items used for this review:
ONE DROP 54
Onedrop V4M Thin Lube
Center Trac bearing from a Northstar
2 different OD 10BALL. One that is mint and has never been deshielded or lubed. The other one has been lubed.
and finally the star of the review: General Yo AIGR bearing.
Hey everyone,
I just wanted to post this review to express how impressed I am with the Gen Yo AIGR and to share a unique experience I’ve had with it.
I bought it specifically because I had read good reviews that its rather quiet which I needed so I can surreptitiously throw at work. Other bearings in my experiment have been the center trac bearing that came with my Northstar (which I’ve tried lubed and dry) as well 2 different 10balls (one dry and the other lubed).
So as far as noise is concerned the AIGR wins by a long shot (when lubed). In fact it plays quieter than my $3.99USD Duncan Butterfly which is really nice because I dislike it when someone hears the bearing sound and asks “is there a motor inside that thing?”. Now its just a “regular” yoyo that happens to spin for a long time. I like that a lot but truthfully you shouldn’t disregard a bearing just because its noisy. This just happens to be essential for me to play at work.
On the down side I can definitely feel the lube in the bearing on a throw. It feels like theres liquid in there slowing things down a bit but I have measured sleep time and its not actually sleeping for any less time than a dry 10 ball.
So heres a funny story about my AIGR. I had been using it for several months and had put several drops of the v4m thin lube into it over time. It would get noisy after a while and then Id put another drop. Eventually the lube starting to collect dirt and I saw some gummy brown nasty yoyo-buggers getting stuck in my response system. So I knew it was time to clean the bearing BUT I was too lazy to go to the store and buy lighter fluid like a reasonable person would do so instead I took this can of compressed lighter fluid with the push-tip nozzle (the kind of thing you buy to reload a lighter) and I just stuck that nozzle into the spaces between the balls and pressed downward on the can sending ice cold lighter fluid all up in it. The bearing turned frosty cold and I was afraid I probably ruined it. Once I was done giving it the Mr. Freeze treatment I reached for my can of compressed air and started to spray it down BUT I ACCIDENTLY GRABBED A CAN OF LYSOL SPRAY and soaked it in that! So now I’m like “oh no I have totally ruined this thing. Its got residue and perfume all up in it!”
I try soaking it in rubbing alcohol and throw it back into my od 54. No good…its locking up and feels ridiculously chunky with tons of vibe. I pretty much give up on it at this point. I resign to buying another one. My buddy tells me to try soaking it down with dish washing soap and water. So I do that for a while (I put the bearing in a film canister with a drop of soap and filled half way with water and then shook it for a few minutes). I then took a drop of oil onto a plastic surface and then used a paper clip to paint the bearings with a slight amount of lube each. I threw it back into my od 54 and it FEELS LIKE NEW AGAIN!
I am so surprised its not completely destroyed!
I’ve been throwing it for 2 days now and it feels perfect. I compared the sleep time again to my mint condition dry 10 ball bearing and I am getting identical sleep time! (About 1 minute and 30 seconds on average)
Now obviously you should not do ANY OF THE STUFF I DID IN THIS REVIEW! But if you happen to be an idiot this bearing is very forgiving and offers up a very unique silent experience.
I’ll post back if the thing starts to rust up or show other signs of failure.
p.s. I always keep my bearings desheilded after lubing/cleaning except for that one mint condition 10ball bearing I keep around for comparison.