BB London Tour 93in2 Review

[TennisMaverick]

Think Prestige Classic with the Volkl feel and the heft at 3/9, instead of 2/10. It feels very solid in the hand, and with contact to the ball. Like the rest of the BB Line, and the preceding 10s, the BB 11s, the London Tour has a more oval shaped frame than that of it comparable Volkl cousins, the X10s and PB 10 Mid. It has the London colors, with Melbourne graphics, 18x20 string bed, fully capped grommets, built from the T10 Tour mold, with a responsive lay-up and DC at 3/9. With that being said, the London Tour is an improvement over its forebear, as the ball stays on the frame longer, is less harsh, has more feel, is more controllable, and is more precise. It moves through the air as expected, and is sick crazy precise; it does exactly as you ask it to do.

The London Tour plays well with or without the vibration dampener, but I prefer something in-between, so I put 1.8 grams on the bridge, and two power pads between 5th-6th main. Like the Melbourne, the London Tour is the closest in the line to a traditional graphite frame, with the DC replacing the need for lead tape, so it is easier to accelerate for more spin. I strung my London Tour with Gripper@60M/57C, but in the future, I will follow the old-time, BITD, Volkl recommendations, to enhance spin and increase dwell time. The next string job will be with a 1.5 kg cross string drop, and I will stay there or continue to drop down to the maximum recommendation of 2 kg until I get it right.


London Tour Specs (printed inside throat):

Weight: 320 grams/11.3 oz
Balance: 31.5cm/1.1in HL/8.8 pts HL
Beam Width: 19.5mm
String Pattern: 18x20

There are now 5 serious 10s to choose from: London Tour, Melbourne, PB 10 Mid, X10 295, and X10 325....AND...they all play different.

 

[TennisMaverick]

Photos Originally Posted By Awesome Photographer "suppawat"

*PHOTOS ORIGINALLY POSTED BY AWESOME PHOTOGRAPHER "SUPPAWAT". THANKS SUPPAWAT!!!

 

[TennisMaverick]

Photos Originally Posted By Awesome Photographer "suppawat"

*PHOTOS ORIGINALLY POSTED BY AWESOME PHOTOGRAPHER "SUPPAWAT". THANKS SUPPAWAT!!!

 

[jayserinos99]

When's the release date?

 

[TennisMaverick]

When's the release date?

Break-out promo at the Open.

 

[crosscourt]

Wasn't the original London a slightly more powerful racket than others -- Legend, Melbourne -- in the BB line? Does the decision to brand this stick as the London mid mean that it is similarly more powerful than other mids?

cc

 

[TennisMaverick]

Wasn't the original London a slightly more powerful racket than others -- Legend, Melbourne -- in the BB line? Does the decision to brand this stick as the London mid mean that it is similarly more powerful than other mids?

cc

There is only one other mid, the PB 10. Power is dependent upon string tensions and how you modify your PB 10 Mid, as no one plays with it stock. Generally speaking, the DC sticks are more string bed responsive than the PB sticks. But if a gun were to my head, I would say that the London Tour is slightly more powerful.

 

[coolblue123]

Thanks for the review TM. Quick question for you. Do you have the specs for where the strings skips in the string pattern?

Also, is the dwell time more in this version or the original London?

 

[TennisMaverick]

Thanks for the review TM. Quick question for you. Do you have the specs for where the strings skips in the string pattern?

Also, is the dwell time more in this version or the original London?

It does not have the same dwell time as the London.

Skip a hole between the 7th and 8th main, top and bottom, and between the 8th and 9th main, top and bottom, on both sides. The crosses go into the remaining holes.

 

[coolblue123]

It does not have the same dwell time as the London.

Skip a hole between the 7th and 8th main, top and bottom, and between the 8th and 9th main, top and bottom, on both sides. The crosses go into the remaining holes.

Thanks! You are not kidding when you say a dense pattern.

 

[OnyxZ28]

Does BB plan on releasing a DC update of the T10G1MP? I know a lot of people on these boards were fond of that racket.

 

[dParis]

Does BB plan on releasing a DC update of the T10G1MP? I know a lot of people on these boards were fond of that racket.

As much as I'd like to see it, as TMav points out, there are going to be five 10 series options available. I don't see a sixth in the future. Wait! Not five, but six! Forgot about the C10.

I don't see a seventh option in the future. (Then again, there are six - why not a seventh?)

Going back to when BB released the Legend and seeing the similarities to the T10, I had begun hoping for a DeltaCore Tour 10mp. Something of a cross between the London and the Legend. Would have been sweet.

As it is, I've found the Organix X10-295 to be a more capable racquet (to my surprise). It does everything the T10mp does only easier and dare I say better. Much like the Tour 10mp, the X295 has no real peer among racquets available today that I have used. The only thing missing from the X295 is the buttery feel that the T10mp possesses, though the firm, responsive yet comfortable feel of the X10 is growing on me rather nicely.

 

[dje31]

I'm a little disappointed the London Tour is not a 16x19, but I suppose they already have that with the PB10Mid. That doesn't mean I won't try it. My T10Mid is 18x20 as well, so I'm used to it.

That sure looks like Prestige burgundy, doesn't it?

 

[ptr]

Sweetspot is ok? for 2hbh.

 

[TennisMaverick]

Sweetspot is ok? for 2hbh.

Dude..........

 

[Agent Orynge]

Um, can the mods merge these new London threads? Lots of redundant pictures, lots of redundant comments, lots of clutter.

 

[dje31]

Um, can the mods merge these new London threads? Lots of redundant pictures, lots of redundant comments, lots of clutter.

Man, AO, you are just a dog in the manger, aren't you?

 

[Agent Orynge]

Man, AO, you are just a dog in the manger, aren't you?

I beg your pardon?

 

[TennisMaverick]

How coincidental...dinner time in NYC again....just watched the NL get out of a jam after Cliff Lee, who didn't have the guts to play in a real city, put two on-base. Glad for the take-out delivery; the aroma just masks the stink.

With that said, this stick just got a great review from a player who just borrowed and returned my demo. I'll write about it later. Also, I will start a few X8 315 threads, probably next week, as my stick is shipping to me tomorrow.

 

[dje31]

The Dog in the Manger

I beg your pardon?

I should let folks look it up on their own, but what the hey? The opening paragraph pretty well sums it up:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dog_in_the_Manger

 

[roundiesee]

TM and Suppawat- Thanks! Absolutely gorgeous racket! Any idea how it plays compared to the PC 600 and the YTP Mid?

 

[Agent Orynge]

I should let folks look it up on their own, but what the hey? The opening paragraph pretty well sums it up:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dog_in_the_Manger

Oh, I wasn't really curious about what you said to me, just why you would say it at all. No one else thinks it's ironic that TM's lovers won't leave me alone? That's what I thought.

 

[TennisMaverick]

TM and Suppawat- Thanks! Absolutely gorgeous racket! Any idea how it plays compared to the PC 600 and the YTP Mid?

Its not far from the PC 600, although its a little lighter, but slightly head heavier to make-up for the difference. Big difference, you don't have to add lead tape; the DC nano carbon really resists bending at 3/9. Otherwise, it is a traditional graphite frame, as the PC 600 was. The heft of the London Tour is also at 3/9, as opposed to a little higher-up on the Prestige, so you get more racquet head acceleration, which is useful for today's game.

 

[TennisMaverick]

All-Star Game is still on; top of the 9th. Food's gone; but it still stinks. Need more aromatic take-out food.

6.0 Player's Quick Review: Stick plays as advertised. Very solid. Good feel with access to spin, almost as much spin as the Melbourne, even though it is a 93in2 and built to drive through the back of the ball. He said that in his opinion, the best quality about the frame was how good it felt on contact.

 

[TennisMaverick]

Brian Wilson...the Yankees are now going without home field advantage in the Worlds Series. Now it really stinks! I'm going to have to pound my frustrations out tomorrow with my anti-insurgent London Tour.

 

[Agent Orynge]

All-Star Game is still on; top of the 9th. Food's gone; but it still stinks here. Need more aromatic take-out food.

If you don't like the smell, perhaps a change of venue is in order. This time you might even do so voluntarily!

 

[ptr]

Dude..........

I didn't notice that thread before Voelkl thread

 

[TennisMaverick]

Additional Info From a 6.5 Futures Player

The stick hits a very heavy ball, even though it is a light 320 grams--which makes it easily customizable. The plow thru is great, and the RPM and MPH on slice BHs is huge. Serve has a lot of pop.

 

[vsbabolat]

The stick hits a very heavy ball, even though it is a light 320 grams--which makes it easily customizable. The plow thru is great, and the RPM and MPH on slice BHs is huge. Serve has a lot of pop.

Can't wait to hit with it. Sounds just like my Prestige Classic 600.

 

[TennisMaverick]

Just Posted on TW's Sale Pre-Sale Site

Plush.
Cushioned.
Awesome feel.
Hits a heavy ball, stock.
RPM and MPH on slice backhands has to be seen.
Capped grommet provides for a lot of plow thru.
The lighter weight allows for a lot of customization.
Switched from my 396 gram PB 10 Mid to this at a customized 360 grams.
Closest thing to a Classic Prestige.

 

[bruinduke]

TM how does the 18x20 play? Love everything about the specs, but for the fact that it's not 16x19.

 

[TennisMaverick]

TM how does the 18x20 play? Love everything about the specs, but for the fact that it's not 16x19.

I'm not sure what you mean, but there is massive control and good dwell time due to cupping, not ball compression.

 

[MayDay]

1. Is there a reason why BB is priced lower than volkl?
2. Wow, 55 soft. So tempting.
3. They even made "Made in China" fonts stylish.

 

[TennisMaverick]

1. Is there a reason why BB is priced lower than volkl?
2. Wow, 55 soft. So tempting.
3. They even made "Made in China" fonts stylish.

1. Promoting sales. The Volkl X-Line sold a year's worth of sticks by April.
2. It is very soft. A little lead tape and you change its character big time.
3. Is that an attempt at anti-Chinese racist hate humor?

 

[MayDay]

No, not making fun or anti-Chinese. Just thought it was different that it was part of the blurry part of the picture in stylish fonts. I normally only see "Made in China" in small standard fonts or as a sticker, not something desgined into the graphics of the racket.

I really enjoy my pb10mid, so this is definitly an interesting racket to check out.

 

[Bartelby]

The made in china sticker is large but not on a part of the frame designed for easy viewing.

Babolat's made in china engineered in france kind of gives equal billing to China.

But one day soon the yonex snobs will be saying 'mine is not made in china, unfortunately'

 

[Bartelby]

The average weight of tw's sticks seems 5 grams lighter than stock, which I'm not unhappy with, but maybe others?

 

[dParis]

3. They even made "Made in China" fonts stylish.

3. Is that an attempt at anti-Chinese racist hate humor?

Here we go again...

 

[TennisMaverick]

Here we go again...

He replied, "No"....so we're over and out.

 

[TennisMaverick]

Answer to a T10 Mid Lover

"The London Tour is a DC nano T10 Mid, but better. If I made a comparison, that would be it. With minimum mods, it is a far better stick, and can be turned into a Volkl feeling Classic Prestige. The DC at 3/9 adds stability, which increases bite. It is also softer than the T10, which is good for me, because I had to string them tight to keep the power under control and it bothered my arm. The softness also its a heavier ball, and its responsiveness is better, so volleys have better feel and more accuracy."

 

[Agent Orynge]

Unoffensive post is unoffensive.

 

[borgpro]

Several posters state its solid feel and good plough through, but the SW of 308 seems really low to me..

Does it play like the kblade tour? I thought that stick had a nice feel but was too flimsy as well for a players stick

 

[TennisMaverick]

Several posters state its solid feel and good plough through, but the SW of 308 seems really low to me..

Does it play like the kblade tour? I thought that stick had a nice feel but was too flimsy as well for a players stick

It was designed to be customized, and to keep the weight low enough so that there are no complaints that it is too heavy for those who prefer it to be played stock.

As I've mentioned before, it hits a heavier ball than my PB 10 Mid does at 396 grams.

 

[TennisMaverick]

From Boris Becker Tennis- Just In!

DC London Tour

The DC London Tour is designed with the hard-core tournament player in mind. The flexible frame offers tremendous control and touch, while our patented Delta Core material enhances the frame to offer more power and stability. The 93 square inch head, along with the 18 X 20 string pattern will help provide the true player a heavy, crisp shot. The unique combination of a flexible power frame is the must have for anyone looking to take their game to the championship level.

Head size 600cm2 | 93 in2
Cross section 20 mm
Weight 320 g | 11.3 oz
Length 68.5 cm | 27 in
Balance 31.5 cm | 1.1 in HL
String pattern 18 x 20

|Sensor Tour Handle System|
|Cushtac Grip|
|DeltaCore, Carbon-Graphite, Fiberglass|

 

[TennisMaverick]

They're in!

 

[Agent Orynge]

They're in!

Don't forget to update the other dozen BB/London/Volkl threads with this info.

 

[JackB1]

They're in!

Where? ...........

 

[TennisMaverick]

Where? ...........

TW was shipped stock.

 

[TennisMaverick]

I beefed-up my London Tour to 360 grams, which is about 12 grams heavier than a stock Prestige Classic. Most classic users I know added at least 12 grams of tape. At this weight, it is now the most plush/buttery Volkl that I have ever played with, including the PB 10 Mid and T10 VE Mid. I permanently switched over last week, and I have just received 5 more frames.

 

[TennisMaverick]

Review: Boris Becker London Tour By Robert Martin

Review: Boris Becker London Tour

By Robert Martin

(October 3, 2011) Typically, when you think of a control racquet with a dense string pattern and a 93 square inch head size, the first thought goes to the Head Prestige line, but it turns out there are other options. The most recent release into this limited market share is the Boris Becker London Tour, which happens to be the most recent update to a discontinued Volkl frame that I actually used for a time, the Tour 10 V-Engine Mid.

With this in mind, the first thing I wanted to look for was the differences, and there were not many. At essentially the same weight, the two frames were nearly identical aside from frame itself. Of course the idea behind the V-Engine frame was to elongate the central main strings by using a V-shaped throat bridge.

The only other appreciable change is the thickness of the beam, which has been increased to a still-thin 20mm in width. While that pretty much sums up the external changes, this is a case where all the magic takes place on the inside.

For those that do not know, Boris Becker actually owns a fair percentage of Volkl, and so they share many of the same technology aspects, in this case, the DNX material that was developed in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute. In the case of Becker frames, these carbon nanotubes are taken to another level and arranged in a delta pattern for added strength and stability.

What does all this mean on the court for players looking for maximum control? Let’s find out.

Disclaimer: My current setup is the Yonex RDiS200 320g strung withYonex Tour Super 850 mains with Yonex Poly Tour Pro 125 crosses at 28/26kg. The London Tour was strung with the same setup.

Boris Becker London Tour:
Head Size: 93 square inches
Length: 27 inches
Weight: 11.5 ounces unstrung
String Pattern: 18 x 20

First Impressions: This is a good looking frame. A deep red color with black accents, one feature that I expected, and appreciate is the, what I will call the “Improved CAP Grommet.” It’s almost an extended bumper guard that goes towards the bottom of the head, protecting the sides of the frame from scratches, but does not have the pieces that cover the strings like the Head variation.

On Court: As cliché as it sounds, it is nearly impossible to look at a frame with these specs and not immediately try to compare it to the Prestige line. With that said, the London Tour offers plenty of directional control and a low powered response.

One of the unique things of Volkl and Becker frames is that they have a more extended head shape than normal, which has a negative impact on the stability of the frame. The addition of the Deltacore material at the sides of the head adds additional rigidity, making up for some of the stability loss.

As expected, baseline play is not this racquet’s strong suit. Between the narrow head shape and the less than optimal stability, I had some issues on the forehand side. I typically hit with a semi-western forehand and moderate spin, but found that the frame seemed better suited to a flatter style, so I began to transition towards a more classic eastern grip.

On the backhand side, I did not have as many issues, as I hit a fairly flat backhand with a compact swing to begin with. The low power level certainly did not make it easy to attack from that side, but control was excellent and I was able to set up the next shot with high success.


By far my favorite aspect of this racquet was its maneuverability and control at the net. Normally I prefer a more open pattern for touch shots, but I did not feel hindered by the 18x20 pattern of this one. There is nothing I would change about the way this racquet performs at net, so I definitely changed to a net-rushing style to get the best results.

Serving, one of the reasons I gave up my old Volkl in the first place. There is something about the Volkl head shape that makes it serve like a Wilson frame. By that I mean that the frame tends to have a large dead spot near the upper hoop, which is where I tend to contact my serves, leaving me wanting more pace. The added stability helped this problem, but it was still there, and very clearly evident in comparison to my current racquet.

I have to say that this was interesting to test. I can definitely feel the improvements over the Volkl I used back in 2005, and despite the specs, this played very differently from the Prestige. In my mind, the Prestige is capable of serving huge, and hits bigger ground strokes, but definitely sacrifices some touch and feel at the net compared to the London Tour.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm right in there with this review, but I attribute the difference in Tour vs Prestige feel to head shape, and that the Prestige's heft is felt closer to 2/10, whereas the Tour's is closer to 4/8. The Prestige is more tip heavy, and you can feel it just by swinging it through the air. I received a text today from a 6.5 player who addressed this, as all of his Tours have 1/2 in lead tape covering the top 8 center mains. The frame is also built from the T10 Mid, not the T10 VE Mid.