Risers (Collective groan when the post count noted...)

FlightyRachel

New member
Fonz Awardee
There are some really good deals on the Matrix around at the moment, Chiltern has them for 250 GBP with Evo limbs thrown in. And for what it's worth, I love my Matrix. :)
 

Big Boy Blue

New member
Fonz Awardee
Ironman
There are some really good deals on the Matrix around at the moment, Chiltern has them for 250 GBP with Evo limbs thrown in. And for what it's worth, I love my Matrix. :)
If you only want the riser then they are asking ?200, absolute bargain for a quality riser.
 

BasicNigel

New member
Ironman
I'm loving my GM atm - pastle black with 34lb samick limbs.... and idiot proof :cheerful:
It's worth trying a few of the sub ?200 riser and limb setups tho such as -
Samick Agulla or Mizar
Win and Win Evolution 2, Winstar 2
In this price range all the risers are forged with glass and wood limbs.
Any good shop (with a range) will let you spend a morning trying things out. Use the same limbs with different risers, that way you will 'feel' the difference. It's also worth taking you coach or a experienced club member with you.

MY reasons for going with the GM -still being a novice at this stage of my archery 'development' were
General feel of the riser - just felt more solid and precise than the Korean setups
Looks - love the big thick 'n' chunky style (but then I'm thick 'n' chunky too)
COST.... yeah OK you can get a good deal on more upmarket riser and limb packages, but bear in mind you'll also need at a minimum, bowsight, long rod, sling and arrows.
If it's your first bow, you wil find that your draw length and limb weight will also increase during the first few months (for the first 4 months I had a wood trainer untill my form became more consistant, and increased my limb weight 3 times for not much more than the cost of a GOOD set of IF limbs).
 

Russ

Member
Risers are really personal - but since you're asking for personal opinions, I'll give you mine... :cheerful:

I was sort of in the same situation: had to buy a first riser, but I knew full well that I wouldn't be able to upgrade for several years (if at all) so it had to be a good one. I ended up with an Eclipse and I'm happy with it... BUT... for some reason I can't explain, if I had the chance to buy it all over again I'd probably get the Matrix, or the SF that's modelled after the Yamaha, or one of Merlin's. Have only shot a Matrix once (long after I bought my Eclipse), and it just seemed more like a "bow" than anything with a TEC-bar models. Maybe entirely psychosomatic, but there it is.

With all due respect to other posts here: if you are in a similar situation and are looking for a riser that you won't be desperate to upgrade, I would avoid the Evolution, Agulla, and Winstar risers (i.e. the Winstar "1"); these are really only intended for beginners, and you'll likely outgrow them sooner rather than later.

The GM has a tried-and-true reputation, but I was advised against it by several folks in the know, mostly because there are more advanced risers available for the same price (or maybe a little more) which are also perfectly capable of shooting 1300+ "in the right hands."

The bottom line: try them all, and if you like the Matrix, and aren't a gotta-get-it-gadget-freak like me, then you will probably never have to upgrade. If you find one for the right price, I say go for it.
 

danda

Member
Er... went and got a couple of Matresses from a shop. Cobalt blue'll match the car nicely.

No limbs yet, though. We'll try out the club stuff and see what amount of pounds we're likely to be able to cope with (as if all that dropping the shoulder, not tipping the head back, touching the nose and even remembering to take the bow up to the launching pad stress wasn't enough.)

Thanks to everyone for all the input. Interesting to see Yamaha did bows in the past. Was it like their assault on guitars? (Look at the market, think "Hmmm... we could do that..." Proceed to obliterate everyone.)

Some of them are a bit ugly these days, but my 1980-ish SC1200 is still an absolute work of art.
 

worthipa

Supporter
Supporter
Not quite ... Yamaha started as a musical instrument manufacturer hence their logo, intertwined tuning forks.
 

danda

Member
Lumpy...

Of course*, I was thinking of the pre - 1887 watchmaking days.

Pedantic? Moi?



*Total lie...
 

Steffi

New member
My Husband swears by his GM, it was the first riser he bought (second hand).

He's now shooting in the 560's on a Portsmouth.
 

Sponge

New member
Fonz Awardee
I shoot my Winstar I with Challenger limbs. Its a good setup and will last most beginners a good few years.

I had the pleasure of shooting a few shots with a left handed Nexus with Border TX40 limbs last week. So smooth, so comfortable, soooooo much more expensive.

Have fun test driving kit!

Sponge.
 

danda

Member
Very disappointed with the cobalt blue finish. Even with constant application of the drool rag, it's suffering.

Seriously. Even without any bits on it, it looks deadly cool.

Then I am very easily pleased, (and likely to be found carrying it around the house making light sabre noises.)
 

jet186

New member
I wanted a riser with which I would forge a lasting relationship. I've now got just that.
I bet Mrs MINIMike has something to say about that:blush: :faint:
Re the w&W fomax damper Mike, if our paths cross at cba you can try it out if you like.:cheerful:
 

danda

Member
Archeology corner... :)

Returned to archery after a LOT of years away. Dusted off the gear, and it all works fine with new strings. Now retired from London to the sticks and can shoot in the back garden.

The Matrix looks and works as well as ever. I used some old KAP Carbon Challenger 68" 32lb limbs to ease myself back into things, and have now worked my way back up to the 38lb Border TXBs. Mostly using XX75s.

All is well, apart from Easton discontinuing ACCs while I wasn't looking... I'm now doomed to raking through ads for 3L-18 620s for the rest of my natural.

The 66" 38lb Whitehart has been also been brought out to play, and is set up in a suitably vintage way with the Arten Summit 2 it came with off of that EBay, TFCs (acting as limb bolts) and a quaint metal and chrome longrod. Set up for (less vintage) Carbon Express and Black Eagle Intrepid carbon arrows. Maybe it's the colour and skinniness of the carbons, but they seem blindingly fast. There again, it's a Whitehart. :)
 

Berny

Active member
Archeology corner... :)

....

The 66" 38lb Whitehart has been also been brought out to play, and is set up in a suitably vintage way with the Arten Summit 2 it came with off of that EBay, TFCs (acting as limb bolts) and a quaint metal and chrome longrod. Set up for (less vintage) Carbon Express and Black Eagle Intrepid carbon arrows. Maybe it's the colour and skinniness of the carbons, but they seem blindingly fast. There again, it's a Whitehart. :)
Might be something to do with "Border" limbs? ;-)
 

garryplymouth1

New member
Yup. 'Fraid so.

I'm wondering if anyone can help with a basic riser to get when starting out. The thinking is heading in a Hoytwards direction, and I'm after something good and basic that I can keep forever, and update limbs when / if I ever display any glimmer of talent for this.

I'm partial to classics, and the no brainer option seems to be the quaintly spelt Gold Medalist. However, reading posts here and there, I'm slightly concerned about opinions I've seen expressed about the GM (see, talking like a veteran already...) being discontinued, great,old, wonky or any combination of the foregoing.

I've no problem with old. I love old watches and saxophones because if something is good, it's good.

So, getting to the point already..., if I were to buy a GM, will I get something that is a solid classic, or something that has fallen out of tired moulds and is likely to be pot luck if I am to find a good, straight example with crisp tolerances?

I know. Try it out.

Thing is, I'm very tempted by the Matrices that seem to be kicking around at the ?200 mark. They look lovely, are relatively modern, and pleasingly conservative without all the flying buttresses everywhere. The Eclipse, for instance, doesn't do anything for me.

Be gentle with me...
Hi there. If a Gold Medalist is something that tickles your fancy then the next step on from that is the Spigarrelli Explorer 1300. It has the same geometry and is basically a CNC machined GM. They were very popular because they were the first widely used CNC riser. I have one still. Message me and I'll tell you more if you want
 

danda

Member
Thanks. I did go for the Matrix way back when, and I'm still very happy with it.

I did google the Explorer. Definite GM derivation. It must have been a shock for them to make such a non-whacky looking thing at the time.

They seem to have got over it since then... :)
 
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