Slot car racing (Scalextric) that doesn't require batteries or mains.

[mikedt]

Spotted this lunchtime in a local department store. It's a Scalextric type car racing set, where you have to crank a handle that generates power to make the cars go round. I never seen this idea before, but good fun though. The faster you crank, the faster the cars go. Fast for the loops and slow for the sharp bends.

Scalextric type slot car racing has been around for longer than me, but they were always mains or battery powered. I've also got Rail Racing and Scalextric for Android on my phone as well. as I've always been a big fan of this particular toy(gadget).

 

[Clementine_3]

I've not thought about slot cars in forever! I used to have a great set-up when I was a kid, loved that thing and so did most of the neighborhood. Good times.

 

[Bearsyzf]

Spotted this lunchtime in a local department store. It's a Scalextric type car racing set, where you have to crank a handle that generates power to make the cars go round. I never seen this idea before, but good fun though. The faster you crank, the faster the cars go. Fast for the loops and slow for the sharp bends.

Scalextric type slot car racing has been around for longer than me, but they were always mains or battery powered. I've also got Rail Racing and Scalextric for Android on my phone as well. as I've always been a big fan of this particular toy(gadget).

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I want one

 

[SiempreTuna]

Finally!

A good reason to have kids!

I always wanted a Scalextric when I was a kid but never got one

And this, you could argue, also provides exercise

 

[Unforgiven]

Looks like fun Mike. Were you able to try it out? I would be afraid you would have to crank like mad to go slow, and crank at a superhuman pace to make it through the loops. It's definitely something I would pick up for my son and I to fiddle around with it it works OK.

 

[mikedt]

Looks like fun Mike. Were you able to try it out? I would be afraid you would have to crank like mad to go slow, and crank at a superhuman pace to make it through the loops. It's definitely something I would pick up for my son and I to fiddle around with it it works OK.

Yeh I was able to play it. Don't have to crank really hard, but as the loops are just after the start, do have to get moving quick, and then just slow down for the rest. The controllers felt reasonably solid, but I would be concerned about their longevity. Think there's some gears inside, because it sounded like the dynamo was spinning much faster than the cranking. Break one or it wears out, replacements might not be easily available. The whole set wasn't particularly expensive, of course it is a toy that's made in China.

 

[Unforgiven]

Yeh I was able to play it. Don't have to crank really hard, but as the loops are just after the start, do have to get moving quick, and then just slow down for the rest. The controllers felt reasonably solid, but I would be concerned about their longevity. Break one or it wears out, replacements might not be easily available. The whole set wasn't particularly expensive, of course it is a toy that's made in China.

Which means $69.99 in Toys-R-Us for Christmas next year.

 

[mikedt]

Finally!

A good reason to have kids!

I always wanted a Scalextric when I was a kid but never got one

And this, you could argue, also provides exercise

I had a Scalextric when I was a kid, and the kid that's still in me got excited when I saw this one and how it worked. ...back in the day they used rheostat controllers and a transformer, and were made in the UK, not China... LOL.

 

[mikedt]

From what I can remember of these things, some of them got quite complex, with lane changing, cars individually electronically controlled on the same track circuit. But this one is really quite simple. This is actually Scalextric lookalike and is compatible with the original UK Scalextric AFAICT, but any design patents have long expired.

I used to like Lego when I was boy as well. But that was original made by the Lego company. We have a lot of generic building bricks and sets now, that are Lego compatible. Even though the Lego company is still around, but their patents are now expired.

 

[mikedt]

Just over two weeks later, the store demo set, one of the cranked controllers is apparently broken....crank...crank...crank...but the car no longer moves......Made in China

I thought it would be the controllers that would break first.

Hopefully the $70 buck one from Toys-R-Us next Christmas will be more robust.

 

[dontpanicbobby]

Now I'm feeling old again. When I was a kid there were basically two choices in the US, Aurora or Tycho. The Aurora track used metal pins and plastic snaps while the Tycho sets just snapped together. The Aurora cars, tracks and related accessories were more detailed and authentic looking but the Tycho stuff was a lot faster. HO scale was my size of choice.