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I'd check it closely, feel with the tip of your figernail. I have 3 of them and they all have a groove, it's gold colored in the groove where the chrome plating(or whatever it is) wears through on the roller. I'll post some pictures when I get a chance.

I just checked again. It looks good to me. And it doesn't twist line either, which leads me to believe it's working properly.

The old adage, You get what you pay for, pretty much always applies, to a point anyway. 

Unfortunately that's not always the case. I've always heard it as "You don't always get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get." More expensive doesn't necessarily mean better. I'm after good value for my hard earned money.

 

I too buy mid/upper-mid range reels. Most of my spinning reels are Shimano Saros, or Pflueger Presidents. I can't tell much of a difference between the Saros and the Stradic Ci4 from feel. They're both great reels, but the Saros happens to be much less expensive.

 

Welcome to the site, by the way. 

Thanks Snakehead, I agree which is why I qualified my quote.

I never have a problem with my Lews or Pfleuger.I use them for tubes grubs or stick baits.Spinnerbaits i always use my bait casters,More power and control.

I'm a Sahara fan myself really think it's the best $80 reel out there. I fish them just as much as myStradic and more than the patriarch I had (got rid of it due to lack of use). I think there are more quality/value options these days myself than there used to be.

I put my symetre and certate head to head for a little while today. They were on very similar type rods throwing very similar type baits. They both did the job very similarly. The symetre has proven itself to me catching many fish, the certate has some catching up to do but is very nice.

I have to wonder if I was fishing bait casters say a citica and a steez would the difference In their operation and function be greater?

I put my symetre and certate head to head for a little while today. They were on very similar type rods throwing very similar type baits. They both did the job very similarly. The symetre has proven itself to me catching many fish, the certate has some catching up to do but is very nice.

I have to wonder if I was fishing bait casters say a citica and a steez would the difference In their operation and function be greater?

Comparing a symetre to a certate is nonsense. I quickly sold my symmetry fl after using it a few times. On the other hand after using my certates, one for 2 years and the others for almost a year, I'd gladly pay retail price for them even though I bought them all at a discount.

Shimano and Daiwa still make ultra-smooth spinning reels for $50-$80

I just bought a SHIMANO STRADIC FK and a Abu Garcia® Revo® SX Spinning Reel from cabelas to put on 2 new Omens. I have only had one other spinning real and it was an Okuma. I hope these feel as good or better. I lost the Okuma this weekend. It is at the bottom of the lake!!

Comparing a symetre to a certate is nonsense. I quickly sold my symmetry fl after using it a few times. On the other hand after using my certates, one for 2 years and the others for almost a year, I'd gladly pay retail price for them even though I bought them all at a discount.

Can you enlighten me on how w the two reels differ in their function and operation?

Can you enlighten me on how w the two reels differ in their function and operation?

So why buy a symetre then? Why not buy the 20 dollar shimano fx? It fuctions and operates the same as the symetre.

I like reels that STAY smooth and have zero issues. The symetre had binding issues and got rough after little use. It also had too much flex in the stem since shimano decided to downgrade the symetre to a graphite frame.

So why buy a symetre then? Why not buy the 20 dollar shimano fx? It fuctions and operates the same as the symetre.

I like reels that STAY smooth and have zero issues. The symetre had binding issues and got rough after little use. It also had too much flex in the stem since shimano decided to downgrade the symetre to a graphite frame.

Exactly, get in where you fit in.