Oct. 28, 2014 1:50 AM
:: Bearing Drive - It Isn't as Flimsy as You Think it is ::
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Hey guys!
I've been wanting to write this thread for I can't remember how long. There's been a popular idea across the Beyblade community for years that B:D is unworthy of competitive status because it has exceptionally poor recoil control. It's generally believed that Bearing Drive is inferior stability-wise to other competitive Stamina setups, and as such, it should not be considered competitive (some have even said that Bearing Drive can be "KOed by wind").
I flatly disagree with this idea. I honestly believe that this is a misconception that has carried itself along after the initial hype surrounding B:D's release. I think the idea that B:D itself has serious recoil handling issues was most likely birthed by earlier players' experiences with Phantom B:D, the setup it was most commonly tested with originally. The recoil players experienced during early testing with the setup was very likely due to Phantom's disadvantageous shape, rather than B:D's poor stability.
In short, I theorize that this mindset is the result of players associating the recoil troubles of Phantom B:D with B:D itself, rather than with Phantom, the true cause. In any case, there is no testing anywhere on the site that supports this idea. None. Believe me, I searched far and wide, all the way back to posts pre-dating the release of Phantom Orion.
I hope to dissolve this misconception by testing Bearing Drive's recoil handling capabilities against a semi-aggressive combination, and then testing some of today's competitive Stamina setups against the same opponent, and comparing the results. Hopefully the following tests will demonstrate that Bearing Drive's recoil handling capabilities are nothing short of exceptional.
Testing Combinations
I chose Earth Saggitarrio B:D/(insert competitive Stamina setup here) for the Stamina combination. Earth has relatively low recoil and great Stamina. It's a competitive Stamina/Defense Wheel in Limited, and it suits this purpose well. Saggitario is a standard Defensive Clear Wheel.
I chose MF-H Pegasis _______ CS for the semi-aggressive combination. This custom is on level with the control Stamina type in weight (marginally heavier, purposely), and it provides relatively strong, consistent smash. Tracks were swapped in between sets to match the control Stamina type's height.
Testing: (Click to View)
B:D Testing: (Click to View)
MF-H Pegasis W145CS vs. Earth Saggitarrio B:D
Earth launched first on all launches. Slightly worn CS. 6-minute B:D.
B:D: wins, 25/30 (2 KO, 23 OS)
Pegasis: wins, 5/20 (All KO)
B:D win rate: 83%
This custom showed impressive recoil control. It very rarely lost its balance, and caught the tornado ridge exceptionally well compared to the other setups I tested. I did ten of these rounds at the beginning of testing, and ten at the end to ensure that my launch strength didn't drift and skew the results.
Comparison Testing: (Click to View)
MF-H Pegasis W145CS vs. Earth Saggitarrio W145WD
Earth launched first on all launches. Slightly worn CS. Very slightly worn WD.
W145WD: wins, 12/20 (All OS)
Pegasis: wins, 8/20 (All KO)
W145WD win rate: 60%
I used a slightly worn WD for increased recoil control (I tested with a mint Bottom before doing this set and only came out with 40%). W145WD's balance was worse than B:D's, and it was visibly less stable. It didn't take hits as well, and Pegasis flung it around quite a bit.
MF-H Pegasis W145CS vs. Earth Saggitarrio 160D
Earth launched first on all launches. Slightly worn CS. Mint D.
160D: wins, 5/10 (3 KO, 2 OS)
Pegasis: wins, 5/10 (All KO)
160D win rate: 50%
160D was not very impressive. For whatever reason, this match seemed more... explosive than the others.
MF-H Pegasis SR200CS vs. Earth Saggitarrio 230D
Earth launched first on all launches. Slightly worn CS. Mint D.
230D: wins, 3/10 (2 KO, 1 OS)
Pegasis: wins, 7/10 (All KO)
230D win rate: 30%
230D came in dead last out of the setups I tested. Definitely significantly inferior to B:D.
MF-H Pegasis 85CS vs. Earth Saggitarrio 90WD
Earth launched first on all launches. Slightly worn CS. Very slightly worn WD.
90WD: wins, 8/10 (2 KO, 6 OS)
Pegasis: wins, 2/10 (All KO)
90WD win rate: 80%
90WD was the only setup that matched B:D's stability. Even then, it was more mobile and didn't take hits quite as well at times.
Averaged Percentages: (Click to View)
Competitive Stamina setups: 55% KO avoidance
Bearing Drive: 83% KO avoidance
In conclusion, I really think B:D has great recoil control for a Stamina Bottom. I see no reason to withhold top-tier status from Bearing Drive combinations, especially on grounds of inferior stability.
Post thoughts, comments, questions, and testing! Thanks for reading guys!