2014 BCAPL & Cyclop Balls

What do you thing of the Cyclop cueball

  • It's different, plays inconsistant and is not acceptable.

    Votes: 11 22.4%
  • It's different but I can adapt to it just like any other.

    Votes: 11 22.4%
  • I like it, it plays fine.

    Votes: 13 26.5%
  • It's all in your head, shut up and play.

    Votes: 14 28.6%

  • Total voters
    49

poolfreek

Registered
I was wondering if they are using the Cyclop balls again this year.

I don't know if it was me being totally sharked by the change when I arrived at the BCAPL Nationals last year, or if this is an issue with other players as well.

New balls on the table, awesome right? Ok, the colors are wierd but I tried to give it the benefit of the doubt, seeing as how everyone is saying how high quality they are. I really don't care about the color. Other sets of balls have different colors depending on brand, style, etc. No big deal. A few practice racks in the color is no longer an issue. After some practice though I start feeling like I have no control of the cueball. It's just not consistant in the way it rolls from one shot to the next. The whole time I'm thinking the typical thought that it's just me, it's different and it's sharking me.

After talking to dozens of other players the talk starts coming up about skids. I wasn't having any problem with that, but the ball is acting like no other cueball I've ever played with.

After that I found a Diamond rep who tells me this cueball was a last minute effort because the first two they made did not work with the Diamond Smart table in that it wouldn't return properly all the time. They tested them but after some time they stopped working.

Yesterday I played a local tourney and they had purchased four sets of the Cyclop balls for the tables, the tables have three week old Simones 860. Fast, broken in. The tables were great. I hit some balls and I start getting that same feeling of being out of control. Three or four other players are saying the same thing.

So the questions are: Was this cueball from the 2013 BCAPL inferior? Have they made any improvements to it? Should I shut up and play? Why didn't the pro events use the Cyclop ball?

I personally think the balls are of great quality and play very well, my issue was the cueball only.
 
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OTB

I DIDN'T DO IT!!!!
Silver Member
If these are the same balls used at DCC, then I do not like them .....:angry:
 

tucson9ball

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I finished 17th in the 9 ball Open and 13th in the 8 ball Open, I also got to practice quite a bit before the teams showed up last year.
I did not notice anything unusual about controlling the cue ball, it seemed to go where I wanted it to, BUT......I did see an unusually high number of object balls skidding.
This lead me to beleive that, whatever material these balls are made from, they are definitely more clingy.
This is just my opinion, but I will see how they play this year.
I'm only coming up for the team events, so I won't be playing as much pool. I will try to get into a practice room before any matches to hit some balls.
 

sbpoolleague

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
In Mark Griffin's podcast last week he mentions that they will be using the Cyclop balls again this year in Vegas.

My only problem is that I can't seem to be able to find these on sale anywhere.
 

kickbank

Crescent Fresh!!
Cyclops Balls :-/

I've never had more balls skid & hop while playing with them (the cloth & balls were all brand new). The colors are different, kind of a refreshing change if ya ask me. I think they just need some fine tuning or maybe broke in. :shocked:
 

CSI - Ozzy

Banned
Opinion

First, I am biased so let's get that out on the table immediately.

However, as a player, I was first introduced to these balls at this year's DCC. Although it took a little while to get used to the different colors, they play great. Any time you have new cloth and newly polished balls, friction is reduced and skids can occur. In my opinion, skids are more a factor of the condition of the cloth and the balls...not the brand of the balls.

By the way, Cyclop balls can be purchased direct from CSI by calling 702-719-7665. Thank you.
 

poolfreek

Registered
Interesting mix of replies.

One of my main questions was about the problems I heard them talking about at last years BCA. About how they had troubles getting the cue ball working with the Diamond "Smart Table" and how they made last minute changes to make the cue ball return properly. I still have no info on this and no one seems to know if it has since been modified, or it will be the exact same cue ball this year. I'm not even sure what changes they made, the ball, the table, etc.

One of my teammates convinced a bar owner near us to purchase 3 sets to use for their local tournaments. After a few weeks and many complaints about only the cue ball, they stopped using it and now play with the red circle ball.

I also was watching several videos on YouTube recently from the china espring tournament. I watched many of the top Asian and European players in the world struggling with underunning and overrunning the cue ball, looking very frustrated at times.

I have five cue balls at home, red circle, red dot, no dot, magnetic and the cyclop. All Aramith except for the cyclop. Still don't like this cue ball!

Thanks for all the input.
 

Underclocked

.........Whut?.........
Silver Member
The Cyclop cue ball that I had weighed exactly 6.0 oz. The red circle cue ball (two weighed) weighed 5.89 oz - a difference of .11 oz. The difference in rolling characteristics is quite noticeable and I had some difficulty in adjusting my draw shots with the Cyclop cue ball. The balls themselves, outside of the bizarre colors, played pretty well and, if anything, rolled much truer than the worn Aramiths we had been using. My guess would be that new sets of both would behave similarly, except for the cue ball.
 

poolfreek

Registered
The Cyclop cue ball that I had weighed exactly 6.0 oz. The red circle cue ball (two weighed) weighed 5.89 oz - a difference of .11 oz. The difference in rolling characteristics is quite noticeable and I had some difficulty in adjusting my draw shots with the Cyclop cue ball. The balls themselves, outside of the bizarre colors, played pretty well and, if anything, rolled much truer than the worn Aramiths we had been using. My guess would be that new sets of both would behave similarly, except for the cue ball.

Agreed, I also think the other balls play well and are very high quality. If they made the cueball to the same standard it would not be an issue.
 

Tboner314

Registered
cyclop skidding

i dont know who just said new cloth and new balls skid more but that is the exact opposite of the truth dirty balls dirty cloth makes the skid less friction is good for real think abooot what ur saying before ya post wrong comments lol
 

Papa Red

Love it or Leave
Silver Member
My observation last year when they were introduced that the material used seems to grab more. For someone that uses more english & throw they have to allow for that. Instead of shooting toward the center of the pocket you would have to cheat to the left or right depending on which way you are throwing the object ball.
 

oneballeddie

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Cyclop balls come in both color types

Why do they not use the standard colors from Cyclop?

You can order either the Standard (Vegas) colors or Traditional (Derby City) colors directly from Diamond at 800-874-0557. The "traditional" colors are same as Centennials or Aramith's.
 
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Underclocked

.........Whut?.........
Silver Member
I know you can. My question is why the BCA chose to use the non-standard skittles balls instead of the standard colors. Outside their national tournaments, it's pretty unlikely that many have much experience with those skittle balls. Why choose the unfamiliar when there is a much more conventional option?
 

poolfreek

Registered
Update from 2014 BCA Nationals

So I had an interesting conversation with the owner of Cyclop balls while I was at the BCA tournament this year that was very eye opening.

I questioned him thoroughly about my concerns with the cue ball. I could tell the conversation was one he had been having quite a lot lately.

Here goes:

According to him, the ball is more "sensitive" that any other cue ball due to the higher quality and a much higher micron finish. It does not pick up chalk like other cue balls because it is so smooth. It reacts much more to everything, in every way, so inconsistency in your stroke will make the cue ball react differently even though you don't notice you are doing anything differently.

Further, he also stated that very few players, even pro's have mastered it. The one's that have, swear that what he says is true.

At this point I will stop beating a dead horse.

I thought about what he said and it makes sense. I have played well with it ever since. Because I am more focused on me instead of the ball? Because what he said is true?

I think both are accurate.

Good Shooting!
 

ronscuba

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Only big difference I noticed was on slow rolls and cue ball sometimes "settling" before stopping.

Many were blaming the cue ball, but it could be more a issue with the tables being dirty or going off level due to the high volume of play. I was victim to the CB settling against the rail several times, but the same CB would stop dead on other shots.
 

ne14tennis

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
My Input

From what I learned, the "skittles" colors as people are calling them are due to the company working with several players from the Chinese National Team during testing that are color blind. This color scheme apparently shows up better for people that are color challenged. Why CSI chose to use them....I can't answer
 

jgdwvu11

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Balls

Well I am a pool hall owner, Diamond billiard rep, and tournament director. The reason diamond went to the cyclops was due to pricing...they wanted a break on the super aramith balls but prices went up dramatically. So of course they settle for cost instead of value in my mind...the cyclops balls are made in China and exclusively for Diamond Billiard Productions.

They do have a traditional set with the basic colors but the issue is the cue ball! It weights .11gm more than the red circle cue and will skid considerably more than any other cue ball used today. You top that off with new cloth and fresh polished balls and they skidding will be very bad. As the tournament goes on the balls will relax due to the dirt but then will grab more. I would like it better if they do not use the new felt on all the bigger events and at least dump the cyclop cue ball.

Of course there is a contract in place and the balls aren't leaving till possibly 2016 but are here for now in any big event.
 
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