In our Spanish stream we have been showing several steering wheels last dates. One of them is this Ascher Racing F28-SC V2 which our collaborator Jose N. has extensively reviewed. Check it out below.
Tourism, sedan, sports car, single-seater, GT, prototype, truck, bus … Every vehicle has three basic elements with which the driver can interact: pedals, steering wheel and gearshift (although the latter could be discussed). Simracing hardware manufacturers offer increasingly better replicas of these components, thanks to the growth in the number of consumers, who make the development of all kinds of peripherals attractive with their growing demand for racing gadgets. A common practice in this regard is the division of the steering wheel into two independent products: wheel base and steering wheel. This division is particularly common when it comes to acquiring a direct drive device, although brands like Fanatec and Thrustmaster have their own ecosystems of interchangeable wheels on more affordable bases. As consumers, this is good news, since the number of possible combinations to assemble our dream simulator increases significantly, because in addition to separating base and wheel, the latter can also be built by combining button boxes and different rims. It is also true that the excess of alternatives can lead to the dreaded analysis paralysis (raise your hand who, after spending several minutes contemplating the Netflix / HBO / PrimeVideo catalog, has ended up turning the TV off without watching anything).
In this article we are going to analyze the Ascher Racing F28-SC V2 steering wheel from Ascher Racing, the German brand part of KW automotive, and one with the greatest international reputation in the simracing hardware sector. The Ascher Racing F28-SC V2 is a wireless wheel, designed to work with all Simucube 2 direct drive models: Simucube 2 Sport , Simucube 2 Pro and Simucube 2 Ultimate .
Packaging
If I had to briefly define what I think of this wheel, I would do so with two adjectives: austerity and quality. From the moment you open the package box sent by Ascher Racing these two qualities are noticeable. The steering wheel is embedded in a tailormade black foam, together with a small bag with 6 pairs of screws and washers, a sheet with stickers to customize the buttons of our steering wheel and some magnets embedded in the foam with which we can change the force of the gearshift paddles, as I will explain later. And that’s it, because you don’t need anything else to get this beauty going. The instruction manual for the Ascher Racing F28-SC V2 model can be found on the Ascher Racing website or by clicking this link. https://www.ascher-racing.com/wp-content/uploads/F28-SC_V2_product_manual_V1.0.pdf
Construction
The Ascher Racing F28-SC V2 is made up of a single machined aluminum body, with rubber grips and a front cover in which 14 buttons are inserted, 7 on each side of the steering wheel. The design seeks elegance through simplicity, and the wheel is full of small details that show the excellent quality of the product as a whole, which can only be achieved with an impeccable production system. The coating of the rubber handles does not present the slightest leftover, the contour of the lid, box and cam structure have a very finely machined bevel, as well as the housings where the two multifunction buttons are placed. It could be said that the only aesthetic display are the colored buttons, combined in red, yellow, blue and black, and the brushed aluminum finish of the lid, with the Ascher Racing logo in the center as the protagonist. .
The heading “V2” indicates that this model is an evolution of the previous ring, the F28-SC. From a construction point of view, the differences are in the handles. First of all, Ascher Racing has opted in this new design to close the grip joining it at the bottom with the body of the steering wheel, unlike the open finish of the first version. In addition to this mostly aesthetic change, the alcantara has been replaced by rubber, following a trend that is seen in other brands as well nowadays. The rubber does not need brushing as alcantara often requires, it can be used without gloves and it is also somewhat more hygienic (as long as the user contributes to it with the cleaning act). Although I have not been able to test the previous version, Ascher Racing affirms that this new grip is somewhat more ergonomic, with a slightly larger diameter in the central part and somewhat smaller in the lower part of the grip. The grip-rim junction silhouettes in the central and upper part present slightly smoother curvatures, largely thanks to the fact that, being now made of rubber, the entire grip is a single block until it reaches the body of the steering wheel (previously those areas of union were not made of alcantara, but of plastic). The latest innovation is a small led on the front, just above the logo, with which the steering wheel will communicate its wireless connection status.
In a racing simulator, the steering wheel represents the jewel in the crown, it is the most attractive part, where the eyes go when a new cockpit is observed for the first time. Lovers of minimalist design will fully enjoy finishing their simulator with this Ascher Racing F28-SC V2 . And not only enjoy the view, but also the touch. The construction is extremely robust, Ascher provides us with a wheel with which, although we would like to squeeze the maximum 40Nm that the Simucube 2 Ultimate offers, with total security it will be our arms that bend without the wheel even feeling the slightest flex.
Connection
Anyone who has explored the high-end of devices for simracing knows that this is the point where standardization usually disappears, and each gadget needs a certain pre-configuration to accommodate it to each taste. However, I bring good news, if you do not have a special taste for fiddling with settings, and you are more of the “plug-and-play” team, it’s your lucky day, because I could not tell you what is easier with this steering wheel, wether the physical or digital connection.
The rear of the F28-SC V2 comes with the typical 6-hole pattern, already tapped to drive M5 screws (included in the package). This pattern is common in several of the most widely used quick release devices, such as the Holger Buchfink Q1R or Simucube’s own quick release, which is the one I have used in this case. Keep in mind that it is necessary to connect all the adapters provided by Simucube to anchor it to the 70mm pattern of the Ascher Racing F28-SC V2 . If you want to have a smaller distance between the base and the rim, Ascher Racing also has a more compact adapter with which to reduce this space.
Once the adapter is chosen, it is a matter of screwing the adapter to the rear, and the steering wheel is ready to go. It remains to connect the steering wheel to the Simucube base, which is done almost instantly thanks to the wireless connection and Simucube’s “True Drive” software. We switch the Ascher Racing F28-SC V2 on, we go to the second tab of the interface and our wheel will appear directly for synchronization with the base. After selecting it, both the base with a few beeps and the steering wheel with its flashing LED will indicate that the connection is successful, and we are ready to use the steering wheel and all its buttons. So easy!
In the lower area of the rear of the steering wheel we find the power switch, a small Wi-Fi antenna and a screwed plate behind which is the battery that powers the assembly. Everything in this life has a cost, and the wireless connection involves using batteries that will have to be replaced at a given moment. Don’t panic, we are talking about a type ER 14250 battery that can cost around €5 depending on the brand and country, and Ascher Racing estimates that it would last 2-3 years under heavy daily use, so we have many races to win before need a battery recharge.
We are still far from standardizing device connections for simracing, and looking at the systems that each manufacturer is opting for, and how the large video game companies also deal with compatibility issues, I am afraid that it is not something that we will achieve in the medium term. Therefore, you will only be able to enjoy this steering wheel if you have a Simucube2 base … or any “Open Sim Wheel” type base that has a Simucube1 controller (which was very popular since the first OSW were built), since Ascher Racing also has a wireless adapter that can be connected to the latter’s plate (available here https://www.ascher-racing.com/shop/wireless-ble-upgrade-adapter-for-simucube-1/). If you are not in one of these cases, unfortunately you will not be able to enjoy this Ascher Racing F28-SC V2 , but you will be able to enjoy the new Ascher Racing’s beast, the F64-USB V3, whose connection is made via USB.
Buttons
The simracing mantra is trying to replicate automobile competition down to the last detail, but there are certain characteristics that we cannot simulate from home, such as having a whole racing team in the box ready to resolve any incident we may have on the track. Our family members have enough to put up with the noise of pedals, steering wheels, cams (and pilots throwing expletives), as to put two or three guys at home who are telling the gaps with our opponents or deciding how much fuel will be added in the next stop. To solve these issues, simracers have interactive menus in which to navigate even during the race (and if possible, only during the straights … thanks, fellows), and in my particular experience, the 7-way multifunction switches are the ideal element for these tasks. Also known as “funky switch”, having one of these on the steering wheel is a blessing, and after trying it, I would say a must. With only this switch you can control, for example, the complete navigation through the iRacing interface: with the four direction controller, to the left and right we go from the menu page, up and down we select the different options on the page; with the rotary control in both directions we can increase or decrease the selected option, or activate and deactivate it by pushing the button. All these functions operating just one switch.
In lights of the virtues of these particular switches, Ascher Racing tells us “Do you like’em? Well, take two then”, because the Ascher Racing F28-SC V2 comes with not one, but two funky switches, one on each side of the steering wheel, for the crowd’s delight. Only with these two switches you can perform 14 different actions, and adding the other six buttons on each side of the steering wheel and the two paddles, we arrive at the magic number, 28 (that’s the name of the model). By the way, there must be some complication in including funky switches in combination with wireless transmissions because, to this date, the F28-SC models have been the only ones capable of integrating funky switches into wireless steering wheels (although there are already competitors who have announced wireless steering wheels that will include it, like the Tahko gt-21).
The rest of the buttons are arranged on the sides of the frontplate, six on each side. This Ascher Racing F28-SC V2 uses the same pushbutton structure that we showed a few weeks ago in the analysis of the B16L-USB keypad, also from Ascher Racing. It is clear that the German brand does not skimp on buttons, offering hardware with a very good haptic feedback, the tactile feeling when pressing them leaves no doubt, as can happen in lower quality buttons. In addition, four of the 12 buttons are protected by plastic guards, ideal for assigning them functions that we do not want to press by mistake in any way (such as the speed limiter).
Perhaps some reader will wonder if rotary buttons could be included in the central part of this wheel. Ascher Racing reserves this feature for its flagship product, the Ascher Racing F64-USB v2 , with up to 64 different functionalities, which tests the racer’s memorizing ability when it comes to remembering what each button did, just as Formula 1 drivers do today.
Paddle shifters
Martin Ascher made a name for himself thanks to the hand-made paddles that he began to distribute in 2014, and unsurprisingly, this steering wheel model features the latest version of his famous shifters. They are entirely made of aluminum, both the plates for their operation and the levers of the mechanism. This gives the shifter assembly a slightly stiffer feel than carbon fiber structures, and is more harmonious with the overall aesthetics of the device. When you look at the paddles in detail, you can see a precision in quality and finishes that is worth praising, and it is a constant in this steering wheel. The actuation is clear, without possibility of confusion: you know with complete certainty whether or not you have pushed the paddle even if your eyes are closed and your ears are covered.
The mechanism is equipped with pairs of magnets on both sides of the lever that keep the paddle in the open position. The Ascher Racing F28-SC V2 comes with factory installed 5mm magnets, which can be interchanged for 3mm magnets that are embedded in the case foam. Being smaller, these magnets can be used if you want to reduce the force required to operate the shifter. In addition, Ascher Racing includes plastic spacers that can be inserted between the magnet and the lever housing to further reduce the force, resulting in a good number of possible combinations that result in different forces between the 800 grams of weight (the default and heaviest setting) and 260g (with the 3mm magnets plus two spacers on each paddle). Legend has it that even the famous Pea Princess was able to find a combination of magnets that suited her taste. One word of caution: be very careful when changing the magnet settings. The attractive forces between them are really strong, but they are fragile pieces. Do not drop them close to each other, because they can throw themselves together and break due to impact.
Use experience
To finish with this analysis I will comment on my experience with this Ascher Racing F28-SC V2 , which I am using in my simulator these weeks. Before receiving this steering wheel, I had a slight concern that the diameter of 285mm was too small. After testing it, my doubts have been dispelled: the steering wheel feels great in my hands, and I don’t need more distance to comfortably handle GT cars, prototypes and formulas. The curvature radii and the rubber grips provide a comfortable handling, and although I usually wear gloves, I really liked the feel of this steering wheel with my bare hands. I can perfectly imagine using it without gloves on hot summer days.
Within minutes of sitting in the seat and handling the Ascher Racing F28-SC V2 over the first turns in a circuit I felt a sense of “déjà vu”, as if I had used it for much longer. Feeling also increased by the fact that I use VR in my simulator, so my only connection with the wheel is through touch. Well, the firmness of this steering wheel ensures that we will not lose even the smallest detail that the base to which it is connected is capable of transmitting, and in addition, all the buttons are within reach of the fingers and are easily distinguishable with eyes closed, since there are no more than two identical buttons together if we move our thumbs across the front of the steering wheel: “button 1, button 2, guarded button 1, button 3, funky, button 4, guarded button 2”. About the paddle shifters, I can add little to the general opinion that exists of these Ascher Racing components: quality, quality and more quality. I’d just say that I changed the initial magnet configuration for an intermediate one, combining a 5mm magnet with a 3mm one, mainly to reduce the noise produced when releasing the paddles (which I have been thanked of at home).
There is another aspect of this steering wheel that stands out, but due to its absence: having no cables. The wireless connection of the Ascher Racing F28-SC V2 with the Simucube 2 Sport bases allows you to leave behind both the inconvenience of having to connect the steering wheel to the PC separately (another cable!) And, more importantly, eliminates one of the weakest points on these devices. I know that more than one has broken the connection cable due to sudden violent oscillations of direct drive wheel bases.
Conclusion
Ascher Racing: CONGRATULATIONS. This Ascher Racing F28-SC V2 is an excellent wheel. Elegant, with top-quality materials and components, each part of the steering wheel is there for a specific reason, a function to fulfill, no detail goes unnoticed. However, it refuses to be the protagonist of the party. This is not a replica steering wheel, but a tool designed by and for simulation. The absence of screens or LED indicators invites the eyes to focus exclusively on the screen, where the action occurs, while the fingers dance between its paddles and buttons as if they were at home, navigating between menus or modifying the brake distribution. Without a doubt, a sensation worth experiencing.
To conclude this article we would like to thank Ascher Racing again for allowing us to try and test their hardware. We encourage you to continue designing such high-quality products, and look forward to see new models in the scene.
