Do beginning players need a Yoyorecreation Anomaly for $180? Absolutely not. It won't make you play better or learn tricks any faster. Practice will. What makes practice easier? An increase in spin time coupled with stability and little to no unwanted vibration. Increase in spin time is crucial for both beginning players who need the extra time to work on a trick's mechanics as well as pros who can continue their combos without needing to regen or throw again. Stability refers to a yo-yo's ability to remain on axis, in other words not tilt on the string. A stable yo-yo is much easier to learn on because you don't have to fight to get it to remain on plane. Tilting also destroys spin due to the string increasing friction against the inner walls of the yo-yo and the response pads. Vibration is exactly what it sounds like. A properly set yo-yo should spin smoothly on the string, not shake and pulse. Vibration is yet another cause of spin reduction!
UPGRADES BY LEVEL
Make THIS:
Magicyoyo N12 "Shark of Honor." Retail $15 on Amazon.
The Magicyoyo N12 "Shark of Honor" is a quintessential beginning unresponsive yo-yo. If it isn't in every player's collection, it should be. For around $15, the N12 is nicely machined. It has an inverse round shape with a 55mm diameter and 44mm width. The N12 is heavy though, weighing in at 67.58g. Due to the heavy weight along with the factory 8 ball bearing, spin time and balance are not the best. It also has some vibe out of the box from the installed carbon axle. Switching the N12 to a Lotus GoodVibes axle and Lotus bearing, the N12 runs dead smooth and stable without any vibration. Spin time is increased tremendously and the heavier weight no longer reduces the RPMs dropped by the factory 8 ball bearing.
play like this:
Yoyorecreation "Anomaly." Retail $180.
The Yoyorecreation Anomaly. Outer and inner rim bimetal design. It has an inverse round (more O) shape with a diameter of 56.60 and a width of 42.54. The width is pretty narrow and it plays even more so when it hits the string. The Anomaly is also a touch heavy weighing in at 66.8g. The factory bearing and axle are surprisingly decent however, by installing a Lotus GoodVibes Axle along with a Lotus Bearing and you now have perfection on a string.
lessons learned
All Lotus Bearings and GoodVibes axles are tested and run on a collection of hundreds of yo-yos. This collection ranges from inexpensive beginner models all the way to several hundred-dollar competition throws. It took almost two years and literally hundreds of various bearings and axles to arrive at perfection. In addition to gathering information and data for countless prototypes, a greater lesson was learned. You don't have to spend a lot on a yo-yo to get it to run and play fantastically.
JUMP TO:
beginner TO pro
highs or lows
Both the N12 and Anomaly above are straight from the Lotus collection. They are both close in both weight as well as shape with the N12 being wider than the Anomaly and a bit heavier. Any player could get a Magicyoyo N12 for around $15 then make it run and play much closer to the $180 Anomaly by upgrading the two most important components of their yo-yo: its bearing and axle. That player now has a stable yo-yo that can spin for minutes on end with no unwanted vibration for a total investment of under $40 including the N12 yo-yo!
Conventional thinking would say, "If I just buy a more expensive yo-yo, it will already have a better bearing and axle than a cheaper model. Unfortunately it will not. Please click here if you are not familiar with the manufacturing process with regards to factory bearings and axles.
midrange heroes
Midrange yo-yos in the $40-$70 range are most influenced by internal upgrades. It's not uncommon for a player to purchase a $60 dollar yo-yo and have high expectations. When they finally open the box and give it a toss it performs more like a $20 throw. It could have low spin, stability problems, various levels of vibration or a combination of all issues. Total bummer. That $60 yo-yo ends up in a player's throw bag unused. Save that throw! The benefits of upgrading the bearing and axle are immediate. Now instead of running like a $20 yo-yo it will run like a high-end comp model. It might even become your new favorite!
High end benefits
Depending on your level of play it might make sense for you to purchase higher end models that cost over $100. Installing a Lotus bearing and GoodVibes axle will turn more expensive competition geared throws into complete beasts. For example, running a competition bimetal yo-yo with a Lotus SuperGroove Bearing and a GoodVibes Axle must be experienced to be believed. Obviously a player's throw has a lot to do with spin time but it's not uncommon to increase rotation from mere seconds to minutes on end, have zero vibe and finish with tight binds even at low RPMs.
Upgrade your throws!
Lotus Bearings are capable of ludicrous RPMs. GoodVibes Axles are the perfect solution for fixing out of the box or fine-tuning vibration adjustments. All bearing models require no break-in and run almost completely silent. They are all dry lubed (except XD) so there no is need to add any yo-yo lube whatsoever. Both Lotus Bearings and GoodVibes Axles run practically maintenance free and will last the lifetime of your yo-yo. Beginner, midrange, and high end throws will all see immediate improvements. Running the factory 8 ball bearing or a cheap mismatched factory axle, as the "engine" of your yo-yo investment is not an option. Expect the best for your throws. Expect Lotus Bearings.
Looking to see what Lotus Bearing best fits YOUR play style and YOUR yo-yos? Check out the Lotus Bearing Finder.
Looking to see what Lotus Bearing best fits YOUR play style and YOUR yo-yos? Check out the Lotus Bearing Finder.
