Which do you prefer?
I use mainly bicycles and have only handled bees a few times and am not used to them. What are they like for magic and how do they handle. I am deciding whether to buy them for my next pack as I buy in bulk of about 12 packs and bees are way cheaper.
The price I end up with is bikes: $30, bees: $18.

Scott.

Just my opinion but Bikes are more recognizable ..at least for the people I know. I use red back bikes only...

First off find someone who is a member of Sams Club or Costco and you will pay less for Bikes than the price you show for Bee's.

Now to answer your question. For three card monte the Bee's are far better because of the full back design. For most every other magical application you do not want to use Bee's because of the full back design, you want a white border. If you get away from a border you will find many tricks cannot be done because the spectator will spot certain cards in the deck in an instant. So the answer to your question as to what Bee's are like for magic the answer is they are terrible unless you find Bee's with borders.

Do they make Bees with white borders? Is so, are they special order or does any magic dealer carry them as a matter of course?

Thanks for the info.

Mike

It definitely depends on what you are going to use them for. Like Santa said, Bees are great for 3 Card Monte as well as most other gambling sleights such as seconds because there is no white border to slide across the card.

Bikes have, by far, the most brand recognition (about 80%). They also are easier to do most magic tricks with because of the border. Personally, I use bikes and save the bees for gambling demonstrations.

I think there were some special decks made with borders but what you are likely to find are solid backs. If folks wonder about the borders get cards with a solid back and do an ambitious card routine or stick a card in upside down and see if you can notice that card....you will big time. For those monte and gambling moves you can't beat the Bees.

Yes, they do. You can get them from a seller on eBay (can't remember the name for sure, but it could be "fullboatdealer"). They have white borders, and also a Bee logo on the back.

I like them. They are very thick cards, though!

The Wynn decks on theory 11 are white border bee cards....

http://www.theory11.com/playingcards/wynns.php

They sel 250 per day each midnight EST.

He's looking for low price gangsters....while I like those Wynn decks at almost five bucks a pop I doubt they will win the price war.

^
yeah, value.