[Other] Tell me about your cycles

[hugheshilton]

Hey I'd love to hear about everyone's disc cycles. Which molds do you cycle and in which plastics? How does your cycling process work? Any molds you tried to cycle which didn't work out for some reason?

Road rules:

1. No cycle vs. non-cycling debates please. We have plenty of other threads for that. If you want to tell us all about how useless cycling is or how you think it's okay but don't do it, please save those comments for another thread. You don't need to comment here unless you actually cycle discs.
2. This is about cycling, NOT mold minimalism or bag minimalism. I don't care about how you use the same mold in 3 different plastics/weights. Tell us about an actual cycle of discs.

I'll start. I cycle most of my molds in some way or another, but my main 2 cycles are Rocs and Destroyers. I've described my Roc cycle process elsewhere so I'll just quote that here:

I've managed to buy something like 30-40 Rocs over the years (Rancho, Ontario, Sanny, maybe 1 or 2 Roc3s). About half of them are DX, the other half is split between KC Pro and Champion with a few Stars sprinkled in. Maybe 6-10 of them I bought used, the rest new. I typically bag 2-3 at any one time. During the summer I periodically take a selection out for field testing including whatever ones I'm currently bagging. While field testing, if one stands out as covering particular shots for me better than one of the ones I'm currently bagging, then they may get swapped out in my main bag when I get home.

As for Destroyers, I have a little more of a strict cycle going than my Roc cycle. I currently bag 4 GStar Destroyers. I have 2 from Am Worlds the year GStar Destroyers were released (2014 I think). One of those was flat and had some turn out of the box. The other has a pop top and was very straight to fade out of the box. Now, the flat one is on the verge of uncontrollably flippy. I definitely have to give it a good amount of hyzer and a good amount of height to get any fade at all out of it, but it's my tail wind bomber or my disc for long hyzer flips that need to finish right. The pop top one is now probably around -2, 2 and it's my go to for distance lines on open holes. It's not quite as touchy as the other and gets great distance. In 2016 I got a couple F2 GStars which were straight to fade out of the box. One of those is currently in the bag and it's about -1, 2.5 in stability now. Then I have one I bought last year which is probably -0.25, 3. If I'm playing on a really windy day, I'll throw in one my numerous Star Destroyers in for a bookend.

I have a lot of other Destroyers, Star, GStar, and Pro, which I take out for field work. I have plenty of replacements for my main cycle if I lost one, but I've learned that I like GStar Destroyers best. The grip works best for my dry hands, and the initial stability isn't so overstable that I don't get any distance like a lot of runs of Star.

 

[BrotherDave]

I cycle my workhorses mostly. I've got a fresh AR Nebula and a very worn AR Nebula for my mid duties. I've got a beefy Champ Eagle-X and a S.EX. I putt with Plutoniums and retired my 1st putting putter into thrower duties. I cycle my PDs b/c they're my go-to FH discs so they see more tree abuse. C-PD for flex and wind, fresh S-PD for straight to fade/distance and a beat S-PD for understable (just replaced a P-PD for this). I cycle Giants a little to keep a fresh one for head winds, use the beat ones for distance.

 

[Moose33]

I do what I call the "slow cycle" with several molds.

Giants- VIP/Elasto plastic. These will either start as headwind or flex Distance discs, wear into bombers, and then at the end of their lives be backhand bombers and eventually(at about 2 years) BH rollers.

I have 6-8 Giants in different shades of wear and I can slot a new one in every 6 months or so. Goal is to have a couple more beat ones so that I can pull Kings out eventually.

Stags- I do a more traditional cycle here, with Recycled Stags. Beat it into a turnover, have a fresh one, and then keep them going through as needed.

Putters- once I get a putting putter too beat, it becomes a throwing putter and I buy two more.

Most other mold I just thrash and replace.

 

[Grippenripp]

Hey I'd love to hear about everyone's disc cycles. Which molds do you cycle and in which plastics? How does your cycling process work? Any molds you tried to cycle which didn't work out for some reason?

Road rules:

1. No cycle vs. non-cycling debates please. We have plenty of other threads for that. If you want to tell us all about how useless cycling is or how you think it's okay but don't do it, please save those comments for another thread. You don't need to comment here unless you actually cycle discs.
2. This is about cycling, NOT mold minimalism or bag minimalism. I don't care about how you use the same mold in 3 different plastics/weights. Tell us about an actual cycle of discs.

I'll start. I cycle most of my molds in some way or another, but my main 2 cycles are Rocs and Destroyers. I've described my Roc cycle process elsewhere so I'll just quote that here:



As for Destroyers, I have a little more of a strict cycle going than my Roc cycle. I currently bag 4 GStar Destroyers. I have 2 from Am Worlds the year GStar Destroyers were released (2014 I think). One of those was flat and had some turn out of the box. The other has a pop top and was very straight to fade out of the box. Now, the flat one is on the verge of uncontrollably flippy. I definitely have to give it a good amount of hyzer and a good amount of height to get any fade at all out of it, but it's my tail wind bomber or my disc for long hyzer flips that need to finish right. The pop top one is now probably around -2, 2 and it's my go to for distance lines on open holes. It's not quite as touchy as the other and gets great distance. In 2016 I got a couple F2 GStars which were straight to fade out of the box. One of those is currently in the bag and it's about -1, 2.5 in stability now. Then I have one I bought last year which is probably -0.25, 3. If I'm playing on a really windy day, I'll throw in one my numerous Star Destroyers in for a bookend.

I have a lot of other Destroyers, Star, GStar, and Pro, which I take out for field work. I have plenty of replacements for my main cycle if I lost one, but I've learned that I like GStar Destroyers best. The grip works best for my dry hands, and the initial stability isn't so overstable that I don't get any distance like a lot of runs of Star.

Nice refresh of the other one LoL

 

[discerdoo]

I cycle my workhorses mostly. I've got a fresh AR Nebula and a very worn AR Nebula for my mid duties. I've got a beefy Champ Eagle-X and a S.EX. I putt with Plutoniums and retired my 1st putting putter into thrower duties. I cycle my PDs b/c they're my go-to FH discs so they see more tree abuse. C-PD for flex and wind, fresh S-PD for straight to fade/distance and a beat S-PD for understable (just replaced a P-PD for this). I cycle Giants a little to keep a fresh one for head winds, use the beat ones for distance.

I do similar with my PDs but I don't believe this meets Mr. Hilton's strict definition of cycling. I also still have a small stack of new p lines. Still trying to get a s line into the magical sweet spot of a moderately beat p line.

 

[F.Luke]

I cycle:

Omegas- newest Q's for putting. Then they move to straight driving and approaches. Then they become flippy driving and approachers. I also bag a newer Sirius for overstable and a wearing in standard AP for straight to turnover drives and approaches.

Roc/Roc3- Newish Star Roc3 for overstable, well used 2012 McBeth champ for straight to slight turn and a well used dx Roc for hyzer flips and turnovers.

Leopard/Leopard3 - ok, not a cycle yet cause I only carry one but as it gets more turn a new one will go in the bag.

Teebird/Teebird3 - One new, one used, one beat. All champ plastic.

Thunderbirds - One champ almost new, one champ well used.

Wraiths - currently one newish Gstar; replaced a beat star wraith I lost. One new star wraith; too straight to be the overstable wraith I am looking for. I don't know if they exist any more. I have one new old star in my stash but it's a "12" speed misprint so I'm hesitant to throw it. Flat top high PLH. Maybe I just need to shop more for newer stars.

 

[hugheshilton]

I do similar with my PDs but I don't believe this meets Mr. Hilton's strict definition of cycling. I also still have a small stack of new p lines. Still trying to get a s line into the magical sweet spot of a moderately beat p line.

Nah, it's cool. I mean, you can use different plastics within a cycle. The point is that you continue to use them in various stages of wear (rather than pulling a worn disc out and replacing it with something fresh). Maybe my original post wasn't very clear or was a little over-strict, sorry.

 

[Halcón]

Weird title. You can tell this is an all male group.

 

[ODRB]

I have a stupid number of backups for the molds I cycle, which are, in order: Destroyers, Firebirds, OLFs, Roadrunners, Rocs, Scales, and Wizards.

But the Firebirds and Roadrunners are just more stable/less stable pairs, and I might only be carrying one on a given day/course/conditions. So I will stick to my main molds, for this discussion.

Destroyers:

I've got 6 in my usual rotation, but often don't need to carry them all. A couple VERY overstable old PFN Destroyers. Marbly yellow, poppy tops, some marked S/DS and some marked *DS. Lately I have been going with two that are marked *DS and feel exactly the same. One is 175 and one is 170. The 170 is slightly more OS. Both are beef. both are 7-8/10. True 0/3 flight.

Next are a pair of *D. Both have good turn and reliable fade. Both are 170g. Both are very worn -- 6-7/10. One has more turn and less fade. But I throw them on the same kid of turn/fade max D lines. One just holds up and fades a little better. I'd say -1/3, -1.5/2.5. They're great.

Next are two AJs. A flatter 2-Line and a poppy 3-line. Both around 170. These are my straight/turnover Destroyers. The flat one is neutral--I can hyzerflip it straight or put it on lines hyzre or anny. The 3-line is understable--I can flip it to straight flip it to turnover, or roll it. -1.5/2 and -2/1.

OLFs:

I carry three 1.1 Sirius Orion LFs at any given time. Fresh, Straight, Flippy, or thereabouts. anywhere from 167g to 175g, although 170g is my preference. This is a straight cycle of identical discs from an identical run. The flippy ones see the most use. And the really flippy one is just about a Roadrunner, but I don't roll my OLFs. -1/3, -1.5/2, -2/1.

Rocs:

This weekend, I had these:
As for the Rocs:

The flippiest one is an 11x KC. It was given to my two years ago or so from a good friend. It was quite seasoned then. Flipped up to straight with a little integrity and fade at the end of a straight flight. It had slid over two slots since then. From a hyzer release it keeps drifting right, even as it slows. Or it holds a sky anny all the way to the ground. Is Call it 4/4/-2/0

Next is a 12x with flight numbers I bought new in a store probably 7-8 years ago. It was the first FN KC Roc I'd ever seen. I've thrown it since then. It was pretty darn OS when fresh. It flips up to straight, little drift right, finishes straight. It'll also hold an anny at Power all the way to the ground, no matter the height. But it's not quite as flippy as the
11x. Probably 4/4/-1.5/1.

Next is a current run Glow KC, with a Team Stickin' Putts Stamp. I put it in my bag last spring. Even fresh, it wasn't my most OS KC. It's got a little drift from
A slight hyzer, but it comes back. It will hold most any line at Power, but will pan out of a high anny and will flip up a touch into even a mild headwind. 4/4/-.5/1.5.

Next is a PFN 12x, the real stiff bright white kind, that I just got used. It's 7/10, with no big gouges. It's just about the same as that Glow just below it, but a little more HSS, as all these stiff domey PFN 12x seem to be. I expected it to be just a touch less OS than that Glow when I first pawed it. But it turned out a tiny touch more OS. Still about what I expected it to be from sight and feel. And it eats up more power without the -.5 turn the Glow has. I think 4/5/-.25/2.

My most OS KC has been a really fresh PFN 12x from that same stiff white run. I put it in fresh last summer. It has barely lost any stability. It's nearly as OS as most Champ Ranchos, but glides a little more. I throw it with confidence in most moderate headwinds or for full power hyzers that won't show any real flip-up. It's long for an overstable Roc. Probably 4/5/0/2.5.

Next is a 2006 USDGC Champ Rancho the same friend gave me. It was probably 8/10 when gifted to me and hasn't changed a lick in a year. It's about the same stability as the beefy 12x below it, but with less glide and more prone to skip. I trust it for all kindds of upshots or into most any headwind. Some else knocked the fresh off of before I got it though. 4/4/0/2.5.

Finally I'm toying with a Taurus. It's a Rancho Roc with a blunted nose. It's fresh. Brand newish. Been throwing it a few weeks. Very similar to the 2006 Champ. A little more OS, a little more skip, a little less glide. I can power it up 100% in the wind, or play spikes, skips, etc with it. It's the beefiest Roc I've ever thrown. 4/3/0/3.5.

Normally, I have 4 KC/DX for most of my throwing, and one Champ Rancho for upshots, skips, etc., or for hyzers in windy conditions.

Scales/Wizards:

I think of them as part of the same cycle. Same wing, same plastics, etc.
Right now I have fresh/beat Scales and Fresh/Beat Wizards. Sometimes I like a third Wizard in the mix--I like to think of all my cycled discs in threes and in pairs, at the same time--let me explain.

THREES:

Take my Destroyers: I have OS, Workable, Flippy categories. Then I have a pair in each -- more and less OS. It streamlines my disc selection to think "flippy destroyer here -- which one?" and it make practice throws automatic-- throw one, then throw the other. Also, never in trouble if a disc gets lost during a round--the partner can cover it.

Or take my Rocs: A Champ (lately, with a Taurus as a partner), A pair of more/less overstable ones, and a pair of more/less flippy ones.

OLFs are just a three, bookended by a pair of meathooks (more OS/less OS Firebirds) and a pair of rollers (More stable/less stable Roadrunners).

That's how my super OCD, very practical, simple to breakdown, nice for practice shots bag works. And I never need to worry about losing one during my round, because I know how to cover the shots with another disc.

Whew. That's a lot. On a good topic. It's what works for me.

 

[Reniger]

I have a Trek Exaliber. It's a few years old, but it's fun to cycle out on trails... Oh. Sorry.

My cycles are PDs, FDs, and MD3. I carry 3 of each in different stages of wear/different starting stability. I have cycled Gilas and Prodigy M1s, but the 400 plastic from Prodigy doesn't change much. Long ago, I cycled Rocs for a couple seasons, but ended up just using separate understable/stable mids. It was much more recently that I ever started caring enough to cycle drivers at all, but I am so glad I did. There's just something about the feel of broken in plastic that's like an old friend. Not to mention having the same feel in my hand for several different shot shapes I may need. I'll always have PDs, but last season I had a 170g Pro Wraith that was also a BLAST to crank out. It turned into my longest flying disc with much lower effort for the glide it developed after beating some turn into it.

I just recently grabbed some P-Line DDs from the Marketplace and we'll see if those cycle. P-Line should be fun for seasoning and playing around with.

 

[wims]

I'm kind of cycling FDs, I got a super beat, a seasoned and a fresh one in the bag. I also got 3 Sparks in the bag

 

[VictorB]

Pretty much just comets, predators, and mantis for me. Hard to truly cycle these since z plastic takes SO LONG to beat in properly. Pretty self explanatory.

Comets - 1 beat x comet, 1 well worn z comet, 1 fresh MJ Z Comet. Have a couple of LE ESP Comets waiting in the wings that fly nearly identical to my worn z comet. As the z beats in more (which will take a long while) the x comet might not be necessary anymore.

Predators - 1 fresh z w/ flat top, 1 beat up z w/ flat top, 1 worn z domey. These cover anything I'd need out of a power hyzer shot (hard turn to straight to fade)

Mantis - 1 glow z, 1 big z. Newest cycle for me. Hoping to get the big z beat in where it's a turning disc/roller even.

 

[Monkeypaws]

DX Thunderbirds - used to be DX Firebirds,but they lost their stuff pretty quickly..

There are a couple local water holes that as a LHBH player I really need to turn to turn right. Thunderbirds keep that ability very long for baseline plastic. I usually break one in gradually on other holes (they are very nice overall drivers). Once I take the shine off of them they go into the danger slot. So far I've only had one flip over into the death zone, but even that was on the archer.

I've watched lose brand-new premium discs on these holes. Not my style, not when there a trusty and cheaper alternative.

 

[Grippenripp]

So far my cycling has consisted of only my throwing putters. I have a zero hard pure that's beat in and turns nicely or can power down on it for an ice rope upshot or short drive, one zero hard that is kinda fresh just straight shots mostly drives within 220' and to top it off an Opto pure 220'-250' straight drives and I can throw lofty hyzers or longer turnovers that I need to stay lower. I don't know if putting putters count as a cycle I have one for in the circle, one for circle two rang and one for longer and jump putt range. I usually retire them to practice putters and have one in each stage set back just in case.

 

[Keller]

Been cycling for the last 4+ years;

Gazelles, DX
Eagles, DX and Star
Rocs, KC and DX
Rhynos, DX
Yeti Aviars

I started cycling after I got tired of sucking for my first 4 years and decided to follow the "how to build a bag" thread.
For those who don't know it, here's the link.
https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32790
I know it says I've been playing 4.7 years, but that's when I started playing seriously.


Switched out Yeti's last fall with Wizards, so we'll see how that goes
and I recently bought a Star Rocx3 and G* Rhyno and I may drop the Rhyno cycle if the Wizards cover the beat Rhyno slot.
Auditioning a Polaris LS to take the place of the Gazelle as they are getting hard to find.
I still have 2 new DX Gazelles in storage, so I'm safe for now

I don't throw many distance drivers, but this year I'm thinking of puttig Wraiths back in the bag, I have quite a few of them in DX and Pro, all in different stages of wear, so that might work. We'll see.

Other than that, it's ;
1 Firebird
1 Roadrunner
1 Orc

 

[Streets]

My most well functioning cycle is my Wizards:

176 PW Wizard - fresh, most OS, couple of hours in bag
174 Soft Wizard - 7-8/10, good line shaper, straight on a good rip, 1.5 years in bag
175 Soft Wizard - 5/10, little bit of turn, great touch disc, been thrown regularly for 3-4 years

Ideally I want to start one with my drivers, either going to go with a DX Eagle or MOLF and start a cycle of those molds.

 

[pjhayes7]

Although during the Winter I don't often carry multiples of the same mold (I carry an eight disc plus putter bag in the Winter), I do cycle some during the rest of the year. I never started out to cycle some discs, it just kind of happened.

I really don't cycle anything faster than speed 9 at any time. Although I have multiple Trespasses and Terns at different stages of life, I rarely even carry more than one at a time. Usually only for a tournament.

Firebird: Beat, but still very OS Champ. Fresh Star that I am trying to beat in more (basically the same stability as the champ). Beat Gstar that flies more like a Brinster Teebird.

Roc3: Newish 180 Champ. Beat 175 Champ. Fresh 180 Dx. Beat 175 Dx. (Z Wasp serves as most stable Roc3)

Zone: Very used, but little damaged/loss of stability ESP. Newish Pro-d. Very beat Pro-D (it has so many dings it is almost smooth again) that flies like a fresh Neutron Envy.

Judge: Fresh Classic Hard. Beat Classic Hard. Beat Prime.

 

[jfb3]

Now that I'm finally throwing a fixed lineup I've started cycling:

D2s: new flattish (no turn), new domey (a little turn), beat in (holds the turn but lands flat), really beat in (turns and stays turned) [All in 400 plastic]
Thunderbirds: new Champion Glow, new Champion, beat in Champion. As they beat in they should slide down the cycle
F2s: I'm just now beating these in to cycle them to also take the place of the F3 and F5 I carry.
M2s: domey 750, 400G (If it beats in enough it might just replace my M4 too)


I hope to cycle Shields as throwing putters. Right now I have a VIP as an overstable thrower. I'd like to have three: Overstable, Straight, and Understable. I really love the feel of the Shield but getting VIP to beat in to understable might take years.

 

[TheBMeistor]

I'm in the same boat as Streets, have a real nice set of four Fossil Wizards that cover every putter drive from slightly OS to US. Have two of the gray Fossils that are really nice and stable for a Wizard. Two of the whites, one dead straight and one is fairly US.

Have enough Soft and SS Wizards lying around to fill in if I need them (my putting putters come from this batch).

I have a good stack of Rocs but only one broke in to the US slot, hoping to play enough this year to break some others in.

Would like to get another cycle of drivers going, had a bunch of Eagles in a cycle that I gave to a few new players. May give up on the drivers though, I play mostly park courses where I only really throw drivers off the tee. Trees on the course I play usually only get hit closer to the basket so my drivers just don't want to break in fast at all.

 

[Casey 1988]

I will be doing this with my new putters because Jawbreaker might get too floppy for a regular putter. The longer putter the Approch labbled one will push out my U-2 or Upshot #2 in Prostyle plastic for uphill and downhill putts and the Putting labeled putter becomes my Aproach disc or basically my long putter while getting a new true putting putter. My 2 current Jawbreaker Magnets are 173-174 grams.

If the cycle continues and I find I need a temporary uphill downhill putter due to the Approach disc not being ready yet to cycle to the next spot then I get a Soft Pro D Magnet to use in the uphill downhill putting.