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Shimano Brings New Spinning Reel Innovations To Its Classic Stradic And Stradic MG Series
IRVINE, Calif. 7/07 - (Editor’s Note: ICAST ’07 New Product Showcase Winner - Best New Freshwater Reel) -- After talking with anglers, guides, tackle dealers, and anglers worldwide on the positives and inherent problems of spinning reels, Shimano’s reel development team spent nearly three years coming up with new spinning innovations - Paladin Gear Durability Enhancement, Propulsion Line Management System and the Aero Wrap II Oscillation System - now offered on the new Stradic FI and Stradic MgFB reel series.
From Shimano’s research efforts and countless hours of field-testing, ‘we identified key critical targets - gear durability, line management and casting performance - that needed improvement in current spinning reels to take them to another level,” said Jeremy Sweet, reel product manager for Shimano. “The results from all these efforts change the way spinning reels function, and enhance the overall fishing experience.”
Paladin Gear Durability Enhancement -- Relying on its industry-leading cold-forging manufacturing capabilities, Shimano’s Paladin Gear Durability Enhancement featured on the Stradic FI and Stradic MgFB reels use a special cold forged aluminum drive gear and a hardened brass pinion gear. “Cold-forging combines the ability to make gears with less metal for reduced weight, while still being stronger and more durable than even an all stainless steel drivetrain,” Sweet explains. “With the Paladin gear system, anglers will appreciate the out-of-the-box smoothness on their Stradic FI and Stradic MgFB reels after years of use.”
Line twist has always been an inherent problem with spinning reels, along with the occasional backlash and wind knots caused by line being loosely packed onto the spool. “While most spinning reel anglers come to just expect these problems, we address them with the new Propulsion Line Management System, “ Sweet notes.
Propulsion Line Management System -- A five-component system, Shimano’s Propulsion feature on the Stradic reels includes a spool lip designed to prevent backlashes and wind knots from forming. Line also flows off the spool in smaller loops meaning less line slap on the stripper guide, which, when combined with the long stroke spool design, provides longer casting distance due to less friction. “The unique shape of the spool and the spool lip design combine to keep the line from bouncing on the spool lip or stripper guide, and helps to reduce line twist and backlashes.”
The Propulsion Line Management System also includes Shimano’s SR-Concept One-Piece Bail wire to reduce friction and tangles, a twist-reducing Power Roller III line roller, a bail trip mechanism that easily trips the bail by turning the handle, and Shimano’s S-Arm Cam. “This final component keeps the line in contact with the line roller during slack line fishing such as vertical jigging and drop-shotting,” said Sweet.
Aero Wrap II Oscillation System -- Both the Stradic FI and MgFB reels feature Shimano’s Aero Wrap II Oscillation System to provide uniform line lay and winding shape. “This special worm gear system creates the ideal line lay for the Propulsion spool lip design, preventing any loss of energy during the cast while providing longer casting distance,” Sweets adds.
Stradic FI Series -- The Stradic FI reels include the ST1000FE, 2500FI, 3000FI, 4000FI, 5000FI, 6000FI and 8000FI - providing anglers the right reel size needed for any fishing situation from panfish, trout, bass and walleye, to in the salt for bonefish, tarpon, dorado, tuna, bluefish and redfish.
Each Stradic FI is constructed with an aluminum frame, graphite sideplate and rotor, and an aluminum spool. Exclusive to the Stradic 6000FI and 8000FI for their use in targeting larger saltwater species, both feature a stopperless design so there is no anti-reverse switch for enhanced containment protection.
Stradic MgFB Series -- In the Stradic MgFB series, Shimano offers the ST1000MGFB, 25000MGFB and 3000MGFB - all constructed with lightweight magnesium frames and sideplates - which “when combined with our new innovations provide the ultimate in lightweight spinning reel performance,” Sweet said. “Plus we quickly learned saltwater anglers appreciate magnesium framed reels for light tackle situations when we introduced the original Stradic Mg reels - there’s no need to worry about using our magnesium frame reels in a saltwater environment,” notes Sweet, “ the salt in the water and air will not have an adverse affect on the reel due to special surface treatments on the parts.”
To reduce weight even further on the Stradic MgFB reels, Shimano includes a drilled cold forged aluminum spool, small body profiles compared to spool capacity, and SR handles - the 1000 size has a very thin solid shank, while the 2500 and 3000 size use a hollow handle shank.
Key Common Features -- Along with features addressing gear durability, line management and casting performance, Shimano also offers other innovations in both the Stradic FI and Stradic MgFB series including five shielded A-RB (anti-rust) bearings for corrosion resistance and contaminant protection, a Super Stopper II selectable a one-way roller bearing, a Maintenance Port for easy lubrication, waterproof drags. and Shimano’s Direct Drive Mechanism. This feature provides added durability by attaching the drive gear directly to the thread-in handle, transmitting power efficiently, reducing vibration and eliminating any handle backplay.
“All our earlier versions of the Stradic reels, and more recently the Stradic magnesium framed reels (ST-MGFA), quickly turned into the favorite, go to spinning reel for most anglers who used them,” said Sweet. “With our new spinning reel innovations - the Paladin Gear Durability Enhancement, Propulsion Line Management System and Aero Wrap II Oscillation - now offered in both our Stradic series, we’ve raised the level in what anglers expect in a spinning reel to give them an on-the-water advantage.”
For more information on the new Stradic FI series and Stradic MgFB series spinning reels, including gear ratio, line capacity and handle grip shape specifications, visit the Shimano web site - www.shimano.com - call Shimano’s product support team at 877/577-0600 (6 am to 5 pm Pacific Standard Time) - or see your local fishing tackle dealer.
MSRP: Stradic 1000FI, 2500FI, 3000FI - $159.99; Stradic 4000FI, 5000FI - $179.99; ST6000FI, 8000FI - $199.99
From Shimano’s research efforts and countless hours of field-testing, ‘we identified key critical targets - gear durability, line management and casting performance - that needed improvement in current spinning reels to take them to another level,” said Jeremy Sweet, reel product manager for Shimano. “The results from all these efforts change the way spinning reels function, and enhance the overall fishing experience.”
Paladin Gear Durability Enhancement -- Relying on its industry-leading cold-forging manufacturing capabilities, Shimano’s Paladin Gear Durability Enhancement featured on the Stradic FI and Stradic MgFB reels use a special cold forged aluminum drive gear and a hardened brass pinion gear. “Cold-forging combines the ability to make gears with less metal for reduced weight, while still being stronger and more durable than even an all stainless steel drivetrain,” Sweet explains. “With the Paladin gear system, anglers will appreciate the out-of-the-box smoothness on their Stradic FI and Stradic MgFB reels after years of use.”
Line twist has always been an inherent problem with spinning reels, along with the occasional backlash and wind knots caused by line being loosely packed onto the spool. “While most spinning reel anglers come to just expect these problems, we address them with the new Propulsion Line Management System, “ Sweet notes.
Propulsion Line Management System -- A five-component system, Shimano’s Propulsion feature on the Stradic reels includes a spool lip designed to prevent backlashes and wind knots from forming. Line also flows off the spool in smaller loops meaning less line slap on the stripper guide, which, when combined with the long stroke spool design, provides longer casting distance due to less friction. “The unique shape of the spool and the spool lip design combine to keep the line from bouncing on the spool lip or stripper guide, and helps to reduce line twist and backlashes.”
The Propulsion Line Management System also includes Shimano’s SR-Concept One-Piece Bail wire to reduce friction and tangles, a twist-reducing Power Roller III line roller, a bail trip mechanism that easily trips the bail by turning the handle, and Shimano’s S-Arm Cam. “This final component keeps the line in contact with the line roller during slack line fishing such as vertical jigging and drop-shotting,” said Sweet.
Aero Wrap II Oscillation System -- Both the Stradic FI and MgFB reels feature Shimano’s Aero Wrap II Oscillation System to provide uniform line lay and winding shape. “This special worm gear system creates the ideal line lay for the Propulsion spool lip design, preventing any loss of energy during the cast while providing longer casting distance,” Sweets adds.
Stradic FI Series -- The Stradic FI reels include the ST1000FE, 2500FI, 3000FI, 4000FI, 5000FI, 6000FI and 8000FI - providing anglers the right reel size needed for any fishing situation from panfish, trout, bass and walleye, to in the salt for bonefish, tarpon, dorado, tuna, bluefish and redfish.
Each Stradic FI is constructed with an aluminum frame, graphite sideplate and rotor, and an aluminum spool. Exclusive to the Stradic 6000FI and 8000FI for their use in targeting larger saltwater species, both feature a stopperless design so there is no anti-reverse switch for enhanced containment protection.
Stradic MgFB Series -- In the Stradic MgFB series, Shimano offers the ST1000MGFB, 25000MGFB and 3000MGFB - all constructed with lightweight magnesium frames and sideplates - which “when combined with our new innovations provide the ultimate in lightweight spinning reel performance,” Sweet said. “Plus we quickly learned saltwater anglers appreciate magnesium framed reels for light tackle situations when we introduced the original Stradic Mg reels - there’s no need to worry about using our magnesium frame reels in a saltwater environment,” notes Sweet, “ the salt in the water and air will not have an adverse affect on the reel due to special surface treatments on the parts.”
To reduce weight even further on the Stradic MgFB reels, Shimano includes a drilled cold forged aluminum spool, small body profiles compared to spool capacity, and SR handles - the 1000 size has a very thin solid shank, while the 2500 and 3000 size use a hollow handle shank.
Key Common Features -- Along with features addressing gear durability, line management and casting performance, Shimano also offers other innovations in both the Stradic FI and Stradic MgFB series including five shielded A-RB (anti-rust) bearings for corrosion resistance and contaminant protection, a Super Stopper II selectable a one-way roller bearing, a Maintenance Port for easy lubrication, waterproof drags. and Shimano’s Direct Drive Mechanism. This feature provides added durability by attaching the drive gear directly to the thread-in handle, transmitting power efficiently, reducing vibration and eliminating any handle backplay.
“All our earlier versions of the Stradic reels, and more recently the Stradic magnesium framed reels (ST-MGFA), quickly turned into the favorite, go to spinning reel for most anglers who used them,” said Sweet. “With our new spinning reel innovations - the Paladin Gear Durability Enhancement, Propulsion Line Management System and Aero Wrap II Oscillation - now offered in both our Stradic series, we’ve raised the level in what anglers expect in a spinning reel to give them an on-the-water advantage.”
For more information on the new Stradic FI series and Stradic MgFB series spinning reels, including gear ratio, line capacity and handle grip shape specifications, visit the Shimano web site - www.shimano.com - call Shimano’s product support team at 877/577-0600 (6 am to 5 pm Pacific Standard Time) - or see your local fishing tackle dealer.
MSRP: Stradic 1000FI, 2500FI, 3000FI - $159.99; Stradic 4000FI, 5000FI - $179.99; ST6000FI, 8000FI - $199.99