Ahmyo Akasha Review
Team Rider Quentin LaChance borrowed a set of Akashas from the shop to give 'em a good rolling. Here's his take:
Performance
The first run I took on these wheels, I immediately noticed how they had a quick roll speed along with being quite nimble. The wheels felt great fresh, but after 3 or 4 slides they were fully broken in.
Once broken in, Akashas started to show a more playful side with not as much grip and much easier slide initiations. Although less grippy than a wheel I’d prefer in, say, a racing environment, I really enjoyed skating them even on faster runs. The wheels slide made throwing stand-up slides way easier than alternatives with a similar shape and style, while also retaining just enough grip to throw scrubby pre-drifts and rail tight turns with confidence. Before trying these wheels I was riding 76a Venom Cobra Core Cannibals and some various freeride wheels for sliding, and I feel these wheels were a great middle ground. The size of the wheel combined with a sharp inner lip, supportive core, makes them a good option for going fast. The stiff outer lip and urethane makes sliding more approachable, consistent, and a lot of fun compared to most wheels of similar shape.
Durability
I found that the all around durability of these wheels was pretty good for the urethane type. They thane a little bit on most hills, but would absolutely dump on rougher stuff. I’m 140 pounds and usually don’t tear through wheels as much as your average rider, and after 5 good session on these wheels they’ve started to get pretty small and naturally less grippy, but still have plenty of life in them.
The wheels also showed to be pretty resilient to flat spotting and ovaling but it certainly wasn't out of the question.
All around I really liked the Ahmyo Akasha's and recommend them to anybody looking for some bigger wheels that can keep up with the pack when you’re hauling, but still be a really good time when you put them sideways.
Setup:
2013 Landyachtz Charlie Horse
Rogue Trucks 50 / 30 split