- Ludicrous

First Impressions
Released in August 2018, the Radical Ludicrous lives up to its name when it comes to backend motion. It was developed with the clear goal of providing the most aggressive down-lane motion in the Radical lineup. Technically it is based on a new asymmetric Ludicrous core with a 2.535 RG and a 0.050 differential (at 15 lbs), rounded out by a moderate intermediate differential of 0.012. Those numbers deliver good length and quick rotation. The core is wrapped in the Ai-40 Pearl Reactive coverstock. The factory finish of 500/1000 Siaair with Crown Factory Compound gives the ball in Purple/Lime Pearl an intense shine. Radical, under the guidance of the legendary Mo Pinel, developed this ball to offer the length of a symmetrical ball despite the asymmetric core, but with the kick of an asymmetric at the end.
Comparison
Compared directly to the extremely popular Radical Beyond Ridiculous (which was also known for its backend), the Ludicrous takes it a step further. The Ai-40 cover is chemically stronger than the Ai-35 of the Beyond Ridiculous, which means the Ludicrous has a bit more traction in oil, yet thanks to the core design it responds even sharper and quicker at the breakpoint. It is essentially the big brother with more muscle. Bringing the Katana series into the comparison, the Ludicrous is cleaner through the heads than a Katana Slash, but offers an angular motion similar to the original Katana. This is not a ball for smooth arcs, but for drastic direction changes (skid-flip).
On the Lanes
The Radical Ludicrous is an absolute weapon when you have to play angles and want to open up the lane. It is predestined for medium oil patterns and the transition phase, when the heads are dry and you have to move deep left. Its greatest strength is the speed with which it responds to friction: as soon as it touches the dry end of the lane, it turns almost at a right angle. That makes it ideal for kicking out corner pins (carry) that would stand with rounder balls. It should be handled with care on very fresh or extremely wet lanes, though, since it can slide through the pattern there (over/under), and it forgives few mistakes in speed because it reacts very sensitively to the friction point.