Author Topic: ACORN or SKYWAYS?? (Read 7651 times)

deeman · « **on:** August 20, 2011, 08:08 PM »

just wanted some opinions or advice really.i am trying to build a replica of the bike i had when i was a kid.i used to run Acorn freestyle mags with a coaster bitd,can remember wanting tuffs but were prob too expensive.anyway i have found a set of acorns with a coaster like i had,i just wanted to know if anyone else used to run these wheels or still does and how they compare to skyways as far as strength etc is concerned.i remember someone on here saying they were too flexy.i used to abuse mine miami hoppers etc and they never broke,but then i was 12!im no lardarse now though!the acorns have a nice alloy hub which i think looks better than the tuffs.do i get the nos acorns or go with the repro tuffs??any input appreciated!

Gashead · « **Reply #1 on:** August 20, 2011, 08:09 PM »

Tuffs all day long

griff · « **Reply #2 on:** August 20, 2011, 08:14 PM »

tuffs

lk_97 · « **Reply #3 on:** August 20, 2011, 08:15 PM »

If you wanna replicate your old bike, then acorns

Gnarlyscoots · « **Reply #4 on:** August 20, 2011, 08:17 PM »

BITD, the Skyways had a problem with the hubs crushing, especially the coaster ones, so the local bike shop started fitting Acorn hubs and Aero Zytec hubs to them as they were a lot stronger, obviously

I don't ever remember having a set or anyone I knew having a set either, but my mate fitted them to his Torker build a little while ago and to be honest, they are like buckled rimz

I was not impressed $:-\$

deeman · « **Reply #5 on:** August 20, 2011, 08:34 PM »

oh dear,tuffs it might have to be then!is it maybe worth buying the acorns for the coaster hub?will it fit a new skyway tuff

rick1970 · « **Reply #6 on:** August 20, 2011, 08:46 PM »

cereal or a full english

deeman · « **Reply #7 on:** August 20, 2011, 09:08 PM »

Sh#t!i didnt think the acorns were that bad!they rode well bitd!ok thanks for the input so far!keep it coming!does anyone know why tuffs dont come with a coaster these days and is it poss to retro fit one?

rick1970 · « **Reply #8 on:** August 20, 2011, 09:26 PM »

Go with your own taste its your build and will be respected for it what ever you fit i ran aero zytecs bitd and hated them cos they always snapped but i'd kill for a decent set now

lk_97 · « **Reply #9 on:** August 20, 2011, 09:30 PM »

Quote from: rick1970 on August 20, 2011, 08:46 PM

cereal or a full english

Only just got that

deeman · « **Reply #10 on:** August 20, 2011, 10:25 PM »

Quote from: lk_97 on August 20, 2011, 08:15 PM

If you wanna replicate your old bike, then acorns

ah,i forgot to say,im trying to upgrade where poss.i.e one piece to 3 piece cranks,suntour stem for tuf neck etc,so authenticity is not that much of an issue.i was just wondering if the tuffs were necessarily an upgrade.it would appear so!cosmetically,theres not much difference,i was more interested in performance comparisons.also got to decide how much i really want a coaster.cant even remember what tricks it allowed you to do more easily!back hops?kickturns'thats about it isnt it??can anyone think of any more?i guess i thought it was a cool feature as a kid,why does nobody seem to run coasters?is it for this reason?

QUADROPHENIA · « **Reply #11 on:** August 21, 2011, 01:17 PM »

get a nice set of spoked wheels, what age is your bike

deeman · « **Reply #12 on:** August 21, 2011, 01:29 PM »

the frame and forks is 1984 but sorry,im only really after mags,The frame is a freestyler.the only spokes i could possibly be interested in would maybe be z rims!thanks anyway!

Moose · « **Reply #13 on:** August 22, 2011, 09:35 PM »

The original Acorns were top banana

oldschoolrider · « **Reply #14 on:** October 08, 2011, 02:54 PM »

It's been a while since this was posted and you may have bought some wheels already, but I have been running both Acorn mags and Skyways recently and I have to say that both have their pros and cons. The Acorns where NOS off Ebay which I presume is where you saw the ones you were looking at. They run really smooth and the coaster was a suntour which working fantastic for kickturns and ramp stalls etc., but after trying pedal pickers I ended up cracking the back wheel because of the flexing, which really pissed me off. The Tuffs I noticed, are built a little sturdier. You can get them with coaster brakes, but only in black or white. You can get them directly from Skyway at http://skywaywheels.com/. I do feel though that the coaster on these, which I can't recall the name of right now, is not quite as good as the Suntour in the Acorns. I found the gap you need to disengage the brake was quite tricky to find whilst doing rollback stuff and ramp stalls. This wasn't the case with the Acorns' Suntour.

ED209 · « **Reply #15 on:** October 08, 2011, 05:36 PM »

both shite... OGKs were the best... but, Pete is right... a nice set of spokes is you best best now

deeman · « **Reply #16 on:** October 09, 2011, 10:40 PM »

Quote from: oldschoolrider on October 08, 2011, 02:54 PM

It's been a while since this was posted and you may have bought some wheels already, but I have been running both Acorn mags and Skyways recently and I have to say that both have their pros and cons. The Acorns where NOS off Ebay which I presume is where you saw the ones you were looking at. They run really smooth and the coaster was a suntour which working fantastic for kickturns and ramp stalls etc., but after trying pedal pickers I ended up cracking the back wheel because of the flexing, which really pissed me off. The Tuffs I noticed, are built a little sturdier. You can get them with coaster brakes, but only in black or white. You can get them directly from Skyway at http://skywaywheels.com/. I do feel though that the coaster on these, which I can't recall the name of right now, is not quite as good as the Suntour in the Acorns. I found the gap you need to disengage the brake was quite tricky to find whilst doing rollback stuff and ramp stalls. This wasn't the case with the Acorns' Suntour.

thanks very much for this input!the story so far is i started with set of repro tuffs.Then found some acorns on the bay with coaster which were a bit discoloured,thought id be able to bleach them but they just stayed beige!i then bought another set of tuffs off the bay just to get the white haro tyres on em,i was gonna just use them then at the eleventh hour got offerd another set of nos acorns with coaster that are actually white!im going with the acorns for the following reasons:
1.the alloy hub looks better
2.i had them bitd,the only spec im building to!my own!
3.every cnut and their mother runs skyways,its good to be different!
4.keeps the build british

i dont think im going to be riding this one much so strength not so much of an issue now.Thanks to all who have assisted in this wheel endevour,should have a pic of the bike finished in a couple of days!!

scott250 · « **Reply #17 on:** October 10, 2011, 05:15 PM »

if your gonna look at it only - acorns
if your gonna ride around on it - skyways
if your gonna ride it for real - get a newschool or midschool ride with spoked wheels.

I once snaped an acorn doing a kickturn bitd, so I doubt they'd be much use to ride on these days, even if it is to the pub or whatever.

deeman · « **Reply #18 on:** October 10, 2011, 08:59 PM »

Quote from: ED209º on October 08, 2011, 05:36 PM

both shite... OGKs were the best... but, Pete is right... a nice set of spokes is you best best now

i actually had a set of OGKs on my first bmx.damn thing was too heavy to do tricks on!hard to find these days though!

Al Wyn · « **Reply #19 on:** October 11, 2011, 10:48 AM »

I ran a lot of different wheels back in the 80s...Arayas, Ukais, Z rims, Acorns, OGKs, Zytecs and Skyways. Bucked the Arayas and Ukais, kept de spoking the Z rims and the Acorns just snapped (two pairs...but iirc they were £19.95 or maybe £29.95 in 84). The OGKs were really heavy iirc and the Zytecs were a cheap option but did the the job of the Tuffs. I absolutely hammered the orange Skyways i had for a good couple of years doiing ground tricks, ramps and at the skatepark and they were still good when i stopped riding in 87. Still cant remember what happend to the bike though

girls and booze have got a lot to answer for

jeff spicoli · « **Reply #20 on:** October 11, 2011, 11:20 AM »

Don't make the same mistake twice. Tuffs ruled back in the day.

deeman · « **Reply #21 on:** October 13, 2011, 11:22 PM »

Bollocks,had a last minute rethink and ive gone with the tuffs after all,didnt fancy snapping a 25 year old wheel,been informed that the plastic becomes brittle in time,so dont hold much hope for the acorns!Thanks again to all who have contributed

pickle · « **Reply #22 on:** October 18, 2011, 10:43 AM »

for me if you're gunna ride mags, then there's only 1 answer........TUFFS!!

Al Wyn · « **Reply #23 on:** October 18, 2011, 10:59 AM »

Anyone had experience of the 80s tuffs going brittle? had a chat with another`bitd dad`who still rolls out every other full moon lol at the local skatepark and he told me he bought a pair of new pair from the states but they flexed like he couldnt believe so sourced some mid 80s unused ones (metal rear hub plastic front type) and literally after a few front hops he went over to the ramps and on his third kickturn he heard a cracking noise and the rear had split in one place and had 2 big stress marks. Anyone???

58 delray · « **Reply #24 on:** October 18, 2011, 11:12 AM »

Quote from: Al Wyn on October 18, 2011, 10:59 AM

Anyone had experience of the 80s tuffs going brittle? had a chat with another`bitd dad`who still rolls out every other full moon lol at the local skatepark and he told me he bought a pair of new pair from the states but they flexed like he couldnt believe so sourced some mid 80s unused ones (metal rear hub plastic front type) and literally after a few front hops he went over to the ramps and on his third kickturn he heard a cracking noise and the rear had split in one place and had 2 big stress marks. Anyone???

not had any trouble with mine so far

Author Topic: ACORN or SKYWAYS?? (Read 7651 times)

deeman

griff

lk_97

deeman

deeman

lk_97

deeman

deeman

oldschoolrider

deeman

scott250

deeman

Al Wyn

jeff spicoli

deeman

Al Wyn