ACS Z-Rims Options

[The R]

I remember BITD that people used to say if you bent Z-Rims, all you had to do was stick them in the freezer and they'd pop right back to true. Can anyone verify the the validity of this rumor, or is it a BMX myth? Personally, I never knew of anyone who actually tried it. But it seemed to be known far and wide that Z-Rims would magically true in the freezer.

Never had Z-Rims, not looking to ride any Z-Rims, just wanted to start a new topic. (Hope it hasn't been discussed too much before!) So what is it -- myth or reality?

[Pauly]

That's a much discussed myth/urban legend. Other people heard the same about tuff wheels. If that was the case then people in the northern states would have true wheels every Spring... lol.

[undone]

MYTH BUSTED!!!

Are you kidding?? You can't tell me that you or some-one you know didn't try it. I got in a little trouble for trying it. The only way it would fit was if I left the ice cream out.

All you get from putting a bent Z-rim in the freezer is a cold bent rim.


http://www.23mag.com/com/acs/acs.htm

[The R]

MYTH BUSTED!!!

Are you kidding?? You can't tell me that you or some-one you know didn't try it. I got in a little trouble for trying it. The only way it would fit was if I left the ice cream out.

All you get from putting a bent Z-rim in the freezer is a cold bent rim.


http://www.23mag.com/com/acs/acs.htm

I only had one friend who owned Z-Rims, and he thought they were such piles of crap that he got rid of them in a matter of days. (Or maybe it was a couple weeks -- or maybe they were on his bike that got stolen in a matter of weeks. Seriously he had a white 87 GT Performer with what was the new "S" frame that was stolen only weeks after he got it). Anyway, no one I know ever tried it because no one rode Z rims for any length of time. That photo in the link you gave me pretty much says it all with those things from what I remember -- flex city.

Come to think of it, I wasn't a fan of too many ACS products, the RL Edge wheels and tires being the exception. I never had many problems with the freecoaster (more problems with the coaster brake mechanism in the hubs themselves breaking from the abuse of flatland riding), and I used the pro rotor and 55 stem just because it was stock on the Itson Stroke Zone, but I liked the gyro better. It just seemed ACS made a lot of products that were prone to breaking BITD.

Anyone have any idea where the freezer myth came from?

This post has been edited by The R: Mar 7 2008, 10:06 PM

[BC34c]

First off, I'm not sure where the freezer thing came myself although I used to hear that alot and also "if you hung your bike upside down by the z rims(for winter or storage) they would be out of true" as to this ...... Anyway, no one I know ever tried it because no one rode Z rims for any length of time. That photo in the link you gave me pretty much says it all with those things from what I remember -- flex city. ............I raced my z rims bitd for almost 3 years and the whole reason I loved them was to do just like that picture!!! Everyone always wanted you to do a kickout hard enough to bend your wheels. Yeah they never stayed that true and I went threw a lot spokes and innertubes but hey that was the point of z rims anyway...try that trick with some aluminum rims or mags. Oh I also just finished off some icecream so I may go try this theory out myself..lol

[Hudson]

Everybody knows it only worked with graphites...not regular z's, tuffs.

[Glen]

I remember reading this topic in BMX Plus BITD and I never owned any ZRims.
So I would point the finger in their direction of giving this rumor some legs.

[Ressurrector]

That dude in the link doing a kickout was exactly what I remember they would do. I knew of people that cracked their Z rims from doing just that when it was cold outside.

-logically speaking it makes sense (at least in my head) that if you had a bent rim, the opposite should hold true-meaning use a little heat to soften the composite up than cooling them down to set. not saying sticking them in the oven is a good idea, but what I envision as making this work would be to flip the bike over on its bars/seat and spin the bent rim- apply some heat, hair dryer or similar and see if they straighten out..
One thing I cant figure out is how heat or cold would fix the broken/bent spoke ..lol

oh well, sounded good for a minute.

About that link- Its not exact because ACS was making z-rims long before '85.
I got a NOS red pair in my garage with a matching born on date of july 20 1980
-T

[Xavier Mendez]

So what year were the first Z-Wheels produced? I have a pair of White Mike Buff Z-Wheels that are stamped February 1984.

Xavier

[Ressurrector]

good question. I dont know man, but like I said, mine has a 1980 date stamped inside. Are NOS and certainly do not have any writing on the sides- also they have sunshine hubs. so I dont know what the timeline on ACS- can only attest that the article is not completely accurate.
~T