Is this a fad???
 

I've had my bits for over a year now, and all of a sudden, everyone and their mother is in to them. Do you guys think that this segment of the hobby is a fad, destined to die like Pokemon, Power Rangers, and the Razor scooter?

it will have its ups and downs, and new technologies will eventually come.(perhaps proportional steering bits). People still buy pokemon, power ranger stuff. it just depends on where you are. but it's just not marketed the way it used to be and people think they are dead. There is is still a pokemon center in japan and new york. transformers an scoobydoo has been here for quite a long time. my niece likes scooby .. it's just another generation perhaps we will get tired of this, but a new generation will like it again.

I had my bit since last year when me and my neighbor were the only kids that had them, and i think bits, ZZ's, and Microsizers have become popular because they are now available in local hobby stores and Radio Shack. They weren't popular before because the only way to get a bit was to go to an Asian country like Japan, or Hong Kong or get a bit from ebay.

I hate it when this happens ive had this little car for like almost a year and now its been blown up. I hate looking like a conformist but at least my cars are cooler and faster. So i say bring on the competition were all havin fun here

Yup, had mine for almost a year now and it's blowing up like crazy in popularity.

Same here.
I had heard some about micro R/C.

Then Extreme Tech did a review on Microsizers and ZipZaps.
I went and did some reading up on it, because I had decided I need a hobby. When I was a kid I was a little into R/C cars, but that was all on my parents' dime. I can't afford right now to drop hundreds of dollars into a nice 1/10 buggy. And I certainly can't expect my friends to do the same just so I have someone to race. So...I bought the 4 special edition BCG Skylines and a couple of bodies. For a few bucks I can go to Home Depot and put together a track (pictures will follow).

The cool factor is high. The price is low. Yes it's "hip" right now. Shaq says so!! And I mean he eats at Burger King, so he MUST know wassup.

The way these fad things work...it'll be real hot for a while, and you'll all be driven nuts but the influx of..."lesser capable" racers/modders/etc. All you can do is hope that when they've moved on to the next Harry Potter book, or the next Teddy Ruxpin (dear Lord, am I dating myself?), or what have you...that a few new "more capable" racers/modders/etc have stuck around.

No way man
 

this cant be a fad its not popular enough its still an idea well all I can say is I found out about them through Image Anime when I was lookin for wall scrolls to redo my room with when I came across these little bute's

I think mini R/C is a permanent addition to the hobby.

Kyosho mini Z, HPI Micro RS4, Tomy Bit Char-G. These will be around for a long while.

I would have bought a Bit back when they were released, but I did not have any experience importing from Japan or China. I finally bought one when my LHS started stocking Microsizers. I like having local support for my hobby.

I have found that everyone who sees a Bit run likes them, even if they have never bought an R/C before. There is something about a bit that has a universal coolness factor to it.

This is much more inexpensive then trying to run my T-Maxx. :)


BTW ScottG - I remember Teddy Ruxpin too!! :D

I remember Teddy Ruxpin too. :o

Well thats saying it in a small way,Fad YES! These are the toys mosr wanted for the holiday season!

everything is a fad but i finally saw the us commercial for microsizers im glad hobbico jumped on the us marketing and finnally gave ppl a better choice that that evil radio shack the funny thing was is the copyed the hk commercial but its about time this gained poplarty

if im out of context im reply woith out readeing the other posts

Someone on this forum said these cars are like hotwheels only you don't imagine driving them you really do.

As for my opinion on fad or not I think we have just gotten started with how big these cars will be. Soon as they make them fully portional 1/10 scale racers will be all over them.

I used to race 1/10 scale on-road and off road also oval dirt!!
I have completely sastified my urge for racing competion!!

i feel the size of the cars will stay the same if not get a 1/2 " or so bigger to allow for more realistic racing(suspension and portional)

Just an opinion

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Its a fad right now due to the newness and scaresity of the items. But VCR, CD and DVD all went through their "Fad" time.

Most R/C section did also. In six months wont be this way but will have a mature new scale for the future. Would you run a 1/10 nitro on your desk? No but a 1/64 ~ 1/70 is aok! Hard to fit even a Can car in a pocket but could have a couple of cars pluse controller!

This fills a nitch.
1) Low cost of entering it. Not a huge investment.
2) Simply customizing with user skill or add on kits.
3) Run it just about anywhere.
4) Ready to run.
5) Spure of moment fun.

It evolving with new thinks like games, offroad, tanks, busses and mayin the future construction equipment!

PS: Forgot about the subs! :)

Its just what stated above, but its the cost. At the start these guys were cheap, but like most stuff that comes out of Japan it becomes tready Quickly. Then the greeds sets in.

yep it's a fad.....
 

i don't care if it's a fad or not to be honest, i like r/c's i've been in it for a while starting with a nitro rs4 and then going onto a microsizer. When those kids are done using those microsizers i wont care, i like mine, and perhaps i can buy some off them. Yes it's a fad but i think i'll remain 'loyal' to my microsizer.

well i sort of given up 1/10 scale cars for these little guys. These are more fun. The HPI micro rs4 just took that last ounce of my that scales life u out of me. I has so upset with the quility and parts breaking I said enough is enough, the Hype behind it ws just too much. Now i am happy with my new little guys.

Gentlemen,
Let me please tell you, these may be a fad right now but they are neither an accident nor will they die out quickly. My brother, a lawyer, knows nothing about RC. Trust me. He can't change the blade in an Exacto-knife. I bought him a Honda. He loves it.
Over the years he and many like him have expressed the want for RC Hotwheel cars. Yabletop racing. I myself have whined to physics classes for years that I was waiting for an RC car small enough to do a lab on the table top. We have them now. I will be releasing the lesson plans for a series of physics labs along with equipment layouts. These need either Bits or Zips. Nothing bigger. BAE

the type o person that owns ones is not the issue. fad or not its going to be one WOW of a seller for holiday season!:D

if there a fad oh well just goes to show the hardcore ppl are

i like them cause i take family to the doctors alot and belive me its boring so now im taking my daughters Evil ZZ with me and ppl are amazed how small they are easy to carry and dont need alot of room to race them i know im going to be in this hobby for life see 28 now so ya life wonder if i could make a hovercraft out if a bit

oh and for all you ZZ critics dude im getting the MACH5 Bit soon

also the pegot bullit is that a bit charg a or a clone?

I think the thing is, these little beauties have just hit widespread distribution in the States. As soon as the first hit the market everyone saw how cool they were and tried to jump on the bandwagon before the popularity wave hit. Now that you can go anywhere to get one, the word is out.

Come December, everyone will have one. You can't keep something this fun exclusive. People like to have their non-confirmist hobbies, but if the hobby is fun and worthwhile, it'll spread everywhere once people start hearing about it.

Fun Is The Key Word here :D
 

Its all about fun. Just like I started with 1/10 scale. But after awhile and it was no longer fn because of the type of stuck up narrow minded people they have gooten into this hobby. Thats my take in this topic issue. its all about having fun again.:)

Thats it exactly usagi!

If its not fun, then why do it? They basically simplified the whole thing. Size, cost, ease of use, etc. Which maximises the fun.

FUN - absolutely.

I don't have a track built yet, so I layed down a 4' X 6' sheet of cardboard and ran my MS around. My cat seemed to enjoy it too! :D

I like the minimalist approach to bits. TX and the car and you are ready to race!!!

I am seeing a cross over of many people from 1/10 scale etc to these tiny cars. Problem is they are ALSO bring their emotinal baggage of stuck up views and other thought about r/c from 1/10 1/18. I hate HPI mirco rs4s, they killed off the last part of fun racing part. Now look at their boards? They shut them down why? Well You can see the writting on the wall. The loss of fun and the horns of ignorance!:o

I know what you mean usagi. Got basical the same when CB in the early to mid 70's took off. Before that it fit my needs after the crunch got fed up and got my Ham license. The code and theory stoped some of the dont care, will do as I please people etc.

Like the early 1/10 scale, CB did exactly what they designed it for simple personnel communication. After the nuts took over basically made it usless for anything. :(

I remeber that time, the fad then was to own one. :)



Well, these tiny little guys have been around for a long time. And they always will.
I will be staying in this part of r/c for awhile. The people are nice the cars are fun, and what i want to to is make tinyrc a fun place visit. The porpose of me being a monitor here is help bring back the fun of r/c to those that have forgotten the reason the started in this hobby in the first place. So if it seem like i am being unreasonable at times, its just i want to only have the fun parts of r/c to show. Not the stuck up and very narrow minded ( Steve P. ) of RCCA site. This guy has lost his purpose why he started in this hobby and reason he got so far as a worker in RCCA. We the readers (or ex readers like me) of RCCA made him and the mag as it is today and their web boards. Its sad state the RCCA Web boards are today. Really sad:(
Let not let this happen to this site.
:)

LOL!! HPI took their forums down!! Ha, I didn't know that.
Must have been too many morons, or HPI bashers to handle.

I stopped visiting the Traxxas forums because the overall tone became not-so-friendly.

I got mine when the blue skyline came out:)

Yes HPI took down their boards and replaced or will replace it wil a data finding format. Still we having some thing going specail hee at tinies:) some thing that those lager sites don`t have. repect of its members to each other.:)

hell yea guys the truth is these little cars rock and i dont think anyone can resist there r/c charm. no offence to 1/10 cuz i used to do those but it got too expensive.

Fad or not, its gonna take like minded individuals that can apply this hobby to an everyday normality.

Think about putting a 1 and 1 together...it will add up to 2.

No releases on my special projects as of yet, but the gestalt of a thing can equal greater than the sum of its parts.

All entrepreneurs should dim their eyes for the lightbulb that should shine above their heads.....

Thats true, I feltl the same.

I love 1/10th racing, I started with a TL-01 and now I have a Type SS waiting for electronics (please santa please!). One night I was surfing HLJ and talking to one of my friends that always plays with bit char-g, so I decided to see what HLJ had, for fun. They had the yellow Bb for 10 bucks so I decided it wasn't that much cash I'd get it, and since then I have been hooked. I still haven't lost my love for 1/10th yet, I am getting a monster truck soon, can't decide on tmaxx, BFT, or the Savage. HPI is a great place, good support, I thought it was fairly friendly there too, too bad no more boards :( oh well HPI Europe still has a board. Anyway I guess I am saying, even if it is a fad, I'm still gonna be hooked on RC 3 years or more from now. Little cars rule :P

Man...a fad is a fad. If you look in the dictionary, it probably says: a new passing trend that people get into due to the interest or charm value of it. Or whatever

The charm of these bit char-G's for me is a fad. But I can see something beyond the whole scheme.

Its simple enuff to get others to join the fold, and we all pretty much have an equal start point, if you dont add the new motors, different tires, different gears, different chassis, etc.

But get the point? the mods are few and easy. A fad is a thing everyone can enjoy. Essentially, everyone can enjoy the Bitchar-g and the clones, since its so simple that anyone can play with it and as to be able to compare it with something as easy as tieing a tie: It may take a few minutes to figure it out, but eventually, it'll happen.

Deviating but revolving around the subject....it seems we all have free time to talk about this stuff. Come new year, Ill be too busy at work to do this sort of thing.

Who's who on this board thats got the entrepreneurial spirit, in addition to an affinity for gambles? Please contact me for serious input on collaborative ideas for money making schemes to rule the world. Or at least the world of our own choosing

My Email : Which pill you taking? red or blue?

i may be a super noobie but i dont think they are a fad because they may seem so popular but thats only because thats what you think about

Thats might be so, but its never been this popular. :D

All will reveal in due time
 

I dont really feel this is a fad since most fads as far as technology is either:

can only be used for one thing (tamagotchi) PS I liked finding new ways to kill mine off, I managed to make mine into a squid somehow.....and it dies shortly after i was nice to it....????...go figure.....

functional but overpriced (longaberger baskets)

cute, and supply is cut deliberately to drive price (beanie babies)

or is "retro" (as in anyhting over 10 years ago, like 80s stuff)


Now as I look at it, bits are very customizable, and are every bit and RC car as their bigger brothers. Given we wish for proportional acceleration/steering, but those will come on time. Sure the car may be more ZZ sized, but still it would be a welcome concept. Sure the bit as we know it may phase out, but the micro r/c concept I feel is going to last for some time. Sure it may die down to a level of hobby shops and import shops only again, but thats cool by me since that will prolly reduce the amount of knock offs on the market since most reputable shops seem to carry only tomy or hobbico here (i did see one that sold lxx, but had a sign saying "these are not tomy car" in the case)


Well I guess to make it short (yeah i know, its about time :) ) micros will prolly stay, in what form I don't know however. It will be a fun ride seeing the changes out though.

i dunno about you guys, but i think these cars are a little expensive...i mean sure its "advanced microscopic technology" or whtever..but jeez..add 7$ here for this and this, and 9$ for that...and it adds up quickly.......btw, i bought mine for 40$..kinda pricey... i aint gonna buy another car, but just bodies

i have moved on to Auldey cars....larger cars that still are small..but alot of fun too...they are cheaper than Bits at their retail price. and they have the IMPREZA 22B!!! MY FAVE CAR IN THE WOOORRRRRRLD! ::D

also i think bits are the "Gateway car"..as it gets you into the rc hobby itself, and you notice yourself purchasing large scale cars

been there
 

I used to run larger cars back in middle school, was just too costly, I'd drop massive amounts of money into it....and being 14 telling my mom im going to get gas....well it kinda freaked her out until she found out it was for my rc car...

I like the bits cause the fastedt bit is far easier to repair after a wreck (just flip it over again) compared to a fuel powered car going 50mph into something :o

Plus a nice fuel car is over 300 bucks.....a nice bit is about 60 after you put all teh parts into it, quite a bit cheaper :D plus they dont self destruct quite as badly when you drop them from anyhting more than a foot :D

They are pricey for american and such buyers. Here they are not that bad, but after the DiGi-Q F1 trash that out now. I don`t think people wil buy as them like water any more. Bluck! Thos Digi-Q F1`s are just a PIECES OF TRASH!:mad: