So, was looking at some buggy videos and I came across this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKqknh1MIwM

Is this what you guys do with buggys?

Oh hell no! My buggy weighs 131lbs. Those guys are sponsored and don't have to worry about breaking them.And those buggies don't weigh 50 lbs..

Well ..... yes and no.

There are sort of 3 skills shown there.

It starts with some big race buggies. The are heavy and built for speed. Very popular in North America and great for Dry Lakes / big beaches.

Flying the kite 360 degrees like that is pilot skills.

The main focus is on Freestyle. Very few people in North America are into big air with their buggies. It is hard on both the equipment and body.
Freestyle also includes Spinning, riding backwards and 2 wheeling. All good things to learn in case things go bad.

I think a lot of us wish we could ride like Helen. That Grrrrl has skillz !!!!!

Awesome video, thanks for the find. The video has two types of buggies in it, one is the full on race buggies which are usually quite heavy, have larger wheel bases and longer rear axles. These are for higher speeds and are the ones you see rocketing down the beach. The freestyle buggies are the smaller ones that they are using for jumping and big airs. As mentioned above, they are usually fairly light and have been reinforced in all the stress areas. Basic freestyle stuff like 360's, wheelies, two wheeling, spins, backwards riding and such can be done with a normal off-the-shelf buggy like the Peter Lynn's or the Flexi bugs (like in the video - which are quite hard to get a hold of in the states). These maneuvers are not that stressfull on the buggy and are a blast to do. If you want air, you will probably want to pick up a couple extra rear axle's and frame rail sets just in case.

It's all fun though, get a buggy and start learning. You will not regret it.

I'm in the race buggy crowd. I like to go fast and get as much out of the kite and wind as the system can make use of. I want all wheels on the ground all the time. Speed runs are an adrenaline rush for me. Think of it like driving a car that someone else is remotely operating the gas pedal. You're never really sure when you're going to feel the acceleration from the kite. Upwind turns, and suicide gybes are both useful when trying to go fast.

I get a little tense when a wheel comes off the ground... :o Actually it scares the $*^# out of me , ever since Nov.14 2010. Yeah ,I remember the date.

Not taking a solitary thing from those guys (man they've got skills!) but it appears that we see less than half the jump landings in this video. I wonder how the other landings turned out? Just something to think about before leaping into this.... :o

Quote: Originally posted by Windstruck

Not taking a solitary thing from those guys (man they've got skills!) but it appears that we see less than half the jump landings in this video. I wonder how the other landings turned out? Just something to think about before leaping into this.... :o

There is a reason..

Yeah the video only had 5 thumbs up. I think I'll get a buggy although someone was telling me it's not hard to weld one together. Then again I'm not a welder so might be hard so I'll wait to find one.

Thanks for the input on the buggys I didn't know there was two types I think I'll want a speed one I like driving fast.

There is a third kind too ,it's called the "suicide buggy". Check this out.

I think I'm going to finally make one of these. I gotta try it!

Lol isn't that like the Peter Lynn buggy the light beginner model?

What makes this a "suicide" model is how narrow the wheel base is. It would be super easy to get flipped out of that thing. Remember, the pull from the kite comes more or less from the side....

I suppose I'd argue that there is (at least) one other major category of buggy, namely "BigFoot" models. Neither as heavy or fast as the racing style but wider and beefier than the freestyle types. IMHO, the BF is the sweet spot for comfort, stability, and decent speed. Importantly, BF tires also don't tear up grass fields, a crucial attribute for staying in the good graces of the groundskeeper at your local athletic fields, a must for continued access.

Look closer.... LOL

Maybe this will help

Quote: Originally posted by WELDNGOD

Look closer.... LOL

DOH!!!!! Now I see. I was on my phone and hadn't blown up the pic. Now that's funny.

I just figured it out as well lol. I've not seen one of those before.

So basically its all in your leg strength wow.
So how much upper body strength do you need to move the bigger kites?

You don't move the kite the wind and the Bernoulli effect do that. LOL

Quote: Originally posted by lceliz

So basically its all in your leg strength wow. So how much upper body strength do you need to move the bigger kites?

As you will look back and realize, your question is a classic one for somebody just starting out. What you will come to know are a few basic things. First, there are three basic ways you get connected to a traction kite. First, you can hold two handles in your hands and resist all the force with your arms and core muscles. Second, you can be wearing a harness that has a hook or pulley in the front and you can use a "strop" (cord between the two handles) that gets hooked into the harness to put the force into your body and off your arms. Third, you can have various types of bar systems that get hooked into a hook on the harness usually via a "chicken loop".

Second major point: size of kite doesn't really determine pull. What determines pull in the simplest terms is a factor of both kite size AND wind speed. If you want to buggy at a certain speed and ferocity, for example, you will need a larger and larger kite to generate the force to do this as the wind speed drops. Conversely, as the wind speed increases you need smaller and smaller kites to generate the same amount of force. Thus the oh-so-affordable kite quiver... :saint:

Wow, that's crazy cool video. Definitely looks like it will hurt a lot if you screw up. The 360 kite maneuver is sweet.

I'm working on cloning a Peter Lynn Classic buggy and will start a thread about it soon. I definitely looking for all your input about features, performance, and ergonomics. I plan on fabricating it and will share the design with you all shortly. Gotta get it built or bought before WBB!! So much to do this summer, yet so little time.

Quote: Originally posted by WELDNGOD

There is a third kind too ,it's called the "suicide buggy". Check this out.

Now that and a Pansh Ace would be sweeeeet!!

Quote: Originally posted by lceliz

So, was looking at some buggy videos and I came across this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKqknh1MIwM Is this what you guys do with buggys?

the simple answer is yes!! its no fun unless you are flying!!

In this video they show more landings and you can really see the stresses on the buggy and rider.
Note the beefed up double tubed axles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rL8fcvFBzf8

I'm not into all that, it scares me. My wife and I just like to cruise around.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDGhiSsZIM4