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Author Topic: Bite...Dud or just very condition specific?  (Read 3465 times)

Neptune66

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Bite...Dud or just very condition specific?
« on: June 15, 2008, 12:54:58 AM »
Just curious how many of you are happy, unhappy, or undecided about your Black Widow Bite. Not taking a poll or anything.  Just interested everyone's experiences.

I have had some fantastic games with it. Not just high scores, but the ball was effortless to guide to the pocket. But most of the time, for me, it's been a Dud:

1) Ends up on one side or the other of the target.
2) Makes it's move too early sometimes, too late others.
3) Hits flat when it does hit it's target. Not a lot of pin action.

Then again.... there have some very good individual games with it (289, a couple game sin the 260's, and a few in the 240's), after which I thought I had one of the best weapons out there.  Most of the time, though, this ball does NOT come through for me ----yet (not selling or giving up on it just yet).

As I said... just interested in the consensus out there. If many of you have experienced anything similar or if you are totally thumbs up or thumbs down on the Bite.

 

Mr Hurt24

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Re: Bite...Dud or just very condition specific?
« Reply #16 on: June 17, 2008, 09:49:29 PM »
Well when I first got my Bite, it hooked all over the place and was super for the first I say 20 games...Then the reaction started to go away but I played with different surfaces and played different lines with it...After maybe 70 games, the reaction it once had is not there but I got a nice smooth move to the pocket and in the past 5 weeks ive shot 774, 735, 698, 704, and 760 in my league so I cant complain..
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Bowlin for Beer

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Re: Bite...Dud or just very condition specific?
« Reply #17 on: June 17, 2008, 10:13:25 PM »
I have to agree with most of the comments here, in that for the first 20-30 games i could throw the Bite anywhere near the break-point it would strike.  Threw my highest games and series' ever with the ball.  Lately however, if I miss it a little on the release its either DOA in the pocket and leaving 7-10 splits, or its light in the pocket leaving 2-10, 2-8-10, or 2-4-8-10s.  At best when its light in the pocket its a flat 10 pin.  

However, if I hit the release just right, I know its going to be lights out. It's just been really sensitive to missed releases. But, I've mostly been afraid to use it because a few bad hits in a game can just ruin your chances of a decent score.  I've got more forgiving balls that carry better that I've been relying on more lately.

Neptune66

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Re: Bite...Dud or just very condition specific?
« Reply #18 on: June 18, 2008, 01:25:40 AM »
Used mine again tonight.

Can string together multiple strikes and carry all kinds of poor hits, but the reason they're poor hits (in addition to "operator error") is cause the ball is Sooooo  sensitive to any change in release. And later on, the ball's wildly varied reactions, end up costing more blown shots than the ball saved earlier on.

A few times, as I'm about to deliver the ball, I have realized I am out of position and a slight adjustment was enough to save the shot (a good thing). But many times  it's an accidental or unconcious adjustment and ends up ruining the shot (not good).

Could never get into a groove with it tonight. Maybe it's just too much ball for the oil pattern at my most frequented bowling center.

All I know, is my BWB is very very close to being retired, sold, or....if it fails me in a really crucial situation, it could possibly find itself homeless or at the bottom of a river.

:-(

Haven't totally given up yet, but it's looking bleak. My old Brunswick Command Zone and Storm Triple XXX Factor, were far superior to the BWB tonight, in terms of carry, predictability, mixing action.  All the way around. And I have reasonably good speed, averaging around 17-18 mph. It's like the ball has used up most of it's energy before it hits the pin. Is that what is meant by the term "Roll out"?

I haven't tried putting some polish on it yet.... Anyone had better results with a polished surface on their Bite?

mxbowler95

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Re: Bite...Dud or just very condition specific?
« Reply #19 on: June 19, 2008, 10:14:49 AM »
This is just what I have seen with this ball and my opinion.

I went down to the BEST tournament and made it through to Sunday and was way up in the standings. Went to bowl on the Sunday shot and was using my Awesome Hook and Blast Zone. They were just arcing to the pocket. While I was struggling,I saw a lot of Bites just killing it down there. The Bites were just kicking up even in the oil. So I went out and got one yesterday so I wouldn't have to be the kid struggling while I was making good shots. All I can say is WOW. I threw it at the house my pro shop is at and they had the Shark out there. Went 717 with this ball right out of the pro shop. It was oob, but I think I'm going to go 2000 on it. But I had my Awesome Hook, Blast Zone, and Twisted Fury. The Bite out hooked them all by at least 4-5 boards. I won't be throwing this ball though, until my next tournament then out at Gold. So I will make an update then, but from what I have seen and thrown with this ball, it is amazing.

Neptune66

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Re: Bite...Dud or just very condition specific?
« Reply #20 on: June 21, 2008, 06:56:04 AM »
Again tryed my bite last night and again struggled. Either it is just THAT strong and using all it's power way early, or it just doesn't natch up well with this particular center's pattern in the summer (medium to medium/dry).

Despite the fact that it's supposed to go long and then snap, there is just too much friction too early, and it still snaps, but USUALLY not far enough down  the lane. And if I add some speed, it sometimes makes it too the pocket and sometimes sails on past it.  It's now banished to either my closet or foir an audition at another center, with more oil (except I don't bowl there in the summer).

When I get just the right speed and conditions, it absoultely crushes the pins. So I am not totally down on it ----yet. It is just soooooo condition specific that it's been pretty useless ...save for a few oohs and ahhs by spectators on those occasional "crusher" strikes.

themagician

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Re: Bite...Dud or just very condition specific?
« Reply #21 on: June 21, 2008, 10:53:33 AM »
I do have another comment here on people saying the ball losing it after just 30 games. Around this time, at least for me and others with the original black widow, you would start to develop some tracking on the coverstock, and refreshing the surface with a 4k abralon pad would bring the ball right back, it just seemed the tracking and use of the ball caused the surface some issues.

Now this is not completely confirmed with the bite but i've first hand seen numerous bite's with at least 100 games on them going strong as can be with just regular cleaning and every 30-45 games refreshing the coverstock to box finish.
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