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speedia narrow drum

Chris Thomson

Chris Thomson

Senior Member
Hi, apart from line bedding in , is there any other disadvantage of using a narrow drum over a wide drum, I've got a chance to buy one and was wondering if anyone on here uses a narrow drum speedia and found any disadvantages over the wide drum version? Also got a chance of a rapidex, do they come in wide and narrow versions and is the speedia a better buy over the rapidex? cheers
 
Don't pass up the opportunity, Chris - the Speedia, whether narrow or wide, is a great reel. The narrow model, a GREAT trotting 'pin, is less robust than the wide model, holds less line, but is still up to barbel (my narrows have had doubles to nearly twelve).
 
I have a narrow Speedia. I use it for l for barbel in the main but I tend to use my Avon Supreme when trotting although the Speedia is just as free running, I just can't be bothered to change the line!. Mine is ancient and very well used, but still works fine. Not the most sophisticated of reels, but that can be an advantage. Also the black reel with orange handles (as mine is) looks really good with modern rods.
Never used the wide one, but for trotting I think the narrow spools are just as good unless you require lots of line on the reel when a wider spool will prevent bedding in a little.
I also have a rapidex and would go for the Speedia every time over it. Nothing that wrong with them, just mine has never runn as freely and seems to be a dirt magnet!
 
What ever you do DON'T BUY THE SPEEDIA, forward the sellers e-mail address to me, I will deal with it.





Ooooop's just been told off by my Mrs!!!
Apparently I must play nicely!!!


The Speedia is a far better reel than the Rapidex, the castings don’t look so hot but the machining can be top quality, I prefer the narrow drum for my trotting, Paul prefers the wide, I’ll bet we would both take either!!

I have used them for years and the 4 that I have will probably see me out, even so if a good one came up I would buy it like a shot!
 
Got two wide drum speedias and a couple of rapidexs. Use the rapidexs for trotting, but need to do more of it next year to provide a true test of their abilities (inspired by Mr Speer) and the speedias for barbel. By far the best fun when catching barbel is had when using a speedia. Also using them for margin float fishing for carp - bit of peacock quill cut down and fished lift style. Fabulous reels. And would be the items of tackle I'd grab first if the smoke alarm went off....I'm sure the narrow drum versions are great too.

As with Keith....don't tempt me. I wouldn't be able to afford alimony payments AND the reels....
 
Something I wrote earlier - on the Pure Piscator Forum the other day:


Speedias...

Wednesday, March 17, 2010 10:58am, PP Forum, in the "Graham Phillips Rods" thread:

Good job that I don't own a digital camera; if I did, I'd be showing you mine - four wide-drum De Luxes, one of which, still in excellent nick, owned since the early 1970s, has numerous salmon (including 17, 18.25, 19.5 and 23 pounds) to its name, plus double-figure barbel over the past few years; another, mint, unused and boxed that I paid a bomb for on Ebay a few years ago and actually regretted that I bought it for I immediaely realised that I could never use such a reel (Speedias, you see, are for using, not for fossilizing away in display cases). Then there are the narrow drums that between them have caught virtually everything that can be trotted for...
 
I have both narrow and wide drum speedias, they are superb reels. Fairly cheap and out spin most of the expensive allcocks etc (not that spinning really makes much difference) plus I think they look great.

A proper boys reel! A la Crabtree!

BUY IT!

Cheers
Adam
 
Paul Boote said:
Something I wrote earlier - on the Pure Piscator Forum the other day:


Speedias...

Wednesday, March 17, 2010 10:58am, PP Forum, in the "Graham Phillips Rods" thread:

Good job that I don't own a digital camera; if I did, I'd be showing you mine - four wide-drum De Luxes, one of which, still in excellent nick, owned since the early 1970s, has numerous salmon (including 17, 18.25, 19.5 and 23 pounds) to its name, plus double-figure barbel over the past few years; another, mint, unused and boxed that I paid a bomb for on Ebay a few years ago and actually regretted that I bought it for I immediaely realised that I could never use such a reel (Speedias, you see, are for using, not for fossilizing away in display cases). Then there are the narrow drums that between them have caught virtually everything that can be trotted for...
Click to expand...

Have a look at this thread that Mr B Mentions on http://www.purepiscator.com/forum/default.aspx?g=posts&t=259 It's the Graham Phillips rod thread. You will see some other talk about Speedias and also how, if you happen to get a tatty one, to strip it and make it look the pup's nuts.

I concur with the other comments re. Speedias. Fabulous reels. I have two(for the time being) one narrow, one wide. I also have an Allcocks Aerial(c815 Hexagonal badged one) and Fred Crouch Aerial replica, both very good reels, but the Speedia is my reel of choice.

Haydn
 
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Indeed, Speedias are wonderful reels whether broad or narrow.... reminds me of a song, ah well.

Regards

Hugo
 
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Hi, cheers all for your replys, was saving the money in case Pompey got to wembly but after last nights mauling by Chelsea I might divert my funds ! cheers
 
I thought the BFW speedia curse had struck again. I've been after one for a while, but every time i see a nice one on ebay, an 'aren't speedia's brilliant' thread appears and the price seems to rocket. Finally though i've managed to sneak a winning bid on ebay and a speedia is heading my way, i'm looking forward to giving it a spin and seeing if its as good as the hype.

Roll on the 16th
 
The Chairman on Monday

Subject: "Hype"


If the one you have bought is a good un, young Ian, you will soon recognize that you have in your mitts 1959-vintage Mini design-classic looks and price with vintage Rolls Royce or Bentley (or BMW, as Deirdre has just suggested to me, "...but, God forbid, they're German!") performance. Perfect, no-frills utility for pennies - not a lot of it about in these profit-hungry, image-conscious days.


As ever,

B.B.
 
Agreed! They are pretty little reels, much more so than those ghastly looking Okumas - especially the gold ones, all a little bit too "dictator-chic" for my liking. However, I know that the Okumas are very good reels for the money and that some users love them, but when you can pick up both a narrow, and wide, depreciation-proof(if such things matter) Speedia for the same money as one Okuma...

Regards
Haydn
 
I have a Rapidex, Speedia (narrow) and a Sheffield.

Would happily get rid of the other two (not that they are bad reels), and use the Speedia.

The Rapidex line guard is prohibitive, the Sheffield spins too freely! but the Speedia is just right.

If you can find one, try and get hold of one.
 
just wondering what makes the speedia more popular over the trudex? The trudex looks a pretty little reel and seem to go foe a lot less money on e bay than speedia's, is this a case of speedias are in fashion hence the silly money they fetch or is the trudex not in the same league performance wise? I know the trudex has a narrow drum but if you were using them for legering not trotting would the speedia be a better buy than the trudex?
 
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