norcoforever Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 I've been doing rc for many years now and have never known it like this. Companies are shutting left right and centre. No where has stock anymore the forum is very quiet. What's happening is the hobby dying are people on hibernation? Any one have any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turok007 Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 other things to do now like the internet also prices have been going up the last few years. and who wants to pay a small fortune just to smash a car up at a skate park. lol 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oh How Original Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 IMO, yes it is. It's becoming harder to use them in places... Nowhere near as many people can afford them nowadays, especially since the hike in prices due to the exchange rate rising. I can't remember who said it, but someone a few months back predicted there will barely be such a thing as an RC hobby in a few years, I kinda agree, with the way things are going. Greed kills a lot of things though, we're not the only 'victims' of it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenny_st Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 (edited) I'm not sure really at my local club/track a lot more people are buying 1/5ths now and we are getting a lot of new people randomly turning up due to 2 very active facebook pages, I agree it is harder to find parts and to find random bashing spots. Edited May 23, 2017 by kenny_st Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rover Man Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 The LSOR national side as never been so busy. There were 70 odd drivers booked in at the first round. Kind of whats made it less fun for me as it turns into a very busy day 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atom3624 Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 So the general impression is that it's as busy, or actually busier than ever, but a lot more private, through imposed restrictions for 'general use'? Al. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b19jas Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 I think it's a cash flow problem. Average Joe has less spare cash. Models and parts are effectively pricing themselves out of the market. I certainly haven't got the spare cash to batter my rc like I did 10 years ago. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post babylon Posted May 23, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted May 23, 2017 You have to remember that this hobby is older than your many years, I've been doing it for over 30, And it was much much more niche back then, It's never been as accessible as it is now, What you see as dying off, I may see as going back to normal. Even tho it was less accessible and much more expensive back in the day, As well as the usual Tamiya, Kyosho, Schumacher, You still had your Mugen, Serpent, AYK, PB, Hirobo, Yokomo, Associated, Tomy , Mardave, Yes some have gone to the wall, But that probably happens everyday in different hobbies we pay no interest in, Someone somewhere may be asking the same question about surfing or kite flying. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post dazp1976 Posted May 23, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted May 23, 2017 The young uns these days are more into gadgets which is a shame imo. Instead of sitting at a screen all day, get out there and jump some trucks 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XV Pilot Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 Bashing might be dying out due to various issues including but not limited to venue restrictions, Health & Safety, insurance issues, compensation culture, etc. However racing seems to be going from strength to strength, at least around here. There were so many attendees at the last club meet I went to that we ran out of room in our usual pit area and had to expand into the bit of open space at the end of the track! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supersavage Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 I'm not sure it's dying out, bashing maybe on the downfall due to people loosing places to run however racing seems to be on the rise in all classes and scales. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norcoforever Posted May 23, 2017 Author Share Posted May 23, 2017 Certainly some interesting view points as was mainly curious as I'm a basher and have seen a considerable drop off. Maybe local racing is the way to go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bombercountynick Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 Certainly don't think it will ever die out. May not be as popular with your average Joe but for the enthusiast with technology progressing the way it is I can only see it getting better for those willing to stick with it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si Coe Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 The hobby goes in cycles anyway, Sometimes its more popular than others. Right now its going through an affordability bump, which has happened before. These tend to have rather curious effects, because whilst sales of the now not quite as cheap entry models drops, sales of high end stuff tends to increase. Its like people decide to drop it, or commit fully. Thats why there are more larger scales and racers now. The problem is that with fewer new people coming in, as people leave they won't get replaced. What isn't responsible is the internet etc. There have always been other things you could do. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turok007 Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 1 hour ago, Si Coe said: The hobby goes in cycles anyway, Sometimes its more popular than others. Right now its going through an affordability bump, which has happened before. These tend to have rather curious effects, because whilst sales of the now not quite as cheap entry models drops, sales of high end stuff tends to increase. Its like people decide to drop it, or commit fully. Thats why there are more larger scales and racers now. The problem is that with fewer new people coming in, as people leave they won't get replaced. What isn't responsible is the internet etc. There have always been other things you could do. the internet is to blame as most kids now find the web and that's it they have to be surgically removed from a smart phone. lol 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz! Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 Face ache, enough said! people get bored doing the same stuff over and over and over again, so try new things. you tube is another, it's great in principal but means anyone who can watch said video suddenly becomes a expert. long gone are the days of scratching your head trying to figure out the problem and use your common sense instead the preferred route is to suckle off the teats of other folk who have used there brains and figured out the original issue. but as already been said earlier in various posts, money is a big factor for most nowadays. just me rambling on again....... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XV Pilot Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 24 minutes ago, turok007 said: the internet is to blame as most kids now find the web and that's it they have to be surgically removed from a smart phone. lol Nah, kids have always had an annoying habit of finding things to do other than RC... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turok007 Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 2 minutes ago, XV Pilot said: Nah, kids have always had an annoying habit of finding things to do other than RC... i live next to a school and years ago when the bell went kids would be almost running home. but since smart phones it is hard to tell that school has ended. lol kids theses days are on the phone/net all the time. and face book has made it worse. even adults are connected to the net a lot. in years to come most people will have a eye and hand issues because of the amount of time spent using and just checking devices. i know other sports and hobbies take people away from the RC hobby but the net is a totally different monster. once your hooked you constantly checking for a update or new message. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertberr Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 When I was first into RC in the mid-late 80's, there was definitely more kids of a similar age (mid-late teens) involved in RC than there is now. Almost everybody seemed to have a Tamiya of some sort (well half a dozen or so around our estate), with the odd Kyosho thrown in. Now, I never see anybody else with an RC truck when I'm out bashing, just me the kids and sometimes my mate from up the road when his rig is working. And, back then cost of kit and radio kit was far higher than today (inflation adjusted), so no I don't think it is a money thing. Just too many other distractions (inside the house, and usually involving a screen of some sort) for kids these days, which is why I'm determined that I'll drag the kids out with me whenever I can.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post RCbutcher Posted May 23, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted May 23, 2017 Kid i want an rc car wow please. Parent goes to argos. Next fad. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XV Pilot Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 3 minutes ago, RCbutcher said: Kid i want an rc car wow please. Parent goes to argos. Next fad. Parents putting their kids off the hobby by buying them rubbish cars is sadly a phenomenon almost as old as the hobby itself... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si Coe Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 RC was the in fad in the late '80's. That boom provides the roots for a very large number of current RCers who either started there themselves (I'm one of them) or were introduced to the hobby by someone who did. But even then, like most fads people had wildly different levels of interest. Back when I was at school - probably around 1990 I guess - I started an RC club at the school. Practically everyone owned an RC (normally a Tamiya) but few used them regularly, or even knew how to repair them. My brother and I were the only ones to have multiple RC's and to actually consider it our primary hobby. The rest were more interested in their NES or Sega Master. And that was the height of RC's popularity. One side effect of the net is that fads have much shorter lifespans now. I seriously doubt I'll see another fidget spinner after the summer hols are over for example. That means even if RC cars because big again I doubt it would last long or provide many committed new members. I thought it might have a bit of a resurgence when drones caught on, but they seem to have died out except as a specialist tool. The thing to remember about all those kids on their phones is that the net is a means of communication. People on it are messaging, watching videos etc about something else - like we are now! Those kids are watching people play video games, or talking about their favourite music or football team. Its an outlet for other interests not an end to itself! Its just that RC doesn't feature in those other interests. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex97 Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 Not being funny but some parents don't have £200 to spend getting their kid set up with RC stuff or won't because they know that they might stop playing with it after a week or two.. This is why there's a lack of the younger generation getting into rc's as it's not affordable and they'd rather spend their money on Xbox games and going out or they want the lastest thing so their money goes there. They forum has been dieing for the last few years now, it might pick up but with the increase of FB I can't see it happening. And how many new rcs have we had over the last few years? Not very many. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleka777 Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 Well me and my mate have just got into it. Had a couple of cheap nitros a few years ago but got myself a new kyosho mad force ve. My mates just bought a 2nd hand yeti xl. Take it to alot of mountain bike spots to use straight after the bikes. Class fun. Nowt better than testing the trucks abilities and limits! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si Coe Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 15 minutes ago, Alex97 said: Not being funny but some parents don't have £200 to spend getting their kid set up with RC stuff or won't because they know that they might stop playing with it after a week or two.. This is why there's a lack of the younger generation getting into rc's as it's not affordable and they'd rather spend their money on Xbox games and going out or they want the lastest thing so their money goes there. They forum has been dieing for the last few years now, it might pick up but with the increase of FB I can't see it happening. And how many new rcs have we had over the last few years? Not very many. Thats not strictly true. Parents that claim they can't afford school shoes seem to be remarkably good at buying hoverboards, the latest iPhone, limited edition trainers etc. It seems its possible to 'find' the money IF the parents themselves think the item is kinda cool too. This is exactly what happened around '87-90 when entry level RC cost £200 once you'd included the radio, batteries etc - no RTR back then. £200 in late 80's money I might add, so somewhat more adjusted for inflation. Legions of dads got Tamiya kits to build with their sons despite the cost, some were used lots, others lay in a cupboard after a few uses. The key there though was that Dad wanted it as much as the kid did - not something many modern parents are that into. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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