new skyways versus 80's skyways

[COZZFATHER]

dunno if its me but i can't see what the big difference is between later 80's (plastic hubb)skyways and the current ones

i have both alloy hubbed and a nos set of later 80's from 87 still got the halfords stickers on, they were 29.95 gbp each.
i prefered the later ones and these have never been on a bike or ever seen a tube tyre or tuff pad,but somehow i feel done over that the ones people prefer are the alloy ones,other than you know there older they wern't as good as the later ones.
anyone got pics of the late 80's ones versus the new ones 
ta

[dannywhiteley]

I suppose if you wanna build an era correct early-mid 80's bike its got to be alloy hubbed.  Also most people probabky remember them from their childhoods more than the plastic hubs.

[SaMAlex]

General rule:

Older/harder to find parts = people want them/will pay more for them

(even if they are worse than newer parts).

[dan-dare]

sealed bearings?

[pickle]

well most of the people i know who actually bought Tuffs BITD rather than getting them on their burners had the Alloy rear and plastic front.  would've been about 83/4 i think 

[Stodgy]

The valve position on the rear is the other way round, sealed hubs, date stamp.

[Swivel]

I prefer both, sealed and alloy hubbed and have both sets. I think it depends on what era of bike you're building 

[COZZFATHER]

its interesting this, i built firebirds up then swapped parts over and built them again and i had both, alloy and plastic
you couldn't get alloy hubbed skyways after about 86 where i lived, i remember loads having the plastic hub and alloy together, even my brothers team pro which he still has is like that.
  i think the late 80's (i have seen them in america as very late 85) plastic  hub skyways don't get the recognition or have
whats the word.................hmmm  ah thats it Kudos they deserve.

[SaMAlex]

Isnt it only the new plastic hubbed skyways that have the sealed bearings?
I think the 80s plastic hub skyways were open bearing.

[pickle]

Yeah i make you right there Alex 

[Flatcap]

Yeah i make you right there Alex 

Didn't the ones Neil Ruffell and CC use have sealed bearings though??

Daz.

[COZZFATHER]

The valve position on the rear is the other way round, sealed hubs, date stamp.

again interesting, i go on ebay america and there is a company selling skyways who boast they are the biggest dealer in the usa
which is nice because you expect them to know their onions,anyway i have read that the new ones out now are taken from a 1985 mould, which may mean the late type ones i have possibly being made in late 85-86.
that to me is still well old school, if they were say 1989 i wouldn't be so keen on them.
as mine have the serial numbers on can you put a date to them ?  these are still like new in fact they look as new as err new ones

[aerostylie]

Question:
I've a set of steel hubbed skyways (PAT No: D244272, serial 0522601)...are they any better or worse than alloy ones....or rarer than alloy hubbed....I don't know so was just wondering?

[pickle]

Paul, the steal hubbed ones were the first ones so i think would be rarer, then they changed them to Alloy ones........could be wrong though mate 

[COZZFATHER]

is there anywhere that has a definitive museum on skyways ie 70's to 08 including all the tuff pads too.
i just about remember seeing pro pads and them longer ones, but i'm telling you its only a matter of time before people get their pants pulled down with skyway stuff by not knowing enough about it.

i see people seling tuff pads all the time and some vendors blatently mislead people into thinking their pads are the correct ones when they arn't