Yes, yes, cross is here – and so are two new cyclocross bikes from the folks at All-City. Making their return to the AC lineup, the Nature Boy and Macho King are back and better than ever, mostly due to a new frame with A.C.E. tubing.
Introduced on prior All-City models, their A.C.E. tubing acronym stands for air-hardened, custom designed, and extruded steel tubes that are proprietary to All-City. Supposedly, this new tubeset drops nearly a pound off the frame weight from previous versions while also being stronger and stiffer for better cross performance.
Also important, the frames have more mud clearance (and clearance for up to 700c x 42mm tires), ovalized top tubes for the shouldering, and Columbus Futura Carbon Cross forks with adjustable rake.
Frame details include a tapered head tube, threaded bottom bracket (Macho King only), flat mount brakes, and custom All-City details like their built in seat collar, signature dropouts, and star reinforcements at the bottle bosses.
Offered in two versions, the Macho Kine A.C.E. is the geared machine while the Nature Boy A.C.E. is the single speed build, but both use identical geometry and very similar frame designs.
The biggest change to the Nature Boy is the addition of an eccentric BB in order to adjust the chain tension. They’ve also eliminated the braze-ons for derailleur cable routing and the hanger, so this is truly a dedicated single speed.
Priced at $1,999 for the complete, and $1,299 for the frameset, the Nature Boy A.C.E. includes tubeless rims and tires, a SRAM Apex crank with a 40 x 18t gearing, TRP Spryre flat mount brakes, and various Whisky components for the build.
The Macho King A.C.E. on the other hand is priced at $2,399 for the complete and $1,299 for the frameset. The build highlights include a SRAM Rival 1×11 group, TRP Spyre mechanical disc brakes, tubeless rims and tires, and more Whisky & All-City parts to finish it off.
Both bikes will be available in October to hopefully be here for most of cross season.
AC killing it with colors this season. Sharp looking bikes.
Nice! Everyone was asking for a Cosmic Stallion w/o rack mounts and one with an EBB!
Nice looking frames…too bad they didn’t opt for the Whisky fork, the Columbus fork is hideous looking IMHO.
Sorry to come off as negative but I’m not sure which I like less, the sliding brake mounts on the regular Nature Boy or using an EBB. Both are less than Ideal ways to take up chain slack. Just make a mullet bike. I miss my old canti Nature Boy.
They’re still killing it with those paint jobs though, keep it up!
I am strongly considering the Macho King. Looks awesome. Who taught that rider to shoulder from the drive side??
Why does AC hate hydro disc brakes? A cross bike needs hydro disc. End of discussion, this build makes zero sense. They got 95% of the way and then cut a corner to make the bike a non-contender. I know I could modify or custom build but that adds $1k to the price, why not build the way that makes sense and charge and extra $250 for the complete? It’s so frustrating, and silly.
a cross bike “needs” hydro disc? definitely not. plenty of people winning with mechanical disc, and certainly plenty on cantis. can’t stop, won’t stop.