The old story is "more bearings" is better. I'm interested only in the truth (or facts). I like my Shimano Sienna FG series, so I admit to being a bit partial. However, I read everyone giving reviews of the Pflueger President series (I assume the pressp20x is the latest and greatest). Shimano says the Sienna FG has 3+1 bearings. Pflueger says the pressp20x has 7 bearings.
If memory serves, 3+1 is "3 ball bearings, 1 roller bearing". So, I look at https://www.reelschematic.com/wp-con...%2019SN5FG.pdf and indeed find 3 ball bearings, one under the rotor and 2 on the handle shaft (on either side of the drive gear).
So, I look at the pressp20x http://s7d5.scene7.com/is/content/pu...%201425597.pdf . I find 4 ball bearings. One is in the bail assembly, two on the handle shaft and one under the rotor. The bail is the one bearing difference. I'm missing 3 bearings.
I have a shimano sienna 500fg so I took the bail apart to see what was under the line roller. It's a "bushing", not a bearing. The roller bearing is normally part of the anti-reverse clutch. So, all 3 ball bearings and the roller bearing are accounted for.
The President 20x, I have to assume that the anti-reverse clutch there also has a roller bearing, so that leaves 2 missing bearings. I'd also be curious if someone with the President pressp20x would see what the bearing looks like under the line roller or if it's really just a bushing being called a "bearing". If anyone knows where those other 2 bearings are hiding, please let me know.
The point isn't to bash one product or another, but rather to compare "apples to apples". The reason I went on the "bearing hunt" was because I was looking at adding a President. Pflueger advertises the 20x with 6.2 ounces, 6 pound drag and 20.2" retrieve. The Sienna 500fg is advertised as 6.3 ounces, 4 pound max drag, and 27 inch retrieve. Both are rated to hold 100 yards of 4 pound mono. On paper, the pflueger is lighter, stronger drag, less line retrieved per crank (with ultralight, that becomes even more important).
