Poll: slipstream strength

[JR86]

Simple question, what should the standard slipstream strength be for drifting be online? I find it's usually low but can often be on strong, which can stunt your tandeming ability for a bit. Low slipstream strength means you can get close in tandems without as much risk of hitting the person while strong slipstream strength means you can keep up with the lead easier without him taking off and is probably more realistic.

We all have "standard" tyres for drifting and standards for drivetrain use but I don't think there has ever been any real discussion on slipstream strength, which plays an important role on tandeming.
So, what should be considered what should be the standard?

 

[KinLM]

Does there need to be a standard? Why not just change it depending on if somebody feels more comfortable with a strong or weak slipstream?

 

[JR86]

Does there need to be a standard? Why not just change it depending on if somebody feels more comfortable with a strong or weak slipstream?

A lot of the time it is changed based on feel I think. Sometimes people will ask for the slipstream strength to be changed. I feel we should think of using one more predominantly because it changes the dynamics of following in tandem quite a lot. Not as much with newer people tandeming, but with more "intensive" tandeming i.e. competitions or close tandeming/trains. I'm honestly fine with either, but each have their own pros and cons which should be thought about. I feel low is probably best, but that's me thinking about it being "easier" to go door to door, not realism or other factors.

 

[Drift_Monkey]

When you say standard I'm guessing which setting feels more realistic?

 

[twitcher]

Pretty much all the North American and European rooms I enter have it set on weak. Every time I set up a room, I set it to weak. That's just what I saw people doing when I was starting to drift, so I followed Never really tried "strong".

 

[TakumiFuji01]

I always set it to weak for everything. Had this guy almost win this battle on the ring ("Touge" Battle) because of the strong setting, and it was quite cheap & unfair. 305hp Amuse R1 vs 380hp R34 V-Spec II Nür on SH.

 

[JR86]

When you say standard I'm guessing which setting feels more realistic?

Umm, not entirely. It's a bit like tyre use; CM tyres are probably more realistic to use than CH, but we use CH anyway because it's a bit more balanced to use in how the grip threshold work i.e. how it is nowhere near as snappy as CM and has more gradual grip reduction.

Realism is important, but balanced mechanics are as well. I'm not really sure which one is the more realistic. I'm just presuming the strong slipstream is more realistic when it may not be. If we knew if weak slipstream was the most realistic, we'd all use it then because of it's realism and following mechanics (better ability to maintain close, consecutive proximity). If we knew strong slipstream was the most realistic, we all may still not use it because even though it is more realistic, people will still not fancy the mechanics due to it's mechanics not being as supportive for a follower to maintain close, consecutive proximity, compared to weak slipstream

Now I think, weak slipstream would be the best (for competition use at least), based on previous experiences I just remembered. When drifting, say... Old Suzuka D1 line, a lead could go in with lots of angle because of the speed and radius of the turn. If strong slipstream was on, the follow would be at greater risk of understeering or contacting the lead, depending on the lead's speed and position to the lead. If weak was on, the following driver would be able to get much closer to the lead driver who has large angle because the follower isn't being sucked toward the lead (from slipstream) as much as what it would be like with strong slipstream on, and also won't understeer as much.

Stuff it! I now think weak slipstream would be the best as a standard issue for drift rooms