The garbage truck is the highlight for me! I saw someone with a custom LEGO City moc with the same kind of lifting mechanism, so it's nice to see LEGO officially embrace such a design, albeit in Technic and not in system. 😢
Supposedly there's another LEGO set coming out soon with the same mechanism, but at minifig scale. But both are a little frustrating because that MOC you mentioned was a LEGO Ideas project that reached 10,000 supporters and then LEGO rejected it... only to now release two sets with the exact same mechanism and idea. So LEGO is being accused of stealing the idea without crediting its original creator.
Had the same thought! There was a garbage truck already with this exact same mechanism! Looked it up, It was a moc designed by Scott and Levi Hasse. Hope they receive 10% of profit : )
I saw that one too, and it looks like the mechanism is very similar to me as well. Both the moc and this one look like the gear causing the claw to close (the black one in 2:29) being blocked from having closed around the bin will cause the arm to be lifted up with the bin by the same gears that formerly turned the black gear, such that turning one gear can control both motions.
I’m really sad to see b models go from the technic line, I can understand the decision commercially but I felt alternates were a great way of inspiring the view that a set can become something else - more than just an extra selling point. Many people do not know the existence of rebrickable and I’m not sure it is correct to rely on independent designers to cover the gap in alternate models… Anyway, hopefully with more time and resources on new sets we will see more exciting projects - seen this year by a giant and quite different 1H wave. We at least still have creator 3in1 which continues to produce sets with creative alternates to inspire the next generation :)
I also miss the really old Technic "universal building sets," which just contained a wide variety of parts with a thick instruction manual full of all kinds of different models and mechanisms and idea pages for things you could build with the parts in the set. LEGO still does that kind of thing with the LEGO Classic brick boxes for regular LEGO, so why not Technic anymore? I'd buy the crap out of a value pack of bulk Technic parts.
It really is an end of the era. Still remember old technic sets like 8480 space shuttle and fantastic b model submarine . Or 8053 with cool b model (harbor crane).
Having the model meant that you get twice the building enjoyment out of every set. I always build the B model first. Then take it apart and build the main build.
It was not too long ago (5 years ago) that even the flagship Technic sets like the Bucket Wheel Excavator and Rough Terrain Crane had B models, as well as the Racing Yacht, so I really hope they bring back B models in future sets!
I've only really gone back to Technic in the last 2 years, but I was blown away by the Bucket Wheel Excavator's B-model. Its a Mobile Aggregator to sort the pieces collected by the Excavator, works perfectly with the base model.... so you really need to buy two sets. Ingenious.
I absolutely hate that they are discontinuing b models. I build and rebuild my Lego models as a way of stress relief and relaxation. I feel that with the raising prices and taking away the b models were really not getting our money's worth. I have been building technic for at least 30 years and I've gone back and collected older sets from ebay. So I guess I'll be buying more old sets from eBay and less new sets from lego.
@@TACTORi heard inside infos of great wheel parts like wheelhubs with integrated metal ball bearings and and and, lego will take massive L to the other companies
I still miss the alternate designs we used to get on city sets. There might not have been any instructions for the alternates but as a kid in the early 90s they where inspiring to go build something else.
I`ve never built B-models so not too sad for me personally but I can see that it`s a problem for the majority of others. The garbagetruck is my favourite among these january 2024 sets! Feels fresh and very recogizable.
It reminds me of the B model for the Mack truck released a few years ago. That was a great B model. Second only to the SUV B model for the Le Mans car that I love to modify.
It is a small-scaled version of "big brother" but with electric engine (=a few panels instead of inlet and intercooler behind the cabin) and side-loader arm instead of front fork-loader
I find the loss of B models sad in theory, but technic is a nightmare to pull apart, so I only ever really did it once or twice (I would build the B model first almost to get it over with), but it's sad for others that like them.
That garbage truck is awesome! It'll be my first technic set in quite a few years! The B-models are a bit of a bummer, but honestly, I've never built any of them.
Thank you Balasz for mentioning the death of the B-model. For me it was a defining characteristic of Technic since I was drawn into it as a kid in the 90s. Just their existence was an excuse to constantly rebuild between the two models, getting way more value out of the set. As a result, I will vote with my wallet and stop buying Technic. Unfortunately, it seems the majority of people don't bother since they just build a set once and are done with, so it won't matter that much. It is clear by the type of sets that Lego is churning out and their business tactics that they promote single use, licensed and display sets, so that they can keep selling more. People forget that every Lego product line used to feature B-models, or even multiple back of the box builds. Town sets for example did this, now City is a shadow of its former self. Technic was simply the last one standing, leaving Creator 3-in-1 which still has them as a defining feature. The existence of rebrickable is not an excuse for lego to cheap out on the development of B models. Alternative builds on rebrickable tend to be either lower quality or not free. And I am not keen on spending 10+ euros just for instructions as lots of creators demand. Personally, I've posted quite a lot of free MOCs.
I think that there are tons of valuable and high quality MOCs on Rebrickable besides some less polished ones, and there were better and worse official B models, so it is not a black and white situation. I think with the migration of B model instructions to lego.com they were able to track precisely the amount of people actually building them, so from their perspective it was a rather simple equation. As a trend I saw casual builders choosing the official B models less, and experienced builders turning more towards Rebrickable.
Completely agree. In addition, technic models tends to get far less, and often worse, alternative models: this is because the technic parts are less versatile than the classic ones. If you start with a set that already has a single one construction in mind, the versatility would be even lower. On the completely opposite direction, the small 3-in-1 creator sets have seen a huge increase in replayability during the years
I agree wholeheartedly. I might just be getting grumpy, but Technic has been losing momentum in the last few years (almost a decade now?). Too many licensed sets, increased focus on aesthetics over mechanisms, less interesting machines... Nothing wrong with a licensed/good looking set in principle but lately I've felt that even the largest sets are glorified display pieces.
@@RacingBrick But WHY were the official B-models chosen less? Because not everyone wants to build a model with a smartphone or pad or computer screen needed to show the PDF instructions.... they want a piece of paper to browse through cause THAT doesn't need electricity or a gadget to display it..... Of course you would see a decline in B-model building..... and the fact that most of them were way worse and uncreative anyways (maybe on purpose letting Lego cheap out on the customer getting less experience for more money.....).....
@@320iSTWEdition 100% agreed with you. Don't like instructions on the screen started white cybermaster. Now I don't want the kids behind a screen all day. B models must be include on paper in the box.
the loss of B models is really sad, ever since i was a kid i always built hte B modeels at least once, and sometimes i even prefer the B model over the A model. EDIT: the Garbage truck looks excellent though. might have to get that one
Even if I’m not a technic fan, I usually got the $10 sets and found them a lot of fun, especially because of the B-models that would make something entirely different with different functions with such a limited set of parts. I really love the stunt plane, the designer has been uploading a ton of impressive alternate models on his youtube channel.
I love the smallest sets they always do, usually $10 USD. They’re always such fun little builds for a great price! I tend to collect the majority of Technic sets but there’s just something about the tiny ones that’s always fun. Kinda disappointing there’s no more B models, hopefully that will just be temporary but we’ll see.
Technic is my favorite L.E.G.O. and serene and unique childhood memory I kind of will miss these. 테크닉은 제가 가장 좋아하는 L.E.G.O 입니다. 고요하고 독특한 어린 시절의 추억이 좀 그리워질 것 같아요
That truck reminds me of the Mack truck B-model. I do miss when lego sets were full of inspiration and alternate models, but it’s not a huge loss. The small technic sets look neat, but they will definitely get overshadowed by the technic space theme.
My bucket wheel excavator has now been rebuilt into its B model for as long as the A model - about 4 years. I think it's more important for the larger models to have B models than the smaller sets - because no one thinks twice about taking apart a small model. These days, people view the entire Lego range as "One proper build only" which Lego owes it to themselves to dispel.
I feel very sad about seeing them gone, it was always a nice value additive to the price we pay TLG, outsourcing it to rebrickable feels like a cheap excuse. While there are talented and great moc designers out their, some even active lego designers like grohl, the official b-models had a certain quality assurance and zero entry level barrier. Now the 8 year old child HAS to know about rebrickable, is potentially charged for instructions, and has to use a computer to access them. All of this used to be different. Maybe great for members of the community, but utterly cheap on the side of LEGO :(
Lego really was inspired by 2 of JK Brickworks' mocs. One being the Solar System orrery and the other being the garbage truck! They did a good job though
I`m quite surprised how many small technics sets will be available in January, these looks very playable and with interesting functions and solutions. For B-models, well, I`ll just use rebrickable... Good job as always Balasz, have a nice Christmas! :)
I'll miss having B models as some of them were even better than the A model, the blue crawler crane comes to mind, I straight away mine into the B model.
I just hope they'll come up with a whole lot more technic space sets in the coming years. As it is the only theme I really like. Just started my collection with the perseverance rover and I love it!
The removing of b models doesn't matter too much tbh.. on bigger sets, they were almost never an option because of the pain taking technic apart. In terms of smaller lego sets, you have alot of cool alternative builds on bricklink for example.
Or, it could be used to transport the harvester attachement as a trailer when moving on the road. Usually, the harvesters are forbidden to be driven on public roads due to excessive width, and they need to remove the front attachement, fold it to a kind of a long and narrow trailer (that uses those small wheels), hitch it to the rear hook and then go to the fields.
How much of the B model decision is tied to Lego's increasing reliance on licensed sets? Lego has no problems with turning a generic in-house designed car into a boat, but third parties are probably less enthused about their product being treated in such a manner.
In the 90s I bought several Technic sets. The B models were never really fun to build. 2 years ago I came back, buying a used Liebherr 9800 which did not have any B model anyway. I discovered Rebrickable and bought several Alts. So much fun! Also, with some extra parts (old and new) I can build several original models available through the LEGO builders app. B models are just not needed, imo.
Apparently LEGO shares this opinion. I had some nice experience with B models, especially for the smaller sets in the past years. I also very much liked the B model of the 42077 Rally car or the Mack Anthem.
I agree to disagree. I had a lot of technic models as a child in the early 90's. Most of the alternate B and C models were quite good and fun to make and play. I especially loved the 8865 and 8062 kits back then. I was just 8 years old when I was building the 8865 kit which was well over my age group and quite hard to finish.
I noticed a while back that the B models became less and less of. The last Technic I had with B model was Mack Anthem truck 42078. Because Dom's charger didn't have any B model, neither the rally car. It's sad.
So it's ok to mix system cabin in Twchnic in harvester, why they didn't do with a cabin in Mack? It would look much cooler with System bricks cabin fittable for minifigs. I'll do it on my own.
I will forever miss the B models in Lego sets because they always looked just as good, if not better! Awesome video Racing Brick! I think my favorite set would be the new garbage truck. 🎉
Unfortunate news about the B models. Especially for unlicensed sets. The Rally car turned Beach buggy is still one of my favorite alternate builds. The bulldozer would make a cute/simple impulse build but the Mac recycling truck at the smaller scale looks pretty fantastic and looks like a great parts value for the price.
Wish b models are still around too. Very set, technic or system, that we have with alternate models we built them all. Some rebrickable models cost additional money
I have a couple Technic sets sized 500 to 1000 parts from 2015-2020. I looked for suggested B-models on Rebrickable and other sites, and while there were a few ideas, none were of the official Lego quality. I didn't like and didn't build any of them. That said, not every official B model was good, in my opinion, but many were very good. I even liked some of them more than the A models.
I'm excited for the January 2024 sets but I'm sad because no more B-Models and Monster Jam. My favorite Technic set in 2024 is the Mack LR Garbage Truck
Really liking the look of the little buggy, it's nice to see technic hasn't totally abandoned the rescue yellow colour and it's nice to see it return in a cheaper set, albeit there aren't many pieces in the set in that colour still. Lack of b-models is sad, but it won't really bother me too much as I never usually built them- but it's a shame kids won't get to rebuild small sets into alt builds from the instructions.
I've never liked B-models because your extra pieces from the A-model could get lost, you could have lots of spare parts from the A-Model (cough cough Car Transporter), and the B-models don't look finished. My one exception is the Articulated Sorting Plant from the 42055 set which was pretty clever!
They just save money by leaving the B model. And it fits with the philosophy of not to take your lego apart again and play with it, but just collect it and don't play with it.
It likely has shown up in models since, but the tilt-steering buggy reminds me of the 8252 Police Buggy with Technic scale minifig from the early 2000s, a fun set I had. It coincidentally had good B-model features and a somewhat modular design to it to switch between them quickly
Some of these newer technics were sold at a local bricks and mini figs, and I even bought a few. I got the John Deere Harvester, the Buggy, and the Neom off reader to add to my collection. Also just realized how late I was tho
Lego should have introduced C models. But they took away B models instead. 😮 For just A models why spend hours building something when something readymade toys like remote controlled cars, truck etc available?
I like the buggy because it has this retro coolness, it just strikes the right notes with me. Garbage truck looks like it has cool mechanics, and the 'dozer will be a nice addition to the old threaded crane I have - both seem to be in the same scale.
Well, as highlighted in other videos, this mechanism in garbage truck was submitted to lego ideas, collected 10 000 votes... And was not selected for a set. So, one might say, that idea remained here... I am curous if there would be credit to the afol...
@@globetrotter7778 I had huge hopes for Harvester.... but I got let down. I will look closer once the instructions will be released. And well, maybe this mack as well. After all, the set is really interesting :)
@@reijo77 The Mack is definitely first on my list. It is very playable (like any good Technic set) and even though the price hasn't been confirmed by Lego yet, I've read that it should be 30-35$, which to me is reasonable for a 503 piece build.
around 2020, TLG is moving even further away from the idea of children's toys and turning into a pump for pumping money out of adults, playing on nostalgia.... beautiful? - perhaps, but the spirit of the techniques in the sets is less and less....
R.I.P official alternate Technic builds. Surprised they didn't downscale the 3-in-1 in CREATOR to 2-in-1 too. Corporate want's to increase cashflow, since the growth in 2023 was not higher than the pandemic era. Honestly I'm surprised they still employ LEGO Designers and not outsource the work to fan designers to save even more development costs. Since they leak themselves most of the times, it shouldn't be a bigger risk either. P.S. Just buy the previous sets second-hand if you like alternate builds and want to show LEGO that you hate this decision. Bricks can be washed and reused for generations.
The big surprise for me in this lineup is that small dozer, in the sense that it's almost identical to one they already did with the exact same function and in the same scale (L8259). That one was a bit cleaner (the knob to lift the blade via the worm gear was also the dozer's exhaust pipe) though it was virtually unmovable thanks to the small gears constantly catching the tracks and not meshing with them properly. I imagine one of the reasons for using the clutch gears is to try and fix that issue?... Though why they would choose to revisit an '09 set to fix an issue is pretty strange. The tele-handler was the same story, but at least that one got released in a new color scheme whereas this one is just in the same yellow as before.
Lego, a company whos biggest achievement in the past couple of years was to drastically increase set prieces while at the same time drastically decrease set/part quality. It's hard to believe someone would really think Lego will dedicate the designers time and resources into new models instead of b-models :D :D :D
The garbage truck set looks awesome and interesting. By the way, (in my opinion) the alternate builds from Rebrickable are better than the B-models from the Lego sets. So, Lego doesn't need to hire more employees and make extra costs to make sets with B-models. I buy an affordable Lego set rather than a super expensive set with B-models.
The loss of b-models is mostly a bummer for kids with limited internet access or who don't know about rebrickable. It'd be interesting if LEGO bought rebrickable or created their own version of it so people could upload alternate builds and instructions for them. This would also serve as a form of advertising for LEGO, as someone might not be interested in a set until they see an alternate build of it that they like, and then they decide to buy it to build the alternate model.
The Technic Forage Harvester seems much more suitable for play than the vintage Expert Builder tractor I picked up this year in an auction lot. The tractor itself was great (and very complete in a bin of parts!) but the cultivator accessory does not like to stay together at all. One pass down the table and something comes apart. Maybe some lost clutch in 40 year old parts! Love the video, and also sad that we don't get that little extra from LEGO in the form of official B sets. Have to buy the 3 in one's I guess!
I really don't mind the lack of B models. I am however disappointed it the size of the Harvester and the Garbage truck. I was hoping for something bigger with possible Powered Up upgrade.
As someone who bought the John Deere tractor, the harvester is must for me. It looks cool, but the Mack is amazing too as a truck guy. I'll get the harvester by release, but the Mack I want to see a review of first.
i dont mind seeing the B models go. i always enjoyed making the A model most, as with technic specifically, taking them apart and rebuilding them can be a real pain. Plus the B model didnt always utilize all the parts and there were lots of left overs. So having just the one model design is fine with me.
The consumers are the driving factor on why B models cease to exists. People today buy LEGO either for resell or just to build and display. But many would not buy 2 of the same models to build and display. The other factor would be LEGO might save money from the design department by not using the time to think about B models, but rather create new sets to sell. Seriously CREATIVE FACTOR is lost since single themed sets start to exists.
I actually once bought a Technic set, specifically for the B-model. That however was an exception, as generally the B-models just weren't as good as the official set models. So, mixed bag of feelings about the B-models being gone here.
I think rebrickable is a good solution for the end of b models. Would be interesting to see if LEGO does something more official as a partnership with them.
I'm not going to miss the B models, as I never built them, plus the fact the instructions were online only sucked as trying to use my phone screen to follow the instructions was a nightmare on a couple of other kits
It is a shame that they don't make B models anymore especially for kids. With B models there is a bigger drive for them to dissembling and bilding and eventually making there own creations. And it should be on paper. They see enough screens and get distracted wen they're on the internet.
Szia Balázs! A ma bemutatott technic szettek szégyen kategória! Talán a 42166 - ost be fogom szerezni. A tegnap bemutatottakból valószínűleg mind a hat technic szettet be fogom szerezni. Csak így tovább, irány a 200K! Üdv, Unoka!
Nem egyezik a véleményünk, ezek belépő szettek gyerekeknek, és ennek a célközönségnek teljesen jók lesznek :) Talán a hátrahúzós McLaren az egyetlen fantáziátlan darab.
@@RacingBrick A videót nem értettem száz százalékosan, mert én anno még oroszul tanultam. A borítókép pedig félrevezető. Természetesen nem probléma, hogy nem egyezik a véleményünk.
I like the garbage truck, could also see that in a much larger scale. Because we have rebrickable I won’t be sad to see the b-models leave. Even if there is a charge for the instructions.
We’ve gotten a new Volvo Construction set every two years since, I think, 2014. The last one we got was a tiny bulldozer in 2022 which was a let down after the articulated hauler from 2020. Hopefully we get something good this year, if we get anything at all. - A Volvo super fan. (Me)
The John Deere and Garbage truck are a highlight for me. Whilst not seeing a large set in Jan initially shocked me, I now like the idea of filling up my collection gaps of the smaller models that get lost in my usual race for the big sets. Now how many can I buy at once....... >
I don't really agree with sites like rebrickable making official b-models obsolete if only for the fact that rebrickable ones are not always free to use. While I respect that fans who take the time and effort to make instructions have the right to be compensated for it, it still sucks for the actual target audience for lego who are kids that are likely not even aware of the site.
I’m a little mixed on the lose of B-Models. I think the smaller ones need B-Models yet the bigger ones really don’t. I think the system last year was good but meh. I’m just happy that we’re getting some nice models this wave
So after 25 years the Mud Masher (#8226) finally gets a successor... sort of. Mud Masher had 4-wheel steering and no engine. I've always liked it because of its interesting and unique steering and often wondered why they never used that mechanism again. That's put 42164 at the top of my January shopping list. I won't miss the B-models to be honest. I rarely built them, with the exception of the motorbikes.
Relying on the fan community to provide alternate builds is like Bethesda putting out buggy games and counting on the modding community to fix all their problems for free on top of paying for DLC.
The garbage truck is the highlight for me! I saw someone with a custom LEGO City moc with the same kind of lifting mechanism, so it's nice to see LEGO officially embrace such a design, albeit in Technic and not in system. 😢
Supposedly there's another LEGO set coming out soon with the same mechanism, but at minifig scale. But both are a little frustrating because that MOC you mentioned was a LEGO Ideas project that reached 10,000 supporters and then LEGO rejected it... only to now release two sets with the exact same mechanism and idea. So LEGO is being accused of stealing the idea without crediting its original creator.
Had the same thought! There was a garbage truck already with this exact same mechanism! Looked it up, It was a moc designed by Scott and Levi Hasse. Hope they receive 10% of profit : )
I saw that one too, and it looks like the mechanism is very similar to me as well. Both the moc and this one look like the gear causing the claw to close (the black one in 2:29) being blocked from having closed around the bin will cause the arm to be lifted up with the bin by the same gears that formerly turned the black gear, such that turning one gear can control both motions.
@@mr.platinum-lego I think it's JK Brickworks
@@smaug131 Exactly! It's a very compact and efficient design.
I’m really sad to see b models go from the technic line, I can understand the decision commercially but I felt alternates were a great way of inspiring the view that a set can become something else - more than just an extra selling point. Many people do not know the existence of rebrickable and I’m not sure it is correct to rely on independent designers to cover the gap in alternate models…
Anyway, hopefully with more time and resources on new sets we will see more exciting projects - seen this year by a giant and quite different 1H wave. We at least still have creator 3in1 which continues to produce sets with creative alternates to inspire the next generation :)
Don't worry, LEGO will buy rebrickable sooner than later too. I'm surprised they didn't ask for a slice of the cake yet.
I also miss the really old Technic "universal building sets," which just contained a wide variety of parts with a thick instruction manual full of all kinds of different models and mechanisms and idea pages for things you could build with the parts in the set. LEGO still does that kind of thing with the LEGO Classic brick boxes for regular LEGO, so why not Technic anymore? I'd buy the crap out of a value pack of bulk Technic parts.
@@R0Sch88 After Lego snapped up BrickLink a few years ago, the next logical step would be to acquire Rebrickable as well.
@@R0Sch88 Wouldn't surprise me if they did
@@pangolin_bricks be a shame as they wouldn’t want your free instructions being around.
It really is an end of the era. Still remember old technic sets like 8480 space shuttle and fantastic b model submarine . Or 8053 with cool b model (harbor crane).
Having the model meant that you get twice the building enjoyment out of every set. I always build the B model first. Then take it apart and build the main build.
It was not too long ago (5 years ago) that even the flagship Technic sets like the Bucket Wheel Excavator and Rough Terrain Crane had B models, as well as the Racing Yacht, so I really hope they bring back B models in future sets!
I've only really gone back to Technic in the last 2 years, but I was blown away by the Bucket Wheel Excavator's B-model. Its a Mobile Aggregator to sort the pieces collected by the Excavator, works perfectly with the base model.... so you really need to buy two sets. Ingenious.
I absolutely hate that they are discontinuing b models. I build and rebuild my Lego models as a way of stress relief and relaxation. I feel that with the raising prices and taking away the b models were really not getting our money's worth. I have been building technic for at least 30 years and I've gone back and collected older sets from ebay. So I guess I'll be buying more old sets from eBay and less new sets from lego.
Just used lego is good Lego! I would recommend to never again buy new Lego. There are so many other brands out there, that are better than lego
@@TACTORi heard inside infos of great wheel parts like wheelhubs with integrated metal ball bearings and and and, lego will take massive L to the other companies
I still miss the alternate designs we used to get on city sets. There might not have been any instructions for the alternates but as a kid in the early 90s they where inspiring to go build something else.
I feel the same way about the early years of Lego Star Wars.
I`ve never built B-models so not too sad for me personally but I can see that it`s a problem for the majority of others. The garbagetruck is my favourite among these january 2024 sets! Feels fresh and very recogizable.
It reminds me of the B model for the Mack truck released a few years ago. That was a great B model. Second only to the SUV B model for the Le Mans car that I love to modify.
It is a small-scaled version of "big brother" but with electric engine (=a few panels instead of inlet and intercooler behind the cabin) and side-loader arm instead of front fork-loader
What is b model
@@malawigw It's an official alternate build.
I have never bought a Lego set for the B model, and have never disassembled any of my built Lego sets.
I really miss the cool alternative builds of rebrickable but oh well! Thanks for informing us about the January sets and the bad news!!
I like b models. It's always nice to see what can be done differently. But yeah, fans will eventually take care of that.
45° offset knob gears in the garbage truck- those will be useful!
for those of you who say "first", know that for the first few minutes everyone sees an empty comments section despite having comments
first
first
first
Not first
Fifth
I find the loss of B models sad in theory, but technic is a nightmare to pull apart, so I only ever really did it once or twice (I would build the B model first almost to get it over with), but it's sad for others that like them.
That garbage truck is awesome! It'll be my first technic set in quite a few years! The B-models are a bit of a bummer, but honestly, I've never built any of them.
Thank you Balasz for mentioning the death of the B-model. For me it was a defining characteristic of Technic since I was drawn into it as a kid in the 90s. Just their existence was an excuse to constantly rebuild between the two models, getting way more value out of the set.
As a result, I will vote with my wallet and stop buying Technic. Unfortunately, it seems the majority of people don't bother since they just build a set once and are done with, so it won't matter that much. It is clear by the type of sets that Lego is churning out and their business tactics that they promote single use, licensed and display sets, so that they can keep selling more. People forget that every Lego product line used to feature B-models, or even multiple back of the box builds. Town sets for example did this, now City is a shadow of its former self. Technic was simply the last one standing, leaving Creator 3-in-1 which still has them as a defining feature.
The existence of rebrickable is not an excuse for lego to cheap out on the development of B models. Alternative builds on rebrickable tend to be either lower quality or not free. And I am not keen on spending 10+ euros just for instructions as lots of creators demand. Personally, I've posted quite a lot of free MOCs.
I think that there are tons of valuable and high quality MOCs on Rebrickable besides some less polished ones, and there were better and worse official B models, so it is not a black and white situation. I think with the migration of B model instructions to lego.com they were able to track precisely the amount of people actually building them, so from their perspective it was a rather simple equation.
As a trend I saw casual builders choosing the official B models less, and experienced builders turning more towards Rebrickable.
Completely agree. In addition, technic models tends to get far less, and often worse, alternative models: this is because the technic parts are less versatile than the classic ones. If you start with a set that already has a single one construction in mind, the versatility would be even lower.
On the completely opposite direction, the small 3-in-1 creator sets have seen a huge increase in replayability during the years
I agree wholeheartedly. I might just be getting grumpy, but Technic has been losing momentum in the last few years (almost a decade now?). Too many licensed sets, increased focus on aesthetics over mechanisms, less interesting machines... Nothing wrong with a licensed/good looking set in principle but lately I've felt that even the largest sets are glorified display pieces.
@@RacingBrick But WHY were the official B-models chosen less? Because not everyone wants to build a model with a smartphone or pad or computer screen needed to show the PDF instructions.... they want a piece of paper to browse through cause THAT doesn't need electricity or a gadget to display it.....
Of course you would see a decline in B-model building..... and the fact that most of them were way worse and uncreative anyways (maybe on purpose letting Lego cheap out on the customer getting less experience for more money.....).....
@@320iSTWEdition 100% agreed with you. Don't like instructions on the screen started white cybermaster. Now I don't want the kids behind a screen all day. B models must be include on paper in the box.
the loss of B models is really sad, ever since i was a kid i always built hte B modeels at least once, and sometimes i even prefer the B model over the A model.
EDIT: the Garbage truck looks excellent though. might have to get that one
Even if I’m not a technic fan, I usually got the $10 sets and found them a lot of fun, especially because of the B-models that would make something entirely different with different functions with such a limited set of parts. I really love the stunt plane, the designer has been uploading a ton of impressive alternate models on his youtube channel.
I love the smallest sets they always do, usually $10 USD. They’re always such fun little builds for a great price! I tend to collect the majority of Technic sets but there’s just something about the tiny ones that’s always fun. Kinda disappointing there’s no more B models, hopefully that will just be temporary but we’ll see.
It's pretty dumb that Lego discontinued the B models. It's opposite of what Lego should be all about.
Love that they are continuing the construction theme in the low price end of sets.
Technic is my favorite L.E.G.O. and serene and unique childhood memory I kind of will miss these.
테크닉은 제가 가장 좋아하는 L.E.G.O 입니다. 고요하고 독특한 어린 시절의 추억이 좀 그리워질 것 같아요
That truck reminds me of the Mack truck B-model. I do miss when lego sets were full of inspiration and alternate models, but it’s not a huge loss. The small technic sets look neat, but they will definitely get overshadowed by the technic space theme.
I miss when there wassnt so much Lego Technic on license products
My bucket wheel excavator has now been rebuilt into its B model for as long as the A model - about 4 years. I think it's more important for the larger models to have B models than the smaller sets - because no one thinks twice about taking apart a small model. These days, people view the entire Lego range as "One proper build only" which Lego owes it to themselves to dispel.
I feel very sad about seeing them gone, it was always a nice value additive to the price we pay TLG, outsourcing it to rebrickable feels like a cheap excuse. While there are talented and great moc designers out their, some even active lego designers like grohl, the official b-models had a certain quality assurance and zero entry level barrier. Now the 8 year old child HAS to know about rebrickable, is potentially charged for instructions, and has to use a computer to access them. All of this used to be different. Maybe great for members of the community, but utterly cheap on the side of LEGO :(
Lego really was inspired by 2 of JK Brickworks' mocs. One being the Solar System orrery and the other being the garbage truck! They did a good job though
At Lego price points, B-models are a must. Lego is getting more and more expensive while feeling more and more cheap.
I`m quite surprised how many small technics sets will be available in January, these looks very playable and with interesting functions and solutions. For B-models, well, I`ll just use rebrickable... Good job as always Balasz, have a nice Christmas! :)
I'll miss having B models as some of them were even better than the A model, the blue crawler crane comes to mind, I straight away mine into the B model.
I just hope they'll come up with a whole lot more technic space sets in the coming years. As it is the only theme I really like. Just started my collection with the perseverance rover and I love it!
The removing of b models doesn't matter too much tbh.. on bigger sets, they were almost never an option because of the pain taking technic apart. In terms of smaller lego sets, you have alot of cool alternative builds on bricklink for example.
Great vid. But removal of B MODELS IS SUPER SAD. I LEARNT SO MUCH from technic and different ways of building and engineering with b models.
Can't help but still feel like the 90s was really the hey day for lego thechnic
It absolutely was. Early-mid 10s was sort of a renaissance but it has been all downhill since then unfortunately.
2:42 At the back theres a 4 stud axle with half bush,meaning it can be connected with a trailer from another set
True, I'm curious to see if the hitch is at the same height off the ground as the 42136 tractor.
Or, it could be used to transport the harvester attachement as a trailer when moving on the road. Usually, the harvesters are forbidden to be driven on public roads due to excessive width, and they need to remove the front attachement, fold it to a kind of a long and narrow trailer (that uses those small wheels), hitch it to the rear hook and then go to the fields.
The fact that there are no official B-models is great news for creators on Rebrickable.
How much of the B model decision is tied to Lego's increasing reliance on licensed sets? Lego has no problems with turning a generic in-house designed car into a boat, but third parties are probably less enthused about their product being treated in such a manner.
Great comment, I totally understand this logic!
In the 90s I bought several Technic sets. The B models were never really fun to build. 2 years ago I came back, buying a used Liebherr 9800 which did not have any B model anyway. I discovered Rebrickable and bought several Alts. So much fun! Also, with some extra parts (old and new) I can build several original models available through the LEGO builders app. B models are just not needed, imo.
Apparently LEGO shares this opinion. I had some nice experience with B models, especially for the smaller sets in the past years. I also very much liked the B model of the 42077 Rally car or the Mack Anthem.
I agree to disagree. I had a lot of technic models as a child in the early 90's. Most of the alternate B and C models were quite good and fun to make and play. I especially loved the 8865 and 8062 kits back then. I was just 8 years old when I was building the 8865 kit which was well over my age group and quite hard to finish.
I noticed a while back that the B models became less and less of. The last Technic I had with B model was Mack Anthem truck 42078. Because Dom's charger didn't have any B model, neither the rally car. It's sad.
This new garbage truck is kinda a reference to b-model of 42078.
Really wanted more monster jam trucks...bummer
So it's ok to mix system cabin in Twchnic in harvester, why they didn't do with a cabin in Mack? It would look much cooler with System bricks cabin fittable for minifigs. I'll do it on my own.
I will forever miss the B models in Lego sets because they always looked just as good, if not better! Awesome video Racing Brick! I think my favorite set would be the new garbage truck. 🎉
Unfortunate news about the B models. Especially for unlicensed sets. The Rally car turned Beach buggy is still one of my favorite alternate builds. The bulldozer would make a cute/simple impulse build but the Mac recycling truck at the smaller scale looks pretty fantastic and looks like a great parts value for the price.
I wonder who at Lego made this crazy decision. It's counter-productive of what Lego should be about.
These look amazing can’t wait for them to come
the john deere sets are perfect one after the other! all the three models so far are beautiful and the bright green is such a great color.
This is a sad news indeed. LEGO is pricey in my country. B models makes technic line seems a good deal because it feels like I have two sets.
Wish b models are still around too. Very set, technic or system, that we have with alternate models we built them all. Some rebrickable models cost additional money
I will probably buy the John Deere combine to pair with the 42136 tractor. The only "miss" with this pairing is the trailer is not a grain wagon.
I have a couple Technic sets sized 500 to 1000 parts from 2015-2020. I looked for suggested B-models on Rebrickable and other sites, and while there were a few ideas, none were of the official Lego quality. I didn't like and didn't build any of them. That said, not every official B model was good, in my opinion, but many were very good. I even liked some of them more than the A models.
I'm excited for the January 2024 sets but I'm sad because no more B-Models and Monster Jam.
My favorite Technic set in 2024 is the Mack LR Garbage Truck
Same as you can wait until I get it
@@colton5561-w4q If you have the Mack Anthem from a few years ago you could build its b-model until the new one arrives.
Really liking the look of the little buggy, it's nice to see technic hasn't totally abandoned the rescue yellow colour and it's nice to see it return in a cheaper set, albeit there aren't many pieces in the set in that colour still. Lack of b-models is sad, but it won't really bother me too much as I never usually built them- but it's a shame kids won't get to rebuild small sets into alt builds from the instructions.
I love the harvester, it's satisfying to mess around with lol
I still wanna get that little bulldozer
I've never liked B-models because your extra pieces from the A-model could get lost, you could have lots of spare parts from the A-Model (cough cough Car Transporter), and the B-models don't look finished. My one exception is the Articulated Sorting Plant from the 42055 set which was pretty clever!
They just save money by leaving the B model. And it fits with the philosophy of not to take your lego apart again and play with it, but just collect it and don't play with it.
The best B model must be the garbage truck version of the Mack truck from 2017. It was more interesting than the A model.
It likely has shown up in models since, but the tilt-steering buggy reminds me of the 8252 Police Buggy with Technic scale minifig from the early 2000s, a fun set I had. It coincidentally had good B-model features and a somewhat modular design to it to switch between them quickly
Some of these newer technics were sold at a local bricks and mini figs, and I even bought a few. I got the John Deere Harvester, the Buggy, and the Neom off reader to add to my collection.
Also just realized how late I was tho
I want all of them. I'm definitely going to pick up that garbage truck quickly as my son loves garbage trucks
Lego should have introduced C models. But they took away B models instead. 😮 For just A models why spend hours building something when something readymade toys like remote controlled cars, truck etc available?
I like the buggy because it has this retro coolness, it just strikes the right notes with me.
Garbage truck looks like it has cool mechanics, and the 'dozer will be a nice addition to the old threaded crane I have - both seem to be in the same scale.
The Off-Road Buggy is by far my favorite one. Blows all the others out of the water. I have reviews of nearly all of these on my channel!
Wow the grab and dump function looks eerily similar to the ideas garbage truck submission from that father and son.
Yes, I remember seeing such a truck that could lift and tilt a bin in a YT video.
Indeed. Quite disappointing since the original idea was awesome and it got shot down. Glad we get to see it as a set nevertheless.
The loading mechanism on the garbage truck seems very clever. It seems turning *one single* gear makes it grab then lift the garbage can.
Well, as highlighted in other videos, this mechanism in garbage truck was submitted to lego ideas, collected 10 000 votes... And was not selected for a set. So, one might say, that idea remained here... I am curous if there would be credit to the afol...
@@reijo77 Hopefully so. Are there any sets among these that you're interested in?
@@globetrotter7778 I had huge hopes for Harvester.... but I got let down. I will look closer once the instructions will be released. And well, maybe this mack as well. After all, the set is really interesting :)
@@reijo77 The Mack is definitely first on my list. It is very playable (like any good Technic set) and even though the price hasn't been confirmed by Lego yet, I've read that it should be 30-35$, which to me is reasonable for a 503 piece build.
around 2020, TLG is moving even further away from the idea of children's toys and turning into a pump for pumping money out of adults, playing on nostalgia.... beautiful? - perhaps, but the spirit of the techniques in the sets is less and less....
R.I.P official alternate Technic builds. Surprised they didn't downscale the 3-in-1 in CREATOR to 2-in-1 too. Corporate want's to increase cashflow, since the growth in 2023 was not higher than the pandemic era. Honestly I'm surprised they still employ LEGO Designers and not outsource the work to fan designers to save even more development costs. Since they leak themselves most of the times, it shouldn't be a bigger risk either.
P.S. Just buy the previous sets second-hand if you like alternate builds and want to show LEGO that you hate this decision. Bricks can be washed and reused for generations.
The big surprise for me in this lineup is that small dozer, in the sense that it's almost identical to one they already did with the exact same function and in the same scale (L8259). That one was a bit cleaner (the knob to lift the blade via the worm gear was also the dozer's exhaust pipe) though it was virtually unmovable thanks to the small gears constantly catching the tracks and not meshing with them properly.
I imagine one of the reasons for using the clutch gears is to try and fix that issue?... Though why they would choose to revisit an '09 set to fix an issue is pretty strange.
The tele-handler was the same story, but at least that one got released in a new color scheme whereas this one is just in the same yellow as before.
Lego, a company whos biggest achievement in the past couple of years was to drastically increase set prieces while at the same time drastically decrease set/part quality.
It's hard to believe someone would really think Lego will dedicate the designers time and resources into new models instead of b-models :D :D :D
The garbage truck set looks awesome and interesting.
By the way, (in my opinion) the alternate builds from Rebrickable are better than the B-models from the Lego sets. So, Lego doesn't need to hire more employees and make extra costs to make sets with B-models. I buy an affordable Lego set rather than a super expensive set with B-models.
The loss of b-models is mostly a bummer for kids with limited internet access or who don't know about rebrickable. It'd be interesting if LEGO bought rebrickable or created their own version of it so people could upload alternate builds and instructions for them. This would also serve as a form of advertising for LEGO, as someone might not be interested in a set until they see an alternate build of it that they like, and then they decide to buy it to build the alternate model.
The Technic Forage Harvester seems much more suitable for play than the vintage Expert Builder tractor I picked up this year in an auction lot. The tractor itself was great (and very complete in a bin of parts!) but the cultivator accessory does not like to stay together at all. One pass down the table and something comes apart. Maybe some lost clutch in 40 year old parts! Love the video, and also sad that we don't get that little extra from LEGO in the form of official B sets. Have to buy the 3 in one's I guess!
I really don't mind the lack of B models. I am however disappointed it the size of the Harvester and the Garbage truck. I was hoping for something bigger with possible Powered Up upgrade.
As someone who bought the John Deere tractor, the harvester is must for me. It looks cool, but the Mack is amazing too as a truck guy. I'll get the harvester by release, but the Mack I want to see a review of first.
Option B for Dump truck gave me an idea for an interesting MOC. Only it is still planned (Dump Truck is still in the box)
i dont mind seeing the B models go. i always enjoyed making the A model most, as with technic specifically, taking them apart and rebuilding them can be a real pain. Plus the B model didnt always utilize all the parts and there were lots of left overs. So having just the one model design is fine with me.
Gonna buy that Garbage Truck for sure. Looks great and I like these kind of machinery (got Heavy Duty Excavator and Lego City Mobile Crane :) )
The consumers are the driving factor on why B models cease to exists. People today buy LEGO either for resell or just to build and display. But many would not buy 2 of the same models to build and display. The other factor would be LEGO might save money from the design department by not using the time to think about B models, but rather create new sets to sell. Seriously CREATIVE FACTOR is lost since single themed sets start to exists.
Looking forward to the space sets...
The new line up for January 2024 looks ok. My favourite is certainly the 42167 MACK garbage truck. Sad to see the B models go :(
I love the Mack. Not so much the combine harvester. I expect more from that.
The John Deere harvester has a minifiure seat in it, that's cool
I actually once bought a Technic set, specifically for the B-model. That however was an exception, as generally the B-models just weren't as good as the official set models. So, mixed bag of feelings about the B-models being gone here.
A real bummer considering B-models would have been perfect for the space sets.
I think rebrickable is a good solution for the end of b models. Would be interesting to see if LEGO does something more official as a partnership with them.
42167 is like the mini version of 42078s B model
If there are no B-model than I don't have to buy two of each set...as if I ever did that🤭
I'm not going to miss the B models, as I never built them, plus the fact the instructions were online only sucked as trying to use my phone screen to follow the instructions was a nightmare on a couple of other kits
The best of those for me is definitely Mack. Lack of B-models might be sad, but I will try my best with some for Mack truck.
It is a shame that they don't make B models anymore especially for kids. With B models there is a bigger drive for them to dissembling and bilding and eventually making there own creations. And it should be on paper. They see enough screens and get distracted wen they're on the internet.
Szia Balázs!
A ma bemutatott technic szettek szégyen kategória!
Talán a 42166 - ost be fogom szerezni.
A tegnap bemutatottakból valószínűleg mind a hat technic szettet be fogom szerezni.
Csak így tovább, irány a 200K!
Üdv, Unoka!
Nem egyezik a véleményünk, ezek belépő szettek gyerekeknek, és ennek a célközönségnek teljesen jók lesznek :) Talán a hátrahúzós McLaren az egyetlen fantáziátlan darab.
@@RacingBrick
A videót nem értettem száz százalékosan, mert én anno még oroszul tanultam.
A borítókép pedig félrevezető.
Természetesen nem probléma, hogy nem egyezik a véleményünk.
The sad news for me was no more Monster Jam monster trucks. I loved'em. Me, I liked the little bulldozer
I like the garbage truck, could also see that in a much larger scale. Because we have rebrickable I won’t be sad to see the b-models leave. Even if there is a charge for the instructions.
We’ve gotten a new Volvo Construction set every two years since, I think, 2014. The last one we got was a tiny bulldozer in 2022 which was a let down after the articulated hauler from 2020. Hopefully we get something good this year, if we get anything at all.
- A Volvo super fan. (Me)
The real sad news is the state of the SC BMW double pack.
The John Deere and Garbage truck are a highlight for me. Whilst not seeing a large set in Jan initially shocked me, I now like the idea of filling up my collection gaps of the smaller models that get lost in my usual race for the big sets.
Now how many can I buy at once....... >
I don't really agree with sites like rebrickable making official b-models obsolete if only for the fact that rebrickable ones are not always free to use. While I respect that fans who take the time and effort to make instructions have the right to be compensated for it, it still sucks for the actual target audience for lego who are kids that are likely not even aware of the site.
I’m a little mixed on the lose of B-Models. I think the smaller ones need B-Models yet the bigger ones really don’t. I think the system last year was good but meh. I’m just happy that we’re getting some nice models this wave
So after 25 years the Mud Masher (#8226) finally gets a successor... sort of. Mud Masher had 4-wheel steering and no engine. I've always liked it because of its interesting and unique steering and often wondered why they never used that mechanism again. That's put 42164 at the top of my January shopping list.
I won't miss the B-models to be honest. I rarely built them, with the exception of the motorbikes.
42163 is pretty cool. I like the crowd sourced B models. Specifically, the speed champions charger hoonigan V2
Definetly gonna buy that buggy
4:38 meanwhile grohl (one of the LEGO Technic designers) still designing alt-builds for 42117 😂
🖤💙💜💙🖤
Compare 42167 to 42078 when you get it
Relying on the fan community to provide alternate builds is like Bethesda putting out buggy games and counting on the modding community to fix all their problems for free on top of paying for DLC.