Cyclo Review w/ Pics...

I got my cyclo a few days ago and went right to work testing it. I figured the cyclo would be a simple "One Step" and finishing polish machine only and that any real correction work would need to be done using my rotary, but I was wrong. I took out my trusty test panel today and wanted to see just how much correction power the Cyclo and Gloss It polishes had.

First let me say I really like this machine. Its smooth, balanced and leaves a hologram free finish even after heavy correction...plus one handed polishing is a breeze. As an owner of a Flex 3401 and Makita I will say the cyclo impressed me. The whole time I was comparing it to the both machines and it definatley held its own. Yes of course the raw power of the rotary is far more than the cyclo but with the cyclo I dont have to worry about nasty holograms, even on the softest of paint. Plus the new twin edge adapters are great, changing the double sided pads is so nice. I can go from cutting pads to fiishing pads in 20seconds.

Now onto the test...

I swirled up one section of the panel with a stiff bristle carpet brush using heavy pressure.

This is what I was left with







The swirls were pretty heavy and as you can see there are many RDS left in the finish.

I knew it would take an agressive combo to correct this so out with the orange pads and Gloss it Extreme cut



The pads were brand new so I used a little extra polish to prime them



And now I dry spread Extreme cut evenly acorss the panel to reduce splatter when I turned the machine on



After spreading the polish and a few passes



The end result after ONLY 1 hit of Gloss It Extreme cut and the cyclo





A very good amount of defect was removed, still some RDS were left but it was to be expected, so far I was super impressed.



I made sure to apply a good amount of pressure when working extreme cut so I could polish out the deeper defects and as it began to breakdown further I lightened up the pressure and refined the finish. I would say after only 1 hot of EC and the cyclo using orange pads I achieved 70% correction, around 85% in some of the areas without as many RDS.

Now onto removing the finer scratches I went to Gloss It Evolution cut and the yellow pads. I would have gone to green pads because this techinically would be the finishing stage of polishing but I needed some more bite from the pad if I was going to remove even more defects so I used a yellow pad instead.



After using Evolution cut





After an IPA wipedown I made sure there was no filling and carefully inspected the finish. I would say it was 90% perfect, the only exeptions being a few deep deep RDS which I wasnt able to polish out.

This was a bit of an "extreme situation" being as the swirls I induced were from stiff brushes and not regular washing towels etc. If I was going for 100% correction on this bad of a finish and used my rotary I would have choosen a wool cutting pad - either gloss it white lambswool or edge yellow with extreme cut BUT the only problem would be the left over nasty holograms. With the Cyclo I dont have to worry about that and still I was able to achieve a 90% perfect finish in only 2 steps.





So from this...





To this





....In 2 steps using a Cyclo

 

Great write up. Try out the green pads, they are a great aio pad.

 

Thanks for the review. I guess the Cyclo has more punch than everyone gives it credit for.

 

A great machine, and great results it looks like!

 

i had two cyclos at one point.... rightlook.com pushes them far above rotaries or PC's. So using it was definately a breeze and I could wax a surburban in no time flat... now as far as correction goes, well it just never did it for me. always left me wanting more...so i stepped up to a udm, to flex and now my makita is on the way!!!!

don't get me worng it's a good machine, however for correction you will take alot more time then a flex or rotary.

 

Cyclos can come in handy but for me it takes to long to achieve the same results as with the rotary, it's really nice having it in my arsenal though and I'll keep it just in case :shrug:

Thanks for sharing though, eace:

 

ooohh...Lets hear some more about these polishes... any good? haha can we get a quick review of what you think of them?

As for the Cyclo, its not a bad machine, but it never had enough power for my taste. I'd like it if it had some sort of speed control, and maybe a bigger motor. As Nica said, it takes its time to do work, and maybe I am just spoiled by my rotary, but I just need things done faster sometimes.

 

Nice review. The machine always looked to bulky for me. It looks like a well built machine but I have never considered getting one.

 

I own a Flex RO, a Makita and now the Cyclo and I will say that I really like using this machine, even for correction work. Yes sometimes a rotary is a must and it will always be the correction king but for light to medium correction if I am able to use the Cyclo I will just because it so damn easy! Another thing I do like about the cyclo is its ability to work the hell out of a polish. I can take an agressive compound like gloss it extreme cut and work it and work and work it until clear with the cyclo to get awesome correction results without holograms. How much you want it to cut simply depends on how much pressure you apply to the machine. On soft paint especially this machine will be my first choice. Dont throw away your rotaries guys but I think having a rotary and a cyclo is a winning combo, IMO more than having a rotary and a flex.

 

You are making me want a Cyclo now...

 

LOL at the polish junkie!!!!!


http://www.glossitonline.com/forum.php


He goes by smoke on the Gloss-it forum. I know because I posted one of "Smokes" reviews in a "dsms" thread here and he told me they were in fact one in the same.

 

nice review and machine

 

Yes we are in fact the same person :hug: This review was focused more on my impressions of the Cyclo itself and not so much gloss it but so far I am more than pleased with both.

 

I use my cyclo's 5 days a week and I wouldn't trade them for any other tool. :worship2:

 

My neighbor has a cyclo and raves about it non stop...once the weather clears out he will let me try it...its not as heavy as it looks

 

I traded Todd Helme my Flex for his Cyclo, I think I got the better deal! I use my Cyclo with Megs 105 and it works wonders . My PC's are collecting dust!

 

The Cyclo is easily one of the best built machines on the market, and it's also the best balanced machine you can buy.

 

This thread is so old. I havent touched a cyclo is nearly 1 year. It has great ability but its way to bulky for some of the cars I work on now and it vibs like a b!

 

just ordered a cyclo yesterday and found this post today. gracias mucho. i like shiny things.

 

Ralph anytime you want to try it out let me. You'll love it!