Chinese or Austrian

[TheLambsheadrep]

I know there was a Chinese version of the Radical Tour 260 OS after the Austria version that had nothing written under the Head logo on the side of the throat (was this a TW SMU?) What about this racquet, it doesn't say the full "Made in Austria", just "Austria" www.flickr.com/photos/38221599@N05/8421754137

[El Zed]

Originally Posted by TheLambsheadrep

I know there was a Chinese version of the Radical Tour 260 OS after the Austria version that had nothing written under the Head logo on the side of the throat (was this a TW SMU?) What about this racquet, it doesn't say the full "Made in Austria", just "Austria" www.flickr.com/photos/38221599@N05/8421754137

Chinese....

[Fearsome Forehand]

Likely China. The butt caps can be telling as well.

Most of the Chinese versions say Designed in Austria. They play similarly to the Made In Austrias IMHO. That racket was made for quite a few years; 6 or 7?

There are several versions going from the Trisys 260 through to the final Chinese made version Radical Tour OS that were sold pre-strung.

Notice almost all rackets are made in China now. Not a big deal IMHO.

[ace0001a]

Yup that's the China made reissue of the Bumblebee Radical Tour OS...a solid stick if you ask me. From what I learned, it was made for big chain sporting goods stores like Big 5. I once tried to buy some from a guy here in the states who told me he was a teaching pro and wanted to unload them because he said he couldn't get a good deal/sponsorship from Head...he said to me he thought it felt/played like a POG OS. I asked him where he got them and he told me Big 5 Sporting Goods. Just like the made in China Pro Tour 280, the Radical Tour OS have been speculated to not have any Twaron in them and are just all graphite. I have a pair of these in my Radical collection...found a local guy who had 3 he was trying to get rid of and he barely used them, ended up getting a great deal on them...told me the same thing that he got them from Big 5.

[Fearsome Forehand]

Yes, they were sold at Big 5, Sports Authority and even TW. I can remember Pro Tours going for 59.99 on TW at the end of production. What a deal ! That was around 2000. Probably a better racket than the $200 ones they are selling right now.

It should be noted that Head never changed the published specs of those frames with regard to their composition. I'm sure they continued to put the same nanogram of aramid fiber in each frame. You guys understand marketing, right? I'm don't think the Radical was ever represented as a twaron frame. Twin tube was the selling feature on those frames. (Although the final version was sold as not having twin tube construction.) The Pro Tour was a twaron frame as were some earlier rackets like the Electra.

I had one of the closeout Radical frames. Good racket but I didn't like oversize so I sold it.

http://wayback.archive.org/web/20010...tml?pcode=RT98

I will say that I have plenty of old great playing frames that don't have any kevlar/twaron etc in them at all. As well, twaron has disappeared from the marketing schemes entirely even though it is still readily available. There is a new gimmick every year in case you haven't noticed. And they are all ground breaking technologies that will take your game to new levels. See a trend?

Long story short, probably Chinese, don't worry about it, still a great frame, regardless.

[TheLambsheadrep]

Originally Posted by ace0001a

he said to me he thought it felt/played like a POG OS.

Do you find this to be true, I love my POG OS! And ya, I think it's pretty common to hear on the boards that any classic head frame that was made/remade in China lacks the twaron, shame

[Fearsome Forehand]

^Doesn't mean that is true. Sort of an unsubstantiated rumor at best. A lot of that on message boards. Don't believe everything you read.

[TheLambsheadrep]

Originally Posted by Fearsome Forehand

It should be noted that Head never changed the published specs of those frames with regard to their composition. I'm sure they continued to put the same nanogram of aramid fiber in each frame. You guys understand marketing, right? I'm don't think the Radical was ever represented as a twaron frame. Twin tube was the selling feature on those frames. (Although the final version was sold as not having twin tube construction.) The Pro Tour was a twaron frame as were some earlier rackets like the Electra.

Ok, I got your joke about marketing, and I can see that even Twaron could be something like what Graphine or Youtek is to us today (but who knows, Twaron could've been the great thing, people seem to love it). If they never changed the published specs, why do people think twaron is absent from the chinese frames? That's my understanding at least, but I could be reading the wrong things here... plus I read the original radical tour (bumblebee) didn't have twin tube, twin tube technology started in the zebra radical

[Fearsome Forehand]

Because someone once theorized the same (without any evidence by the way) and the clueless ran with it like it was gospel. Sort of like an urban legend. It has been repeated so often on this board that is has become the "truth."

Twin tube came and went. Some Rads had it, some didn't. Not sure you would be able to consistently tell the difference between the haves and have nots all else equal.

Anyway, enjoy your racket and don't concern yourself with all this silly marketing nonsense.

[TheRed]

Originally Posted by TheLambsheadrep

Ok, I got your joke about marketing, and I can see that even Twaron could be something like what Graphine or Youtek is to us today (but who knows, Twaron could've been the great thing, people seem to love it). If they never changed the published specs, why do people think twaron is absent from the chinese frames? That's my understanding at least, but I could be reading the wrong things here... plus I read the original radical tour (bumblebee) didn't have twin tube, twin tube technology started in the zebra radical

You're right. Twin Tube was on the second iteration (and 3rd, 4th) radicals. Not sure how much twaron was a gimmick but someone in another thread did note that other companies can make a racquet with the buttery soft feel without twaron. Best example is the yonex rdx 500. That's as close to a 16x19 pro tour 280 as there is.
However, the Austrian and Chinese PT 280s were very different. The chinese ones aren't bad per se, but they're just any other racquet to me. I played with the Austrian ones 15 years ago and nothing felt like them.

[Fearsome Forehand]

^ I have both versions, play both interchangeably, never noted much, if any, difference.

A lot of people agree with me but a lot of people prefer one version over another. I know people who prefer the Chinese versions. I know people who prefer the Austrian versions. I know people, like me, who think they play very similarly. To each his own.

All Pro Tour 280/630's (and Radicals and Prestiges) are great rackets IMHO.

[TheRed]

Originally Posted by Fearsome Forehand

^ I have both versions, play both interchangeably, never noted much, if any, difference.

A lot of people agree with me but a lot of people prefer one version over another. I know people who prefer the Chinese versions. I know people who prefer the Austrian versions. I know people, like me, who think they play very similarly. To each his own.

All Pro Tour 280/630's (and Radicals and Prestiges) are great rackets IMHO.

There may be different Chinese versions but I'm not sure. Some posters noted that the chinese ones were less headlight. My experience confirmed this but it may have just been the ones I hit with. I am definitely not in the camp that thinks Austrian racquets are always better but with the PT 280s, I thought so. I don't think the LM range of racquets were good (they sucked), including the well regarded LM Radical, and all of the early ones were made in Austria.

[Fearsome Forehand]

There are different versions. The racket was in production for about 6 years, maybe 3 of those in China. The differences seem to be mostly cosmetic IMHO.
(Then there are the Czech ones.) The Chinese ones I have were pretty much dead on spec. There is going to be slight variations among all the various versions. That is the nature of any manufactured product especially one that was made in several different plants over 6 years. My favorite of my many PT's is probably a Designed In but that seems to be because I got the customization just right on that one. I think I probably have some of every version because I have so many of them. My take is that all the Pro Tours are great rackets and it is definitely one of my favorite rackets.

[El Zed]

Originally Posted by Fearsome Forehand

There are different versions. The racket was in production for about 6 years, maybe 3 of those in China. The differences seem to be mostly cosmetic IMHO.
(Then there are the Czech ones.) The Chinese ones I have were pretty much dead on spec. There is going to be slight variations among all the various versions. That is the nature of any manufactured product especially one that was made in several different plants over 6 years. My favorite of my many PT's is probably a Designed In but that seems to be because I got the customization just right on that one. I think I probably have some of every version because I have so many of them. My take is that all the Pro Tours are great rackets and it is definitely one of my favorite rackets.

Fearsome, what do you use nowadays?

[Fearsome Forehand]

Primarily Pro Tours, occasionally Prestige Tours, F200's, Estusas, some Pro Stocks and a few esoteric rackets that I have stumbled on to by happy accident, liked and subsequently hoarded. I find playing with different rackets makes tennis less boring.

[El Zed]

Originally Posted by Fearsome Forehand

Primarily Pro Tours, occasionally Prestige Tours, F200's, Estusas, some Pro Stocks and a few esoteric rackets that I have stumbled on to by happy accident, liked and subsequently hoarded. I find playing with different rackets makes tennis less boring.

Thanks, FF - for a second I thought you were going to suggest a shiny new alternative to the Pro Tours that was acceptable to you.... One can hope, right?

[ace0001a]

Doing this from my phone, so.... I would say the reason for the speculation on no twaron being in the China made PT280s and Radical Tour OSes was the way they felt...though one could argue that while the specs were right that the graphite used was different...I'm not trying to argue that but I am just speculating myself. From my view, I think the Austrian Radical 260s felt slightly more muted while the China reissued ones feel more crisp to me much in the way a POG or Donnay Pro One LE OS...which why I would say why the teaching pro guy I wad trying to buy some from said he thought they "felt like" the POG...