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Overall Bridal Stretching?

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NYKiter
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Overall Bridal Stretching?

Postby NYKiter » Fri Oct 25, 2013 1:57 pm

Just replaced my entire bridle on an old REV and I have to say it flys like a new kite...the performance is rather astounding.

I have been replacing Plines on all the REVs every so often, but had no idea the blue bridle lines stretch. Can anyone talk about their experiences with the blue bridles and what their life expectancy is and stretch rates are as compared to dynema pulley bridles?

:boring:

eree
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Re: Overall Bridal Stretching?

Postby eree » Fri Oct 25, 2013 6:36 pm

i don't think it is the problem worth mention for the most brands. usually the lines the bridles are made from are stronger and thicker than the power lines. and since they are significantly shorter than the p-lines their elongation is negligible.

as i recall slingshot made the replacement bridles for their blundered Link kite. the Rev was the Links direct descendant. so...

we all know Rev didn't last and so didn't the Octane.

may be it's not bridle, it's the wing design.... :(

eree
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Re: Overall Bridal Stretching?

Postby eree » Fri Oct 25, 2013 6:47 pm

you can easily locate the problem by measuring the length of the old and the corresponding new bridle lines.

if the difference is under the 5% it is most probably negligible, since this difference is easily is compensated by the depower straps or clamcleats.
anyway it is the design, or to be more accurate the brand fault

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Re: Overall Bridal Stretching?

Postby markchatwin » Fri Oct 25, 2013 6:50 pm

I so disagree eree :o - This response is partially because I have had a great 5 year run with a full quiver of revs but more importantly the vast number of beginners that I have taught and watch progress on them. Also many other teachers I have spoken with that remember how good that kite was... Many of these teachers also remarked how much they loved that kite for it's refined fast flying, great relaunch and great upwind ability and stability.

I agree that the Link was a failure, as does the designer, but the Revs were not a descendent but rather the dawn of a new era...

They did not have any major grunt nor any major boosting ability nor any wave ability, hence the Rally... But they did have the ability to treat every rider with respect and dignity :thumb:

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Re: Overall Bridal Stretching?

Postby eree » Fri Oct 25, 2013 7:37 pm

markchatwin wrote:...They did not have any major grunt nor any major boosting ability nor any wave ability, hence the Rally... But they did have the ability to treat every rider with respect and dignity :thumb:
...but it is not very respectful or dignified to lie to the potential customers about their kites from the one kiteboarding brand.
starting from the calling their product "bombproof", continuing with the constant replacements of the kite and board models and ending with the calling their product the leader in the various dimensions of the kiteboarding gear parameters actually being in the trailing end of the industry or at least being mediocre really...

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Re: Overall Bridal Stretching?

Postby markchatwin » Fri Oct 25, 2013 9:10 pm

I meant the kite not the producer... The Rev stands as one of very few kites that I can recommend to a beginner on a budget. Used they are quite reasonable these days. A very stable/safe kite... Plus bladders, valves, bridles are still available at SS and the kite is easy to fix. Plus I haven't needed to do anything to my 2009 Revs except a few pigtails, trim rope, a rubber hose here or there... I feel that the Rev was very bombproof.

RPMs - industry standard
Rallys - 4 years in and still tweaking but true to it's original design


Eree - can't we find dark demons with just about every kite manufacturer?

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Re: Overall Bridal Stretching?

Postby Busdriver » Sat Oct 26, 2013 5:28 am

I disagree with both of you. The Rev was a boosting machine and there are plenty of old Youtube videos of Ben Wilson and Ryland Blakeney tearing up the waves on the Rev. The Achilles heal of the Rev was the bridal. The P line would stretch after not much use. Other than that the Rev was a sweet kite. Charlie

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Re: Overall Bridal Stretching?

Postby sarc » Sat Oct 26, 2013 4:18 pm

NYKiter wrote:Just replaced my entire bridle on an old REV and I have to say it flys like a new kite...the performance is rather astounding.

I have been replacing Plines on all the REVs every so often, but had no idea the blue bridle lines stretch. Can anyone talk about their experiences with the blue bridles and what their life expectancy is and stretch rates are as compared to dynema pulley bridles?

:boring:
Ahem back to topic... the bridle length.

I am very careful with my equipment, line lengths and maintenance.

I have North Rebels 2009 12m, 2012 5 and 8m. I measure the bridle length with a tape measurer and I have already posted a while back about the benefits of removing and washing the bridles once in a while. They become longer by about 1 to 2cm after washing (the 5th line V shaped bridle and the front lines). I also note that none of the lines have the same length as the spec (North prints it on the bridle, very nice touch). They are all too short by 2 to 3cm (after washing and stretching).

Anyway just for trying I modified all the bridles to be their exact spec length by adding pigtails as needed. Tried it on the 8 and 12, they fly definitely better. I am getting noticeably better upwind and better jumps.

NY Kiter is on to something. Definitely check your bridle length as well as your bar line length!

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Re: Overall Bridal Stretching?

Postby markchatwin » Sat Oct 26, 2013 9:17 pm

OK - I'll check my bridal lengths :thumb: Now back to the Rev - It was not a boosting machine nor a great wave kite. Just because some pro can boost on it or ride some gnarly waves does not make it any good at those things. It was adequate. Put that same pro on a Rally and he's going higher, longer and having more fun in the waves. When I go back and forth between my Rev and a Switchblade the height and length of air is more. The wave ability is about the same. They fly too far forward in the window.

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Re: Overall Bridal Stretching?

Postby romkite » Sun Oct 27, 2013 1:27 am

NYKiter wrote:Just replaced my entire bridle on an old REV and I have to say it flys like a new kite...the performance is rather astounding.

I have been replacing Plines on all the REVs every so often, but had no idea the blue bridle lines stretch. Can anyone talk about their experiences with the blue bridles and what their life expectancy is and stretch rates are as compared to dynema pulley bridles?

:boring:
Very interesting ! I changed the p-lines of my 9m this afternoon ... but I never suspected the blue bridle would stretch ! btw, do you mean they got shorter (like the p-lines do) or longer ??

Funny thing is that this time I used the blue bridle from an old rev as p-lines replacement :lol:

Where did you get the bridle length info from ? I am pretty sure I saw it some day but I can not find it anymore ... I would be interested in rev2 7m, and octane 5, 7, 9 ...

FYI, I've been using Antal rings (low friction) as a replacement for the p-line pulleys. It lasted for a bit more than one year on the 9m, approx 60/80 sessions, same p-lines ! Eventually the rings worn out and ate the p-lines ... What I am trying now is a simple stainless steel ring with the blue bridle :lol:

cheers


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