F1 - Can this become the shortcourse class of onroad?
10-16-2011, 11:33 AM
#196
And look how fast everyone got bored of identical cars. Classes that stay that regulated die just as fast if not faster than anything else. Novice drivers often think they have a chance in an all spec class then start to lose interest when they realize the fast guys are still faster. Then everyone starts to lose interest when they can't customize their cars to their own liking. The best way to help the novice drivers is for veteran drivers to encourage them but also help to set more realistic expectations.
10-16-2011, 01:15 PM
#197
If F1 is the short course of onroad racing, I hope it only incorporates the best of it and not the worst. Everybody forgets that Short Course was initially a spec class for Traxxas Slash only, stock motor, tires, the whole nine yards. Keep it cheap and the cars identical.
I think that the difficulties of getting a turnout for onroad (at least where I race) boils down to a running psychology especially among younger racers which is that they don't like to lose, and especially don't like to get annihilated. We've all see it before: A new guy gets a new or used carpet or asphalt car and with no experience at all throws down against the local heroes and gets lapped a dozen times as a result of a bad setup and inexperience, and after three weeks of getting their ass handed to them they don't come back. Maybe a handicap system is in order, or Winners Weight penalties or something, I really don't know what the solution is but we need to have our new racers feel GOOD about racing onroad instead of leaving the track feeling like they just got a swift kick in the ass.
I think that the difficulties of getting a turnout for onroad (at least where I race) boils down to a running psychology especially among younger racers which is that they don't like to lose, and especially don't like to get annihilated. We've all see it before: A new guy gets a new or used carpet or asphalt car and with no experience at all throws down against the local heroes and gets lapped a dozen times as a result of a bad setup and inexperience, and after three weeks of getting their ass handed to them they don't come back. Maybe a handicap system is in order, or Winners Weight penalties or something, I really don't know what the solution is but we need to have our new racers feel GOOD about racing onroad instead of leaving the track feeling like they just got a swift kick in the ass.
Looking around there are very few tracks that still run the Slash Class, but hundreds have an active Short Course Truck following using a lot of makes and models. Nobody wants to race junk. So the same reason other single manufacturer, one car classes, have failed is the same reason the Slash Class died. Racers want options, and not be pigeon holed into some lame spec class with an ill handling car.
Of course new racers don't feel good getting waxed by the field and lapped by the fast guys, but that's racing, all kinds of racing.
It seems that today we live in a time of instant gratification and people try to use the excuse that the problems with this hobby will be solved by making things easier for the new guys and kids to win, and I have a problem with that as it's the wrong message to send. By suggesting we making racing easier for the new guy is installing false self esteem, in the same way they award trophies to every member of the last place team in T-Ball. No car is going to help the fact that the new guy needs to come in not thinking he's Sebastian Vettel or Jimmie Johnson instead of David Brabham or Morgan Shepherd. The fast guys are supposed to win, the slow guys are supposed to lose. If young people don't like losing, and don't want to work and pay their dues to get better, they are going to fail at life just like they did at RC. And if F1 has a hope of gaining a following, miserable junk rtr cars aren't the way to do it.
10-16-2011, 01:56 PM
#198
Better tires finally came out, (not 1/8 scale) and the SC10 came out and then we were racing real race trucks and that's what changed Short Course cuz the Slashes even when tricked out couldn't hang.
Make the F1s easier to drive, (right tires in the kit) let em push around instead of spin out and it could be entry level worthy.
10-16-2011, 02:17 PM
#199
True better stuff came out...but why...people wanted better and the manufacturers obliged them. If Slash was so good as a spec class people wouldn't have flocked to the better options.
10-16-2011, 02:27 PM
#200
I don't think F1 has a chance of becoming the 'slash' class of on-road. The slash was the dawning of a new class. Sure the truck was made with parts readily available, but people looked at it and saw it as something completely different from what was already available. They made it cheap and easy to play with too, $200 and a battery charge later, it was running. The thing with the slash was that it paved the way for a new class, it didn't take a class that was already established and morph it into something new. Traxxas had a blank slate, a very defined starting point, and it went from there. That's completely different from what F1 is in on-road.
I'd like to distill the elements that made the slash so great in the first place. Those include its cheap price for a RTR, its durability, scale looks, its larger size that allowed it to be run anywhere, and it was completely new to the RC scene. I believe for on-road to have its 'slash' come along, that vehicle needs to be every one of these things.
I'd like to distill the elements that made the slash so great in the first place. Those include its cheap price for a RTR, its durability, scale looks, its larger size that allowed it to be run anywhere, and it was completely new to the RC scene. I believe for on-road to have its 'slash' come along, that vehicle needs to be every one of these things.
10-16-2011, 02:43 PM
#201
I'd like to distill the elements that made the slash so great in the first place. Those include its cheap price for a RTR, its durability, scale looks, its larger size that allowed it to be run anywhere, and it was completely new to the RC scene. I believe for on-road to have its 'slash' come along, that vehicle needs to be every one of these things.
Dude! You may have nailed it!
Seriously!
How bout an onroad car based on the lower CG Rustler/Slash chassis?
Oversized, tough as hell, handles well everywhere, 2wd maintenance free platform for $200?
Parts already available from Traxxas.
Can use the tires/wheels and bodies from the growing 1/8 scale onroad class, they are the same size.
Traxxas, send me my royalty checks when it takes off ok?
10-16-2011, 02:46 PM
#202
If Traxxas could make a truck with independent suspension, big rubber tires, shocks, for less the USD200, then they could make an F1 for much less. (solid axle, no shocks, less material).
Make it weigh around 1,400grm and even beginners will love the handling.
Make it weigh around 1,400grm and even beginners will love the handling.
10-16-2011, 03:02 PM
#204
I don't think F1 has a chance of becoming the 'slash' class of on-road. The slash was the dawning of a new class. Sure the truck was made with parts readily available, but people looked at it and saw it as something completely different from what was already available. They made it cheap and easy to play with too, $200 and a battery charge later, it was running. The thing with the slash was that it paved the way for a new class, it didn't take a class that was already established and morph it into something new. Traxxas had a blank slate, a very defined starting point, and it went from there. That's completely different from what F1 is in on-road.
I'd like to distill the elements that made the slash so great in the first place. Those include its cheap price for a RTR, its durability, scale looks, its larger size that allowed it to be run anywhere, and it was completely new to the RC scene. I believe for on-road to have its 'slash' come along, that vehicle needs to be every one of these things.
I'd like to distill the elements that made the slash so great in the first place. Those include its cheap price for a RTR, its durability, scale looks, its larger size that allowed it to be run anywhere, and it was completely new to the RC scene. I believe for on-road to have its 'slash' come along, that vehicle needs to be every one of these things.
Dude! You may have nailed it!
Seriously!
How bout an onroad car based on the lower CG Rustler/Slash chassis?
Oversized, tough as hell, handles well everywhere, 2wd maintenance free platform for $200?
Parts already available from Traxxas.
Can use the tires/wheels and bodies from the growing 1/8 scale onroad class, they are the same size.
Traxxas, send me my royalty checks when it takes off ok?
Seriously!
How bout an onroad car based on the lower CG Rustler/Slash chassis?
Oversized, tough as hell, handles well everywhere, 2wd maintenance free platform for $200?
Parts already available from Traxxas.
Can use the tires/wheels and bodies from the growing 1/8 scale onroad class, they are the same size.
Traxxas, send me my royalty checks when it takes off ok?
Man, I can't believe it took 14 pages for someone to suggest this! 1/8 onroad is so much fun, race them anywhere, more realistic body roll, more durable,... this is the onroad class equivalent of Short Course.
10-16-2011, 03:39 PM
#206
8-10 ft lanes are more than enough, 6 would be tight though. 1/8th scale cars are actually easy to control. I enjoy driving them on tight courses as much as big courses, it looks more realistic and it encourages patience and good passing technique. Also I believe that most, (just like SC) might not ever see a track but one time, so being able to drop them onto any parking lot and get thrashed would be priority.
10-16-2011, 04:49 PM
#207
Ya'll have missed the boat of this one. Traxxs does "NOT" build there stuff for competition. They gave that up years ago when they tried to go after Associated and Losi in off road. Instead they decided to make stuff for the back yard guys. You want to race competitively get as Competitive SC truck.If they make a F1 it will not be competitive because that is NOT the goal of their company.
10-16-2011, 05:10 PM
#208
Ya'll have missed the boat of this one. Traxxs does "NOT" build there stuff for competition. They gave that up years ago when they tried to go after Associated and Losi in off road. Instead they decided to make stuff for the back yard guys. You want to race competitively get as Competitive SC truck.If they make a F1 it will not be competitive because that is NOT the goal of their company.
Others also said that 1/8 scale electric offroad woudn't fit indoors.
They were wrong just like the guy above that says they wont fit on carpet and 1/10 asphalt tracks.
10-16-2011, 05:25 PM
#209
Umm....everyone was racing it because a spec class was created for it due to the popularity. Traxxas didn't really intend for it to be in competition as there was NO CLASS at the time. It just caught on because it was inexpensive, durable, and realistic looking.
10-16-2011, 05:26 PM
#210
Dude! You may have nailed it!
Seriously!
How bout an onroad car based on the lower CG Rustler/Slash chassis?
Oversized, tough as hell, handles well everywhere, 2wd maintenance free platform for $200?
Parts already available from Traxxas.
Can use the tires/wheels and bodies from the growing 1/8 scale onroad class, they are the same size.
Traxxas, send me my royalty checks when it takes off ok?
Seriously!
How bout an onroad car based on the lower CG Rustler/Slash chassis?
Oversized, tough as hell, handles well everywhere, 2wd maintenance free platform for $200?
Parts already available from Traxxas.
Can use the tires/wheels and bodies from the growing 1/8 scale onroad class, they are the same size.
Traxxas, send me my royalty checks when it takes off ok?
"Does anybody really think that the answer to making F1 popular is to take a monster truck, slap some F1 wheels and tires, a big wing, and a single seater body on it? Because that is what TRX did in creating the Slash."
So, send me the checks. Second thought, never mind, I don't want to be responsible for such an abomination.