merdith6

iTrader: (3)

The transponder is the biggest price gouge.

redbones

totally agree too. I use party balloons for my shock boots now. they cost several cents each, with a lifetime supply in one bag.

receivers and transponders should not cost so much. Tires can be a little cheaper too. In this economy, things should not be getting more expensive, but more affordable. I understand companies need to make lots of profits, but the current prices will become a little too much for many people soon. The noose is getting tighter and tighter...

dreaux

iTrader: (5)

that's just it though, why does it have to be so expensive? It's not the fuel tubing, it's the filters, tires, plugs, oils, shoes on and on. Sure it's not that bad but when you put it all together it's expensive.

watch out. I am going to come out with some air filters and black ball everyone.

50 cent filters sounds good doesn't it? for and extra 5 cents i will even oil it for you.

got_nitro

iTrader: (24)

It will not work. It's thicker and will not snug on to the fuel nipple. You can get it to work with wire ties but they have to be super secure. Not to mention your fuel pressure will decrease messing with your tune. Plus, the fuel melts/eats the inside messing up your engine. It's not the same plastic/silicone material as regular fuel tube. I found this out the hard way trying to get more run time with the thicker I.D. of it many years ago...

RAlmeida

iTrader: (2)

regardless of what all are saying, this hobby is a lot more affordable now than it was 20 years ago, we can now buy a good 4pk for $500.00, 20 years ago a futaba PCM1024 was $1000.00, same with engines and kits.
The reason people complain now is because we all have to keep up to the Jones... I went to the worlds in 92 (Usigen, Germany) and the factory teams had less equipment than most club racers this days....like someone said before its a hobby, you must have the spare time and money to do it and most of all have fun, I stopped racing 2 classes because it no longer was fun, I spent the day racing, marshalling and wrenching...now with one class it's cheaper and I enjoy my self as I have time to socialize....

Orion_2kTC

iTrader: (11)

I find it funny that people think that this hobby doesn't have a racing following. Must be a west coast thing. In Omaha NE the Hobbyplex is usually wall to wall on Race days for both Offroad and Onroad. Hell, Offroad is so popular they're intalling a building over the track so there are no more rain outs. RC racing isn't as popular as bashing? I beg to differ.

As for the Electric VS Nitro debate? It's a preferance thing. Is Nitro more touchy than electric? Of course. The tuning options are limitless and one false setting is going to send you to the pit area for some serious repair. But that's the risk/reward of it. Personally I'm only driving electric right now. Why? Because that's all I can afford. It's simple, cheap, easy to setup. Pull the trigger and go. But I assure you that I will not be driving only electric. It's only my first year so I have no business with Nitro until I feel I'm ready. And when I do start driving nitro, you can bet your ass I'll still drive my E Buggy.

Back to the bashing debate. It's pointless. Bashing is so less experienced drivers can make a video on youtube of them crashing for the umpteenth time. Any idiot can do that, but it takes skill and practice to race well. Sure I can go outside and run my buggy around the trees and make a makeshift jump for some fun but who wants to race yourself. It's boring. I would rather use my time to race better, cleaner, and get my ass up on the podium.

What I think is holding this hobby back is Traxxas and Short Course trucks (Any brand.) These products tailor to kids and in the long run they get screwed and show no real interest in real classes. I'm sorry SCT drivers but all I see if the LHS is running SCTs for the day is a mindless crash fest and out of breath marshalls.

One last edit, I don't know where you guys got your transponders but I paid $80 for mine which in my opinion is worth it. They save time and I don't have to run back and forth between races or have an "oh shit" moment and wonder if I turned it back in prior to my marshalling duties.

got_nitro

iTrader: (24)

I'm with you 100% on everything but this. Traxsucks gets more people into the hobby with their in-expensive SCT's and other random trucks. Kids get into SCT's and thats the future of this hobby. Once they are old enough to own a quality hobby grade RC and drive one, the SCT's are out the door.

All it takes is a guy like myself (believe it or not) to let some kid try out a 1/8TH anything and the deal is done. I see kids saving up money to purchase 1/8TH and once they do, it's all over. There is always an exception with the older guys and SCT that just want a cheap plug and play but for the most part the SCT's with kids is just the entry "drug" if you will.

dkrall

Not going to lie, that seems really, really ignorant. Short course is great because its a starting point for not only kids, but everyone to start with RC. If anything its done more for this hobby than nitro vehicles have. Now I haven't been racing very long, but ask someone who has been racing since the 80s or 90s and ask their opinion. For beginners it is nice not to break something every time you touch the pipe or land a jump awkwardly. Their are talented SC drivers too, though.

Orion_2kTC

iTrader: (11)

Well that's why there's opinions...everyone has one and I wont insult yours.

Yes there are many many talented SCT drivers, but they're usually also driving an 1/8 scale buggy/truggy as well. I have a teammate that drives a Pro 4 Losi along with 2 1/8th buggies. He's great with all 3.

Perhaps my prejudice is just an issue with me, I'll admit it. When I first saw SCTs last year at a local track I immediately thought "what's the appeal of these floppy trucks?"

I guess I'll just have to accept that SCTs aren't going anywhere anytime soon and stick to what I prefer. Yes, they are a cheap start for kids, I don't disagree there but I wish the quality would improve. Everytime I see an SCT races, someone's posting a DNF due to a failure. Bad luck? Timing? Who knows...but I'm only about 5 races into my rookie year with my EBuggy and have yet to have a major break and considering my lack of experience, it should probably be in pieces right now.

*shrug*

B-ray95

My dad did the same with his Kyosho Inferno when I was a kid and well after i was done he had to change his Novarossi XDDDDDD

about SCT: I think its a great class every class that brings people into the hobby is great and its just fun to watch 2 drivers fighting for the lead side by side but the jumps are not made for SC they seem to have a hard time to jump them ^^

dkrall

I guess I'm for SCT because, in short, the one dirt track I went to, the "more serious" electric classes were filled with guys who weren't very tolerant of bad drivers. I found that one out the hard way. I wasn't a "bad" driver at the time, but I had never raced on clay and found it was quite different. That was an... experience, I guess you could say..

That being said, no one wants to get into a hobby where lots of money is involved, just to be yelled at by guys taking it too seriously and ruining the fun for everyone else. I think we all know it happens, too. That's why we play with these toy cars anyway. Fun.

Roelof

Why not mix it by yourself. OK, I already do hear scream many people here you should not do that but it is easy and cheap, you can run 25% fuel for just under 5 dollar a liter. The screamers here are the ones who do not understand the hobby.

The same words are written over here as wel. We do forget that in Asia (Hobbyking) the workers are very cheap as wel the production. Saddly enough the warranty is also crap. All kind of factors you do not think about when you see the price differences. Beside that the LHS had to close down his shop because "we" are buying cheap in foreign countries.

Funny thing to mention. Over here some clubs try to get the streetracer from the parking and get them to the track. There is also a Kyosho cup with the RTR cars. Cars that just cost 200 euro do need a 75 euro costing transponder to compete with the race, no parking racer will do that....

I doubt that.... My FF3 in those days was almost 1000 gulden (450 euro) and now my T3VCS was 600+ euro. I do think there is more change over the years in pistol grip transmitters than with sticks....
Toplevel engines were in those day's 600 gulden (275 euro) now they do cost twice that price and you still get the same engine (ABC construction) made on much better (and maybe) cheaper machines.
And we must not forget in those days homemade stuff was normal, today people are laughing at you if you have made something at home, there are even people telling it will not work without even having the knowledge about it. Also those guys do not understand the hobby but are the 1st whiners when it is becomming to expensive.

token

The electric seen was at an all time low. SC trucks have come in a made racing toys popular. Mix that with the CORR racing that also promotes RC. They use MTs as camera men and SC RC every where, some other big CORR events even had a SC RC race track for people to try...... No other company has brought this many new people in the RC racing. I have lost count of how many guys/kids that started with SC and now race 1/8 scale.

IMO its better to tell and new person to get an SC for 200 rather than scare them away by say oh you need to spend 2000 for a 1/8...... As long as companies follow the Traxxas model of reaching out to people with hobby will be fine........ I think the more people get in, the cheaper you will find things.... Companies sell more product which helps lower there cost of producing the product.

071crazy

iTrader: (8)

Do you think that r/c racing in general would be better off if SCTs never existed? If this is the case, I would have to disagree. I strongly believe that the slash saved electric racing. Racers that get involved in SCT do end up moving into other classes.

In addition, not everyone has the same budget as you and has the desire to buy an 1/8th scale electric setup just to see whether they like the hobby. They can get a full slash setup for well under 300 bucks and have a good time with it. I would rather have someone racing something than pondering whether they will throw down cash for an 1/8th scale. You gotta get them in the door first.

Roelof

Well.... I do think the competition is better with less classes within one scale section.

The best example is electric touring. We have:
- 4wd touting
- frontwheel touring
- F1
- TT01 class
- Pro-10
- some even 1/12 pancars

Combine that with the possible motors:
- modified (open)
- 10.5t BL
- 13.5t BL
- 17.5t BL
- 19t brushed
- 23t brushed
- silvercan

For sure with BL there is the war on ESC's:
- zero timing
- open timing
- Stock ESC like the SP Citrix

Run this through a calculator and you will see what is happening.... When you try to setup nationals you have to deal with this, for sure if you can have just a few classes on an event.

To give you an idea: http://www.macdebaanbrekers.nl/insch...n_benelux.html
This event started with 3 classes and now it is 5 (there were 6) with that less drivers per class there is no real competition and most drivers will run the main final.... WOW! that is real racing

So yes, I do think manufacturers, racing organisations and the clubs have to sit on one line deciding what they gonna support.