Preferred Rubik's cube?

[Tim Major]

People really need to stop recommending cubes for experts to beginners.

I had typed something but then I realised you'd heard it before.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=609nhVzg-5Q Use that. Its long but it is perfect.

Read his post again, he wants a CFOP tutorial, that a beginner could learn from.

 

[akiramejin]

I think he should just get a storebought. when you get faster you really appreciate better cubes. well for me anyway. I got to a 25ish avg with a storebought using beginners, and then type A1 and etc.
But, if money is kinda tight, I guess you could just start off with something that will last awhile. Maybe a Guhong?

 

[DaveyCow]

LanceTheBlueKnight has very good guides. I learned my F2L from him. He explains each step clearly and shows a lot of examples.

F2L http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG4wsoEEndU
2-Look-OLL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zUcqCgz-qw&feature=relmfu
2-Look-PLL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4pkkB5yMHE&feature=relmfu

In regards to his (nice!) F2L, Rido has an awesome tutorial that is basically the same thing but uses a hunting metaphor that helped me a lot to remember the ideas and get the intuition going: http://rishidoshi.blogspot.com/ This just a good alternate/reinforcement of the ideas

edit: and for his PLL (very good also), an alternate good description is given by Badmephisto: http://www.youtube.com/user/badmephisto#p/u/6/S61q3FYVFis

 

[Godmil]

Just get a store brought....

I think he should just get a storebought.

Please at least read the first post before posting.

Also it's getting more and more frustrating that people recommend using a rubbish cube, or even worse BUYING a rubbish cube.
Here are some reasons for getting a good cube:
1. A cube that is easier to turn will facilitate fingertricks. This helps steer the cuber away from developing bad turning habits (wristing and such like).
2. A poor cube, that frequently locks up, can be frustrating to use, so solving will be less fun.. and if it's not fun, then you're more likely to give up.
3. The easier a cube is to turn the less likely you are to develop any medical conditions from it (RSI, Carpel Tunnel, etc.). Just to hammer this point home: THERE ARE MEDICAL REASONS FOR NOT USING A POOR CUBE! (this is coming from someone who took a 7 Year break from cubing due to damage partially caused by a cheap cube).
4. If you're going to move to a good cube eventually, why wait. Good cubes are barely any different in price from rubbish cubes, also the sooner you start using a good cube, the sooner you'll be comfortable using it (any comments about them being 'too fast' are rubbish).

Just because you 'can' be fast with a rubbish cube, doesn't mean you 'should' use one.

EDIT: On topic, Get a Dayan cube, GuHongs are the most popular at the moment, but others are also very good.

 

[insane569]

i can do finger tricks on my store boughts and i can sub 20 with them
i would stay with the rubiks as i said and many others have to but try a different method other than CFOP

 

[Godmil]

i can do finger tricks on my store boughts and i can sub 20 with them
i would stay with the rubiks as i said and many others have

So what Dayan cubes have you tried? And what makes you so certain that you're not being held back by those cubes.

 

[insane569]

i use a dayan guhong
and i can still sub 20 with it
its not the cube its the cuber

 

[Godmil]

i use a dayan guhong

So what do you use as your main? 'cause I take it you're suggesting that there is no difference to you between a Dayan and a Storebought.
And while I agree that it is 'mostly' the cuber, I'd hypothesise that there isn't a (relatively) fast cuber, who isn't faster on a Dayan (or similarly good cube) than a store bought, which if true would mean that the cube is still a factor.

 

[stoic]

There's way too much snobbery on this site about how you shouldn't buy a new cube until you average xx or whatever.

the sooner you start using a good cube, the sooner you'll be comfortable using it (any comments about them being 'too fast' are rubbish).

Just because you 'can' be fast with a rubbish cube, doesn't mean you 'should' use one.

+1

I personally switched to a GuHong (despite the naysayers) when I averaged about 60s and my storebought exploded. I didn't see the point in waiting to buy a better cube then and I don't now. (I average an erratic 40-ish, pb 31.95). More recently, I knocked a couple of seconds off my pb by lubing and another couple when I switched to a ZhanChi so I can confirm there is a definite speed benefit to having a faster cube.

Let's face it, cubing isn't exactly the most expensive hobby to maintain. If you want to get a couple of cubes to try them out I don't see the harm in it. But if you only get one, get the best you can and get used to it.

 

[caseyd]

people, it doesnt matter what times you are when you get a better cube ( I reccomend zanchi, alpha vf, or mf8 legend (if you have small hands or of one handed solving), the earlier the better, yes id you get one too early you might not have the best control, but it gets better with practice, It is true that it is mostly the cuber, not the cube, but a decent cube could help you learn fingertricks, that could improve your time by at least 5 seconds, and possibly more

about methods, badmephisto has a very good tutorial, much of which I learned from http://www.badmephisto.com/f2l.php, one the same website there are also oll and pll algorithms....
one last note, you shouldnt just learn one method, I learned 4 methods when I was starting ( of course not all the algorithms with each, but I can to the first part(s) of most of them or even complete a solve) I do recommend learning waterman (corners first, and dont learn any of the 200 some algorithms if you dont like it, just place the edges intuitively), then learn petrus ( blockbuilding, very useful for help with x-crosses), then learn roux ( again dont learn all of cmll, but learning the method helps) and then learn fridrich, which by now after learning the prior methods is often a hybrid, because I do some blockbuilding things, or preserving orientation, anyway, this is what I think would be the best way to go about learning cubing methods, It worked for me, I'm sub 20 and still improving fairly fast

 

[benskoning]

Get an MF8 Legends it has a ball core and is not pop able.

 

[BC1997]

Thats overselling it a little bit, the Zhan Chi and the GuHong were `unpopabble' they pop though.

 

[DaijoCube]

You can get any cube and become an expert... No need to have a begginer cube, then intermediate then expert...

I've been using my Ghost Hand I since avg 50 seconds. And I'm at avg 24 seconds.

Still is my favorite cube. It's amazing!

IMO, the best is to get used to a good cube. No need to pay 18$ for Zhanchi. You can get an amazing cube for 3 to 7$ free shipping.

Though I'd love to get Haiyan Memory cube! I have the mini version and it is amazingly beastly.

 

[Vinny]

I don't understand why everyone is recommending the DaYan series for someone who averages over a minute. I understand that Speedsolve says his cube can't even cut corners AT ALL, but that doesn't mean he should go from the absolute worst to one of the best. My friend averages over a minute, and he actually has a pretty decent storebought. Even he says that he can't control most of my cubes. If someone has a really bad storebought, you don't have to go straight to a DaYan, Type F, etc. It would still be a decent upgrade if you went to something like a Type C.

My first DIY was a Ghost Hand II. Back then, compared to my storebought, it was perfect and it actually really helped me improve. The reason I'm saying you don't have to get an amazing cube is because the "less amazing" cubes are still a great upgrade for beginners, plus they are a lot cheaper.

That being said, some cubes I could recommend for a beginner would be the Ghost Hand series, Type C, or maybe a Maru cube. You could probably still improve a little more before moving onto another cube, but if you really want to get a new cube THAT bad, I think those are some good recommendations.

 

[Godmil]

See, you kept saying there are cheaper cubes, but in the long run you're going to be spending a lot more if you're buying cubes that you'll want to replace in a few months.

Even he says that he can't control most of my cubes.

Yes, of course, it takes a (short) while to learn to control a cube like a dayan (though I'd hazard it takes a lot longer to learn how to accurately turn a store bought enough to make it usable, and the benefits of that approach are arguable). But you can learn to control it and once you do you're style will probably be the better for it (since as you get faster you're unlikely to go back to something like a store bought).

 

[Vinny]

See, you kept saying there are cheaper cubes, but in the long run you're going to be spending a lot more if you're buying cubes that you'll want to replace in a few months.



Yes, of course, it takes a (short) while to learn to control a cube like a dayan (though I'd hazard it takes a lot longer to learn how to accurately turn a store bought enough to make it usable, and the benefits of that approach are arguable). But you can learn to control it and once you do you're style will probably be the better for it (since as you get faster you're unlikely to go back to something like a store bought).

I understand what you're saying, but think of it like this. If someone were to upgrade to something like a DaYan cube right now, eventually there will be a newer cube that will overrun the ZhanChis and the GuHongs. If Speedsolve were to get a cheaper cube, he would still most likely be satisfied, plus by the time he is averaging maybe sub 30 or 20, there will be an even newer cube, which he would still most likely upgrade to even if he were to get a ZhanChi now.

 

[Godmil]

that is a good point, I guess we'll always still be buying the latest cubes, I still don't think anyone should be settling though for 2nd best, when the price difference is only a couple of dollars.

 

[unirox13]

I got my Lubix Guhong when I was still averaging about 1:15 with the beginners method. I spent about 2 days doing slow controlled solves and focussing on using fingertricks and not over rotating. On the 3rd day I did an average of 12 and got 1:04 seconds. I loved the feel of the Guhong. just for curiosity's sake I switched back to the storebought for an average of 12. I got 1:15 or so again. I could tell instantly that the lack of corner cutting, and more difficult finger tricks for F and B moves slowed me down.

I say get either a Guhong or Lunhui, lube it and practice with it for a few days before resuming timed solves. Make sure to focus on good finger tricks and control. I can now get a ~23 second solve on an out of the box storebought, but only due to really good lookahead. I say get a good cube now so as not to learn bad habits.

 

[Cubetastic]

|I'm sure the people who like rubiks brand cubes dont like the out of the box just as I, but when you use it, and get better, youll find out what you need, I dont cut corners in my solves so i dont need a cube that cuts corners, find out what you need, find out how to make it and do it

 

[DaveyCow]

Please at least read the first post before posting.

Also it's getting more and more frustrating that people recommend using a rubbish cube, or even worse BUYING a rubbish cube.
Here are some reasons for getting a good cube:
1. A cube that is easier to turn will facilitate fingertricks. This helps steer the cuber away from developing bad turning habits (wristing and such like).
2. A poor cube, that frequently locks up, can be frustrating to use, so solving will be less fun.. and if it's not fun, then you're more likely to give up.
3. The easier a cube is to turn the less likely you are to develop any medical conditions from it (RSI, Carpel Tunnel, etc.). Just to hammer this point home: THERE ARE MEDICAL REASONS FOR NOT USING A POOR CUBE! (this is coming from someone who took a 7 Year break from cubing due to damage partially caused by a cheap cube).
4. If you're going to move to a good cube eventually, why wait. Good cubes are barely any different in price from rubbish cubes, also the sooner you start using a good cube, the sooner you'll be comfortable using it (any comments about them being 'too fast' are rubbish).

Just because you 'can' be fast with a rubbish cube, doesn't mean you 'should' use one.

EDIT: On topic, Get a Dayan cube, GuHongs are the most popular at the moment, but others are also very good.

AMEN! These are all awesome points. And just my 2 noob cents regarding #2: I hate my 4x4 and 5x5 rubik's storebought because of insane lockups and cant cut corners at all - not fun to move at all, so I am looking for good 4x4 and 5x5 speedcubes so that I can enjoy using them (even though I'm totally *not* speedy at all with them). off-topic: just bought QJ 4x4 and Shengshou 5x5 from icubemart.