Great timing there Jimmy, we just spent last weekend running the crawler nationals.
Read the reports on it in upcoming Radio Race Car,(Dez dropped an article just to get it in next months magazine) Racer and Maxbashing magazine, and it is heavily supported and promoted by CML right now, they actually supplied complete kits as prizes.
Crawling has been around in the UK for a few years, but there's only been a small amount of interest until the last year with the release of the AX10. It's the fastest growing section of r/c cars right now and judging by the 52 competitors (we couldn't run any more!) that turned up and the feedback I got from going round talking to the spectators it's going to be even bigger next year.
It's not something most people think about until they see the trucks in action or try it for themselves, just seeing what they are capable of. There's also the build it yourself side to it. In buggies you buy a kit and fit whatever parts the fastest lads are using, copy their setups and that's it. Crawling is all about developing your own truck, adding what parts you think necessary to make it work with your own style. Imagine trying to build your own buggy by using whichever front end, rear end, transmission and chassis you think is the best and putting them together instead of just buying the kit off the shelf. The course is laid out with waypoints and it's up to you to figure out how to get your truck to each point without scoring penalty points (or in my case without
breaking it
) so requires thinking about rather than just following the same line as everyone else.
Photos from this years nationals are here
http://www.ukrcrc.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3260
and from the previous nationals
http://www.ukrcrc.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=894
Here's a video from a US competition, it's a 60mb download but it's the best video I've seen of them and it shows just what they are capable of
http://smregal.com/vids/RC%20vids/co...n%20Finale.wmv
Here's my two rigs.
2.2" class (photo by Dez Chand
)
My Super class - twin 65T motors running on 12 volts.
