Skyway build

[Greg Marston]

Looking awesome bro, not long now until is complete, then you need to hang it on your wall somewhere!

[Mars]

Oh no, this is no garage/carpet queen. It's going to get used - probably more than the Whyte.

Having said that - I don't remember the gearing being quite that hard to pedal. I know I'm a lot heavier but my legs must be as weak as jelly these days.

Can't really use it until the calipers turn up. Got anywhere with yours? Measured the fork diameter yet?

Fancy a slow tour of Arrow Valley tomorrow? I'm taking the kids.

[Greg Marston]

Hello there, struggling tomorrow, I managed roughly 31 mils at an average of 16mph this morning, so time with the family is a bit on an issue. I am trying to get George up and running on his bike but he is struggling to pedal, brake and balance all together and in the end gives up....giving him another tutorial tomorrow..

[Mars]

Fairy nuff. Pity you can't get a trailer for George and Charlie together. They'd love it, but if you've already done your bit this morning I imagine sitting on a saddle again tomorrow holds little appeal.

I've just been out on my Skyway for about 100 metres. Don't like it without brakes but I'm starting to get used to the looks of those tyres. In fact there's something about them I now find rather attractive. It's like I now prefer cars with larger sidewalls. Don't like skinny tyres at all. Love the look of those 1970s Ferraris with nice fat tyres. And your truck was the inspiration for us going for bigger tyres on the ML (although not THAT big ).

In some of the pics of my original TA whitewalls you can see those tyres were sort of square in cross-section. These new ones look nice and round, and because I've got them at about 90psi, they are rock hard and roll like a roadbike.

The WI ENO freewheel is incredible too. It clicks with German-sounding precision (I know they're American). In fact, moe gratuitous pics are required (won't have the brakes until May so have to do something to keep interest up)

Tyres (and that amazing BB):



That crank:



WAAAAH. I want my brakes:

[Gooby]

Mars said:

Did I mention wheelie? This was from ~1988:

he he - now I know what Snake Plissken would have looked like in BMX Bandits!

Cool build BTW

[Mars]

Gooby said:

he he - now I know what Snake Plissken would have looked like in BMX Bandits!

Cool build BTW

I swear the person in that picture is dead. In fact if you saw me now, you'd assume I ate him.

[Mars]

P.S. The new MX1000 calipers are slightly different to the originals. The originals has vertical cable adjusters with little gears to translate the rotation to the right plane (hope that makes sense). The new ones use a little plastic wheel, as per the originals, but in the same plane as the adjuster itself. Shame but nothing I can do there.

The new ones don't have the centring mech either, but at great additional expense (in for a penny...) I've managed to find a rear one. If anyone knows where I might find a front one, I may as well make an offer on it.

[allegro]

Damn! i saw one of them the other night somewhere and nearly bought it as a spare. Cant remember where. Will have a look in my history tonight when i get in from "work".

[Mars]

Thanks. I can't find one myself. If I have to wait, I will. In fact I suspect there's a better way than these anyway but I used to have them, so I want them again. [where's the :shrug: smiley?]

[Mars]

Also, if anyone manages to find a pair (or even just one) Weinman Semi Automatic adjuster, I'd be interested.

[allegro]

Struggling to find that bloody self centering bolt although i have just stumbled on these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/clever-Weinmann-Semi-Auto-Brak...

[Mars]

allegro said:

Struggling to find that bloody self centering bolt although i have just stumbled on these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/clever-Weinmann-Semi-Auto-Brak...

Brilliant..!! Thanks a lot. I've asked him about postage to the UK. I'm definitely going to go for these.

There's a chap selling the Skyway Pro brake blocks/pads in the US. He originally had them up for $250 (£155) plus postage but I baulked... He's relisted them at $200 now but I still think it's too crazy. But I want them. I really do.

I'm mad. I must be.

[Mars]

Ah, he's ended the auction for the Pro brake blocks. That's kind of a relief to be honest.

[allegro]

How about these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/KOOL-STOP-BMX-BRAKE-PADS-VINTA...

or these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-BMX-KOOL-STOP-PRO-PADS...

[Mars]

Unfortunately, they're the wrong colour. I have already bought a set of the modern "long" Skyway blocks but my bro found them to be great on the rear V-brake on his Ripper but rubbish on the front caliper. I worry that calipers can't exert enough pressure/leverage.

Ah well, Alan's BMX has a statement that my calipers should be with them on 2nd May. Guess I'll find out soonafter.

[allegro]

Yeah, im running some of the longer profile skyway pads on my daily rider. Between the flexing calipers and the mag wheels, stopping isn't entirely as i would like. Yes i can stop but a postmans skid takes some effort and endos are impossible without a nice high kerb

[Mars]

Ah that's a shame. I s'pose I'll have to start saving for the next time someone has a set of "pro" pads on Ebay then.

[allegro]

Come to think of it, i should imagine the few extra pounds i have gained since i was 12 don't help with all that extra momentum

[Mars]

Mars said:

allegro said:

Struggling to find that bloody self centering bolt although i have just stumbled on these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/clever-Weinmann-Semi-Auto-Brak...

Brilliant..!! Thanks a lot. I've asked him about postage to the UK. I'm definitely going to go for these.

There's a chap selling the Skyway Pro brake blocks/pads in the US. He originally had them up for $250 (£155) plus postage but I baulked... He's relisted them at $200 now but I still think it's too crazy. But I want them. I really do.

I'm mad. I must be.

These have gone up to £21.47 plus postage (about about tenner). I am thinking of ducking out now - there must be someone in the UK who will have them at a more sensible price, or even a BIN where I can sit and decide up front if I'm gonna buy.

There's meant to be a chap on the UK BMX forum who has these but the last post about it was late last year, and try as I might, I couldn't find his details or a thread indicating where I might apply for them.

[Mars]

I bid even after I said I wouldn't - up to $40 plus $15 P&P but even after that I've been outbid so I'm leaving it there.

However, the guy I bought my rear self-centering mechanism off has a front one, so I've sent him the payment for that too.

I think a pair of Weinmann semi automatic cable adjusters are the very last items I need to complete the build, however they're not going to actually prevent the build. The new MX1000s come with some adjusters - just not THOSE type.

Pretty chuffed all in.

Edited by Mars on Sunday 17th April 00:23