[CADA] CADA General Discussion Topic

[gyenesvi]

1 hour ago, amorti said:

Different... but also BETTER than the existing palette of panels. You have new options for putting the base and the wing part in either orientation, there are axle holes like a cam in place of pin holes on the smaller base which can really help with alignment, and you get the option to omit the base entirely and make new sizes and compound curves you didn't have before.

That sounds interesting, but it's a bit hard to imagine without having seen the parts themselves. Could you explain things more in-depth with some illustrative photos? I guess you have such parts already.

[mla2]

27 minutes ago, gyenesvi said:

That sounds interesting, but it's a bit hard to imagine without having seen the parts themselves. Could you explain things more in-depth with some illustrative photos? I guess you have such parts already.

Larger Cada panels (#3/#4 and larger) are made of two parts.

You can combine them to make a 'normal' panel by connecting them with a pin and a bar but you can also combine them in other ways like by leaving out the base (non wing) part.

Example showing both uses at once:

With Lego parts this submodel would be one longer because it has to contain 2 bases.

[T Lego]

51 minutes ago, gyenesvi said:

Could you explain things more in-depth with some illustrative photos?

To add further, here it is shown that you can flip the quarter ellipse, if that is more favourable for the mounting the panel at a particular angle. The three axle holes are also a nice advantage. Originally, I wasn't enthusiastic about these panel changes, but I am starting to appreciate them more and more.

IMO the main downside is the updated fairing shape (curved instead of straight edges) which tends to leave more gaps in the bodywork for a large range of panel compositions - at least that is what I concluded after applying them to the exterior of my new MOC. 

Edited September 13, 2023 by T Lego

[gyenesvi]

1 hour ago, mla2 said:

Larger Cada panels (#3/#4 and larger) are made of two parts.

You can combine them to make a 'normal' panel by connecting them with a pin and a bar but you can also combine them in other ways like by leaving out the base (non wing) part.

Thanks for the illustration, I get it now, really cool!

47 minutes ago, T Lego said:

To add further, here it is shown that you can flip the quarter ellipse, if that is more favourable for the mounting the panel at a particular angle.

That makes sense too, thanks!

47 minutes ago, T Lego said:

IMO the main downside is the updated fairing shape (curved instead of straight edges)

Which edge / in which direction do you mean? To me they seem they are curved the same way as classic (lego) panels. I can mainly see the difference in their tips being less pointy (more curved).

[brunojj1]

2 hours ago, blondasek said:

Guys, I get it. Still, this will take a few years - if there will be enough people to buy their products and make them better, this have a future. However Cada is getting more and more expensive and in a year or two this will have a big impact on the decision making of their customers.

Everything is getting more and more expensive, especially products from the beloved premium brand. Sorry if I need to reflect this thoroughly, let´s be fair:

[amorti]

37 minutes ago, gyenesvi said:

Which edge / in which direction do you mean? To me they seem they are curved the same way as classic (lego) panels. I can mainly see the difference in their tips being less pointy (more curved).

The general shape is the same as a regular Lego panel, but the null space isn't identical.

For me the smooth curvature allows smoother, more flowing shapes to be formed.
However, especially if like @T Lego you're very practised in using the normal panels and know where the gaps will/won't be, then I can see how it would be a big switch to make.

Here are some awful pictures of CaDA panels versus Lego.

https://bricksafe.com/pages/A_morti/cada-panels

 

Edited September 13, 2023 by amorti

[gyenesvi]

2 hours ago, amorti said:

Here are some awful pictures of CaDA panels versus Lego.

Oh thanks, I get it, the outer edge is straight on the Lego and curved on these Cada panels. Indeed that is some noticeable difference.

[SaperPL]

Is that pin hole next to the curved edge sticking out a good thing? Is that going to be useful? Because I feel like this is something that is mostly catching my eye when looking at those new panels that it's sticking out from the edge.

[amorti]

1 hour ago, SaperPL said:

Is that pin hole next to the curved edge sticking out a good thing? Is that going to be useful? Because I feel like this is something that is mostly catching my eye when looking at those new panels that it's sticking out from the edge.

IRL with two models next to each other, you notice that less than the weird pointy end on a Lego panel.

[BrickMonkeyMOCs]

I've received and built the CaDA Alfa Romeo F1 car. It's an exquisite model and I was entirely satisfied with the purchase. (For context, this was my first non-Lego Technic set, though I have plenty of experience with non-Lego System products.) The packaging was very nice, with a glossy embossed image of the car on the matte black box lid. The instructions were detailed and easy to follow, with only a couple of minor errors. The parts quality is all but indistinguishable from Lego to be honest, and I really enjoyed CaDA's use of in-system parts that Lego do not yet produce (e.g. 1x10 tiles, 1x7 Technic bricks with offset holes). I can't speak to the quality of the stickers as I won't be applying them, but the print quality of the wheels, tires, and UCS-style plaque is excellent.

The steering and suspension work perfectly. It's a little unfortunate that the engine ends up hidden, and I also had to switch out the half-pin pistons for Lego parts, as the CaDA half-pins have too much friction to work as intended. I found it a little odd that the bags are numbered 1-4 while the BI building stages are labelled A-D. I also ended up with two large steering wheels as unused spares, which seems odd as this part isn't used anywhere in the build. But I have very little I can say against the set. It's a truly spectacular display model, looking great even unstickered with those amazing printed tires and rims. It also costs (NZ)$100 less than the Lego Technic McLaren F1 car, and is a vastly superior product in almost every respect. I'd say Lego have some serious catching up to do.

Edited September 14, 2023 by BrickMonkeyMOCs

[R0Sch]

I saw a review on YT where the AR F1 suspension was sagging a lot and the front would not keep its own weight (reminds me of the Chiron). Steering angle is unrealistically small. Also the system pieces would easily fall off on the sides, so really just a display model. Stickers must be a pain to apply since they are transparent, any alignment mistake or dust underneath would look bad. I'll wait for a decent discount or buy it second hand. No rush. Also not paying 275€ for the AMG One.

[blondasek]

@brunojj1 of course, Lego get more expensive too. Situation, as of now, is that you can buy most of the sets for 50-65% of RRP  without any issues. With Cada I believe it is similar.

However, as I did mention - we will see in few years if Cada do not "stall" - if people are willing to make MOC's out of one set (alternates) and this become popular, they have a great chance to successfully compete with Lego as long as they will be much cheaper. Hell, even I will risk buying it, having over few thousands of spare pins from Lego to replace the Cada's one where it is needed. However with Lego I know that someone will make a great MOC, I know that someone will improve them - with Cada they are mostly "perfected" by designers like you, which is a great and a bad thing at the same time. Time will tell. I do cross my fingers for Cada to became a great Lego competitor, fair and square. Lego needs it. We need it.

[langko]

19 hours ago, T Lego said:

To add further, here it is shown that you can flip the quarter ellipse, if that is more favourable for the mounting the panel at a particular angle. The three axle holes are also a nice advantage. Originally, I wasn't enthusiastic about these panel changes, but I am starting to appreciate them more and more.

IMO the main downside is the updated fairing shape (curved instead of straight edges) which tends to leave more gaps in the bodywork for a large range of panel compositions - at least that is what I concluded after applying them to the exterior of my new MOC. 

I can definitely see the advantage of having the panel split into 2 pieces, it does make it more versatile. Although I agree the curved edge is not very useful when lining up with other panels... It might look good when a single curved panel is used as a fuel tank on a bike for example, but starts to get complicated when you try placing them together. The biggest advantage to LEGOs straight panels in they line up in all different directions really well. Here's a couple simple examples for some popular MOCs, that wouldn't work nearly as well with the curved panels IMO.

 

13 minutes ago, blondasek said:

However, as I did mention - we will see in few years if Cada do not "stall" - if people are willing to make MOC's out of one set (alternates) and this become popular, they have a great chance to successfully compete with Lego as long as they will be much cheaper. 

We might see more B-models out of the Cada sets... But I think most people that have the talent to do so either stick with Lego or are already working for Cada designing the A-models. 

[amorti]

2 hours ago, blondasek said:

@brunojj1course, Lego get more expensive too. Situation, as of now, is that you can buy most of the sets for 50-65% of RRP  without any issues. With Cada I believe it is similar.

There's often a good discount if you're willing to order direct from China/HK, and don't need the OEM packing.

Regarding pins - unless you specifically need half pins without friction, the latest generation of CaDA pins is right up there with Lego. In fact, now Lego deleted the slot from the regular black pin and thereby largely lost much of the satisfying "click" upon insertion, CaDA might be better.

[brunojj1]

2 hours ago, langko said:

We might see more B-models out of the Cada sets... But I think most people that have the talent to do so either stick with Lego or are already working for Cada designing the A-models. 

I really hope so ! I´m even willing to sponsor a free AMG set to you or to anybody (talented!) who would like to take on such a challenge building a B-model out of it .

Btw. we might tend to ignore a vast number of talented enthusiasts in the so-called third world and their potential or simple hobbyists who are not posting here or anywhere else. Most likely people with small budged become more creative with the few bricks they have, just out of necessity . Like myself, when I was growing up in the dark empire called soviet union.

15 minutes ago, amorti said:

... satisfying "click" upon insertion...

CaDA or kadá if you will, emphasis on the last vowel, translates into "click" in the colloquial Chinese language.

[langko]

52 minutes ago, brunojj1 said:

I really hope so ! I´m even willing to sponsor a free AMG set to you or to anybody (talented!) who would like to take on such a challenge building a B-model out of it .

That's very generous of you, but I'm afraid that's too far out of my comfort zone. As much as I would be tempted to try, the inner perfectionist in me would just constantly be comparing the model to what it could be if I was using an unlimited inventory. 

 

[amorti]

2 hours ago, langko said:

That's very generous of you, but I'm afraid that's too far out of my comfort zone. As much as I would be tempted to try, the inner perfectionist in me would just constantly be comparing the model to what it could be if I was using an unlimited inventory. 

 

It's pretty much de rigueur to build a formula car from every available car set, right? The ONE uses wishbones in the suspension, has a lithium battery, two motors for drive, a servo to steer, pullback for KERS, and two M-motors for "something else"...

Maybe it's more tempting then?

[R0Sch]

Maybe first video review? With auto-translated subtitles watchable by everyONE. ;)

[langko]

6 hours ago, amorti said:

It's pretty much de rigueur to build a formula car from every available car set, right? The ONE uses wishbones in the suspension, has a lithium battery, two motors for drive, a servo to steer, pullback for KERS, and two M-motors for "something else"...

Maybe it's more tempting then?

Haha yes I thought of that, but for me it’s so overdone to do a B-model F1 car it’s not very exciting anymore. Plus would it really be as good as the Cada dedicated F1 Alfa Romeo car, with the special custom wheels and tyres? Absolutely not, which brings us back around to the point of it never being as good as when you use a free inventory. 
If I was going to even try and build a different car, I would want a donor set with 4 mudguard panels anyway. It’s suits my build style better.

[amorti]

10 hours ago, R0Sch said:

Maybe first video review? With auto-translated subtitles watchable by everyONE. ;)

Another one ahead of the deadline I was told.

Anyway, you don't need to watch any reviews before you build it, but I suggest you watch my upcoming bug fix video before you get to about the 15th step.

Good tips already though. The front extension socket needs to be a long wired one. The extension over the battery needs to hang loose so you can reach the USB socket.

Edited September 15, 2023 by Milan
Removed quoted video from two posts above.

[R0Sch]

6 hours ago, amorti said:

Another one ahead of the deadline I was told.

If LEGO Certified Stores or resellers can post reviews or speed build videos before the embargo dates, why wouldn't this apply to CaDA as well?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the extension over the battery box doesn't need to hang loose if you plug the motors in the first and third socket holes. At least this is what I understood from the video.

[amorti]

CaDA official store is now showing the ONE as ready to ship!

I have an affiliate link with CaDA, so if my review helped you decide to buy, please use it for your 5% off and 5% goes to me to buy more bricks - maybe I can get the Alfa to review :)

https://bit.ly/44IaqZD

First of all - this is a sponsored post. CaDA has kindly provided me with a review copy of the Mercedes AMG One so that I can share the experience with the Eurobricks community and the wider English-speaking audience. As such I do have an affiliate link at the official CaDA store which will score you 5% off, and me a 5% credit. So if you appreciate an honest review and some bug-fixing tips, I'd appreciate if you use my link! 

Sponsored post or not, my opinions are my own and are not subject to review by CaDA. That should become clear, since while it's a great model, I'm also here to tell you there are some flaws 

Box and Instructions

I won't talk much about the outside of the box here, because that's covered in the Preview Post above.

When you open the box, it's the by-now standard fare with several numbered boxes inside a lift-off box, and the licensed rims shown off specially.

We already expect fancy packaging from experience with LEGO, but even so the box here is pleasingly premium, yet at 30 litres it's decently dimensioned for those among us who believe our beloved brick toys are premium collectables, yet don't have large cupboards for storing original packaging.

The instruction manual is a real step up from CaDA. If you built the red supercar from @brunojj1, you'll be used to multiple thin booklets, but here we have one single instruction manual. It's a big boy at 300+ pages - but that's nothing compared to e.g. the LEGO Ferrari at 800+ pages for a comparable parts count. It's well-bound which is great since CaDA doesn't typically publish PDF instructions until a few months after release. It's very nicely printed with black represented faithfully, which was really necessary for this build!

According to the relatively low page count, you can expect that there's a lot going on in each double spread. You'll need your wits about you, as sometimes steps can be dotted about each single page however they best fit the printer's schedule. Most of us here are AFOLs and remember the good old days of adding 50+ pieces in a single step of studded technic so, while it is certainly a more challenging build than big L's big sets, this is all achievable as long as you keep focus. Since I mention "keep focus", let's talk about colour-vomit as it's so lovingly called in German. This set contains a handful of red frames which are skillfully used for orientation in the early steps, but other than that there are almost no parts which aren't black or light grey. Correspondingly, you definitely need good light at your building table, and you'll want to sort your parts into multiple containers rather than try to build from one mixed heap in the box lid as I did in the first bags.

Another point where CaDA has listened to the consumer: build sections are still defined with letters, but now you get both the bags' number and the box number to help you find the bags you're looking for. And each step has a niceeee illustration of what you'll be working towards for the next few pages/hours.

Stickers?

No. Just... no. There are stickers for labelling the motors, nothing else.

Also in this image - note the steering wheel which is cleverly attached by a bush pin, allowing you to freely set the angle regardless of half-teeth (LEGO McLaren take note!)

Parts Quality

CaDA has been working very hard to set their offering apart from LEGO, and it's no secret that this is largely due to big L writing insistent letters. "While they were in there", they've also been busy remolding a whole heap of parts. If you built the red supercar, you may have felt that the design was great, the instructions were very good, and the parts were "fine". The 2L axles, regular 2L pins, and 2L axle-pins were loose and/or inconsistent then, but now you're in for a treat.

This picture shows the front aero parts, which are each held on by 2L and 3L axle-pins. With previous-generation parts you'd have had to test a bunch of axle-pins to find one with enough friction to hold the small panels in place, but this time around the friction is plenty, and it's consistent. I suspect they have also changed the plastic composition of the pins and small parts, since they just feel "right" now. If you'll watch my review video (link below) you'll see that they very much pass the flex test. 

New CaDA Parts

A large part of CaDA setting themselves apart has been redesigning wing panels. As we see here, the new panels are rounder and more organic than what we're used to, and I believe that the model benefits visually from that. Technically speaking, the panels consist of two pieces, a wing and a base, which can be joined together to form a panel approximating what we're used to. However, you can also mount each wing part at 180 degrees on the base or omit the base, if it suits your design better. There are only a handful of spots in this model where that's been done, which tells of the model's development timeline.

Those new panels allow some really nice overlaps, which (IMHO) turn out nicer than regular panels could.

Let's talk about tyres. But only briefly, because the picture already says it all. LEGO 1:8 tyres are rubbish - there, I said it. CaDA previous generation tyres look great but are too soft to the touch. The new licensed Michelin tyre really ticks every possible box. They're perfect!
It's also worth noting that while this licensed tyre from Michelin was created specially for the One... it shares tread with the tyre Michelindesigned for the Chiron. You didn't see this tread on LEGO's 1:8 Bugatti though...

Special (Cheat?) Parts

These guys are definitely going to split opinions! First and foremost - the licensor Mercedes requested that these panels be created and used on the model to give an accurate representation of the original. So, the decision to make these parts was out of CaDA's hands.

That to the side - I think it just wouldn't be possible to create a convincing replica of the original without making these special parts. Sure you could try to use the Bugatti's exhaust panel or system bricks for the air intake, but the best you could do for the fin would be propellor blades and it just wouldn't look correct. So for me, it's a win. Also put yourself in the shoes of Mercedes or another licensor - do you want a model of your product which looks a bit like your product according to available elements, or do you want a model of your product which looks very recognisable? Would you go to a brick toy manufacturer who was willing to make those exclusive pieces, or one who wanted you to conform to their system?

Functions

Now we come to the elephant in the room: The functions are not perfect.

Here's the gear pair which brings power to the pullback motor, and it skips, every time.

Here's the fix, with just the gears as extra parts.

I've published a second video which deals with how to fix this and a few other faults in the model's functions. TL;DR, it can be made to function perfectly with just 3 parts from your stash. I've passed that feedback to CaDA and hopefully they can be reflected in an addendum sheet or second edition, but for now I really do recommend to watch that video.

Spare Parts

It seems normal with CaDA, but it's still disconcerting to the casual builder: there will be parts leftover during the build which aren't even in the build.

I recommend to clear your parts from the table as you finish each section, otherwise they will really stack up. You won't be left looking for pieces if you do so.

YouTube

Review:

Improvements:

Edited September 15, 2023 by amorti

[brunojj1]

@amorti : Thank you Aaron, it was a pleasure to watch  ! You forgot to demonstrate the best play feature: driving at full speed - that´s the main purpose of the whole thing and most fun, at least for me  .

[astyanax]

Thanks @amorti, I binged both vids over lunch, very well done!

[amorti]

@brunojj1thanks maestro!

A valid point regarding a driving video. It's an interesting thing to drive due to the pullback motor, both for its capability as a launch control function, and mixing itself in with any reversing operations.

@astyanaxthank you!

I've updated my post above with a full words and pics review :)

Edited September 15, 2023 by amorti