Yes, with brakes I could put the hammer down with the large kite and still be able to stop if the gust doesn't subside before I run out of room. The speed buggy has a disc brake on the front wheel and I can tell when Brian uses it because the buggy slows unnaturally.

There is a big gap in the power of the 9m and 6m Phantom IIs. There really needs to be a 7m instead of a 6m. I think the 6m would need winds of 40 mph plus to be really loaded up with power. The 9m is over the top before then. Winds were low 20s gusting to the mid 30s.

Someone out there has the knowhow to be able to design a disc brake for our application. I wouldn't want to use caliper brakes on the landsegler wheels because the pads would rub off the anodized finish. Attaching to the fork wouldn't be a problem but it seems that the disc itself would have to be designed into the hub.

Only those of us going fast on dry lakebeds really need this application because on a sandy beach, its no problem to slide sideways to get rid of speed and choke the kite. It's scary to smell rubber burning with the interstate looming a hundred yards away.

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Originally posted by BeamerBob It's scary to smell rubber burning with the interstate looming a hundred yards away.

Guess you need to work on your skills, your at the right speed, all you have to do is merge.:P
Besides, we don't need no stinking brakes.

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Originally posted by bigkid Quote: Originally posted by BeamerBob It's scary to smell rubber burning with the interstate looming a hundred yards away. Guess you need to work on your skills, your at the right speed, all you have to do is merge.:P Besides, we don't need no stinking brakes.

Maybe I can follow you around at NABX and you can bring my skills up a notch?

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Originally posted by BeamerBob Yes, with brakes I could put the hammer down with the large kite and still be able to stop if the gust doesn't subside before I run out of room. The speed buggy has a disc brake on the front wheel and I can tell when Brian uses it because the buggy slows unnaturally. There is a big gap in the power of the 9m and 6m Phantom IIs. There really needs to be a 7m instead of a 6m. I think the 6m would need winds of 40 mph plus to be really loaded up with power. The 9m is over the top before then. Winds were low 20s gusting to the mid 30s. Someone out there has the knowhow to be able to design a disc brake for our application. I wouldn't want to use caliper brakes on the landsegler wheels because the pads would rub off the anodized finish. Attaching to the fork wouldn't be a problem but it seems that the disc itself would have to be designed into the hub. Only those of us going fast on dry lakebeds really need this application because on a sandy beach, its no problem to slide sideways to get rid of speed and choke the kite. It's scary to smell rubber burning with the interstate looming a hundred yards away.

exactly what I was thinking

maybe we should ask Aram what this is?

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Originally posted by BeamerBob Quote: Originally posted by bigkid Quote: Originally posted by BeamerBob It's scary to smell rubber burning with the interstate looming a hundred yards away. Guess you need to work on your skills, your at the right speed, all you have to do is merge.:P Besides, we don't need no stinking brakes. Maybe I can follow you around at NABX and you can bring my skills up a notch?

Nothing I can teach you that you don't already know, I'll just ride on the back and tell you what to do. I can drive from the back seat as well as the next guy.

As for the brake, the installation of the rotor and caliper is a no brainer, the question is how to apply the brakes, by hand, by foot, by mouth, or by the pucker of the O muscle.

I did make a spring loaded cord that would pull one side of the fork if I left the buggy, the idea was that the buggy would go into a circling mode instead of in a strait line down the beach for a mile or so before stopping.

It's a not so infrequent problem. Kite hits max power or beyond right as I was thinking of turning around because of bushes/interstate fence (They won't give me a ramp to merge ) and the only surefire thing I've found to be able to change my direction is to take the kite high very slowly as I try to edge upwind. As each part of that starts to come together, the power diminishes, the AOA of the kite diminishes, and my upwind angle increases. I'm open to suggestions on how to do it better.

That being said, brakes should not be used to replace learning kite and buggy skills. But if you are "going for it" and that leaves you in situations where the brakes allow you to push your kite power past the edge a bit to increase max speed then it could be a good thing.

I never heard anyone talk about Brian's record and say "yeah, but he had brakes".

Is it me or does this sound a bit off? Is Ivanpah not big enough for you? Are you telling us that you run out of room?
this is to easy Bobby, I could run this for a long time with this

Some of us have to get our speed in a few hundred yards, and you are talking about running out of lake bed? I will bring some wire cutters and I will help make an onramp to I-15. The freeway is unending so you cant use the excuse that you run out of space.;-)
I will bring an oversized load banner for the RV. You just let me know and I will be your flag car, should be able to break the speed record by the time you get to Veges, if not I can push a little bit.:roll:
We can at least sit and drink a cold one and talk about the possibilities, I'll buy.

I'm all over the cold one opportunity. Since I like to discuss things I'll continue. :bigok:

The problem I'm talking about is not about the mile and half run distance I usually had yesterday with the wind angle we had. The issue is that the strong wind blows in particular places with regularity. You have to be in the right place at the right time to get the max speed available for the day. You have to be heading into the speed zone when the gust comes along AND be able to feel like you got the good out of it with room to slow down and turn. Yesterday, the big wind was in the last half mile at the most heading towards the eastern shoreline, so you can do the math at how fast that goes away at over 60. Worst case scenario, I could continue to trail off downwind all the way into the SE corner of the lakebed and hopefully get slowed down by then. I changed kites after 2 runs that I was concerned about getting slowed down before evasive maneuvers. My fastest run was not one of those ironically.

Wind quality has SO much to do with this. The video I posted recently of a ~54 mph run with my 12m shows how good it can be sometimes. I put away my 9m only 8 mph faster and that was due to the gusty winds we had yesterday and how smooth the winds were the 54mph day with the 12m. With high quality wind and only another 7-8 mph of wind and I'm pretty sure the 9m could pass 70.

You said it yourself, at 60mph, time and space ends quicker than you can imagine. I begin to think of other things at that point. Do I have the time and space? If not, than do I do it anyway? Or wait for another day with better conditions.
I remember watching Stephan and the others out at the same spot along the freeway day after day. Looked like the best spot for the chance of a record.

From where I sit, doesn't look like much to discuses, but I could be wrong.