Ahmyo Akasha Review

Specs:

• Height: 76mm
• Contact Patch: 57mm
• Duro: 79a
• Skin: Mold Release
• Core: Inset

Design:

The Ahmyo Akasha is the biggest wheel in the Ahmyo line up, has a generous contact patch and features a very popular vented core. What makes the Akasha so unique is its inset design. An inset core is what you get when you flip an offset wheel, meaning the core is closer to the outside lip. This makes the distance between the wheels shorter, by bringing the inside lips closer to each other. Now this has sparked a large debate within the downhill relm if this adds more grip or not, but as more companies start to follow, it seems like the next step or trend in the downhill game at the very least.

Akasha’s large, vented core helps support the lip integrity, increase durability and top roll speed.

Finally the urethane is 79a, not too hard or too soft which allows good roll speed, grip and stopping power.

Downhill:

With its features the Akasha is setup to be a downhill beast. The wheel is fast, grippy and has some serious stopping power. These wheels have a very similar speed to Venom Cannibals, so they are definitely fast enough to keep up in a race. Their stopping power fresh is similar to Orangatang Kegels, so you can kill speed to your desire without worrying about washing out. They also grip lines like Kegels, so they are very consistent. The skin on the wheels is relatively durable, I’d say better than Kegels but not as good RAD Advantages. One thing to be aware of, due to the Akasha’s inset core they have a more snappy slide and a harsher hook up, but it is something you quickly adjust to and hardly notice after riding them for a while. After the skin is gone the wheel is still fast and they turn more into a fast freeride wheel. They are still capable of downhill, but you need to plan your lines properly or you will lose your line since the urethane is very chalky once scrubbed.

Freeride:

Once the Akashas are scrubbed they turn into one of the most fun fast freeride wheels I’ve skated. Due to the massive core they retain speed from slide to slide and have incredibly consistent wear through the whole life of the wheel. With the core being inset the slides are a bit snappier, but due to the duro being a little harder at 79a the slide is much more forgiving once scrubbed. They still have good amount of stopping power even when scrubbed so doing a fast technical run is still possible. As they become smaller they do become more slidey, which is similar to Kegels as well.

And yes, they drop a good amount of thane for you groms out there.

Slide:

The Akasha’s slide is very unique due to its design. With the skin you can expect a lot of stopping power and due to the inset core the hook up is rather snappy and even harsh on occasion. As the wheel becomes more scrubbed the slide becomes more chalky with it being a mix of in and on top of the pavement. The are great freeride wheels because they offer a lot of road feedback, so you can really feel your slide. I will say the Akasha were very consistent on every road and temperatures ranging from 30F to 90F, which was a bonus.  

Conclusion: 

Overall, if you are looking for a wheel that is a solid for downhill and extremely fun freeride then the Akasha would be a great choice. Things to consider though would be their price at $57 its up there, once scrubbed they turn into a freeride wheel and they are actually inset so expect a snappy slide.

Pros: Good downhill to freeride wheel, consistent wear, above average lifespan, fast, dope graphic, inset, big vented core

Cons: Not the best downhill wheel once scrubbed, expensive, inset