RCGaryK

iTrader: (3)

Well, this is what the Novak thread turned into, so I figured someone might as well just start a seperate thread for it. I am pro rubber, anti foam for a number of reasons. Cost is part of it, but it also has to do with how foam tire racing effects building and expanding the hobby. I think sedans started on rubber tires and should stay on rubber tires.

Adam Hartzell

iTrader: (3)

ll of these TC's were designed to run rubber tires in the first place. I have been racing them since they first came on to the sceen and we only had Tamiya and Hpi rubber tires. I for one am all for going back to rubber only. Let me stat why.

Foam is great for beginners because a foam tire car is easier to drive due to the added grip. The easier to drive removes almost all of the set-up skill though. A mod TC race is now about who can lay down the most power on the fastest line. Where is the fun in that.

I know that there is a million different ways to mount different compounds of tires and inserts but thats why we have handout tires. I know that they suck but that is where the challenge and the fun comes in. Prior to the 2003 asphalt nats I spent a ton of time tweaking and wrenching to find the perfect set-up that would be fast. That is where all the fun is. Lets face it we all get burned out if all we do is race all the time and not wrench.

And becides the realistic squeel of rubber tires on carpet is just to cool.

I know that I am a dying breed (wanting TC w/rubber tires) but I get more joy out of having to work on a set-up and having to drive the car rather than just grip it and rip it.

Intermision

I just started racing, and I already hate foams. The cost to much, one little wrck and there ruined, and the cost to much ( did I say they cost to much). I used foams for a few races and wore most of foam off, and with rubbers I have used the same set for 4 races.

OutlawPro3

Well I'm no expert and I've only been racing for a little over a year but both tracks I race at require foams for carpet, so that's what I use. That being said I still think foam is better for a novice driver because it forces you to become more skilled in all aspects of your car, from setup and tuning to driving. Sure you can break more stuff due to the increase in speed you can get because the foams "hookup" better than rubbers and foams chunk but it's all part of the hobby. IMHO anyway.

Adam Hartzell

iTrader: (3)

A set of 4 Take-Off CS-27 handout tire is only $29 a set of foam is $36 and they don't last as long.

Adam Hartzell

iTrader: (3)

I think that I am going to have to prove that stock foam and stock rubber can be just as fast at a club level. I am going to run the handout tires from the 2003 nats and show that you can be fast. And I will run the tires the rest of the season.

TSR6

iTrader: (5)

I ran my 2003 Novak USTC spec tires until towards mid summer before I ever bought a new set. I figure this year's USTC tires will last until late summer or fall.

Kevin K

iTrader: (32)

First off there is no way a RACING end of a hobby will make it grow.....you might be looking at it all wrong. The new hobby person will be more likely to race his car as a side effect of having the car. The main thing he or she will do is just play with it in the street and have a good time. The racing end the R/c Car hobby is probably 10 percent or less of the hobby as a whole.....How many RTR or other cars get sold that never see a track??? My 5 years at a hobby shop I would say about 1 out of every 10 we sold ever made it to a track....and we ran a parking lot track. So for you to say that Foam tires is bad for expanding the hobby, you are looking at it as if RACING is the hobby.....when in fact its just a side effect of the real hobby of just having the a car or truck. Look at the model airplane hobby....do the guys who race planes think they are the majority of people in the hobby.....no they know that the guys that have a plan to fly on sunday or in a park are the HOBBY...the racing end is just there because of the bigger hobby of having the plane.

So I think you would need to ask how Foam tires are ruining the RACING part of the hobby....not the hobby as a whole.

RCGaryK

iTrader: (3)

So outlaw, is it part of the sport to get a kid involved, have him spend all his hard earned money to get a car and racing equipment, have him set his car down for the first run and have him ruin a set of tires? And when that kid has no money to replace his chunked or cracked tires, he gets frustrated and quits. How is that a positive thing for the hobby? Foam puts an emphesis on racing equipment and skill, neither of which most beginners have. If anything, offer both

RCGaryK

iTrader: (3)

kevin, I am speaking about those who buy a car and decide to race them, not just bashers

Adam Hartzell

iTrader: (3)

Foam tires don't ruin the hobby as a whole they just take all the fun out of driving a TC. The hobby as a whole is why bigger than any of us could realize. Just look at all the T-Maxxx your LHS sold.

petzl

Good point Kevin,

The lowest common denominator is always the highest volume for retailers.

My first rc car was an HPI sprint that I bought myself for christmas. I ran it at the local high school parking lot before I found a place to race. I bought the car because it cost as much as I could mentally justify. Two weeks after I bought it I found Marcca and Wellllll within 3 months I had spent about 1800 bucks.

I would not have spent that much money or gotten into racing if there had not been a lower cost alternative to get me on the hook.

However, I probably would not have pursued the racing side of it if we were running foams. I had enough on my hands getting around the track. If it wasn't for the massive amounts of goodwill and help from guys like shane, Jeff, myles, vang and others, I would have gotten frustrated and given up.

So, maybe it isn't foam or rubber that makes or breaks noobs, Maybe it is the level of help they get from other drivers.

OutlawPro3

Gary-I'm not saying that what I'm saying is that foams give you more speed over rubbers, so as a result of that you need to LEARN your car, tuning and setup etc. Also you need to refine your driving to get the most out of the hobby. I would also like to think that anyone getting started in this hobby has got to expect to have a few ups and downs while learning or else we would all be expert class racers.

RCGaryK

iTrader: (3)

I just think the learing curve is much steaper and more costly to the beginner on foam then on rubber. I;'ve seen a fair number of people run a season in sportsman at Trackside, and by the end of the season they are solid B-Main performers in regular stock. I don't see that happening with foam

Kevin K

iTrader: (32)

Ok then I see no way that Foam tires is going to ruin the sport of racing a R/c car.

It doesnt matter what tires are on a newbies car hes going to get frustrated....you can make tires out of steel or rock it wouldnt matter. There is a learing curve when you start racing no matter what tires you use. And I dont know where you race but I have seen far more ruber tire rims broken/bent or something else then I have with foam tires. If the person is going to give up after 2 weeks of racing and not dominating then that person was in the hobby for the wrong reason.....its all about the challange not being able to just kick butt right when your car first hits the track....thats never going to happen.