SpartanSailor
Member
It took me all of 2018 to inch down from 23.5ish to 22.7ish... I’m slow to improve, but I enjoy the process.
Hello fellow cubers. I was directed here by a fellow mature cuber, I will be 50 next month. So I was around when the Rubik’s cube craze started.
I am reading a few posts, and seeing a lot of abbreviations. Hopefully I will become conversant in time.
My main solve method is the cross then build the layers.
But I am now looking at the roux method,
I am currently considering a new speed cube.
A few years back I set myself a goal of a sub 1 minute solve and managed it. I even got down to 32 seconds but my long term goal is to get sub 20 seconds every time.
Another of my goals is to get my turning technique better. But I need to understand notation better.
But I am just enjoying solving my cube again.
Hello oldies! I haven't been around in about 6 months, haven't had much spare time for cubing lately either. Work has been hectic and I also spent two months in Africa, where I would occasionally do some blind solving on the balcony, with a beautiful view of the Atlantic ocean, which makes me wonder why I chose an activity that required I have my eyes closed...
The other day I had some friends over who got interested in my cubes and to my horror I found my skills have deteriorated to the point where I cannot even remember any R-perms after a few glasses of glühwein. Looks like I need some more practice.
Any interesting developments in the scene? Any new hardware I need to check out? Any of you oldies set a world record yet? Is this thread still heavily focused on bld (from the looks of the last page looks like you're all doing mbld by now)?
I hope you get there quicker than me - when I was at your speed in competition (2010), it took me 3 more years before I got my first official sub-20. And to this day, I still only have 2 of them.
. I'm still slowly inching down through the 20s; 18s and 19s aren't as frequent as I'd like yet but those only get a yawn now, takes a 16 or 17 single to raise my pulse.
@pglewis we are at the same exact point. If I get a string of 18s and 19s (like 3 in a row as happened last night)... that will get a fist pump out of me too. I did manage a 15.21 last night which I believe is my second fastest single ever...
Nice progress! I have no idea what I would average right now. Last weekend I did one timed solve when my friend insisted, first timed solve in 6 months, and somehow managed to clock in at 21 seconds despite the added pressure of an audience and resorting to 2-look OLL when I couldn't remember the case. So it seems it's still in there somewhere! I'll try to get in an Ao100 soon, just have to review some OLLs first.Great to see you check in, I was just wondering how you've been last week. I picked up quite a few 3x3 tricks from you and you were getting respectably fast when life intervened. I'm still slowly inching down through the 20s; 18s and 19s aren't as frequent as I'd like yet but those only get a yawn now, takes a 16 or 17 single to raise my pulse.
The 354m is an amazing cube which I'm currently using for OH. The 356X on the other hand is even better than the 354m for 2H. It has a softer turning feel and the pieces also feel a little rounder. The 354m has a sharp feeling in the hands. As for the price, yes I agree GAN are pushing it a bit. I did get mine from cubezz.com whose prices are a lot better than anywhere else. I paid $43 for mine whereas TheCubicle is $57 for the IPG v5 version.I have a 354M and it's a very good puzzle and hands-down the most aesthetically pleasing 3x3 I've owned but they've pushed the price point on the 356X too far for my curiosity. And TBH, a $20-$25 factory GTS2-M is still hard to beat for my tastes anyway.
I'll also be celebrating my 50th this year. Not sure if I should be happy or sad about that yet as I will officially be "over the hill" as they sayi have just ordered 2 cubes.
the gans 354m 3x3 cube.
and the xiaomi giiker cube.
the latter cube is for my 50th so I will have to wait til mid feb to try it.
but very excited to try the magnetic cube.
TBH when I was researching what cube to buy, my head was spinning.
I will report back on my progress.
6x6 hardware is finnicky, and requires fairly tight tensions for stability relative to other size cubes. Personally I loosen it until I start getting lockups, then tighten maybe 1/8 of a turn. If you have the time and/or money I strongly recommend a magnetic 6x6. In other cubes magnets are nice, for 6x6 magnets are a complete game changer.For some reason I've been playing a lot with my 6x6 the last couple of days. I think I have only solved it once or twice before, right after I got it. It's still very tight, but I'm not sure how I should go about adjusting the tensions. What kind of indicators should I look for to tell that it isn't too loose or tight? It's a WuHua, if that makes a difference.
For some reason I've been playing a lot with my 6x6 the last couple of days. I think I have only solved it once or twice before, right after I got it. It's still very tight, but I'm not sure how I should go about adjusting the tensions. What kind of indicators should I look for to tell that it isn't too loose or tight? It's a WuHua, if that makes a difference.
I used to have my Wuhua on super loose tensions to make it not-slow, and my general strategy was to hope that it didn't pop… but it popped a lot, so maybe that wasn't the best idea. (There was a comp last year where I decided not to register for 666 because I was afraid of the cube exploding mid-solve.)6x6 hardware is finnicky, and requires fairly tight tensions for stability relative to other size cubes. Personally I loosen it until I start getting lockups, then tighten maybe 1/8 of a turn. If you have the time and/or money I strongly recommend a magnetic 6x6. In other cubes magnets are nice, for 6x6 magnets are a complete game changer.
Thanks for the tips all! I might consider a magnetized 6x6 one day. For now I'll keep loosening the tensions until it locks up too much. It hasn't popped yet. I can admit that I fear that moment a bit, since I've never taken apart and put together a cube of this size. Maybe I should take it apart to get over that fear.
I’ve worn out at least one 6x6 with that many solves, there’s obviously going to be some variation, but I’d guess you’ll see significant improvement up to about 100 solves.I remember seeing a video review of some 6x6, I think by Kevin Hays, where he said he would break it in with 500-600 solves before giving his final verdict. If that's how many it takes, I'm guessing mine will never be properly broken in.
100% about the magnets in larger cubes. I used to hate my 6x6 and 7x7. The inner layers moving all the time ruined whatever enjoyment I could hope to get. With magnets, I enjoy all the larger cubes now. I’m still slow, but I enjoy them.6x6 hardware is finnicky, and requires fairly tight tensions for stability relative to other size cubes. Personally I loosen it until I start getting lockups, then tighten maybe 1/8 of a turn. If you have the time and/or money I strongly recommend a magnetic 6x6. In other cubes magnets are nice, for 6x6 magnets are a complete game changer.
I’m holding out to get a Mega with magnets... I just don’t solve it enough to worry about it. Of course, the reason is the same as was for 6x6 and 7x7. It’s not any fun because the layers just move whenever they want. grrrrr!I agree with magnets on 6x6x6 being a game-changer. The only puzzle where I think they make an even bigger difference for me is megaminx, where the difference is just huge. Then again, I still solve megaminx in my hands, not on the table; I doubt magnets would make as big a difference on megaminx if I were willing to solve it on the table, but solving on the table still feels like cheating to me.
You should definitely try a magnetic megaminx. At 20 bucks for a Galaxy V2M, it's cheaper than most magnetic cubes, and it really makes a huge difference. My average time dropped by over 30 seconds instantly when I got one, because prior to that, like you said, the layers just moved on me whenever they wanted. I used to hate solving megaminx because it was so unpleasant with all the lockups, but now I actually rather like solving it.I may just pull the trigger on a magnetic one and see. I dont use the table either. But I’m also not fast with the Mega either. Maybe if I get fast enuff there’s an advantage for doing it that way? Idk. I don’t see that happening.
Have you tried the galaxy V2M L? I am partial to a slightly larger puzzle (physical size).You should definitely try a magnetic megaminx. At 20 bucks for a Galaxy V2M, it's cheaper than most magnetic cubes, and it really makes a huge difference. My average time dropped by over 30 seconds instantly when I got one, because prior to that, like you said, the layers just moved on me whenever they wanted. I used to hate solving megaminx because it was so unpleasant with all the lockups, but now I actually rather like solving it.
There was a time I thought I'd never break a minute, and then I did.I have been watching some tutorials on speedcubing and different methods.
And it all seems a little mind blowing.
Can anyone tell me if when they started speedcubing thought they would never break through barriers.
I solved my cube around 10 times in a row my best time was 49 secs. And slowest was 1:02.
I know it’s very early but is there hope for me. Please give me some hope.
I am still using CFOP.
Thanks.