Skyway build

[Mars]

Very small update. The front self-centering mechanism turned up today so I'm pretty close to completing but I have been warned by a number of people that the new Skyway brake pads are just not going to cut the mustard with calipers (as opposed to V-brakes) so I need to think about alternatives.

Clearly paying ~£120 for a set of 4 brake pads is nuts and I have actually run out of cash now anyway, but I confess if another set of unused Skyway pro pads turned up again then I might have to sell a kidney or something.

Outstanding items:

Grips - On order. Should be delivered this week (actually tomorrow)
Calipers - On order. Should be delivered the first week in May

Optional items:

Decent brake pads
Weinmann semi automatic adjusters (I have no idea why they think there's even the slightest amount of "automatic-ness" about those adjusters but a name's a name )

[robport1]

How About this NIge??????

[Mars]

So you've joined PH at last. It's customary to welcome newbies, but we'll make an exception for you.

Joking aside, looks really good Rob. Can't wait to be able to get out and play together. I'm hoping I will feel more like 14 than 42 when I get to use the TA, but suspect I'll feel closer to 62 when I'm back home aching.

[Mars]

Needs more green. Pedals, chainwheel, seat... just to balance it out. That colour looks lickable - like a lolly. Nothing outside of children's sweets is naturally that colour. You should get an Opal Fruit sticker for the frame.

[M5 Russ]

Wow a superb thread. I had an Aero Pro and my mate had a Skyway TA and a third mate a rare Harrow freestyler. Us 3 ruled Larkfield in Kent back in the early 80's.
There was once a BMX show in Martin Square which was attended by the god known as Andy Farrell.

No pics but this thread has bought back some happy memories.

[splodge s4]

M5 Russ said:

A god known as Andy Farrell.

You mean Andy Ruffell?

[allegro]

Mars said:

Needs more green. Pedals, chainwheel, seat... just to balance it out. That colour looks lickable - like a lolly. Nothing outside of children's sweets is naturally that colour. You should get an Opal Fruit sticker for the frame.

Welcome to Ph Rob . Totally agree with Mars, those black bits look a bit odd. Green is a pretty popular colour these days so you shouldn't have any trouble replacing them. White or even orange may be a different option.

Sweet ride, love the mags and tyres

[Mars]

Boo. My Aaron Ross grips have been delayed until early May.

[Obiwonkeyblokey]

Hi Mars

I emailed you this morning about my dilemma whether to purchase the chrome F&F on ebay or the complete bike. anyway - i couldnt hold out much longer and am now the proud owner ( hopefully as Ive paid for it) of the chrome frame and forks set. Im going to be following your thread closely and will post pics as I go.



excited....

[Mars]

Ha - just replied with a recommendation to buy the frame (along with a 20,000 word essay ).

One thing - chrome is MUCH tougher than powdercoat. My dropouts have suffered from previous use (why do people not use washers?) whereas yours ought to look fine, even up close.

Good luck with this. Put your progress report and pics on this thread too please. It'll keep it alive.

Nice one.

[Mars]

Also, note your frame number here (PH) and here:

http://www.radbmx.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1649...

Mine's:

Skyway 4-84
0010448

At least if it's ever stolen, you have a record of it at a certain point in time then.

[Obiwonkeyblokey]

will do- thanks, and thanks for the email as well. In the end compulsion got the better of me!

[Mars]

Obiwonkeyblokey said:

In the end compulsion got the better of me!

My brother spent a while sending me Ebay links to frames and bikes for sale. I resisted for a while, then after deciding to postpone the purchase of another sportscar for a while (until the job security thing got a bit better) I blew my deposit on the frame and components inside a matter of weeks.

I know compulsion.

[allegro]

Hey Mars, quick update for you. I have been riding my goose hard at the skate park this weekend hoping to bed in my skyway pads. After alot of fine tuning they are better but still no where near as good as i want

I have been looking into it on the forums and the general consensus is that the softer compound clear pads are the way to go. A few have recommended Odyssey so i am going to give them a go. Should keep my white mags clean too

[Mars]

allegro said:

Hey Mars, quick update for you. I have been riding my goose hard at the skate park this weekend hoping to bed in my skyway pads. After alot of fine tuning they are better but still no where near as good as i want

I have been looking into it on the forums and the general consensus is that the softer compound clear pads are the way to go. A few have recommended Odyssey so i am going to give them a go. Should keep my white mags clean too

Funnily-enough, I must have read the same forums and have concluded that I might as well try to sell my Skyway pads on un-used.

I wonder though what sort of chance I'd have rejecting them and gaining a refund from the shop? Clearly they're terrible and not a patch on the original pads, and because they're sold specifically for Skyway wheels, if they're that bad surely I'd have some rights to reject?

[allegro]

Mars said:

Funnily-enough, I must have read the same forums and have concluded that I might as well try to sell my Skyway pads on un-used.

I wonder though what sort of chance I'd have rejecting them and gaining a refund from the shop? Clearly they're terrible and not a patch on the original pads, and because they're sold specifically for Skyway wheels, if they're that bad surely I'd have some rights to reject?

I would take them back. It strikes me that Skyway are following a few other old school manufacturers and trading on their own brand with less than superior products. The Skyway grips you can get look pretty cheap and the pads i have turn to dust after a session. Its like using a dry old eraser. I'm guessing they have concentrated on the tuffs and farmed the other parts out to the lowest bidder. Maybe i am being a bit harsh but i just expected better.

On a brighter note i met two guys at the skate park yesterday, one had a Hutch trick star and the other had a white Skyway TA very similar to yours except he had green tuffs. Wasn't sure about the green with the red and blue decals but DAMN!! those TA's look sweet up close. Very envious of you now

[Mars]

allegro said:

I would take them back. It strikes me that Skyway are following a few other old school manufacturers and trading on their own brand with less than superior products. The Skyway grips you can get look pretty cheap and the pads i have turn to dust after a session. Its like using a dry old eraser. I'm guessing they have concentrated on the tuffs and farmed the other parts out to the lowest bidder. Maybe i am being a bit harsh but i just expected better.

I think I will contact the seller and express my disatisfaction with them, and see where that takes us. They were only £12 delivered (2 sets) so it's not like I'm out of pocket but if enough people did this, perhaps Skyway would take notice.

In fact, I'm tempted to contact Skyway directly.

allegro said:

On a brighter note i met two guys at the skate park yesterday, one had a Hutch trick star and the other had a white Skyway TA very similar to yours except he had green tuffs. Wasn't sure about the green with the red and blue decals but DAMN!! those TA's look sweet up close. Very envious of you now

Eeee Green Tuffs? [shudder]

The TA is a nice geometry - it just feels right when you sit aboard.

Some friends of ours moved into the same street recently, and invited us round for BBQ on Saturday night. They're next door neighbour is a born-again BMXer. When we heard him entertaining friends in his garden, we jumped over the fence for 10 mins to view his mid-school bikes and his friend's new-school (is that even a term?) cruiser. I liked the cruiser but the mid-school BMXs seemed bland but BOY they're about half the weight of my TA.

I just hope I know what I'm doing (would be a first).

[Mars]

Note to Skyway on their "contact us" website:

Disappointed Brit said:

I am disappointed with the Skyway "slim" brake pads I bought recently. The old style "pro" pads I had on my TA back in the '80s (the ones with the circular "cooling" fins) would afford enough friction to allow me to stand the bike on its nose, but these new ones are hopeless. They're too hard.

I'm using a black set on a pair of new Graphites with well set-up caliper brakes (on another TA).

I've tested a set of Odyssey clear pads and they are amazing - more like the Skyway pads of old.

What's the deal Skyway? I'm not after money back - they're not expensive items - I just want working brakes and I love the brand.

Kind regards from the UK.

[allegro]

Are you sure they were not aluminium bikes? It was pretty popular from mid school onwards. I have always found that old school stuff is way lighter than new school, the tubing is thinner and smaller in diameter for one thing.

I have heard alot of people comment on the geometry of the TA and how it was probably the best of the old school stuff. I am more a freestyle frame person myself but i would happily make an exception for a TA.
Love the tapering tubing on the chainstays

[Mars]

allegro said:

Are you sure they were not aluminium bikes? It was pretty popular from mid school onwards. I have always found that old school stuff is way lighter than new school, the tubing is thinner and smaller in diameter for one thing.

I have heard alot of people comment on the geometry of the TA and how it was probably the best of the old school stuff. I am more a freestyle frame person myself but i would happily make an exception for a TA.
Love the tapering tubing on the chainstays

Oh, they were definitely aluminium frames - not sure about forks. That and the spoked alloy wheels was the main reason for their lightweight. I applaude their technical superiority but still find them characterless.