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
It has a lot of strengths after trying to set it up and then having my local bike shop set it up they got it on. After a little fine tuning the noise went down. No matter how big i hucked it off a drop of a jump the chain never fell off. Even after flying into some 4 to 6 in rocks and roots it still didn't fall off. | | Weaknesses: |
The bottom part of it rattled loose and went straight down at the Mt. Snow opener this year. I had a guy at Monster Cycles work on it and he said it was stripped. He was trying to get it tight but broke off the bolt. So we took off the bottom part and still it stayed on, except for when i crashed. sent it back to AC to have them replace it. | | Similar Products Used: |
Mr. Dirt, Black Spire, Spin Doctor, MRP | | Bike Setup: |
Specialized Pro DH, Mr. Dirt shocks, XTR Crank, Hope brakes and hubs | | Bottom Line: | very good if you can get it set up right, very durable, your chain will never fall off, have someone who knows how to do it set it up. would give it 5 but it broke | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Richard Utting
a Racer
from Ipswich, UK
Date Reviewed: March 30, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
keeps the chain on whatever, no flex/crashproof, quality construction, adjustability | | Weaknesses: |
price, rattles (but don't they all). | | Similar Products Used: |
mr dirt, mrp, | | Bike Setup: |
rotwild rdh02, boxxers, hope biguns and disks, custom rear shock, azonic cockpit, fsa afterburners | | Bottom Line: | Bottom line: keeps your chain on, but you'll be lucky to get it silent. I mean, it physically holds the chain on come what may. If a chain device doesn't rattle, then the first time you ride in anger or crash, bye bye chain. So everyone shut up about the rattling, set it up real close to the chain and forget about deraillments. The sprung bottom guide is a nice touch and helps keep things running after bashing into rocks etc. Well thought out equipment. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Carl Costin
a downhiller
from Victoria, Australia
Date Reviewed: March 3, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I recently bought a Giant ATX1 team DH frame which came with this chain guide on it. First impressions were great, as the detail looks exceptional.
However as soon as I rode with it I began to dislike it imediately, the chain scraped on the top guide eating away at the metal and the bottom part of the AC was hitting my Race Face chainring, causing it to make tons of noise and making the chain to come off often.
I thought that this was due to setup and soon returned the bike to the shop to be adjusted properly. They admitted that it was difficult to set up and endded up ringing the australian distributer of AC and Giant in order to set it up properly. When I got my bike back it rode fine for about two days and then resorted to doing the same thing it was doing before. Also after some downhill training I noticed that one of the top bolts had come lose and that one of the others had fallen out all together. Bolts were ordered through my trustworthy bike store and as yet 4 weeks later I haven't got them.
The store also found that the stop on the bottom of the chainguide was stuffed, which made it hit my chainring, they got a new part express mail before a race which I fitted and has held it in place since then with no problems.
However my chain was constantly not staying on the chainring when I backpedalled and after big jumps or knocks.
At the race after my run I realised that the whole bottom of the AC had worked it's way lose.
These and other small problems have made my mind up about AC, and if I could they would be getting no stars as the chainguide has just been crap. I have heard of others with the same problems so it's not just me.
I am never wasting my money on an AC component again!!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
DHer
a downhiller
from Mass
Date Reviewed: February 14, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
The AC's came on my Foes Slammer. So far, I have never lost a chain. The only complaint I have about them is that they make a noticable amount of moise. My brother has the MRP system on his bike and has been plagued with problems because the bottom pulley is fixed, it doesn't float likr the AC. I would like to give it 4 stars because of the noise, but can't because I fave never lost a chain. There are a few things I would change on it though. I would use bigger bolts on the lower arm, and replace the aluminum arm with a steal one.After one bad crash, I bent the arm. Because it was aluminum, it didn't bend back very well. I would also like to see a better, stronger spring on it. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
chris maida
a downhiller
from ballwin
Date Reviewed: February 3, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
This is the most kick ass chain guide I have ever put on my bike. This thing keeps the chain glued to the chain ring, no matter how hard you slam the bike around the chain never comes off. Even when doing large drop offs.this chain guide is also extreamly adjustable. Pius it has kick ass looks. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rich
a downhiller
from Pennsylvania
Date Reviewed: December 3, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
The AC system is one of two chain guide products that work well. I have tried four other manufactures with little success. AC was the answer to my prayers! The only time this season I had a derailed chain was when I blew out my BB the last practice run before a race, and even then my chain stayed on most of the way down. The instructions are a little enigmatic, and could be a little better written, as correct set-up is very crucial. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Phi lTotaro
a downhiller
from East Aurora, NY
Date Reviewed: January 27, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
The AC Pro Chain Retension System works wonders for downhillers. The upper retension device allows the chain to return to the ring with a mere pedal stroke. The lower device provides for chain slack and does not detract form the shifting. The system is only compatible with certain types of suspension bikes, however, making capability of its use to the rding public difficult. Yet, the proof is in the pudding, the system works, and it works well. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Copperhead
a weekend warrior
from Kirkland
Date Reviewed: October 24, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
It looks bitchin'!!! | | Overall Rating: |
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