Why Does Everyone Hate Graphite Side Plates? 2024
Megastink reply :
Coming from someone who has never looked into it. Why is there such a prejudice against graphite side plates?
Grantman83 reply :
Non handle side doesn't really matter. Handle side graphite will flexes and makes it's harder to reel in.
tbone1993 reply :
On 3/11/2014 at 11:37 PM, Grantman83 said:Non handle side doesn't really matter. Handle side graphite will flexes and makes it's harder to reel in.
On 3/11/2014 at 11:34 PM, Megastink said:Coming from someone who has never looked into it. Why is there such a prejudice against graphite side plates?
Who has a graphite side plate?
Wbeadlescomb reply :
The curado g's do I think?
I really don't see where it matters I've never broken A side plate
SirSnookalot reply :
Good question. Stradics get a lot of praise here, graphite rotor and side plate.
WIGuide reply :
Graphite is thought to flex more so gears will not be perfectly in line under lots of stress. Not only does this make you fight the reel a bit, it can also lead to premature wear.
Megastink reply :
On 3/12/2014 at 12:17 AM, WIGuide said:Graphite is thought to flex more so gears will not be perfectly in line under lots of stress. Not only does this make you fight the reel a bit, it can also lead to premature wear.
That makes sense...
Delaware Valley Tackle reply :
Graphite and plastic are kind of dirty words when we talk about reels but truth is both have advanced with technology. Graphite is a form of carbon fiber so the Ci4 material has to be a composite of some type. Some really cheap reels boast of aluminum frames but they are cast, as opposed to machined and are brittle junk. I look at the complete package and reputation and try not to get hung up on any one feature.
lmbfisherman reply :
On 3/11/2014 at 11:40 PM, SirSnookalot said:Good question. Stradics get a lot of praise here, graphite rotor and side plate.
and yet love this reel and smooth as butter with fish on!
WIGuide reply :
On 3/12/2014 at 1:24 AM, Delaware Valley Tackle said:Graphite and plastic are kind of dirty words when we talk about reels but truth is both have advanced with technology. Graphite is a form of carbon fiber so the Ci4 material has to be a composite of some type. Some really cheap reels boast of aluminum frames but they are cast, as opposed to machined and are brittle junk. I look at the complete package and reputation and try not to get hung up on any one feature.
Agreed, that's a very good way of looking at it.
SirSnookalot reply :
A Shimano tld is one of the most popular offshore reels used by many charter captains, these reels take a reel workout and pretty bullet proof. On the smaller side, Pflueger trions are graphite too, don't hear many complaints on those reels. I'm out one day a catch 150# shark on an cardinal 177 graphite frame with plastic gears, land the fish and 10 minutes I have another on the line and land it. That was many years ago, I sill have the reel and it;s like new, I don't use it anymore, why? lol
From personal experiences I've had maybe as many if not more problems arise around the $200 price range, than some of my less expensive reels. I'll probably continue to spend 150-200 because I'm one of the suckers born every minute.
War Eagle 44 reply :
I agree with the actual fishing experiences of most of the other guys, I've never once had a baitcaster fail or perform poorly just because it had graphite side plates. I think it's a perception thing because one of the most popular low profile baitcasters ever, the Bantam Curado, had graphite side plates but you never hear anyone knocking those reels. The E series is another good example of this, I have 4 Citica 201E's that I fish with more than any of my other reels (with the exception of one) and they are some of my all time favorites. I've never even considered getting rid of or replacing them. I fish 3 of the 4 of them with the drags buttoned and 50 to 65# braid every trip and I can't recall ever feeling them flex or seeming to be difficult to reel.
It's all about perception, just look at how excited everyone is over the new Curado, it too has graphite side plates. I agree with the poster above who said to look at the reel as a whole and not to focus to much on any single aspect.
Tywithay reply :
On 3/11/2014 at 11:37 PM, Grantman83 said:Non handle side doesn't really matter. Handle side graphite will flexes and makes it's harder to reel in.
The way I've always seen it, neither sideplate really adds any structural integrity.
Jrob78 reply :
Budget reels with graphite frames are what get a bad rap, (deservedly so, IMO.) I've never seen too many people get up in arms over graphite side plates.
TrippyJai reply :
On 3/12/2014 at 3:01 AM, Jrob78 said:Budget reels with graphite frames are what get a bad rap, (deservedly so, IMO.) I've never seen too many people get up in arms over graphite side plates.
I agree with this. You never hear about people having issues with their Curados. Here's something Bantam1 said:
The side plates are Graphite as advertised. Notice the webbing material added around the anti reverse bearing area. We added this to add strength during heavy loads when cranking.
No matter what material is used, if they take the time to pay attention to small details, they can get away with a lot.
MCS reply :
Sounds like a load of horse crap the reel manufacturers concocted to make us buy more expensive metal reels :s .....that said I make sure mine have aluminum frames, don't care bout the side plates. 
0119 reply :
If an angler is fighting a fish and the sideplate flexes, they are not fighting the fish correctly. Apparently too many people don't know how to fight a fish correctly. The simple pump and reel. The rod fights the fish, no torque should ever be placed on a reel. A reels drag is there to protect the line and a reel is simply a way to store line. Style, competition, copying pro's and flipping has made a whole generation of angler's who don't know the basic's.
bflp3 reply :
On 3/12/2014 at 2:57 AM, Tywithay said:The way I've always seen it, neither sideplate really adds any structural integrity.
I disagree with that. The handle side plate definitely adds structural integrity, at least on the reels I've taken apart. Take the handle side plate off and feel how much side to side play is in the handle without it. That is force that the roller bearing, and thus the side plate take care of.
mjseverson24 reply :
On 3/12/2014 at 10:47 PM, 119 said:If an angler is fighting a fish and the sideplate flexes, they are not fighting the fish correctly. Apparently too many people don't know how to fight a fish correctly. The simple pump and reel. The rod fights the fish, no torque should ever be placed on a reel. A reels drag is there to protect the line and a reel is simply a way to store line. Style, competition, copying pro's and flipping has made a whole generation of angler's who don't know the basic's.
I would say this is true for big saltwater fish because the gear is just not powerful enough to winch the fish in, but in freshwater for bass, I typically avoid the "pump and reel" as it puts uneven pressure on the line and hook, my goal is to keep constant pressure on the fish as to not allow it to shift the hook in its mouth. the pump and reel can lead to a lot of lost fish especially with crankbaits at least in my experience. everybody has their own way of doing things if it works for you thats all that matters, but saying that your way is the only right way is a slippery slope that leads to scrutiny especially on these forums...
Mitch
0119 reply :
It isnt "my" way. Its the right way. Always has been, long before I was a thought in Daddy's mind. You dont loose pressure when doing either, nor develop slack, nor any other term it could be coined.
SirSnookalot reply :
0119 is absolutely right. The rod handles the stress and using the drag properly takes the stress off the reel, there shouldn't be any stress on the side plates or handle. Using heavy braided line with a locked drag does only 1 thing and that's dragging the fish in quickly to get on to the next cast, but probably puts way more strain on the equipment. This type of pro emulation is the last thing I would do as a recreational fisherman. What's more fun, playing a bass for 60 seconds or horsing it in 5? So I lose an 8# fish, won't be the first or last.
I would hope that pump and reel is used in freshwater, little tough to be cranking a good size fish out of heavy muck.
bflp3 reply :
I'll use pump and reel with spinning reels or when pulling fish out of thick cover, but if I have the bass moving, I'm winching it in with my baitcaster. If the reel can't handle that, it isn't a very good reel. My graphite sided reels don't have any issue with that. I'm definitely not going to play a bass for 60 seconds in a tournament if I don't have to.
Alonerankin2 reply :
Snookalot....0119 you are right...
Mitch.... You are right
Fishing for small fish as in LMB,as in money on the line, getting the bass in quickly, is very important . I learned very long ago to pump and reel down.... I then learned how to water ski a bigmouth in.. I only fish for joy and I apply my way of doing it when I need or want to. Big fish ? It's just my instinct to pump and reel.. Smaller species is most often quickly cranked in for me.
I just don't see a point in pump and reel on a 2 pound largemouth... But I choose how I fight the fish !
Boogey Man reply :
How much force does it really take to "flex" a frame or side plate? If the frame is aluminum, the only internal thing making contact with the side plate is the crankshaft and where the spool shaft runs through the pinion gear. It's not like the gears are connected to the side plate. So the only pressure exerted from a heavy load would be from pressure from the spool.
Just my opinion, but I think we make too much of this. I'd rather have a somewhat lighter reel with an aluminum frame and graphite side plates that a heavy reel that I find uncomfortable to fish with.
Or maybe I ain't catching bass big enough to flex my reel, LOL.
TorqueConverter reply :
I curious about a couple of things:
1. are the graphite components of reels really a slab of graphite, or are they graphite fiber reinforced plastic?
2. If the frame of a reel is flexing, wouldn't that cause the gearing to become out of alignment and loose efficiency? It would be harder to turn the handle when reeling a heavy thing in or the spool tension is so great that is distorts the frame.
The Rooster reply :
First we must understand how force is transmitted through the reel from pressure on the line. Line is putting pressure on the spool from the fish hooked to the other end. This causes the spool shaft to push against the bearings seated in each sideplate. It also pushes the pinion gear into the main drive gear a little harder. This puts force on the main crank shaft running through the roller bearing which is also seated in a sideplate. So both side plates see pressure, as do the gears and bearings and crank shaft. The crank shaft is also seated in the frame, so the frame sees pressure from this as well, and also at the point where the reel foot seats into the reel seat on the rod. Still further, the frame sees pressure from the points of contact between it and the sideplates also. Pressure is dispersed pretty widely in a reel when under load. The harder the fish, or you, pull, the greater the forces are.
Now, remember when we were kids and we'd find a stick on the ground and break it up into progressively smaller pieces, and the smaller it got, the harder it was to break again? Sooner or later you'd reach a point where equal pressure each time is no longer enough to break it, and more is now needed. Same with side plates, they're pretty small, relatively speaking. So how much pressure does it take to flex one? I'd say quite a lot, especially if the reel's frame is aluminum, but much less if the frame is graphite since it will also flex with less pressure as well. I believe that's where most gear misalignment comes from. Reels under heavy load and not rigid enough to take it.
This is also why all graphite reels will sometimes last a long time for some guys who don't catch very large fish very often, or guys who are light on their equipment in terms of use and abuse, and even guys who use better fish landing techniques. It's why one guy will tear up a reel and say it's junk where another will use it indefinitely with no problems (aluminum frame or not). It all breaks down to various pressures applied over a reel's lifetime in how long it will last and whether it flexes, or even fails, or not. For most people, an aluminum frame with graphite sideplates is enough for about any fish they'll catch.
I think the lion's share of the market is basically established by price, and various priced reels give you varying degrees of quality. People usually choose a reel based on price, but I think it should be chosen based on how hard you fish, how often, the type of fish you persue, and how abusive you are to your gear. This should all play into decisions on whether to buy all graphite or all aluminum, or somewhere in between. I think for the most part, an aluminum frame with graphite sides is strong enough to hold up for most people. That's about as simple as I can explain it.
*Hootie reply :
If I had to think about all this stuff while I was fishing, I think I would just stay home.
Hootie
BobP reply :
To me it boils down to whether you trust the engineering a company puts into its reel. Would I bypass a reel from a company I trust and buy a reel from an unknown just because the unknown had metal side plates versus a composite graphite side plate? No. That would be stupid, IMO.
SirSnookalot reply :
On 3/13/2014 at 4:24 AM, Alonerankin2 said:Snookalot....0119 you are right...
Mitch.... You are right
Fishing for small fish as in LMB,as in money on the line, getting the bass in quickly, is very important . I learned very long ago to pump and reel down.... I then learned how to water ski a bigmouth in.. I only fish for joy and I apply my way of doing it when I need or want to. Big fish ? It's just my instinct to pump and reel.. Smaller species is most often quickly cranked in for me.
I just don't see a point in pump and reel on a 2 pound largemouth... But I choose how I fight the fish !
To be honest there isn't much point to it, any fish that can be landed within a very short period of time is not what I would call formidable. Not intending to insult anyone's fish landing ability but it doesn't really take a high level of expertise to land most of these fish. Be proud to catch a 10# bass or 6# small mouth or even a 6# peacock, nice fish for their species, but battles of epic proportions, I hardly think so. What 0119 is referring to proper landing technique is 5# fish (we catch them a whole lot bigger than that) that won't be landed in a few minutes without knowing what you are doing, you just ain't going to arm drag these fish in. The last thing I'm concerned about fishing for bass is stressing the reel.
BassWhole! reply :
On 3/13/2014 at 5:52 AM, TorqueConverter said:I curious about a couple of things:
1. are the graphite components of reels really a slab of graphite, or are they graphite fiber reinforced plastic?
2. If the frame of a reel is flexing, wouldn't that cause the gearing to become out of alignment and loose efficiency? It would be harder to turn the handle when reeling a heavy thing in or the spool tension is so great that is distorts the frame.
I'm changing my screen name to SLAB OF GRAPHITE.
.RM. reply :
On 3/12/2014 at 1:24 AM, Delaware Valley Tackle said:Graphite and plastic are kind of dirty words when we talk about reels but truth is both have advanced with technology. Graphite is a form of carbon fiber so the Ci4 material has to be a composite of some type. Some really cheap reels boast of aluminum frames but they are cast, as opposed to machined and are brittle junk. I look at the complete package and reputation and try not to get hung up on any one feature.
X2...
The base thinking for every service tech that is worth a d@mn..
Tight Lines! 
smalljaw67 reply :
Side plates aren't a seal breaker but a frame is. I have 2 Smoke reels, I also have a Lews Tournament pro, I got the Lews after both Smoke reels because I was really worried about the both side plates on the Lews being graphite but it hasn't been a problem. Frames are out, I was in the same boat as a friend of my while he was using his Shimano Caenan, he had 30# braid on and we were jig fishing and all was well when he reared back on a big hook set straight into a log and the reel let out this noise that I thought was the drag, it turns out it was something else. We go over and manage to get the jig loose and move up the bank to the next point and he makes a bad cast and then when he tries to reel it back you could actually hear the grinding and he said it was so rough it was toast, after we were done he went and had a guy we know that fixes reel on the side look at it and he told him the frame probably flexed enough that everything was out of alignment. I found out that it will flex but the tolerances are poor in reels like that to compensate for the added flex of the frame, the problem is under a heavy load it can flex to a point it doesn't flex back, now the force to do that is not normally going to happen but I saw it happen and I know graphite frames for me are a no no but not so much side plates any more.
Rangerjoe reply :
Remember it it doesn't wiggle its not a fish.
Diggy reply :
Everyone catches sharks on this site
Tywithay reply :
On 3/13/2014 at 5:52 AM, TorqueConverter said:I curious about a couple of things:
1. are the graphite components of reels really a slab of graphite, or are they graphite fiber reinforced plastic?
2. If the frame of a reel is flexing, wouldn't that cause the gearing to become out of alignment and loose efficiency? It would be harder to turn the handle when reeling a heavy thing in or the spool tension is so great that is distorts the frame.
All graphite is some form of resin and graphite, whether it be fiber, powder, prepreg, etc. Even aircraft parts made from carbon fiber are "carbon reinforced plastic." Most cheap graphite on reels is powdered graphite and polyurethane resin. The more powder and higher quality of resin determine the strength. Design will also play into strength.
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