Those of you who have read my reviews and posts in the past might know that I am not a big fan of shaped strings. I have many time said that the string you use is not going to add spin to the ball, it is how you swing the racquet. It has also been my belief that you can get a better result by using a thinner gauge string rather than going with a shaped string. While In still hold these beliefs, I finally have found a shaped string that I like, A LOT! Granted it is in an 18g poly, but all the same it is shaped.
Volkl Cyclone is a gear shaped polyester that is supposed to give you a better bite on the ball, and I will say that it does bite the ball very well. What I can’t tell you is that I think that this string would do well on its own even if it wasn’t shaped like a gear.
I felt that this string has a lot of potential for players who want to dabble in the polyester family. It isn’t nearly as harsh as traditional polys like Luxilon Big Banger or Babolat Hurricane Tour, but gives you a similar feel. The 18g version of this string gave me a very good feel for the ball, and I felt like I had a better touch on my shots than with thicker polys. I felt as if this were an all court poly, not just for baseliners. While it doesn’t have the playability of my usual set up (Natural Gut Mains/Pro Hurricane Tour 17 crosses), it did have a similar feel.
I noticed the most bite on my serves, and loved the feel at the net. I was able to ratchet up the spin on my groundstrokes when I wanted to, but the extra spin wasn’t as obvious from the back court.
The only deterrent I see with this string is that if you break poly, the 18g will probably not give you the durability that you require. Also these strings seemed to be more prone to movement in the string bed compared to other polys and co-polys.
Overall, I would highly recommend these strings to anybody who is looking for a little more bite, or for a poly that allows for more playability.
