Cycle (video help)

The cycle is quite possibly the most important or “staple” diabolo move, so you should get good at it. You start by pushing the diabolo along the string from the right side to the left. This time, though, the left handstick is higher than the right. When the diabolo nears the left handstick, you gently pull the string tight. Because of the angle you give the string, the diabolo has no choice but fly low into the air and to return to your right side. The cycle follows the principle of angles- whatever angle the string has when it’s pulled tight, so goes the diabolo. It’s the same with the tight rope.

Notice in the video how sometimes I make the angle obvious and sometimes it looks hidden. This comes from a quick “up-and-out” motion of the right stick (I’m left-handed) that I save for the peak of the roll.

This process allows the diabolo to roll down the majority of the string, which means it gains a lot of speed in this move. Each cycle is worth about 8 normal pulls in basic spinning.

You can vary the height of the cycle from 1 ft. to 10 ft. of peak distance between the diabolo and the string, any higher looks like a throw.