WORLDS: JConcepts' new kicks

0 Sept. 23, 2014, 5:16 a.m.

9/23/2014
By Aaron Waldron

LiveRC.com

Racers are always looking for an advantage, which is why their sponsors often bring new gear to big races such as the IFMAR World Championships - especially on the tire front. JConcepts launched four different patterns this weekend in Italy specifically for 1/8-scale racing on fast, high-grip surfaces. Here's the official word:

Chasers, Reflex, Remix, and Diamond Bar

JConcepts has once again come loaded to the IFMAR World Championships with a variety of fresh product. The unique conditions in Italy, along with steady improvement has led development to the next level with 4 new tire options here in Messina. The concrete based track here in Messina gave JConcepts designers an idea for long life and smoother feeling characteristics to these carefully created tread designs.

First to show is the Diamond Bar. Named after the shape and longer horizontal bar, this tire has shown incredible wear on the concrete surface and blends consistency with speed and durability. The Diamond Bars have a dual stage, tapered design. This allows for exponentially less wear over time allowing to consistent.

Next up is the Reflex tire designed to bridge a gap between the popular Hybrid tire and other options such as Crossbow and Stacker tire. The Reflex has square angled pins that are stacked vertically to flex and fold evenly across the tire. Typically a stacked tread will wear less and provide more forward bite. The aligned space helps rotation in the turns and gives a snappy release to square up quickly.

The 3rd newly designed option will certainly be a favorite across multiple conditions. The Chasers rely on hefty, medium lugs which are angular in multiple directions. The horizontal type tread has a striking similarity to the trusty Crossbow tire which has remained a favorite for the last several years. Chasers have a lower, closer lug arrangement which gives incredible responsiveness and bites in medium, high and low grip conditions. The wet and dry condition tire has small recessed cuts in the top of the tread for extra edges and increased formability over terrain. The center overlapping bar treatment increases durability in the highest wear region of the tire.

4th and final, the Remix. Tested during the year at races such as the ROAR Off-Road Nationals, the Remix is a crossover tread bringing two tire lines together. With directional side-bars and straight forward block detail, the Remix will serve as a high-speed blue groove tire on larger style and flowing track layouts. The sidebars react calmly to bumpy sections while still giving stability as borrowed from our successful Metrix tire. The blocks are beefy and medium in width and height. That arrangement gives forward tracking stability and the sidebars handle the all important cornering support.

All new tires will include the latest insert from JConcepts. The Dirt-Tech insert popularized by its durable nature and gray color will give customers the combo package they have been waiting for from JConcepts.

The last new item here at the Worlds is an updated 83mm wheel. Customers have asked for a more polished face wheel allowing a cleaner look and finish to an already successful wheel. Also revised are the locations of the upper ribs for better tire alignment and more bullet holes added near the center axle while a solid area remains for locknut clamping surface area.