Polymer Tubing as a Ghetto Bumper?

[Maas]

I inherited an older Babolat PureDrive Lite. Not sure of the year. This has a 4-piece gromment set (one bottom, two lower, and one top bumper), and this racquet is missing the top bumper. I ordered one from Tennis Warehouse, but it doesn't quite fit. This racquet won't be my racquet, but would be good for some in my family, who hardly ever play. I don't want to put any more money into this, and would plan to string this myself (noobie stringer).
Would it be possible/advisable to use nylon/teflon/other tubing to protect the strings through the holes for the entire bumper region? This racquet has a recessed channel, so the tubing would likely rest below the frame surface after it is strung. I wouId then probably use 1-2 layers of tape over the top of the racquet to provide some protection to the frame?

I realize this isn't ideal, but it's either this, or just toss the frame. Any thoughts?

 

[BenC]

You could cut out the individual grommets on the bumper so you can fit them individually onto the racquet, then trim the bumper itself to fit. Maybe leave some cross sections intact for the strings to hold it in place.

 

[Irvin]

Uou could replace the grommets with tubing but it sounds like there Is no bumper. Without grommets or a bumper it probably won’t last long. Without a bumper the rackets power will be much lower. I’d toss it if I couldn’t find grommets. If you’re new to stringing replacing the grommets won’t be easy even if you get the right set.

 

[Maas]

Uou could replace the grommets with tubing but it sounds like there Is no bumper. Without grommets or a bumper it probably won’t last long. Without a bumper the rackets power will be much lower. I’d toss it if I couldn’t find grommets. If you’re new to stringing replacing the grommets won’t be easy even if you get the right set.

Thanks. Never considered that the bumper adds power to the racquet. I googled briefly but couldn't see anything. Do you have any sources on this, or is this just something you have found with experience? Not arguing, just genuinely curious about this issue. Never really gave it much thought, but I thought bumper was purely protective and not structural.

 

[BenC]

Thanks. Never considered that the bumper adds power to the racquet. I googled briefly but couldn't see anything. Do you have any sources on this, or is this just something you have found with experience? Not arguing, just genuinely curious about this issue. Never really gave it much thought, but I thought bumper was purely protective and not structural.

The bumper adds mass to the hoop of the racquet pretty much just like adding lead tape would. It doesn't feel like much on its own, but at that end every gram matters.

A few people even go the other way and trim the bumper to reduce swingweight.

Lowering swingweight by trimming headguard

I would like to lower swingweight on my Blade 98 16x19. It measures 330 right now and I would like to get it to 325. I have removed the headguard and it weighs 10 grams stock. Now bear in mind the headguard goes from around 10 to 2 o'clock. Question is how much weight to remove from it to get...

tt.tennis-warehouse.com

 

[Purestriker]

Thanks. Never considered that the bumper adds power to the racquet. I googled briefly but couldn't see anything. Do you have any sources on this, or is this just something you have found with experience? Not arguing, just genuinely curious about this issue. Never really gave it much thought, but I thought bumper was purely protective and not structural.

@Irvin is awesome who has helped me as a newbie stringer. I would trust his guidance and advice.

 

[Maas]

You could cut out the individual grommets on the bumper so you can fit them individually onto the racquet, then trim the bumper itself to fit. Maybe leave some cross sections intact for the strings to hold it in place.

Thanks, BenC. I think this is a reasonable way to go about it (better than tubing.) Per your additional comment on swing weight, any weight to the top of the racquet lost due to eliminating a bumper could be easily replaced with a bit of lead tape, no?

Thanks again for your recommendations.

 

[BenC]

any weight to the top of the racquet lost due to eliminating a bumper could be easily replaced with a bit of lead tape, no?

sure. I don't know if you'd need to worry about lead tape unless you're leaving off large parts of the bumper. I'd try the racquet first after stringing it before going there.

 

[jim e]

If the bumper doesn't quite fit as you said, you can try a compromise set up and cut the guard that you got up in some sections to try and make it fit. Then cover it all with some head guard tape once all strung up

 

[kkm]

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[Steve Huff]

What I would do (and have done on 2 Yonex rackets), is hold the bumper in place, then punch holes in it to line up with the holes in the frame. Use individual grommets, either Fitex or from the grommet strips of another racket, to put into the holes. Irvin--I think he has the bumper guard, but is just missing the top grommet piece that fits in the bumper guard. Anyway, that's how I read it.

 

[Maas]

What I would do (and have done on 2 Yonex rackets), is hold the bumper in place, then punch holes in it to line up with the holes in the frame. Use individual grommets, either Fitex or from the grommet strips of another racket, to put into the holes. Irvin--I think he has the bumper guard, but is just missing the top grommet piece that fits in the bumper guard. Anyway, that's how I read it.

Yes, sorry, I was sloppy in my terminology. Don't have the top grommet, and the bumper has misaligned holes. Lots of good ideas here. I am going to cut up grommet segments, and use that to put into the holes. Seems an easier solution for me than polymer tubing, although raquetron sure showed proof of concept above for using polymer tubing.

 

[Wes]

@Maas,

It seems fairly evident that you purchased a grommet set (or just the bumper?) for an incorrect year/era than which your Pure Drive Lite belongs to.

When it comes to bumper/grommet sets, it's typically (but not always) critical to match up the correct B/G set with it's corresponding frame.

Grommet compatibility

I'm just speculating here, but I'll take a guess that your PD Lite is probably from the pre-2015 era (i.e. 2006, 2009, 2012 - which are interchangeable).
The 2015 Pure Drive B/G sets are unique unto themselves.
Likewise, the 2018 and 2021 PD B/G sets are unique unto themselves.

If you can post a photo of your Pure Drive Lite (or at least a link to a photo of your exact frame), that would help us identify specifically which iteration you actually have.
I may have the correct bumper/grommet set for your frame.

BTW, for certain year models, the Pure Drive Lite came with a white bumper guard/grommets (and oftentimes, a white grip). However, the standard PD/PD+ bumper/grommet sets (black) will also fit (same drilling).


AeroPro Drive & (pre-2015) Pure Drive grommet sets

 

[Maas]

@Maas,

It seems fairly evident that you purchased a grommet set (or just the bumper?) for an incorrect year/era than which your Pure Drive Lite belongs to.

When it comes to bumper/grommet sets, it's typically (but not always) critical to match up the correct B/G set with it's corresponding frame.

Grommet compatibility

I'm just speculating here, but I'll take a guess that your PD Lite is probably from the pre-2015 era (i.e. 2006, 2009, 2012 - which are interchangeable).
The 2015 Pure Drive B/G sets are unique unto themselves.
Likewise, the 2018 and 2021 PD B/G sets are unique unto themselves.

If you can post a photo of your Pure Drive Lite (or at least a link to a photo of your exact frame), that would help us identify specifically which iteration you actually have.
I may have the correct bumper/grommet set for your frame.

BTW, for certain year models, the Pure Drive Lite came with a white bumper guard/grommets (and oftentimes, a white grip). However, the standard PD/PD+ bumper/grommet sets (black) will also fit (same drilling).


AeroPro Drive & (pre-2015) Pure Drive grommet sets

Much thanks for your reply, Wes.

Yes, I am pretty certain I bought the grommets for the wrong model year. There were a few grommets still left on the racquet when I got it (bottom, and two bottom side pieces), and they were white, so per your post, I do have the model year with the white grommet set. I will have to find that grommet set I ordered, but I distinctly remember that the bumper holes did not align with the racquet holes, even after much stretching. I am not sure I want to spend any more time and money chasing down another set that might work for it, and will probably use cut grommets to make it work, and may try to punch holes in the bumper to make it fit as well, or just use tape. This will be a general family racquet, although I am interested in seeing how a Babolat hits, as I mostly hit with Wilsons.