I am a beginner/intermediate and have only flown kites with bars and none with handles.

I am curious to know how big of a transition is it going from one to another. Is there a big learning curve or is difficult readjusting from one to the other?

Alex

2m Sensei
3m Sensei
7m CO2
11m SS T2

MBS Core 90
Crzyfly Allround 154

I started on a bar and moved to handles (but I've flown sport kites for years) and found the transition quite simple. I hadn't flown on a bar in maybe 3 years but had the opportunity to fly a beamer on a bar not too long ago and did not like it at all.

Handles are so much better for fixed bridles. If you can fly the kite, then you'll be able to fly it on handles no problem and I think you'll appreciate the extra brake input.

Start off with pull turns as those will most be like the turns you can execute on a bar. Once you're comfortable with the handling of the kite you cand start doing brake turns which are great (to turn right, pull the brake end of the right handle towards you by pointing the top of the handle at the kite. The kite will turn on its tip. To speed it through an even faster turn, give a little with the left brake at the same time.)

Just be careful - once you experience the amazing control on handles you'll have a hard time with the bars ; )

I'm in the same boat as B-roc. I learned on a bar, then moved to handles. The transition was easy for me, and I ended up enjoying handles more because you can really pull one arm in/push one arm out to turn faster, you can brake turn to spin the kite, and you can reverse launch if necessary.

The steering principle is the same, just imagine you have a really wide bar.

I haven't flown bars much, I find it really clunky. But I only fly fixed bridles (so far, intermediate is where I would put myself, long way to go b4 i would say i'm advanced) and handles are where it's at. The degree of control is way way better.

I would find bars harder to fly, handles much easier. If you use a strop between the powers on the handles to go to a harness, that's a little diff, but easier than a bar, still lots more control.

Unintended brake line use can be confusing, make sure you know what you are doing with the brakes. Keep your hands moving in parallel lines close to each other, don't spread your arms out. pull turns first, push/ pull second, then push / pull with brakes. push pull with lots of brake can spin both my 5m and my 6.5 nearly around the middle (root) of the kite, deflates the kite though after a couple of fast spins not enough pressure coming in through the leading edge vents as nearly half the kite is moving backwards.

I haven't tried the thing B-roc says with a little brake on one side and lots on the other for really quick turns, but I guess that's what the crossover on my 6.5 is supposed to do, I'll try it next time out.

Not much learning curve, really, you will likely really like it. I'd be surprised if you found it hard, just a little tricky, like going from steering a big bus to steering a quick little sports car. think schoolbus vs lotus elise....

Make sure you can have enough brake tension to back the kite down (brake ends pointing at you) and also that you can slack the brakes off enough (brake ends pointing at kite) so the lines are a bit slack like in a slight curve as compared to the powers being perfectly straight.

and remember some kites do not like alot of brake input, so you gotta keep very little pressure on them. Oh yeah , make sure the power lines are between your index and middle fingers (so all the pressure and pull stays on the power lines).

I started with a bar and then got a handles in the first few months and use both almost equally. There is no problem to switch, each has advantages and disadvantages as you can see some like one over the other but for me I like both and will change out the system as conditions change.

Ditto !

Quote:

Originally posted by kitedemon I started with a bar and then got a handles in the first few months and use both almost equally. There is no problem to switch, each has advantages and disadvantages as you can see some like one over the other but for me I like both and will change out the system as conditions change.

I found the transition to be easy.

For fixed bridle kites, handles is where its at, in my opinion, though I have yet to try any freestyle type tricks with handles. Just flying, cruising on a board, I prefer handles. I am learning how to fly on bars right now, and there is just less control input from bars.

My transition is opposite, I guess.... handles to bars, and I am finding it a bit tricky. Maybe if I had proper wind, it would be easier

I started out on handles and made a somewhat half-hearted move to a bar, while still using handles.
The problem with that is, most bar keeps don't like you buzzing their customers while you are placing your order.
After a few tries at this, I found that landing first and then placing my order at the bar was much easier for me , and safer
for the others in the bar around me. Besides the bar tender wouldn,t get to upset with me unless I tried to pour my own
pint while using a REV to operate the beer tap.

I like to fly smaller, fast foils on handles. Handles offer much more finess and control. I use a crossover bar for larger fixed bridled foils. But my personal favorite are depowers on a bar... but that's just me.