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What's new: Monday, April 15th, 2013

FPV RC CubbyHey now, it’s Monday and you’ve found THE Cub Report, sometimes it sucks, sometimes it good, here’s to hoping this is one of the “good” ones. LOL

I like boring people right off the start with some full scale racing news. I literally eat, breathe, and sleep full scale racing, so my entire life centers around the F1 and Supercross schedules. Brian says “Cubby- we need you to work on that XYZ RC review this Saturday”, and I’m forced to reply, “WTF are you crazy? I was up all night watching F1 qualifying and I am following/watching Supercross all day, tell Adam to do it.” You would think after all these years Brian would know better than bother me on an F1/SX weekend. “Sigh”.

Speaking of F1, Ferrari won again over the weekend. Alonso simply pwn’ed the field in China, it really was something of beauty. And… what a podium, Alonso, Robot Kimi and Moons-Over-My-Hammy (and no Vettel, whewww). Above all I’m hoping that somebody can give Red Bull a run for their money this season, and with a few more weeks like this it might just be a good season.

The Dunge caught and passed RV2 Saturday night to take the Supercross win in Minneapolis. I haven’t been a Leprechaun fan since he took out Dungey in the STL a couple years ago, so I was pretty stoked to see that big orange KTM come out on top Saturday night. Supercross is getting late in their season so I kinda doubt Dungey can wrestle that title from RV2, but that’s why they run ALL the races, so miracles can happen.

Oh ya, and then there is life in RC.

I am still amazed at how BigSquidRC has changed rc. I guess I’ve had that thought running through the back of my mind for the last couple of years, but I don’t think I’ve ever actually said it out loud.

And how have we changed rc?

Here is an example- I’ve been told by more than one manufacture that they’ve sat around a big conference table having a meeting about “What would BigSquid think?” about a potential new product.

How would that change rc? Because our angle, our view, is a lot different than what the “norm” used to be in the industry. The “normal/common” point of view used to be- how thick is that carbon fiber? What is the coating on the shock shafts like at a molecular level? Our view is- does it traction roll on pavement? Does it break when you drive-it-like-you-stole-it?

I’ve been told that in the “old days”, a certain manufacture would design a new car, drive it a bunch, refine it, hand it to team drivers, then ship it. But now days they beat it with a hammer, jump it off a roof, then hand the controller to the secretary (that is literally a quote). That’s one hell of a change, and I think one that ultimately helps the “average” end consumer. Sure, having some uber-nitride coating on your shocks is great if you are one of the very few people trying to smash the local lap record, but for the other 99% the ability to accidentally hit a curb and have it not be a day ender makes for a much happier consumer.

To boil it down, I think we’ve helped bring the hobby back to less emphasis on technically uber parts, to more of an emphasis on how it works in the local cul-de-sac. In the old days a whole lot of product was designed from the ground up for the local pro guys while not even considering what the guy who runs once every couple weeks in his backyard would think about it. “Average Joe Blows” tend to be a silent majority and I think we’ve become a big, loud, clear voice for them. We’ve taken what is being said a thousand times a day at local bash spots and put it where the people that make and shape the hobby can actually become aware of it, and… they trust us enough to listen.

There are other ways that I think we’ve changed rc, maybe I’ll go over them at some other time, the Lites class is getting ready to come on Speed, so I really must jam. :)

That’s it for this week ya’ll, support your local hobby shops and bash spots when ya can.

YOUR Cub Reporter

traxxas__slash_champion

First off, thanks again and Congratulations to TRAXXAS for the Slash 4×4 Giveaway as celebration for winning the March Bash-ness 2013!!

We had a TON of entries this time around! All the names were put into a database and a random number picked the winner. That winner is “Steve bruck123e@” and he has been contacted for all of the necessary info. Steve if you are reading this, check your email! Thanks again to all the companies that supported this year’s playoffs as well as to all the readers and fans for their voting over the last few weeks! It’s an awesome event every year, and we couldn’t do it without you all!

What's new: Sunday, April 14th, 2013

Hitec HSG-8315BH Servo
There are “fast” servos, then there are “OMG FAST”! I think the new Hitec HSG-8315BH falls into the “OMG FAST” category. The 8315 was designed for use as the tail rotor servo on helicopters, but with its Karbonite gears and dual bearings it should make a good option for low torque surface applications. Its specifications at 7.4 volts are-

* Speed- .04
* Torque- 74 oz-in
* Size- 1.57 x 0.79 x 1.50 in
* Weight- 60 grams

The Hitec stock number is #38315 and it has a street price of $90. You can check out all of Hitec’s products on their Official Website.

The weekend is staring us right in the face (finally!). How about taking a chance on a TGIF Mystery Link?

What's new: Friday, April 12th, 2013

Traxxas 6869 12mm hex adapters
Want to put some uber strong driveshafts on your Traxxas Slash 4×4, Stampede 4×4, or Traxxas Rally car? With the new Traxxas #6869 12mm wheel adapters you can use the heavy duty steel-splined driveshafts that were originally designed for the XO-1 supercar. The new 12mm hex’s have a 6mm inner diameter, thus allowing use of the heavier driveshafts. A drill bit is included to make a larger hole in your wheels allowing the beefier shafts to fit through.

Detailed instructions come with the hex adapters and you’ll need part numbers #6451 (front driveshafts x2), #6452 (rear driveshafts x2), #6439 (steering blocks), #6455 (axle carriers), #5117 (bearings x3) to complete the conversion. With the retail price of the Traxxas #6869 12mm hex adapters being $28, you are looking at roughly $200 to do the complete conversion, but once completed you are that much closer to a bomb-proof drivetrain.

Now that you’ve read about how to beef up your Traxxas, how about a TGIF Mystery Pic?

T.O.P. 6 Wheeler F1 conversion Kit
The Tyrrell P34 6 wheeled F1 machine is perhaps the most recognizable race car in history. Introduced in the 70′s, the Tyrrell stood out from the crowd by its radical 6 wheeled design, and now T.O.P. (Tokyo Optional Parts) has released pictures of a new 6 wheeled kit for us rc’ers. There isn’t a lot of information available yet, but it’s said to be a conversion kit for one of their existing Rebel series TOP F1 cars. We’ll pass more information along as we receive it.

Happy Friday everyone, time to check out another TGIF Mystery Link.

Trinity Sting Extreme VTA Lipo Race Pack
The Trinity crew has announced a new Sting Series Lipo battery that has VTA Racing in mind. It’s a 2S 50C 5000 mah that is ROAR approved and comes stock with a Dean’s connector. Retail price is $89 and they should be available later this month. For more information on all things Trinity hit up their Official Website.

Thank goodness it’s Friday, another long hard week in the books. How about a TGIF Mystery Link?

What's new: Thursday, April 11th, 2013

HobbyTech Hobbytech STR8 EPX2 DS
You may remember HobbyTech from THIS post on their 8th scale concept car, but today they’ve announced their new STR8 EPX2 DS Rally Sport. This new Hobbytech is an 8th scale 4wd rally car that comes as either a roller with just the chassis and clear body, or in “race edition” that includes 2.4 GHz radio, brushless power, Lipo battery, charger, and Savox servo.

Hobbytech_STR8_EPX2_DS_2We received no word on price point or a possible release date on the EPX2 DS, although they did mention a nitro version coming out in the next couple of weeks. Also, Hobbytech is not distributed here in the states so getting one in your hands might be hard, but not impossible. To view all of Hobbytech’s other products HERE is a link to their website.

Looking for more Hobbytech news right here on BigSquidRC? Check out THIS link.

Cubby

Hi my name is Bruin and I own a Helion Dominus 10r. I still have my stock 1800 mah battery in it and I read your latest lipo shootout. You had the Gens Ace 5800 2s lipo ranked first and I was interested in buying one. I have looked all over the internet and I can’t find any sites that sell them and if they do they are out of stock. Do you know where I could find one or any hobby shops that have them in stock?

I live in Rexburg, Idaho and they just got rid of the nearest Hobbytown USA to me in Idaho Falls so I pretty much have to order everything online now. If you could please reply I would greatly appreciate it. I would also accept any advice like a diffferent/better lipo I should get or any upgrades etc… Thanks

Cubby- Yo hey Bruin, sounds like you are having the same problem a lot of people are, not being able to find the Gens Ace pack they want in stock.

I’ve often said the biggest problem Gens Ace has is keeping their packs in stock. They put out a decent battery at a reasonable price point, but they’ve got a lot to learn about inventory management. So what should be your plan of action? Buy from someone else that has their act together and keeps their product in proper supply.

So what’s an affordable Lipo that is easier to actually lay your hands on? Venom. Venom has come a long ways with the quality of their batteries in recent years, and while they may not have won one of our shootouts, they are solid packs that will make your Helion M U C H faster than the included Ni-MH battery. Oh and even more importantly, it’s typically pretty easy to lay hands on one that suits your needs. Venom is carried by both of the “big two”, Hobbico and Horizon, so whether you are buying from an LHS (sucks to hear you lost yours) or buying on-line, the chances of finding what you need is much greater.


Squid Live #16
I don’t watch the show. it’s a bad timing kind of thing… but I did watch the re-run of #16 (couldn’t sleep and had nothing better to do). Thought I’d send a few comments, just to let you know, it didn’t lull me back to sleep, and that the nonsense is at least somewhat entertaining.

First off that Red Cat S-tryk-r, interesting idea for a rc vehicle, glad they finally got it to market, but couldn’t they have had somebody with some art or industrial design capability at least give them some clues about how something like this should look. Come on now, I mean – one word: UGLY! make that two words: STUPID UGLY! They can do good looking, you didn’t mention the Pagani Huayra, but it is a RedCat so I understand. Now belt drive is cool, it smooths out the shock to the drive train, yea it’s going to be a nightmare to work on but that’s just something that you would have to live with for a Canam style bike. Your only other option for a three wheeler would be a Mardave sidecar racer (spec racer – lame) or some Vaterra you guys are done bashing with (change that, the Vaterra would probably only have one wheel left).

As to bashing with a Corally… problem is after getting things good and wet the sand kicked up by the paddles tends to pack up on the belt and pulleys and before you know it the belt is all stretched out, corners rounded off and the belt starts slipping.

TS

Cubby- Hey now TS, interesting email ya sent in.

Ya, our G+ shows can be interesting at times. At the very least they give us a bit of a chance to hang out face to face. While I may go on and on about meeting up in the uber BSRC offices, the staff is actually all over the place so we don’t really get to see each other that much. We meet up here and there for reviews and shootouts, we also meet up for trade shows and bash events, otherwise the work done here is via UPS and the net. Any time I get to give Brian or Adam crap I consider to be a good time.

I’m not a fan of RedCat. Every time I’ve been exposed to a RedCat vehicle first hand it was with a pile of soon to be rubble, and they haven’t been what I’d call “cordial” to us by any means, so what is there for me to like? That doesn’t mean that times have changed and their new gear is actually worth owning, and that doesn’t mean that they’ve decided to overlook the negatively I’ve written about them and want to hold out their hand to start over, who knows. What I do know is we don’t get any of their product for review, so even if it is quality gear we have no way of knowing it. And… I do know we’ve extended our hand by covering their booths at trade shows and by posting some of their press releases.

With that said, I like their S-TRYK-R. In fact several of the BSRC Bash Crew do. Why? It’s a matter of this- we’ve owned hundreds of cars over the years and are attracted to something completely new and different because we are bored of the “norm”. The S-TRYK-R might be a POS, but we’d actually put up with that if it was so different to own that it was a “new” experience for us.


That’s it for this week ya bunch of hooligans, shoot me your questions, doubts, best regards, and lightly veiled death threats to Cubby at BigSquidRC.com. If your question hits the front page Brian will shoot ya out a really cool sticker pack, if yours is named as “letter of the month” we’ll ship ya out one of our new BSRC
t-shirts.

YOUR Cub Reporter

Helion Invictus Unboxing Pictures
The latest vehicle to make its way into the line-up at Helion is the Invictus Monster Truck. It’s a 10th scale MT sporting large tires, waterproofing, and 4wd, the makings of a great bash machine. We first cracked the Helion box open during one of our live Google + shows and today we’ll be posting the unboxing pictures to give you a closer look at what’s inside. Enjoy the pictures and click the “read more” button to see 2 more galleries.

Want to see more unboxing pictures? Check out THIS LINK right here on BigSquidRC.

READ MORE

Hitec HS-900SGS and HS-1000SGT Giant Scale Servo's
The crew at Hitec have devoted their lives to coming up with the best servo’s for any application. Further proof of this is their new giant scale digital servo’s called the HS-900SGS and the HS-1000SGT. Both of these new servo’s are beasts, not only in size, but also in power.

The latest Hitec servo’s come with solid steel gears and all aluminum cases to remain durable even in heavy duty applications.

Giant scale servo’s are normally used in 5th scale surface vehicles and in giant scale aircraft. Both of the new Hitec giant scale servo’s measure in at 2.52 x 1.30 x 2.87 in and both weigh in at a whopping 12.8 oz.

For power, this is where it really gets fun. Both of the new servo’s are set-up to be run off of 3S and 4S Lipo batteries. The HS-900SGS puts out 903 oz-in (at .20 speed) on 11.1 volts and 1208 oz-in (at .15) on 14.8 volts.

2013_HS-900SGS_ProductShotThe HS-1000SGT ups those torque figures with 1167 oz-in (at .26) on 3S and puts out a ridiculous 1528 oz-in (at .19) on 4S. If you are looking for truly insane power for that special project of yours, these two servo’s certainly fit the bill.

Street price on each unit is expected to be $425 and part number for the Hitec HS-900SGS is #34900 while the part number for the HS-1000SGT is #34100.

Would you like to read more Hitec news? Hit up THIS LINK right here on BigSquidRC.

What's new: Wednesday, April 10th, 2013

[Live show is over, check out the replay above or on our YouTube channel.]

Welcome y’all to the grandest show on this web site. It’s so awesome your head may asplode. But that’s neither here nor there. Or here. Or there. Tonight, as always, we’ll be talking about the latest and greatest news in the rc hobby. And maybe something about the March Bash-ness 2013 champion, and we might give something away, like a t-shirt.

Tonight’s show is sponsored by Pro-Line, check out their web site for great stuff.

traxxas__slash_champion

Congratulations to TRAXXAS as their Slash 4×4 is the 2013 March Bash-ness Champion! Every year our readers never fail to surprise us on who they are going to vote for, and this year was no exception. We never would of guessed the finals would of been Traxxas vs Traxxas! I’m not sure who won our office pool this year because I know nobody saw that coming! To make it even crazier, it’s the closest voting finals we ever had! The polls say the Slash won by 1, but looking at the logs, it really won by 5. There were a few people who snuck in votes after the official closing time.

To help celebrate their win (I’m pretty sure Traxxas has been celebrating all week.. their odds were good) they have agreed to let us GIVE AWAY a brand new Traxxas Slash 4×4!

So here are the rules, you need to leave a COMMENT below with a valid email address! You should be over the age of 18, or get your parents to sign you up. You must live in the USA. We will only ship to a US address. Sorry guys, rules are rules. You must have your comment/official entry in by Friday night April 12th 11:59pm cst. We will then choose a RANDOM WINNER EMAIL from all valid entries! Good Luck!

TheToyz.com Traxxas QR-1 Hubsan X4 Quad Storage bag
The Traxxas QR-1 has turned out to be a very popular quadcopter. People that would never even think about buying an air product have latched right onto the QR-1.

Realizing the popularity of the little Traxxas quad, the crew over at TheToyz.com have a new storage bag that is set-up just for it. The bag not only protects your quad from damage while storing or transporting, but it has cut-outs to hold extra batteries, a screwdriver, and spare parts. The heavy duty construction means it should last for years, and it comes with a strap to make it easier to carry.

The part number for the storage bag is #TOYZ 110, the street price is $35 and they are available right now. Hit up THIS LINK for more information over on TheToyz website.

What else has TheToyz been up to lately? Check out THIS LINK for more TheToyz news right here on BigSquidRC.