Power Kite Forum - Snowbird is DEAD long live Bladerunner !

Snowbird is DEAD long live Bladerunner !

Bladerunner - 9-4-2008 at 09:00 AM

Much to my disappointment I find I just don't get out snowkiting as much as hoped. :sniff: It's just not that easy here on the coast. :no:

I will be passing on the Snowkite Rodeo to attend NABX now and so the name just doesn't apply to me that well.

BLADERUNNER ,,,,,,,, Now that's who I am !!!!! :evil:

Even My ATB is an MBS Blade !

Snowbird was fast Bladerunner will hit 40 :tumble:

SecondWind - 9-4-2008 at 09:13 AM

Very cool!

On a side note: Can you post a picture of your skates when you get a chance.

And did you get to try out the Terrablades??

DAKITEZ - 9-4-2008 at 09:47 AM

Sure just confuse us all :smilegrin:

You'll always be snowbird to me :frog:

sunset-Jim - 9-4-2008 at 10:05 AM

I'm thinkin there should be some kind of uhh "memorial" for the passing and rebirth. See ya at the next event Ken.....:frog:

I'm sure we can cook up something.

snowbird - 9-4-2008 at 01:39 PM

cool !

I have always dreamed to be a snowbird, and now the alias was available, so here I am

just to put more confusion.

snowbird

Bladerunner - 9-4-2008 at 01:53 PM

Here is a picture straight out of the NABX shots.

No, I never got approached about the Terrablades :no:

.

Too bad they look pretty awsome !

http://www.sportsshutter.com/

Darn .... I'll get the picture in here after work.

Bladerunner - 9-4-2008 at 03:46 PM

Hey X- Buzz ,

I'm honoured to have you take over the Snowbird Name :cool:

At least Snowbird will still Fly Flysurfer kites !!!

Here is a picture of my blades !

Quote:

Originally posted by snowbird
cool !

I have always dreamed to be a snowbird, and now the alias was available, so here I am

just to put more confusion.

snowbird

DenisLaMenace - 9-4-2008 at 04:03 PM

Hey Ken

in fact I will stick using buzz nickname

I am trying to sell snowbird nickname for 50$ OBO

some offers !!:frog:

Bladerunner - 9-4-2008 at 04:06 PM

Just sell my Freakin' Speed for me and I'll be happy :wink2:

Maybe you can throw in the name as a bonus !

95377936_wdOmD9cI_20080406_NABX08_1875.jpg - 87kB

95377936_wdOmD9cI_20080406_NABX08_1875.jpg - 87kB

DenisLaMenace - 9-4-2008 at 04:23 PM

I have tried but no success
I'll renew the ad on kitezone later on

Coyote!

kitepool - 9-4-2008 at 06:05 PM

wow I bought a pair of Coyote Rollerblades
just for the set of wheels!!

they (four of them) are on a super custom
ultra lightweight mountainboard
that I peiced together with a Landyachtz
dropped deck and some tracker trucks

wanna see pictures of that?

SecondWind - 9-4-2008 at 06:15 PM

Yeah - let's see them kitepool!

awindofchange - 9-4-2008 at 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bladerunner
Here is a picture straight out of the NABX shots.

No, I never got approached about the Terrablades :no:

.

Too bad they look pretty awsome !

http://www.sportsshutter.com/

Darn .... I'll get the picture in here after work.

You have some awesome pictures in your album, brings back some wonderful memories of an awesome event. Thank you a ton for sharing.

Coyote-Board

kitepool - 9-4-2008 at 07:55 PM

.kerrjgb

LY2.jpg - 68kB

rtjngwkrj

kitepool - 9-4-2008 at 07:57 PM

very fast
and only ridden on pavement
probably good for hard dirt

definetly sux on grass

Bladerunner - 9-4-2008 at 08:29 PM

The wonderfull photo's aren't mine !! That was me trying to post a single picture. Sorry Robert if there is any confusion.

:cool:

Board

Quote:

Originally posted by awindofchange

Quote:

Originally posted by Bladerunner

You have some awesome pictures in your album, brings back some wonderful memories of an awesome event. Thank you a ton for sharing.

SecondWind - 10-4-2008 at 05:37 AM

Nice! What does it weigh?

Quote:

Originally posted by kitepool
very fast
and only ridden on pavement
probably good for hard dirt

definetly sux on grass

Coyote board

kitepool - 10-4-2008 at 05:15 PM

you know I ought to weigh it
its much much lighter than my
2008 GI flight Lite 100
and probably much lighter than
my freind's MBS alex Brown model

I will also work on getting the other photo up 2-morrow

Incedentally I did have to get some help from a machinist
for the project
because the wheels are significantly wider than a regular
skateboard wheel, some 5mm was removed from
either side of each hangar to make room for the nut
to fit on the out-side of the wheels

Rye - 12-4-2008 at 07:09 AM

Hey Bladerunner, can someone still buy those big wheel skates? They would be perfect for plane travel with a few kites, the buggy is too hard to move around casually.

Bladerunner - 12-4-2008 at 08:07 AM

Rollerblade doesn't make them anymore :mad:

Kind of makes you wonder why :smug: They were originally for downhill / X-country but are a perfect match for power kites now. :thumbup:

There are still lots floating around. I was lucky and someone on here sold them to me but they come up on Ebay semi regularly. Post that you are searching on Buy/sell sites + foil forums. They seem to go between $100 and 200 and are worth every penny !

Check out Terrablader's rig !!! I can't speak for how they run but they sure look fast and strong ! Compact for travel. See if you can Demo a set. While you are at it, see if ..... I ....... can demo a set ! :singing:

What amazed me even before I found out how fast they run on smooth stuff is how rough the terrain can be :thumbup:

WAY more versitle than I imagined and 10 TIMES THE FUN !!!!

GO FOR IT !!!!!

P.S. Regular rollerblades and parking lots are a BLAST as well !!!

Bladers

kitepool - 12-4-2008 at 02:00 PM

What about the Gate Skate ?
I remember seeing them on some website a long
time ago
they had 2 wheels 1
in front of the toe? and 1 behind the heel?
on each foot and each tire was fat and maybe the size of a grapefruit?

Gate Skate Trail Skate

kitepool - 12-4-2008 at 02:06 PM

the Gate Skate website is still around
and it looks to me that they have evolved a bit

foot rides closer to the ground
and the wheels are med size Mountainboard calibre

Rye - 12-4-2008 at 02:41 PM

I have friends that use the gate skates for x-country off season training. I'm not sure, but I think they would be hard to tack, any thoughts?

Bladerunner - 12-4-2008 at 05:53 PM

The 3 wheels together like on the pic. above seem to make running over big bumps easier ???? I also find it comforting to have the shorter overall wheelbase because I often have to " run out " a situation .
With the smaller wheelbase I can carve a pretty tight turn. With a longer one I think you would be better step turning? I also like the way they side slip if overloaded !

I can see how "doom wheels" may work for higher speed but life is trade offs. I wouldn't step on doom wheels without a binding system for release. But that's just me !

PrairieWind - 13-4-2008 at 12:20 PM

I think that the terrablade set up would be good, a little longer than the coyote, but the rocker would make them easy to turn. I am going to try and make a set of 4 wheel blades using mountain board tires. The problem with the terrablade frame is that they use so much aluminum - most is wasted really - which is where the cost goes sky high. A much more simple frame could be made with less wasted material. With the 4 wheel setup you'd could make it so that you could adjust the rocker for the type of skating you'd want to do. Kenda makes a wide variety of 8" tires for mountainboards,... including 4ply slicks that would be ideal for ivanpah. If you get the coyotes (which I think would be great) - then when you have to replace the wheels it can be a pain - the mountain board wheels are easy to get and there are a variety of styles of tires for different conditions.

BeamerBob - 14-4-2008 at 08:51 AM

I go out of town for a few days and all is not what it once was. I'm catching up on posts and see the Bladerunner name and WHAT? He's a Kite traction know it all already? Did he post 200 times a day while I was gone? And then Buzz is snowbird for awhile and now he isn't anymore. Now I see what has happened and understand. Snow....er uh bladerunner, did you just get PKF to change your name to keep you post history intact?

Quote:

Originally posted by Bladerunner
Much to my disappointment I find I just don't get out snowkiting as much as hoped. :sniff: It's just not that easy here on the coast. :no:

Bladerunner - 14-4-2008 at 09:09 AM

Yes,

I requested the change. It was easier on here than another site in the past.
I'm Bladerunner on our local forum, NAPKRA, NABX as well.