The weight of a rotor on a spinning reel and the performance of the same.

[Glos]

The weight is always described as something that in rotor has no benefit, and is something to be lessened. While I am convinced that weight and the more heavy rotor it is, especially the arms on it, reel performs better due to flywheel effect - inertia.
It wont make the reel stronger when you need to pull out big fish, or sinker, and it will be of no use when often pull - stop motion is used.
But for example pulling a crank bait has to be better in a sense of reels pulling power with heavier rotor once it has started to turn. Initial motion will be harder but the rest of the winding is easier.

[boon]

I don't think the physics/maths works out here. Once an object is in motion then inertia makes it want to continue but only until it has expended the stored energy... if the input stops... all a heavier rotor would do is make the reel want to keep spinning once you removed the input. It would make the reel less responsive both in stopping or starting?

This is like saying putting heavier wheels on your car will save you gas because inertia.

[alantani]

subjective bias is unavoidable.  so often, i think people associate quality or value with weight.  something that is heavier must be worth more.  i'd love to see a reel manufacturer market a reel that claimed to be better quality because it weighed more.   

[alantani]

or, you could be on to something!!!!   

https://alantani.com/index.php?topic=34410.0

[jurelometer]

I think Boon is on to something.  Isn't the purpose for a flywheel on a combustion motor to even out the delivery of rotational energy? Without a flywheel, the driveshaft would be constantly accelerating and decelerating during and after the firing of each cylinder.  That makes for a lot of vibration and wear.

The spinning reel has a bit of a similar but slightly different problem with the oscillation of the shaft plus ergonomics causing the handle/main shaft rotation speed to vary.  With a big flywheel (heavy rotor) it should be a bit easier to maintain a smooth retrieve, especially at higher speeds.  But a heavier flywheel (rotor) is also less efficient for transferring energy, and you have to fight it when you want to stop or slow your retrieve. There should be an ideal tradeoff at some point

Realistically, a rotor has to be relatively large and rigid, so I would suspect that most have more than enough weight to fulfill the flywheel role.  It seems that most reel makers are looking for ways to make the rotor lighter without sacrificing rigidity.

But I am not a spinning reel guy, so take this with a grain of salt...

-J

[Glos]

subjective bias is unavoidable.  so often, i think people associate quality or value with weight.  something that is heavier must be worth more.  i'd love to see a reel manufacturer market a reel that claimed to be better quality because it weighed more.   

Because they usualy are. And in the top range of spinners that weight is present in adequate amount, not necessarily because of the constructors understanding of complete picture, but because the need for solid materials- weight for those.
The issue becomes obvious in those mid range and low cost reels, where one can blatantly notice ridiculous lack of weight in rotor and overall reel construction..  which, I am sure, results in worse performance, for that reason alone.

[JasonGotaProblem]

Here's a fun one. How does it affect the above when the rotor is or isn't balanced? Loosely related, suppose a fella wanted to try to balance the rotor on an older reel. How would you begin such a quest?

[Glos]

Here's a fun one. How does it affect the above when the rotor is or isn't balanced? Loosely related, suppose a fella wanted to try to balance the rotor on an older reel. How would you begin such a quest?

Wobble. More or less, but yes. Like any other dis-balanced rotating thing.

[Glos]

Flywheel isn't the best description. I meant rotational inertia being more significant with solid, weighty rotor, that as a result helps ( once started, and the starting will be slightly heavier, but the rest is easier ), reeling in light objects, lures..

[philaroman]

Here's a fun one. How does it affect the above when the rotor is or isn't balanced?

progressively more noticeable AND MORE ANNOYING wobble, as you reel faster
https://alantani.com/index.php?topic=21492.msg233297#msg233297

Loosely related, suppose a fella wanted to try to balance the rotor on an older reel. How would you begin such a quest?

duh, you look on AT:
https://alantani.com/index.php?topic=21460.0

[Glos]

A good hint on the subject would be the fact that new Stella FK, for which I didn`t know before I started these type of conclusions, has magnesium rotors in sizes 2500 and smaller, and aluminum in bigger ones.
Aluminum being heavier.
And in ultra light fishing that inertia is of no use.
Btw line lay in that Stella, with super slow oscillation is not good for short distance jerky type of motion, Puling the jig out of rocks and similar, fishing.
Gonna cause line - braid cutting in. IMHO.

[philaroman]

A good hint on the subject would be the fact that new Stella FK, for which I didn`t know before I started these type of conclusions, has magnesium rotors in sizes 2500 and smaller, and aluminum in bigger ones.
Aluminum being heavier.

nothing to do w/ weight...  magnesium can't handle salt,
so it's only used for small reel sizes most likely to be used F/W-only

[Glos]

A good hint on the subject would be the fact that new Stella FK, for which I didn`t know before I started these type of conclusions, has magnesium rotors in sizes 2500 and smaller, and aluminum in bigger ones.
Aluminum being heavier.

nothing to do w/ weight...  magnesium can't handle salt,
so it's only used for small reel sizes most likely to be used F/W-only

I don`t think so. Dedicated fw reel wouldn`t be done in such manner only partially.
Aluminum gives it much needed inertia in those bigger sizes.
And one more  conclusion of mine about this new Stella. It has no PG, because that tight parallel line lay couldn`t handle it without even more cutting in of braid.
I predict it to be a failure, with or without PG. Because of SSO.

[JasonGotaProblem]

Do smaller sizes not need that inertia? Methinks they did it to reduce weight without losing the strength in the gear box.

[Gfish]

Heavy reels might godda do with the quality of the metal. Cheaper metal might require thicker parts to maintain rigidity. Wonder how much a mostly titanium reel would cost.