Take-Off and RP tires gone out of production???
01-31-2008, 07:40 PM
#31
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Last edited by Shawn Palmer; 01-31-2008 at 09:32 PM. Reason: double post - SLOOOOOOOOW site! :-(
01-31-2008, 07:52 PM
#32
Maybe I read too much into it. My apologies to Shawn for the initial response.
It was good of you guys to try and shield consumers from the drama and politics that played out with Take Off, and thank you for being forthcoming with your side of the story. I'm sorry it took rumors to bring out the eventual truth, but I understand it's a business.
My concern, and this isn't with Shawn or Schumacher USA, but just in general, is that spec tires are really important in rubber tire racing, especially now when it's surging in popularity. Changing tires and not telling people could give folks the wrong idea about rubber, or maybe even sour them toward it.
If the new tires are great, I don't care who makes them either, as long as they are equal to or better than the CS27's. I don't feel like Jaco has produced a tire that can make this claim, so I'm a bit skeptical about spec tire change.
It was good of you guys to try and shield consumers from the drama and politics that played out with Take Off, and thank you for being forthcoming with your side of the story. I'm sorry it took rumors to bring out the eventual truth, but I understand it's a business.
My concern, and this isn't with Shawn or Schumacher USA, but just in general, is that spec tires are really important in rubber tire racing, especially now when it's surging in popularity. Changing tires and not telling people could give folks the wrong idea about rubber, or maybe even sour them toward it.
If the new tires are great, I don't care who makes them either, as long as they are equal to or better than the CS27's. I don't feel like Jaco has produced a tire that can make this claim, so I'm a bit skeptical about spec tire change.
01-31-2008, 07:58 PM
#34
1) There was not, and is not a "desire" to replace the CS27. The CS27 as of late Oct/early Nov no longer exists - period. Trust me - I've weathered my share of dissapointed, angry, and near tears customers for a month and a half now of being out of stock. Again - given the choice between the current situation and continuing the status quo - gimme the status quo of last year any day 
2) I wanted to "avoid explaining why" because of the long standing positive business association with Take Off. I wanted to avoid exactly this right here - rumors, followed by speculation, and then they get dragged through the mud for running out of a silly chemical. Take Off has provided tens of thousands of racers great stuff over the years, and it makes me sad that I had to be the one to find something else just as good, and thus put them out of our conciousness.
I appologize for responding harshly before as well syndrome.
All good?
2) I wanted to "avoid explaining why" because of the long standing positive business association with Take Off. I wanted to avoid exactly this right here - rumors, followed by speculation, and then they get dragged through the mud for running out of a silly chemical. Take Off has provided tens of thousands of racers great stuff over the years, and it makes me sad that I had to be the one to find something else just as good, and thus put them out of our conciousness.
I appologize for responding harshly before as well syndrome.
All good?
01-31-2008, 09:53 PM
#37
LOL
NON-hugs all around then!
No doubt Take Off made some legendary stuff, and I'm right there with you on the downsides of changing things right when the advances of rubber are making great progress. I don't like that the "standard" is suddenly gone just as much or more than anyone else does, but part of my job was to make sure that if it wasn't going to come back - I had to somehow find a diamond in a pile of you-know-what.
Speaking from a racers point of view, there is Sorex which seems to be not so much accepted in the US, and with the double whammy of being completely out of the competitive price realm, and then a lot of OEMs that are price competitive but severely lacking in track performance. Take Off had it all, and that is the reason we were so successful with them. Again - I take no credit for being anything but stupendously lucky for finding this new brand that brings the same performance and price point back to the racer.
Unfortunately necessary change, lucky find, and the end result being that the racers/tracks/series/major races will soon have a steady supply of a quality premount again.
NON-hugs all around then!
No doubt Take Off made some legendary stuff, and I'm right there with you on the downsides of changing things right when the advances of rubber are making great progress. I don't like that the "standard" is suddenly gone just as much or more than anyone else does, but part of my job was to make sure that if it wasn't going to come back - I had to somehow find a diamond in a pile of you-know-what.
Speaking from a racers point of view, there is Sorex which seems to be not so much accepted in the US, and with the double whammy of being completely out of the competitive price realm, and then a lot of OEMs that are price competitive but severely lacking in track performance. Take Off had it all, and that is the reason we were so successful with them. Again - I take no credit for being anything but stupendously lucky for finding this new brand that brings the same performance and price point back to the racer.
Unfortunately necessary change, lucky find, and the end result being that the racers/tracks/series/major races will soon have a steady supply of a quality premount again.
01-31-2008, 09:58 PM
#38
maybe in the world of carpet Sorex is not accepted in the US, but on asphalt they are tops. i've tried them all on asphalt except jaco's, and i haven't gotten the speed and consistency from anything but sorex. they are a bit more expensive, but it's really not that much... at a fresh set per weekend, it's only a couple more bucks to race.
01-31-2008, 09:59 PM
#39
Shawn,
Thanks for the great explanation of the situation.
I eagerly await the new tires to test.
TakeOff and RP...RIP
Thanks for the great explanation of the situation.
I eagerly await the new tires to test.
TakeOff and RP...RIP
01-31-2008, 10:00 PM
#40
Thanks.
Shawn,
Thanks for the great explanation of the situation.
I eagerly await the new tires to test.
TakeOff and RP...RIP
Thanks for the great explanation of the situation.
I eagerly await the new tires to test.
TakeOff and RP...RIP
01-31-2008, 10:25 PM
#42
I work for a Japanese company here in the states that makes rubber gaskets and seals for Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Ford, etc. There was a situation a few years back where a certain polymer was to no longer to be made that we needed for one of the many different rubbers that we use. So we had to find a new supplier. I'm pretty sure this is the same polymer that is used by many of the rc tire companies. So there is an alternative. They just need to work the formula out as we did years ago to get it right. I don't see a shortage of rubber tires. So no need to worry about that.
Thanks for the explanation Shawn. That will clear up some of the things one of our local race series was try to do. And that was use RP30 as the spec tire for the year. Now we know for sure and can look for an alternative.
Oh, I prefer Sorex on asphalt. Premounts can be had for under $30 and perform very well. I think RP30's were great too. MuchMores seems to handle great. I've ran Jaco's on carpet. But not asphalt yet. Now I'm just wondering what Schuey has to offer soon.
Thanks for the explanation Shawn. That will clear up some of the things one of our local race series was try to do. And that was use RP30 as the spec tire for the year. Now we know for sure and can look for an alternative.
Oh, I prefer Sorex on asphalt. Premounts can be had for under $30 and perform very well. I think RP30's were great too. MuchMores seems to handle great. I've ran Jaco's on carpet. But not asphalt yet. Now I'm just wondering what Schuey has to offer soon.
02-01-2008, 06:52 AM
#44
