HELP! Begginner (ish).Roger Cooper Mini Mal or cheaper BIC?

[cooperm00]

Hi,

Im a reletively new to surfing, and am progressing nicely. However, i am currently in a dilemma! I like to do things properly : ) and i cant stand the soft top boards that people seem to like to make you learn on.

I looking to buy a new board and ive been told the BIC mini mal (cheap and cheerful) will take a lot more of the beating likely to occur with a newer surfer.

But ive also been told that roger cooper board will ride a hell of lot nicer. This may seem obvious, but i dont mind forking out more on a board i just dont want to wreck it on my first sesh!

Wondered if any one can offer some advice / suggest some other mini mals?

Cheers Guys

[Bub]

Hi,

Im a reletively new to surfing, and am progressing nicely. However, i am currently in a dilemma! I like to do things properly : ) and i cant stand the soft top boards that people seem to like to make you learn on.

I looking to buy a new board and ive been told the BIC mini mal (cheap and cheerful) will take a lot more of the beating likely to occur with a newer surfer.

But ive also been told that roger cooper board will ride a hell of lot nicer. This may seem obvious, but i dont mind forking out more on a board i just dont want to wreck it on my first sesh!

Wondered if any one can offer some advice / suggest some other mini mals?

Cheers Guys

What are the size, shapes and cost difference for each of the 2 boards? I think the guys/gals on the forum can help you out more if they know the size/shapes of the board to help you with your decision, especially being a beginner, the wrong board will make it really difficult.

[cooperm00]

Sorry left that bit out!!

The Roger Cooper is a 7'6" x 21 3/4 Mini Mal @ £300ish

The BIC is a 7'3 x 21.25 Mini Mal £230ish

I weigh 10 stone

[Real Pol]

Roger Cooper all the way!

I've surfed both a bic minimal and a roger cooper both the same length and there was a difference!

It's not too much extra money and you won't regret it.

[garbarrage]

have to agree with Real Pol. have a Bic 7'9" minimal and while I can't really say anything really bad about it (it does take a beating) it is quite hard and heavy and hurts if you end up getting a whack of it (which happens a bit while you are learning).
i'd probably avoid custom boards for a bit is the only thing. have a takeoff 7'2". its an epoxy board which i've also given a few thumps and its held up surprisingly well.. not a ding or dent in it anywhere. so you're probably not sacrificing that much in durability.

[Sillysausage]

roger cooper deffo. really good shaper and his boards are supposed to be really good. didn't damage any of my boards (all glass) untill i started surfing reefs. just take care when you're out of the water (or if there are loads of people in there)

[pinkshop]

There are two types of construction with bics... the 67, 73, 79 and 84 are ACS. Heavy polythene outer injected with surfboard type polyurethane foam thru a hole in the nose then capped. These are pretty clunky and flex a lot. They dent but seem to "heal" if kept in the warm! They can be damaged but it isn't easy! They can be repaired with soft plastic (shampoo bottles!) and a soldering iron. They used to be the only cheap option. They are the closest thing that remains on the market to the original "popout" (although they are injection moulded whereas the original popout was built in a mould from chop-strand matt- like a kit car).

The 610, 76, 90, 94 and 10ft are CTS.. an epoxy sandwich (polystryrene core) with a hard outer shell vacuumed in place. These boards are very strong and suprisingly light, however if you read Bic's own speil they class them as "intermediate" boards. This is mostly I suspect because they are pretty thin with harder rails etc. I have seen these boards blow down the road in a storm with no damage. Both types suffer greatly from peeling decals.

The Roger Cooper will be a traditional foam and fibreglass board, far more damagable but a proper surfboard. Treat it kindly and learn how to repair it if you ding it and it will repay you in a way that a soul-less mass produced board cannot.

Mass produced boards make surfing accessable but Custom "glass" boards are the better ride!

[missy]

I had the same way of thinking as you and bought a cheap softboard for learning on, it was terrible! I then paid the extra for a Roger Cooper board and i am thrilled with it. He offers an excellent service and brilliant boards. Check out ebay as he has several boards on there constantly and they start at £170 ( and have been won for that price too)
Well worth getting a good board, the Roger Cooper should also hold its price if you out grow it.

Happy surfing

[Johno]

Av got a BIC 7 9 and wish i had gone for a custom mini mal but a few weeks ago when my Bic keept taking a beating on the rocks I thought god if this was a custom it would be badly damaged, not even a skratch on my tuf old bic

BIC good for learning and taking a beating but customes are lighter surf beter

[essex sucks]

go for the roger cooper

[Real Pol]

And if Mr Cooper is reading this you can easily PM some vouchers to us all!

[Katza8uk]

my board is a roger cooper 7'6 and i am so unbelivably in love with it! you getting it straight from cwmavon or ebay? id go see him if i were you, he made my sisters, my best mates and my board and we are all different sizes and stuff and was really helpful! gives you a tour around the place as well!

it feels so responsive in the water as well! im no pro by far and its so good!

i love him i think

[realmripple]

The first board I ever had was a BIC. Now this was a win all round. I was quite young so therefore less likely to take amazing care of it. We travelled over 300 miles on the motorway to surf at Newquay with them. And we stored them in our garage over winter. If they ding, its just a crease in the plastic. Doesnt really affect them unless its on the rails.

However, once I got my first "proper" board, I quickly realised thats the way to go. If you can take care of them, store them safely and treat them well. They are much more responsive, faster, lighter, and will last you longer in the long run. Try to do manouvers on a BIC and you'll struggle. Sure you can once you're an awesome rider, but its such hard work to learn them on a BIC.

Have to weigh up the positives and negatives of each and see which way you want to go.

You can get fibreglassed boards now for not that much more than the BIC/NSP market.

I do agree with the post above saying Take Off are a good alternative. A nice middle board. As tough as BIC but much lighter.

[greypump]

Roger glasses his mini mals with 4oz on the bottom and 6+4 on the top so you will get a lighter board and one that is more responsive by far. Also, the rails are forgiving until you get down to the last 10 inches or so and they are nicely sharpened up so they will bite a bit more in the wave for easier turning. And...the hull is flat to vee so will go rail to rail better .....all good things when you get better. You will just have to learn to be careful with it out of the water. 4oz on the bottom is on the lighter side of beginner board glassing but that doesn't mean it isn't strong enough for normal use. Just don't put your first ever load of wax on with the board on a road or on gravel - you will make a mess of the hull!! It has been done by many a beginner...not me I hasten to add. You can get his boards for less than £300 easy on ebay but you have to get a leash and bag of course so £300 sounds about right all in.

Go custom and take care of the board and you'll know if was the right decision when you are 6 months down the line.

[Big Swell]

I got my first board last year and wasn't sure what to go for so asked my mate who has been surfing for years and knows a thing or two about boards.

He recommended going for a decent sized mini-mal e.g. 7'6 to 8 foot, as it's a lot easier to learn on than anything shorter. So I got a 7'10 Escape and it's served me well so far.

I haven't tried a 7'3 so can't say for sure but I'd imagine it would be a bit harder to learn on than a 7'6, the longer the better I think. Though yu don't say your height. I'm 6ft1 but if you're a bit shorter you might get away with the shorter board.

Can't comment on Roger Cooper as a make, but I know someone who had a BIC as their first board and wasn't so keen, he said it was hard to learn on.

Hope that helps!