Head Intelligence Radical Oversize
- Thread starter 5sets
- Start date
PBODY99
Legend
I liked the i - version. However, I think the i-Prestige feels better than the LM or model which I used BITD when I was feeling strong.
@5sets you should ask @vsbabolat for his expert input on the history.
@5sets you should ask @vsbabolat for his expert input on the history.
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5sets
Hall of Fame
Okay [emoji108]. Cool. Probably mixed reviews. So far all my different ones feel similar enough to keep in the bag for matchplay. The CandyCane is more heavy with a muted feel.
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vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
There was no titanium Prestige
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
For 2 years the i.Radical was made in Austria then when the LM radical came out HEAD shifted production to China for the i.Radical. This was the start of the draw down of in-house production in Austria for HEAD. The LM Radical was made in Austria for 2 years before the Flexpoint Radical came out. Then the first year of the Flexpoint Radical was made in the Czech Republic before all retail production was shifted to China.
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jmacdaununder2
Legend
Yep, 'i' was certainly where the end began. I remember at some stage trying the - unbeknownst to me Chinese - mp demo and the rep blanching noticeably when I mentioned that the strings must be iffy as the racquet felt so dead and planky - think he'd been hearing that at every stop, but when a Philistine like me noticed he knew things were indeed grim.
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vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
There wasn’t any Chinese i.Radical MP until after the LM Radical MP came out. It took time for all those Austrian i.Radical MP to run through. It wasn’t until year after the release of the Austrian LM Radical MP did you see Chinese i.Radical.
The HEAD Rep would not have been traveling to accounts with a Chinese i.Radical. Those Chinese i.Radical’s were being sold to big box stores and online retailers. Not specialty accounts.
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
Ti.Classic?
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
That’s not a Prestige. The Ti.Classic MP came out in 2002 during the intelligence era of top end racquets. The Ti.Classic MP was made in China during a time when topend premium racquets were made in Austria.
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
Messin' around. Owned the Ti.Classic. Never felt like a Prestige. Still own an i.Radical OS.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
I thought you were serious. Sorry
jmacdaununder2
Legend
We were a large specialized tennis section within a big 'chain' sports store in Melbourne; so we used our relative buying power whenever we could to buy what ever we could, especially large production runs. Even we didn't get - and still don't - a lot of what the rest of the world did. I seem to remember asking why the racquet now said 'Designed In Austria' instead of 'Made In Austria', and was told the manufacturing was now being done in China, and that the racquet was no longer twin tube. I could be wrong, it was a long time ago. (I don't remember - in my dotage - any other - Austrian - i. Radical coming out in our little neck of the woods prior to this i. Radical though.)
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Tennis_Hands
Banned
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
There was no designed in Austria written on the i.Radical. There was a sticker on the butt-cap that had Made in Austria. Also when HEAD had Designed in Austria on the racquet it did not necessarily mean it was made in China. I have Pro Tour 280 that have that but we’re made in Austria and all Prestige Classic that had Designed in Austria on them were made in Austria. They were finished in the Czech Republic.
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vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
In 2005 HEAD announced that production of in-house tennis racquets in Austria and the Czech Republic will end. In Feb and March 2006 HEAD did one last production run of Prestige Classic 600 for the consumer and ended retail production in Austria. Pro stock production continued until 2012Can you write down a timeline with the years of the transition? Much appreciated.
Tennis_Hands
Banned
5sets
Hall of Fame
How does one tell where the Intelligence Radical is made? I heard on the Liquidmetal it’s trapdoor versus sticker. I don’t see any markings on the Intelligence.
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vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
Does it have black rubber paint or hard matte paint? Post up photos.
PBODY99
Legend
@vsbabolat
Did the rubber paint come out first?
Did the rubber paint come out first?
5sets
Hall of Fame
Looks like matte paint, I’ll try to upload some photos, thanks
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jmacdaununder2
Legend
Thanks, yeah, probably getting my Radical and Prestige memories amalgamated lol
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
Just to be clear. Those Prestige Classic 600’s with Designed in Austria on them were all still manufactured in Austria.
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vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
Yes, the rubber paint came out first.
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
I liked the one that jolly passed around for fun.
5sets
Hall of Fame
5sets
Hall of Fame
I think that was the 1993 Trysys 260, the one Andre first used when he signed on with Head. He won the 2001 Australian Open with this Intelligence Radical. This exact one that I have in my possession
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vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
I can’t tell. The only way to tell is to remove the pallets and see that’s on the Hairpin. If the code starts with H22 then it’s made in Austria.
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5sets
Hall of Fame
The iradical felt more brittle and stiffer than the Ti or the LM, even the Austrian versions. I think the Ti is highly underrated on this forum. The Ti was the beginning of when Head started making the radical lighter but it was still made in Austria and still had the traditional Head feel. I have mine heavily modified and frankly, it's nicer than any of the earlier versions. Plush, solid and predictable. I also had the Austrian Irad OS and played very well with it but the Ti just feels better. I've never owned any Chinese radicals though.
5sets
Hall of Fame
Yeah I love the Ti. I put a leather grip on mine. Did you add lead tape? And if so, where?
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5sets
Hall of Fame
Don’t care all that much to take it all apart, but I’m replacing the grip anyways. Is “tk76” of any significance?
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Yeah, I have lots of lead at 3/9, and under the grip as well as a leather grip
5sets
Hall of Fame
Don’t care all that much to take it all apart, but I’m replacing the grip anyways. Is “tk76” of any significance?
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Oh, I just dug up an old thread from 10 years ago that said TK 76 is the type of pallet. Looks like a matte finish anyways
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vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
I believe that’s Austrian. Grey TK76 pallets were made in Austria. The pallets made in China are the TK82.
Don’t care all that much to take it all apart, but I’m replacing the grip anyways. Is “tk76” of any significance?
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B-Line
Rookie
I just picked one up off the Bay for £17 as i'm a big fan of the Ti Radicals.....glad to hear you liked it. I use 4G soft in my rads.
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
What tension?
B-Line
Rookie
23kg
