New Stradic CI4

[ADB]

We just got a bunch of the new carbon fibre stradics in at work today and they are impressive.

 

I'm thinking I'm going to have to pick one up...

[Greencoachdog]

How much is a 2500 going for?

[ecmilley]

yup waiting for one of these gonna put it on a cumara be real light can't wait to try it out

[ADB]

$249.94 (But our place currently has 15% all Shimano stuff)

[Roy]

That's $212.45 plus tax. Decent price if it's what they say it is. Looks great but I prefer the paddle handles as opposed to the round ones.

[cranks bait]

Wow that is a nice reel. I almost made a phone call to get one. The eva foam handle really turns me off though.

[Garry2Rs]

Pardon me for not falling down and skinning my knees to welcome this new reel.

If you have been here for any length of time you know that I am a big Shimano fan...Especially of their upper end reels.

In the past I have shelled out hundreds of extra dollars just to get rid of the Carbon (plastic) parts on my Shimano reels.

IE I bought Chronarch's instead of Curado's

Now I am being told that I should pony-up $250.00 for a new plastic Stradic...No Thanks!

In my opinion, top end Carbon reels with good bearings sell for $100.00...and I don't care what you call them.

[EC1]

The only thing I hear bad is that they don't come with a spare spool!! That's a huge huge turnoff since the 2500 will probably be very good for different applications. If it had a spare spool, I would have used it for both panfish and bass.

 

On Garry's point, I think this reel might be good though. I bet the carbon fibre isn't what you're exactly used to in the cheap reels.

Anyways, time will tell when some people have put their hands on this reel.

[JPD]

I had a chance to fish the reel Garry and I was very happy with it.. mainly because they were able to cut almost 30% of the weight compared to the MgFB. The reel is actually stronger than the Mg with the new carbon fiber alloy. They have been using it as a material for rear derailleurs in cycling and it has been thoroughly tested. Now I'm not saying you should run out an buy one but you may want to give one a spin to see what they can do... with the 7 oz weight they are a great reel for drop shotting and shakey head fishing where combo balance is a definite advantage.

 

BTW... I have been punishing my Curados both D's (4 Years) and E's (2 years) and have put my Chronarch Mg 50's (4 years now) through hell and back again and have never had a problem... don't let graphite side plates fool you... they can take a serious beating! They have all been beat down with 65 lb braid for frogging and flipping and have never had to service one! If you don't believe me just ask to see them, they look like they have been dragged behind the boat for the miles they have on them..lol

[Grimace]

Point well taken JP. But remember we are not allowed to take one for a spin as it were. We have to actually buy one for that.

 

That being said, I have a dirty old citica that has taken a lot of abuse and has doubled as a trolling reel for many a species and hasn't failed me once in 5 years. So there. Before my baby was born I was on the water at least 80 days a year if not more. The main thing anyone needs in a good reel is a good drag system. But then again when bass guys are dragging 3 pound bass thru the weeds with 50 pound test line, I tend to ignore what they say when it comes to reels. Tongue firmly in cheek.

Cheers

[Garry2Rs]

Hi JP;

I have no doubt that this is a fine reel and that it is light and strong. I know that Carbon fiber is used to build airplanes, race cars and a carbon frame was one of the secrets to Lance Armstrong's Tour de France wins.

 

I have fishing magazines dating back to the 60's and can show you that, just like laundry detergent, Shimano is constantly marketing products that are "New and Improved." It must work, because they win the "Best New Reel" awards at I-CAST almost every year!

 

However I see this latest crop of improvements as somewhat of a step backward for the consumer.

 

I bought my first Stradic in 2000 or 2001. Back then, just like today, as you progressed through the Shimano line-up, the basic reels had certain features and every $10 or $20 extra you were willing to invest bought you more bearings or better materials.

 

The Stradic of that era still had three or four plastic parts. There was a plastic drag adjustment knob on the front of the spool, a plastic head on the screw that holds the handle in place and a plastic heel piece on the body.

 

If you had deep pockets and had to have the very best, there was the Stella...It was, I think, more than twice the price of the $175.00 Stradic of the time, but it was, as I recall all metal...

 

Now a decade later we are offered a carbon bodied Stradic at nearly double the price of last years model, and the sales pitch, at I-CAST, from Jeremy Sweet, reel product manager for Shimano was "Lighter and more durable than our magnesium spinning reels, we see the Stradic CI4 reels becoming the standard spinning reels for avid finesse bait anglers.”

Those finesse guys he is speaking of really need to "man-up" if a magnesium 1000 series Stradic is too heavy for them...HAHAHA.

 

Again, I say "No Thanks!"

[JPD]

That's cool Garry, like I said, I have no problem using the technology to my advantage, especially if it helps me keep my carpal tunnel at bay!

 

By the way, the Stradic Ci4 2500 weighs the same as the 1000 MgFB.. big difference in line capacity there, especially when drop shotting on lakes like Simcoe, Erie and Lake O when you need to get the line a mile out.

 

Grimace, What's a drag? Haven't used one on a flipping reel in over 15 years! But hey, to each is own!

Edited September 7, 2009 by JPD