www.acsbmx.com : Before there was "dirt", "flatland", "vert, "street" there was ACS. Over 30 years ago aerospace engineers Charles Stephens and Robert Hanson founded ACS and developed, designed, and manufactured some of the first high-end BMX components. ACS alloy hubs ruled BMX in the 70's, and ACS mags were featured on popular selling bikes.
When freestyle started in the 80's, ACS pioneered specialty components the pros needed like the ACS Rotor, RL Hub, 100psi tires, and BOA Brakes. ACS also designed and manufactured 5 models of skateboard trucks at that time, catering to all specialty disciplines. In the 1990's Keith Stephens joined his father and Robert at ACS. After being an early test rider for ACS, Keith rounded out his resume with several years experience in bicycle manufacturing and retailing.
A guy nobody has ever heard of, Dale Cooper, invents a little machined aluminum thing that attaches to your stem and allows for tangle free rearbrakes.
ACS markets this as THE ROTOR.
Locking levers
Steve Potts has come up with a new brainwave. It's a neat little button on the lever that you press down to keep the brake locked on. ACS are making a new lever incorporating the new idea.
ACS Z-Wheels
ACS ad, february 1985 : Track or tricks? Up to now you had to flip tor it. Nylon mag wheels are great for freestyle but they sure weigh a lot. Alloy rims are super light - but you can't thrash them. ACS Z Rims are the answer. Super tough Z rims and matching Z hubs combine all the strength of solid mag wheels with the weight advantage of plain alloy rims. Now you don't have to chose between weight and strength- At the track, in the air or on the street, lightweight ACS Z Rims will never let you down. Thanks to the unbreakable DuPont Zytel material, ACS Z Rims are virtually indestructible. And that's a promise: ACS will replace Z Rims and other ACS components If broken during normal use. Send damaged part only for free replacement. ACS Z Rims are available in white, black, red, yellow and blue, individual rims or complete wheels with ACS Z Hubs - they're at your dealer now.
? : ACS Z-Wheels were a popular type of wheel for the professionals. All colors with matching hubs. There was a rumor that if you placed them in the Freezer they would straighten out. From the experiences of my friends this didn't really work. But they did make nice decorations to the pile of old broken bike parts in my garage. Unfortunately they faded away quickly. Brakes wouldn't work well with them.
RC Alderman - Z rims
David Anselme-Croissy, Bicross Magazine, janvier 1987 : Révolutionnaire : Salut à toute l'équipe de BXM, votre canard est vraiment totally rad (...). Je vous écris pour vous demander d'éclaircir mon esprit à propos de rumeurs. En effet. il y a quelques temps un kid m'a dit que ACS venait de mettre au point un moyen révolutionnaire, pour le monde du freestyle il me semble Il vous serait très sympa de me répondre (...)
Effectivement, ACS vient de faire un grand bon pour l'humanité en créant une petite révolution technologique : le « free coaster » Explications : c'est le mixage d'un moyeu avec une roue libre et d'un rétropédalage. Il vous suffit de tourner un petit bouton grand comme un remontoir de montre pour changer une option à/autre, et le tour est joué.
www.bmxstunts.com : ACS (Chuck Stephens and Dale Cooper) was inventing what was the first freecoaster hub. You could change your back hub from Freewheel to Coaster Brake in about 2 seconds. All you had to do was twist a little screw on the hub and it switched. Coaster for Flatland and Freewheel for ramps. The great thing about it was it gave you the ability to roll back without the pedals moving when set to the freewheel mode. This was a creative design, but extremely heavy. The hubs would not last long either for a typical rider.
Ball bearing brakes.
ACS en arrêtera la production fin 1994.
Ad in BMX Plus! april 1992 : You Get Less With A Wedgelok. Less Adjustment. Less Hassle. Less Mess. One bolt does it in the new Wedgelok stem by ACS.
Unique twin-wedge construction offers a powerful mechanical advantage, so that one bolt takes the place of the traditional four. The result is a rigid grip on the handlebar, as well as a smooth top surface free of bolts and holes. The forged light ioy top section is supported by a down tube with hollow wedge bolt, both of Cro-Moly. The Wedgelok is adaptable to Rotors and other detanglers. When you're looking for a little more in a stem, ask for Wedgelok, the them with a little less.
American Cycle Systems, Post Office Box 2597, City of Industry, California 91746.
ACS and Ares agree that the flatland market is underserved in the USA. ACS will initiate new advertising for Ares in the USA and sponsor Terry Adams and Stephen Cerra.
