Boris Becker (BB) London Club

[zumzool]

Today I played with my London with 5 grams of lead at 2/10 and on the throat and kept the balance the same. The results of this experiment weren't quite what I was expecting.

At first I found the added weight very welcoming. More pop and stability and my volleys and overhead smashes were awesome. My groundstrokes felt more solid on impact as well. However, as I continued playing, the negative side of adding more weight became more apparent. I wasn't getting as much spin on my shots as I expected and the lack of whippiness in the racquet really affected my ground strokes more than I thought it would. i was hitting long quite a bit because of the lack of top spin. It wasn't until I switched to my other London that I began appreciating it in stock form.

I immediately got my spin back on my serves and my ground strokes with more action on my balls. For me, the lightness of the racquet really allows me to whip, maneuver and control the racquet better than with the added weight. On ball impact, I find that whatever little instability there is, actually helps me by allowing my hand to twist to get on top of the ball on my forehand for added top spin. So for now, I'll just have to figure out how to improve my volley's without the added plow through... it's just a trade off you have to deal with.

I would say that if your more of a flat hitter then adding about 4-5 grams would be beneficial... but if you are more of a top spin hitter like me, I'd stick with the stock weight.

[zumzool]

Originally Posted by Torres

I find that difficult to believe. Stroke for stroke the heavier racket is always going to a more penetrating ball. Also that tool takes no account of swing length or swing speed

So why are light & stiff non-players frames(ie. less advanced players frames) more powerful than players frames such as the PB10?
Because there is more to gauging power than just how heavy a ball it can produce.
Power levels also depend on beam thickness, racquet stiffness, and other factors.

[JackB1]

Zum...I agree with you about racquet power. A heavy racquet is harder to swing fast, so you reach a point where the power diminishes because you can't maintain your swing speed. That's why all baseball players don't use 36 oz bats. They can get more bat speed with a 33 oz. and therefore more power.

I played some more today with my London and had really good results. I tried really relaxing my arm and letting the racquet drop and my wrist stay laid back and the results where less balls sailing long. If I do everything right, the topspin the London generates always pulls the ball back down into the court. You can hit with a nice pace with a relaxed medium swing. If you muscle the ball and catch it too flat, it might sail on you. I think now, I just need to find the right string combination that lets the London do it's thing.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by Torres

The various comments in this thread and the other one, about the London are intriguing....the views are so different. It's also as people are talking different racquets, so some people aren't evaluating it accurately.

Where are the views so different? It seems to me like 90% of the people love the racquet and say nothing but good things about it. The comments all seem to be similar too, about the racquet's outstanding stabilty for it's weight and the great topspin available and the nice flex and comfort. I have found people's evaluations of the London pretty consistent in what they are saying.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by TimothyO

I too have a sensitive arm due to other sports (eg fencing). I string VS17 mains at 50# and Xcel Premium 17 crosses at 52#. It's not just easy on the arm but short sessions seem almost therapeutic (as with my PB10 Mid)!

I use NRG2 mains and copoly crosses and I guess that multi mains are somewhat similar to gut mains. Do u use Xcel crosses to lessen the cost of a full gut job? I would like to try gut mains and copoly crosses. I have never strung gut before. Do u do anything different stringing gut than when stringing poly or multi?

[Pneumated1]

Originally Posted by JackB1

I played some more today with my London and had really good results. . . . I just need to find the right string combination that lets the London do it's thing.

Jack, you're killing me here! Just remember, when you fall out of love again with the London, keep me in mind.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by Pneumated1

Jack, you're killing me here! Just remember, when you fall out of love again with the London, keep me in mind.

I know It's not intentional, believe me.

[djNEiGht]

London owner too

so far have it w a BB leather grip and an overgrip w x-1 17 @ 60#s. i want to try a geared/shaped/rough string next.

I got this racquet to fit in between my ntour & my turbo pro. i don't know yet if it's the one for me that i'd buy 1 or 2 more.

[JackB1]

So what is everyone's stringing setup with their London's???

[Snipereyez]

Count me in. I have mine strung with Gaucho 16 / MSV 17 @ 50/52lbs. I've tried natural gut before and didn't quite like the "softness" so I'm still getting used to it. I second the post about the ball flying out of control when going all out and not applying enough topspin. I love the dwell time and my sbh is much much better but my forehand is still struggling a bit and will need some adjustments. Btw...I came from the Kblade 98.

[coolblue123]

Using GC Maximals this round. Nice soft Multi Strings. Plays very similar to NXT's w/ alittle less crispness.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by Snipereyez

Count me in. I have mine strung with Gaucho 16 / MSV 17 @ 50/52lbs. I've tried natural gut before and didn't quite like the "softness" so I'm still getting used to it. I second the post about the ball flying out of control when going all out and not applying enough topspin. I love the dwell time and my sbh is much much better but my forehand is still struggling a bit and will need some adjustments. Btw...I came from the Kblade 98.

I had to adjust a little as well, but now I am finding my range with the London while swinging hard on my f/h. I learned to really relax the arm so
the racquet drops and the wrist lays back. Then it's much easier to come over the ball with proper topspin. I was also used to a closed pattern racquet and the open pattern of the London hit a little higher trajectory over the net than I was used to.

[skeeter]

Originally Posted by JackB1

I had to adjust a little as well, but now I am finding my range with the London while swinging hard on my f/h. I learned to really relax the arm so the racquet drops and the wrist lays back. Then it's much easier to come over the ball with proper topspin. I was also used to a closed pattern racquet and the open pattern of the London hit a little higher trajectory over the net than I was used to.

Liken that new avatar there, Jack! And glad you're feeling better about the London these days. I continue to enjoy mine and have also worked on my technique a bit to provide more topspin such that my baseline shots are deep and penetrating, but IN. I've found that loosening up my grip a little has also helped.

[TennisMaverick]

Originally Posted by skeeter

Liken that new avatar there, Jack! And glad you're feeling better about the London these days. I continue to enjoy mine and have also worked on my technique a bit to provide more topspin such that my baseline shots are deep and penetrating, but IN. I've found that loosening up my grip a little has also helped.

Did you solve your NRG2 tension issues?

The London is a "feel" stick. Long dwell time and feel go hand-n-hand. Holding the stick loser, gives you more feel.

IMO, some of you are making this much more difficult than it is. After hitting a few balls, your hand should make the adjustment to the London from wherever stick it was you came from. Feel sticks make transitions easy. Feel...don't think. Too much paralysis from analysis.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by skeeter

Liken that new avatar there, Jack! And glad you're feeling better about the London these days. I continue to enjoy mine and have also worked on my technique a bit to provide more topspin such that my baseline shots are deep and penetrating, but IN. I've found that loosening up my grip a little has also helped.

It's starting to click more recently. I just have to find my optimum string setup. I have been using NRG/CoPoly but think maybe I will try the reverse and see how that works. Coming from the closed pattern Instinct, it's weird, but the London has more topspin "potential", but it also is easier to sail balls long if you don't get under it properly. It's a little tough to flatten out shots without hitting them long though....I am still working on that. Topspin deep rally shots aren't a problem anymore, but I want to be able to hit those flatter winners into the open court when the opportunity is there. I will also try loosening up my grip, like you have done.

[skeeter]

Originally Posted by TennisMaverick

Did you solve your NRG2 tension issues?

The London is a "feel" stick. Long dwell time and feel go hand-n-hand. Holding the stick loser, gives you more feel.

IMO, some of you are making this much more difficult than it is. After hitting a few balls, your hand should make the adjustment to the London from wherever stick it was you came from. Feel sticks make transitions easy. Feel...don't think. Too much paralysis from analysis.

Yes on the NRG2; feels good. What I'm learning from the London is that the dwell time and overall feel of the racquet is actually "causing" me to loosen my grip and keep a relatively relaxed arm; not something that I'm consciously thinking about too much.

Originally Posted by JackB1

It's starting to click more recently. I just have to find my optimum string setup. I have been using NRG/CoPoly but think maybe I will try the reverse and see how that works. Coming from the closed pattern Instinct, it's weird, but the London has more topspin "potential", but it also is easier to sail balls long if you don't get under it properly. It's a little tough to flatten out shots without hitting them long though....I am still working on that. Topspin deep rally shots aren't a problem anymore, but I want to be able to hit those flatter winners into the open court when the opportunity is there. I will also try loosening up my grip, like you have done.

I read somewhere that loosening the grip on serves can provide more racquet head speed, thus more pop, and it works for me pretty well. As noted above, I've started to naturally keep the same loosened grip on the London on my other strokes due to the dwell time and, as TM noted, I'm getting more feel and more control.

TM suggested in a previous thread that the London can hit very flat with poly mains and multi crosses, with crosses 2-4 lbs looser. You might try that on your next string job.

[Dedans Penthouse]

Tennis Maverick, need your assistance in the 'other' BB London thread ("BB London SW and Flex"). Thanks.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by skeeter

It was suggested in a previous thread that the London can hit very flat with poly mains and multi crosses, with crosses 2-4 lbs looser. You might try that on your next string job.

I will, but I usually string the multi 2-4 tighter than the poly, due to the multi being more powerful and elastic compared to the poly. I know there used to be a general advice on Volkl racquets to string the crosses looser, but I dont think that applies to the London. Do you have the exact post referencing what was said?

[s_andrean]

I live in London, and I've met Boris... can I join?

[TennisMaverick]

Originally Posted by Dedans Penthouse

Tennis Maverick, need your assistance in the 'other' BB London thread ("BB London SW and Flex"). Thanks.

I took care of it.