Is the industry Anti Nitro?

[Ballist1x]

I'm just starting on my own RC journey but a few things sticknout to me!

 

Firstly there are many fewer Nitro models available currently than in the past.

 

Evidence HPI website has very few nitro options, infact zero On-Road nitro cars.

 

Secondly I called a couple of model shops asking about availability of nitro off road cars and was met by;

 

'Why do you want nitro? Brushless is faster, better. Dont you know you'll spend longer tuning it, looking after it etc' 

 

All I asked was when is model x coming back into stock! 

 

 

I understand that electric is very simple and can be quick but like any real car buff will tell you, no petrol, no soul!

 

[Tony]

8 minutes ago, Ballist1x said:

'Why do you want nitro? Brushless is faster, better. Dont you know you'll spend longer tuning it, looking after it etc' 

 

Then they are not a "true" Hobby shop - they cares what sells quicker and easier to give support.

 

A true hobby shop will work with you to meet your needs, not their thoughts.

[.AJ.]

Find a different shop, yea nitro isn’t as popular as it used to be, but it’s still here if you know where to look 👍 

[.AJ.]

Modelsport list a few, sadly not many are instock though 

 

https://www.modelsport.co.uk/rc-nitro-models/rc-car-categories/9900/990015&MSAttributeID[5]=520

[Oh How Original]

I think there's other factors in it at the moment, like limited stock and even more limited production due to world events and Brexit.

Not as much stock of anything at the moment and nitro being less popular and the slowest seller, probably gets the least priority.

I used to enjoy running nitros, but I don't really miss the noise, so brushless is best for me, works out way way cheaper in the long run too.

I'd recommend trying to find a different shop, a real hobbyist owned shop won't try and tell you what you want.

They might recommend other options, but shouldn't try and force something on you.

[Ballist1x]

They did answer the question which is fine but felt obliged to lay out a 5 point plan as to why brushless is the future instead of nitro.

 

Isn't the noise all part of the experience ha

 

[Ninetiesbeard]

I think its more that the industry is "pro money". Willing to bet that brushless rc constitutes around 75% of all rc purchases these days. So theyll create and sell more of whatever sells most

[m4inbrain]

1 hour ago, Ballist1x said:

They did answer the question which is fine but felt obliged to lay out a 5 point plan as to why brushless is the future instead of nitro.

 

Isn't the noise all part of the experience ha

 

 

I'm not sure i follow here. So they did advise you properly, and explained to you that "the most capable RCs" are brushless and will only pull further away from nitro. 

 

Don't you think it's kinda weird to complain about shops explaining to you that, and why, brushless is "the future"? 

 

In fact, aren't you asking here for an explanation now as well to the same question, basically?

 

Sounds to me like the shop did exactly what they're supposed to do. Lay out the options and explain what's better. 

 

And, no. Noise isn't part of the experience. 

[Ballist1x]

32 minutes ago, m4inbrain said:

 

I'm not sure i follow here. So they did advise you properly, and explained to you that "the most capable RCs" are brushless and will only pull further away from nitro. 

 

Don't you think it's kinda weird to complain about shops explaining to you that, and why, brushless is "the future"? 

 

In fact, aren't you asking here for an explanation now as well to the same question, basically?

 

Sounds to me like the shop did exactly what they're supposed to do. Lay out the options and explain what's better. 

 

And, no. Noise isn't part of the experience. 

 

If I phoned up and said I was lookimg for advice as I'm thinking if buying an rc car but not sure about the various options, nitro electric, brushed or brushless then sure.

 

I called and asked, when will nitro car 'x' be back in stock.

 

Noise is and has been part of the thrill of cars and motorsport in general for the last 100 years.

 

People weren't thrilled by the v8 and v12 f1 cars for no reason, or the noise and chat of rally cars. 

 

If they were silent it deprives you of the aural sense as these are scale rally, road, off road cars then for me the true experience includes an audio sound track.

 

[m4inbrain]

Just now, Ballist1x said:

 

If I phoned up and said I was lookimg for advice as I'm thinking if buying an rc car but not sure about the various options, nitro electric, brushed or brushless then sure.

 

I called and asked, when will nitro car 'x' be back in stock.

 

Noise is and has been part of the thrill of cars and motorsport in general for the last 100 years.

 

People weren't thrilled by the v8 and v12 f1 cars for no reason, or the noise and chat of rally cars. 

 

If they were silent it deprives you of the aural sense as these are scale rally, road, off road cars then for me the true experience includes an audio sound track.

 

 

I think you're conflating noise and sound here. There's a difference between a good sounding V12 and a 4 cylinder with a chimney for an exhaust.

 

F1 and V10? Awesome sound. They're loud, of course, but they sound amazing. Rally? Some of the most distinguished engine sounds ever created - you can tell an Audi 5cyl or a Subaru boxer from a mile away, even to this day. 

Now try nitro noise and tell me that that's "sound" and not "noise". It's akin to a dentists drill in noise.

 

Shops doing their part to advise potential customers should not be scoffed at just because you think RCs should be loud, smelly and inconvenient. That's what made me answer. They don't know how educated you are on the topic, so they give advice. Entirely good service.

[Lone-wolf]

I could never go back to a nitro complete an utter PITA, so i think the shop was on the right track

[turok007]

I remember when most cars were nitro.

[Stormbringer]

yep in the 80's you started with electric (ni cads) then when you knew what your doing and wanted faster cars you went to nitro lol 🤣

[Jumper]

I wouldn't say they are anti nitro, they just make the most of what sells the best. 

 

I got back into nitro over summer last year and it was really good. even though they are slower and require more maintenance the noise and smell really brought back the fun for me.  

[Nick]

You need to go back 10-15 years to understand why nitro was so popular and isn't now.

 

Electric models, especially in the bashing scene such as monster trucks, buggies etc, were rubbish. The batteries were heavy, low capacity NICAD or NIMH, with bad run times and  bad power curves. Brushless was around but really expensive, so most things ran huge can brushed motors which were again inefficient, heavy and slow.

 

A lot of people just stuck with Nitro, you had the speed, the power and runtimes that you didn't find in electric for another 10 years. When it finally came and brushless + lipos were main stream a lot of people crossed over, they were so much more convenient, less mess, less smell, less noise, more power. For anyone on the line between the 2, it was electric every time.

 

Nitro is old tech now, nothing innovative for years, it's just the same old combustion engine. Nothing wrong with it but for the majority, electric just ticks way more boxes than nitro and certainly more boxes than a decade ago.

 

[hamradioguy]

I have too many RC's really, petrol, nitro and electric and to be honest even though electric  RC's are easier, faster and more reliable I find them boring because most of the enjoyment for me

is the technical aspect of it and I love hearing and watching a well setup engine driving round a field and even though I am getting on a bit now the sound still gives me goosebumps.

[Ballist1x]

9 hours ago, hamradioguy said:

I have too many RC's really, petrol, nitro and electric and to be honest even though electric  RC's are easier, faster and more reliable I find them boring because most of the enjoyment for me

is the technical aspect of it and I love hearing and watching a well setup engine driving round a field and even though I am getting on a bit now the sound still gives me goosebumps.

 

Exavtly I like tinkering (mildly) with my real car too. Even if its just changing air filters or (previously) changing a dump value or adjusting the timing etc...

[Wraithstorm67]

I have a 3 electric rc,s and to be honest they are rarely used I still prefer nitro or petrol tuning can be a pain to some but  I seem to have a knack for it and when you get it just right it’s amazing but I suppose that’s the side of me that loves tinkering

[Alex97]

What the shop told you wasn't incorrect, electric is the way forward an has been for over 10 years (in my opinon) 

 

There is something nice about nitro but running it is a pain, I had one years ago and it was nothing but trouble so in the end I converted to electric. 

 

If you are dead set on nitro then there's still a few models out there but i'd get one that could be converted to brushless later on so that you are covered. 

 

 

[Ballist1x]

On 14/01/2021 at 10:33, Alex97 said:

What the shop told you wasn't incorrect, electric is the way forward an has been for over 10 years (in my opinon) 

 

There is something nice about nitro but running it is a pain, I had one years ago and it was nothing but trouble so in the end I converted to electric. 

 

If you are dead set on nitro then there's still a few models out there but i'd get one that could be converted to brushless later on so that you are covered. 

 

 

 

Well as I'm finding out, electric brushless has been a pain too.

 

The number of different connector types, deans, xt, tamiya, the size of connectors, 3.5mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6.5mm.

 

"Oh yeah just buy a soldering iron its a necessity" 

 

Esc melted within 10mins of running the car (around my lounge no less) .

 

Programming esc, lipo storage, discharge and protection etc.

 

 

Electric is a pain to learn from new. I have a nitro car due to arrive today, I wonder if I'll experience this amount of issues!

[Pendelton]

I remember when most cars were nitro.

[babylon]

I do get why model shops push electric, Nitro can be finicky, And the last thing a shop wants is little Johnny to keep coming back with a nitro they can't tune and moaning that it don't run for more than 5 minutes before it cuts out, Or the one way bearing keeps slipping, Or it's eating plugs, Cos none of that will be little Johnny's fault.

 

 But I have found over the years that half the problem with nitro is the RTR engines, And price is no indication of quality, The Traxxas 3.3 engine is silly money to buy, But was known to be a pig and rubbish both at the same time, First engine I ever bought some 30 years ago was a Picco, That thing run day in and day out and never lost it's tune, Even to the point I could spin the engine over with my thumb and forefinger it was so worn, But it would still run.

 Get a good engine, Or just do research on engines (Losi 427 Teal head is a stonking engine) and you won't have 2 many problems, If any, And go bump start,