RidgeBack Rails
This article is more than 2 years old
Are you facing the problem that your valley table speed has gone down? It is not fun to play with a slow table and even after changing the cloth the problem still persists then the problem may be due to the dead rails. You can get the same standard valley rails and get yourself the same experience as once you started with your valley table. But why not spend some extra money and upgrade your table to get a similar experience to that of a diamond table by replacing the valley rails with ridgeback rails by Kerry Rhodes.
Ridgeback rails are American Made rails in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Kerry after doing loads of research on improving the cheap rails installed on the valley table and give players a fast table with experience somewhat similar to a Diamond Table. The key difference in a ridgeback rails experience is the ridge to the wood will be along back of the rail and with new rubber, the speed of the table will go insane from what you had with the valley table.
If you hire a good table mechanic who knows how to correctly set up the ridgeback rails on a valley table along with a new cloth then expect the cue ball to go the entire length of the table 5 times and 9 cushions if you know how to properly aim the 9 cushion shot from the center of the table towards the mid pocket.
Not just the Valley you can also fit them for the Dynamos for sizes of 6.5′, 7′, and 8′. If you own a different brand then I would advise that you get in touch with Kerry Rhodes and explain your situation to him. He may do a custom set for your table and you will can fit them in and get a faster table.
CHECKING RAILS OF YOUR TABLE
Sometimes, you may be a second or third buyer of a table and the first thought in your mind may be to replace the rails with RidgeBack rails. The first thing you should ask the seller if the table already has the ridgeback rails installed. If the seller does not know then the process of checking the rails installed is not difficult.
On the edge of the table you will observe a thin metal strip. Remove this strip by unscrewing the screws. If you do it on the shorter rail then there would be lesser number of screws and your job would become relatively easier.
After removing the strips, there will be three bolts that would be holding the rails together. Loosen them up with the help of the wrench and an extension. After the removal of the bolt you can see the name of the manufacturer written on the rails. If they are RidgeBack rails then you can give Kerry a call and ask for repair if they are still in good condition else it would be a good idea to buy a newer set.
RIDGEBACK IS NOT AMATEUR ANYMORE
From the positive feedback from the pool community, RidgeBack is now being used by some of the competition organizers for example MPA’s John Stitch uses mercury cloth in combination with RidgeBack rails for his tournaments table. This is a stamp of authority that the product is of high quality and an investment into your old valley table would be a good value for the money.
You can call the RidgeBack rails to upgrade on a table that would take it halfway between a valley and a diamond table but do not expect it to take you to the moon. You will certainly feel a massive difference after changing the rails from the valley’s rail to the ridgeback rails.
RIDGEBACK PRO RAILS
In comparison with the standard ridgeback rails, pro ridgebacks are longer and have more thickness which makes the shelf relatively more deeper than you would get with the standard. The pockets will get tighter than a diamond pro cut and may require you to play for straight and accurate. For the sake of practicing that is good but if you are someone who is not regular at the table this can be annoying.
RIDGEBACK RAILS VS PENGUIN RAILS
Both are great products, just like Kerry, Fred has worked hard on making the penguins rails. You can give them both a call and ask for a custom quote. However, with penguin rails, while installation there might be an issue with the cushion adhesion, the inserts with the thinner sub rails.
In comparison, ridgeback has a quite strong construction, the inserts feel a lot sturdy and its easy to attach the cushion. Ridgeback employs K66 that is the smaller cushion that saves you from the thinner sub rails that are prone to cracking.
Another problem with the penguins is the gluing, it will get loose over time but you won’t get this problem with the Ridgeback rails. The way Kerry sticks them together will last for a considerably longer time than the penguin rails.
I would recommend ridgeback over the penguins on any day.
RIDGEBACK FOR BAR TABLES
If you are looking to upgrade your valley bar tables rails with ridgeback then bear in mind that the pockets will become tighter. When it is difficult to pot, the game prolongs and for bars that can be a problem to let others wait more to play the game.
For such a situation, looser pockets will help reduce the rack time and also make the players feel good about themselves. Potting becomes easier and confidence level goes high.
I would suggest that you explain your situation to Kerry exclusively for custom ridgeback rails. He is a wonderful person and looks after the custom requests.
