Trixbrix R56 curves injection molded recommendation

[koraldon]

I saw the new R56 curves from trixbrix and would love to hear what people think about them 😉

background- I have a couple of lego trains (60197 and motorized hog warts express) and bought a few extra packs of tracks. The builds are in the living room with the kids, staying up for a couple of days every couple of months.

The R56 look tempting as the R40 are speed-limited and don’t look good. Larger radii tracks seem too big for my living room.
As this is my first foray out of regular train parts, would love to hear opinions about trixbrix R56 - the pricing is more than reasonable, 25$ for half a circle.

Thanks 🙏 

Edited March 2, 2021 by koraldon

[Jeffinslaw]

4 minutes ago, koraldon said:

I saw the new R56 curves from trixbrix and would love to hear what people think about them 😉

background- I have a couple of lego trains (60197 and motorized hog warts express) and bought a few extra packs of tracks. The builds are in the living room with the kids, staying up for a couple of days every couple of months.

The R56 look tempting as the R40 are speed-limited and don’t look good. Larger radii tracks seem too big for my living room.
As this is my first foray out of regular train parts, would love to hear opinions about trixbrix R56 - the pricing is more than reasonable, 25$ for half a circle.

Thanks 🙏 

Or you could go with a company that doesn't rip off designs: https://www.bricktracks.com/product-page/r56-curve-x8-pf

[Vilhelm22]

Welcome to the forum @koraldon!  I would honestly have to agree with @Jeffinslaw here.  If paying the extra helps to keep the better company alive, I think it's worth it.  TrixBrix products may be good, but low quality in the past has resulted in other companies suffering.  I don't own any from either myself, but the general consensus on here is that BrickTracks is better quality and more favourable.  The creator also has a presence on here so gets some support that way.  TrixBrix is only now really starting to manufacture injection moulded products, whereas BrickTracks always has been, so is a safer bet.  For only $5-10 extra, it's worth it in my opinion.

 

[Tube Map Central]

All these barbed oblique comments are somewhat bemusing to someone not aware of the history of all this.

Trixbrix seems to be a fully reputable business amongst certain quarters, and I know from my own business that there are different shades of IP abuse.

So, less innuendo please and more facts.

[Toastie]

2 hours ago, Tube Map Central said:

So, less innuendo please and more facts.

I am not a fan of one line/one icon/or one word posts. So this sentence makes me feel better.

The point is:

- I really agree with what you said.

Best
Thorsten

[emm]

I own a lot of the Trixbrix, bricktracks & 4dbrix (prior to changing business model) and TrixBrix has come on leaps since they first started. I have one of there 1st cross overs. It was ok. I have the R56 as i run a two track layout.

My view is the clutch could be better but overall i am extremely happy with them. 

I have some of the injection moulded track and they are brilliant.

I also like that they have a complete system and have always found the customer service top notch. However if you are in the UK, Trixbrix do not ship due to brexit.

That being said 4d brix was brilliant and i wish i had bought the decouplers and if Fx had sorted their 9v out sooner i might have gone that route.

I am not connected to either company, i just look for the best solution. All my points run from a megapoints controller. Soon to have routing added.

This IMO and doesn't mean anything and the end of the day its your trains, do what you want.

Edited March 2, 2021 by emm

[M_slug357]

@koraldon It’s more about which hemisphere you’re in... not that both sellers aren’t international, but moreso for which one you’d pay less for in terms of shipping.

Personally, I’d vouch for BrickTracks!

I’m currently modifying a loop of their R56 curves to power 12V trains.

[davidzq]

I will also say go with BrickTracks.

Scott has gone through several hoops and hurtles (and huge expense) to create a product that IS up to Lego's quality standards. It's not just "good", it is perfect.

TrixBrix had a very shady start...the brief version of the history is whenever anyone released something, TrixBrix would "coincidentally" release the exact same thing a few months later...which is one of the main factors in 4DBricks deciding to close.

But, they have come a long way in the last couple years. They now have a wide array of products that other people haven't put effort in to develop yet (low demand/seldom used items).

But, being small batch 3D print, or medium batch injections molded, the quality is lower. Decent, but not perfect.

[koraldon]

Thanks for all the feedback. due to shipping the bricktracks are more expensive by ~50% (some of it since they are above the import tax threshold while trixbrix is just under it)

This is the reason I asked about trixbrix, as bricktracks is just too expensive for my budget.

p.s. I assume there is zero chance of lego producing those types of tracks...

[emm]

3 hours ago, koraldon said:

Thanks for all the feedback. due to shipping the bricktracks are more expensive by ~50% (some of it since they are above the import tax threshold while trixbrix is just under it)

This is the reason I asked about trixbrix, as bricktracks is just too expensive for my budget.

p.s. I assume there is zero chance of lego producing those types of tracks...

I could be wrong but i would be 99% confident Lego will never produce any thing outside there current track range. It does not make fiscal sense.

I wish they would go back to the range like in the 80s but equally i am a realist. Plus as long as no one does anything stupid these 3rd party allow the lego train system to expand without lego having to invest. It is a win win. Someone else makes the investment, lego sells more trains.

[Black Knight]

I have all three available R56 injection molded versions: Bricktracks, Trixbrix and Bluebrixx.

To be honest: They all work. The Bluebrixx ones are by far the cheapest and they also have molded R72 curves. Maybe I make some photos, weight them and post a R56 review, but they are very close quality wise. Bricktracks and Trixbrix might be a little heavier, Bluebrixx tend to have scratches from transport.

If you want them as shiny as possible, Bricktracks and Trixbrix it is. If you want them for the kids, also want the R72 or are just tight on money, Bluebrixx would be my favorite. If you want the really cool stuff like R104, R120 or R104 switches, Bricktracks is the only choice.

[koraldon]

@Black Knight Thanks for the detailed response, this is the kind of hands-on information that I was looking for.  Would love to see a review comparing all three.

I will check the prices for bluebrixx as well.

edit - Well bluebrixx is cheaper, but the site is full of copycat lego sets 

Edited March 3, 2021 by koraldon

[coaster]

10 hours ago, koraldon said:

Thanks for all the feedback. due to shipping the bricktracks are more expensive by ~50% (some of it since they are above the import tax threshold while trixbrix is just under it)

This is the reason I asked about trixbrix, as bricktracks is just too expensive for my budget.

p.s. I assume there is zero chance of lego producing those types of tracks...

Hi koraldon, send me an email at info@bricktracks.com.  We can work something out.  :)

[Tcm0]

8 hours ago, emm said:

I could be wrong but i would be 99% confident Lego will never produce any thing outside there current track range. It does not make fiscal sense.

I wish they would go back to the range like in the 80s but equally i am a realist. Plus as long as no one does anything stupid these 3rd party allow the lego train system to expand without lego having to invest. It is a win win. Someone else makes the investment, lego sells more trains.

They actually do that from time to time. The hidden side ghost train express had an aid to get the trains on track and back in 2007 there was a double crossing. Also, they developed flex tracks in 2009 or something. But yeah, not much development overall.

[Black Knight]

20 hours ago, koraldon said:

@Black Knight Thanks for the detailed response, this is the kind of hands-on information that I was looking for.  Would love to see a review comparing all three.

I will check the prices for bluebrixx as well.

edit - Well bluebrixx is cheaper, but the site is full of copycat lego sets 

Bluebrixx (BB) is a German company, so if TLG would find some "copycat LEGO", they could -- and would and have -- immediately enforce a preliminary injunction on BB. As TLG and BB are currently in legal battle over TLGs EU-ropean minifigure protection already, TLG very well knows about the sets BB is offering; this even made it into public television. So you can be pretty sure that all is according to German and EU-ropean law.

I don't care where you buy your bricks or what your moral stance is, but please don't make false accusations hastily. Germany is not China.

[M_slug357]

@Black Knight But isn’t bluebrix partnered with one (or more?) of those chinese clone brands...? Or are you saying they produce their bricks right there in Germany...?

🤔

[Amoreternum]

As far as I know, Bluebrixx partners with a few chinese companies, their own products included. They do not produce bricks themselves, but design and distribution is done in house. And while I have to agree with Black Knight about the legal aspects, I have to say that everything they do might be legal, but being protected by the law does not mean that it's okay to sell sets of MOCs that have been reproduced without their builders permission while agitating and basically splitting the community apart by one-sided PR strategies. 

And regarding the original topic of this thread, so far I have only tried Trixbrix and am very happy with what I got. I do think it depends on your location, but love to try out Bricktracks, but have the same issue with shipping costs.

[dtomsen]

1 hour ago, M_slug357 said:

@Black Knight But isn’t bluebrix partnered with one (or more?) of those chinese clone brands...? Or are you saying they produce their bricks right there in Germany...?

🤔

Everyone including LEGO get parts manufactured in China

As far as I know, BlueBrixx System parts are manufactured by Lele, PF parts by CaDa and their R56 and R72 also in China but owning the moulds themselves.

 

Edited March 4, 2021 by dtomsen

[legotownlinz]

I own moulded Trixbrix R56 tracks and can confirm that the quality is excellent. They are a bit more glossy than LEGO tracks.

I also own BrickTracks R104 and R120 tracks. They are less glossy than LEGO tracks. Coaster mentioned that he switched from aluminum to steel molds which should make the tracks more glossy. As I have not ordered tracks from BrickTracks recently I cannot confirm it.

BlueBrixx tracks looked warped on their YouTube presentation video. I never that warping issues with Trixbrix or BrickTracks tracks.

The products of all three manufacturers are legal in the EU. In my opinion it is also morally ok to buy from all of them. 4dbrix was ahead of Trixbrix in the early days, but that doesn't mean that Trixbrix ripped off their ideas. The idea to produce different kind of switches was not new, all track systems have similar elements and all manufacturers copied all important design details from LEGO, not from each other. I'd guess that we will soon see moulded switches from Trixbrix. This would be an expectable step and not a rip off of a BrickTracks idea.

 

[Toastie]

6 minutes ago, legotownlinz said:

The products of all three manufacturers are legal in the EU. In my opinion it is also morally ok to buy from all of them. 4dbrix was ahead of Trixbrix in the early days, but that doesn't mean that Trixbrix ripped off their ideas. The idea to produce different kind of switches was not new, all track systems have similar elements and all manufacturers copied all important design details from LEGO, not from each other. I'd guess that we will soon see moulded switches from Trixbrix. This would be an expectable step and not a rip off of a BrickTracks idea.

But isn't this called "competition" and "the free market" we all go after every single day in the real world??? Who (here) is not shooting for the cheapest deal? Of course not for crap but the nice and shiny stuff. And who is not doing this in real life? My goodness, just because it seems to be always touching on the Holy Grail (or whatever) when it comes to LEGO (they really accomplished that: From invalid joints to not copying the obvious that is IP >unprotected<) we just go there: Don't even think about these things. Make the cheap deal.

Don't you folks do that when it comes to ... almost every other piece of merchandise in real live? Don't you hunt the highest quality El-Cheapo? Do you always go to the family owned home-made - and THUS so expensive product?

To be honest: I really try to do that. Go with the real folks. Pay more. But almost fail miserably every single day when it is non-LEGO. For the Germans here: ALDI had some gardening stuff today on sale. Covid-19 or not - they are open. It was crowded in there, really - stupidly - crowded - and I just left. The things I was looking for are also available elsewhere. Little more expensive though. Which feels like it sucks.

Oh well.

All the best
Thorsten

 

   

[legotownlinz]

9 minutes ago, Toastie said:

But isn't this called "competition" and "the free market" we all go after every single day in the real world???   

True. And I like competition in the LEGO market, too. I'm glad that tracks get cheaper now, I spend too much money on tracks anyway. The Trixbrix double straight track was a game changer for me, it allowed me to expand my layout quickly.

[Black Knight]

16 hours ago, M_slug357 said:

@Black Knight But isn’t bluebrix partnered with one (or more?) of those chinese clone brands...? Or are you saying they produce their bricks right there in Germany...?

🤔

Yes, they do not have production facilities of their own but use some Chinese manufacturer, presumably Xingbao. Afaik LEPIN and it's successor company KING did and do produce clone sets. I do not know how Xingbao actually relates to LEPIN/KING, but I have never seen a clone set from Xingbao. And I have also never seen Bluebrixx sell a LEGO clone set from any manufacturer. They do sell not only their own BB sets but also sets from practically every brick manufacturer but TLG and LEPIN/KING: You can find everything from COBI over Mold King to Wange in their shop. And of course I understand that for someone that only knows TLG the BB shop must look like Ali-Express...

I am sorry if I come over a tad bit condescending in this matter, but these days TLG seems to run wild in Germany trying to smash several small companies by lawyering them out of business. And that makes you very sensitive to false claims about TLGs competitors.

But I do not want to derail this discussion any further -- than I already did. Go and buy BT or TB if you want the most shiny quality and want to support a small business. BB has R72 too and is the cheapest. I am currently trying to upload some photos but struggling with the file size. When I do succeed, I'll leave a link!

[Tcm0]

8 hours ago, Black Knight said:

Yes, they do not have production facilities of their own but use some Chinese manufacturer, presumably Xingbao. Afaik LEPIN and it's successor company KING did and do produce clone sets. I do not know how Xingbao actually relates to LEPIN/KING, but I have never seen a clone set from Xingbao. And I have also never seen Bluebrixx sell a LEGO clone set from any manufacturer. They do sell not only their own BB sets but also sets from practically every brick manufacturer but TLG and LEPIN/KING: You can find everything from COBI over Mold King to Wange in their shop. And of course I understand that for someone that only knows TLG the BB shop must look like Ali-Express...

Xingbao has the same "parent company" as lepin. King is probably someone else. I think that xingbao had stolen mocs but I'm not sure.

Bluebrixx sells sets that are very similar to lego sets/ lego ideas sets and they have the so called "kiloware" which can contain all the parts you need to build something that lego designed. It has a very bitter taste. Not to mention that both bluebrixx and steingemachtes "forgot" to remove minifigures from the sets (after they've been made aware that said minifigures are illegal).

[Tube Map Central]

10 hours ago, Tcm0 said:

Bluebrixx have the so called "kiloware" which can contain all the parts you need to build something that lego designed. It has a very bitter taste.

The morality of this is so murky grey, I just can't get my head round it.

Let's take Emerald night, cheapest new/sealed price on Bricklink £390 (from South Korea). Bricklink auto-select of parted out set (any condition parts) £460 (yes, I know I could fiddle about, but that's not the grey issue).

That's rather a lot of money so ... I take the list of parts to Bluebrixx, ask them if they have all the parts and can pick them out for me.

1) They have, they pick them out for me, one by one, and send me a bag.

2) They have, but Emerald night is a popular set, and they already have ten bags of parts ready in the back of the shop. They pick one off the shelf and send it to me.

3) They have, but Emerald Night is a very popular set, and so they have 100 bags of ready-picked parts, which they advertise for sale on their website.

Somewhere the loose morality switches from customer to retailer, but I am not so sure where. [To avoid minifigure debates, let's say they have bought genuine Lego versions and put those in the bags!]

[dtomsen]

21 hours ago, Black Knight said:

Yes, they do not have production facilities of their own but use some Chinese manufacturer, presumably Xingbao. Afaik LEPIN and it's successor company KING did and do produce clone sets. I do not know how Xingbao actually relates to LEPIN/KING, but I have never seen a clone set from Xingbao. And I have also never seen Bluebrixx sell a LEGO clone set from any manufacturer. They do sell not only their own BB sets but also sets from practically every brick manufacturer but TLG and LEPIN/KING: You can find everything from COBI over Mold King to Wange in their shop. And of course I understand that for someone that only knows TLG the BB shop must look like Ali-Express...

I am sorry if I come over a tad bit condescending in this matter, but these days TLG seems to run wild in Germany trying to smash several small companies by lawyering them out of business. And that makes you very sensitive to false claims about TLGs competitors.

But I do not want to derail this discussion any further -- than I already did. Go and buy BT or TB if you want the most shiny quality and want to support a small business. BB has R72 too and is the cheapest. I am currently trying to upload some photos but struggling with the file size. When I do succeed, I'll leave a link!

It's always smart to read previous posts before posting 
 

On 3/4/2021 at 7:24 PM, dtomsen said:

Everyone including LEGO get parts manufactured in China

As far as I know, BlueBrixx System parts are manufactured by Lele, PF parts by CaDa and their R56 and R72 also in China but owning the moulds themselves.

Mould King (somewhat the successor of Lepin) and Xingbao have their parts manufactured by GoBricks which are supposedly superior to Lele and many others.

BlueBrixx do sell sets from many Chinese clone brands besides their own product portfolio but the parts are not necessarily manufactured in the same place(s) 

Edited March 6, 2021 by dtomsen