Most of the hot wire setups I have seen use a floating DRing. That allows the CG to move from side to side reducing the top heavy issue and puts the
pull on the side rail. But if you feel safe....
Appex buggy, Libre hardcore buggies.
Flexboardz. Blokarts.
PKD Century Soulflys. NPW's. Nasa Stars.
A few other less flown oddballs,
Line sets from 10" to 328" or 2m to 100m.
worlds only AQR that works.
North American distributor for PKD.
"Kite Bugging is not an addiction until you try to quit".
I've always thought too much about how bad things could go wrong with a Hotwire. I've had bruises and abrasions from my harness after a hard day of
riding so I see the benefits. Remember, a manual safety is for after the first time you hit the ground.
Coastal Wind Sports Team Rider Landsegler Disc wheels
PTW Hero Buggy - XXtreme ApeXX Buggy US 88 - Libre Hardcore IvanpahBuggyExpo.com Youtube link
Bob Muse
HQ Montana X 8m, Montana IX 12m, HQ Ignition LEI 5m,
PL Phantom 12m, 15m, Big Blu 24m+, Synergy 10m, Venom 10m, 13m , Phantom II 12m Vapors 3.8, 5.4, Crosskite Sonic 7m, PKD Combat 10.3m
Uturn Butane 2.5m PKD Buster 3m Genetrix Hydra 7m Ozone Yakuza GT 14m
Most of the hot wire setups I have seen use a floating DRing. That allows the CG to move from side to side reducing the top heavy issue and puts the
pull on the side rail. But if you feel safe....
This comment gave me a thought and I'm going to mock up a design with a carabiner pinned to each side rail and a piece of webbing going taught from
biner to biner with a ring (well some rings but bunched together) floating freely on the taught line. I'll then hook my chicken loop to the rings.
The idea here is as bigkid said with the rings going freely from side to side depending on the tack. I figure this way the rings will rest against
the downwind biner and pull from that side, in a sense compressing the downwind biner as compared to tugging on the upwind biner as my V-1.0 design
pictured above would do. The thought here is to reduce the high-side tipping force and drive the setup from the downwind rail.
To all of my good PKF friends sending me very well intended "Danger Will Robinson, Danger" notes, please know they are not falling on deaf ears. I am
simply experimenting under controlled conditions with underpowered kites. I want to get turtled almost as little as I want to get lofted again.
I was sining the kite like crazy yesterday just to stay moving on a soccer field; I'm hardly screaming down the playa. I'm with BigKid, Beamer Bob
and WG with thoughts about being hotwired in a setting such as a long fast beach run or Ivanpah, and I know ssayre has noted not liking to hotwire in
sketchy wind conditions. What I'm doing now is more like Driving Miss Daisy cruising on grass just to work through some things while also keeping my
bride in my life. She likes the idea of me hotwiring because of the added weight reducing the lofting issue. Yes, I hear it coming..... again I say
trade offs, trade offs, trade offs; not all of this is driven by pure kiting logic.
Honestly, what sounds the safest is bigkid's FB release system. My issue is that I have all DP kites at this point and don't want to retool just for
buggying since my strongest interest in this sport is in the winter on skis.
My AQR is able to be modified for use with the chicken loop. I have made 3 of them so far.
One more would add up to 4.....
Appex buggy, Libre hardcore buggies.
Flexboardz. Blokarts.
PKD Century Soulflys. NPW's. Nasa Stars.
A few other less flown oddballs,
Line sets from 10" to 328" or 2m to 100m.
worlds only AQR that works.
North American distributor for PKD.
"Kite Bugging is not an addiction until you try to quit".
I have the upmost respect for wg, bb, and bS-P-A-M-L-I-N-K-s advice and warnings, however, hotwire with mid-aspect fb is a very different thing from
hotwire with peaks and I assume access. Yes, no kite is 100% safe, but there is a spectrum of "safer" kites that can't be ignored. especially when
flown inland. As with any activity, the approach of the person, in this case the kiter, kite choice/size, and reading conditions is going to be the
deciding factor in a successful hotwire mission. Also the goals of the kiter. I just go out with the goal to have some fun and I'm not looking to
push boundaries every time out. I don't track my speed and I'm not trying to set any records.
Also, the heavier the buggy, the more power you hold done, but the more dangerous it becomes in the event of a flip. I feel extremely safe with
hotwire after some time spent with it. If I turtle, I have a 30 lb buggy on top of me.
Basically a flexible backrest and a hotwire was my way around getting a larger, heavier, higher side rail buggy. My side rails on the pl aren't high
enough to hold me in while riding fast on bumpy ground. I always have that feeling like I'm going to get tossed out when harnessed. The hotwire is
an inexpensive way to remedy a lot of the problems I was encountering and a way to hold down a little more power without having to make expensive
modifications to the buggy or replacing it altogether. Not saying it turns it into a "good" buggy that will handle real speed, but it does help with
staying planted in my seat while traversing my rough terrain.
Honestly, what sounds the safest is bigkid's FB release system. My issue is that I have all DP kites at this point and don't want to retool just for
buggying since my strongest interest in this sport is in the winter on skis.
My AQR is able to be modified for use with the chicken loop. I have made 3 of them so far.
One more would add up to 4.....
Being one of the three, I'd like to be the first to invite you to this (so far) exclusive club :bigok:
Seriously, everything is great, right up to the point that it isn't. And it's at that point that you realize "D4MN, I shoulda' puled the safety!" I
don't see how there is a difference between getting lofted and turtled - except perhaps the strength of the gust that does it. And THAT is the $64
question, isn't it.
I've got FBs and DPs and the setup works equally well.
Full disclosure: The only time I have had a problem with the AQR is in my home field - there's a swale that leaves me light in the buggy, and the AQR
has considered that to be the start of an OBE. Better safe than the alternatives...
Only 74 days to go to WBB!
:wee:
Go ahead... tell me to "go fly a kite!" Please!
Howard - used to be KC67
Fly: A quiver of Lynx' and Cores (did someone say "Pansh"?), a couple o' Arcs, and a Rev to remind me about control
Ride: PL XR+
Where: 43.857899, -78.941661 and 38.970951, -74.828922
Honestly, what sounds the safest is bigkid's FB release system. My issue is that I have all DP kites at this point and don't want to retool just for
buggying since my strongest interest in this sport is in the winter on skis.
My AQR is able to be modified for use with the chicken loop. I have made 3 of them so far.
One more would add up to 4.....
Being one of the three, I'd like to be the first to invite you to this (so far) exclusive club :bigok:
Seriously, everything is great, right up to the point that it isn't. And it's at that point that you realize "D4MN, I shoulda' puled the safety!" I
don't see how there is a difference between getting lofted and turtled - except perhaps the strength of the gust that does it. And THAT is the $64
question, isn't it.
I've got FBs and DPs and the setup works equally well.
Full disclosure: The only time I have had a problem with the AQR is in my home field - there's a swale that leaves me light in the buggy, and the AQR
has considered that to be the start of an OBE. Better safe than the alternatives...
Only 74 days to go to WBB!
:wee:
I sent a U2U to BigKid just a couple of minutes ago about this.... :saint:
U2u returned
Yep I trashed this hotwire post, I should be shot.
Appex buggy, Libre hardcore buggies.
Flexboardz. Blokarts.
PKD Century Soulflys. NPW's. Nasa Stars.
A few other less flown oddballs,
Line sets from 10" to 328" or 2m to 100m.
worlds only AQR that works.
North American distributor for PKD.
"Kite Bugging is not an addiction until you try to quit".
umm...this is a hotwire thread. AQR nerds should be posting in a aqr thread. :P
umm...this is a Seatbelt / Hotwire / AQR thread as started by the venerable Volock. Seems us AQR nerds are more than welcome. :moon:
Nerds, hahaha
I've been called a lot of things, but never a nerd. Sounds like terd that was trying to be incognito.
Appex buggy, Libre hardcore buggies.
Flexboardz. Blokarts.
PKD Century Soulflys. NPW's. Nasa Stars.
A few other less flown oddballs,
Line sets from 10" to 328" or 2m to 100m.
worlds only AQR that works.
North American distributor for PKD.
"Kite Bugging is not an addiction until you try to quit".
...it now appears that there will be four AQRs out there
This will make the wife more at ease too...
4 and counting of 'the best AQR'....hmmnnn.... these are almost getting popular...
Outstanding video choice Tucker! It had me right up to the point where they were cutting back and forth between football players doing up-downs and
all-male group shower scenes. :barf:
umm...this is a hotwire thread. AQR nerds should be posting in a aqr thread. :P
umm...this is a Seatbelt / Hotwire / AQR thread as started by the venerable Volock. Seems us AQR nerds are more than welcome. :moon:
Wait my name is mentioned and nerd? Damn, here I thought I'd hidden my math degrees and nerd cred from all of you. I eventually will be reviving
aforementioned thread once I get cleared to kite again, to show off what I put together, but until then got to let my femur finish healing, and not
test it out.
Running proved far more accident inducing than kiting. Subsequently it may be time to give such up, with the needed exception of chasing the kite down
field when it pulls out my stake.
EDIT: Just read back to the first page of the thread and realized it was mine XD. Talk about failing there.
Steve, when you make up the 'floating ring' mod for the hotwire, make sure you can easily release that strap with one hand. Things can be mighty
confusing if/when you're upside down and you need to make sure you can release the kite and yourself quickly. Hotwiring is one instance where I see a
small roll bar on the back axle being a good head/neck saver in the event of inverted reality.
One thing you might find with having a 'floating ring' is when you change direction, the ring may slide pretty violently to the other side - watch for
anything that could get jammed in it.
Steve, when you make up the 'floating ring' mod for the hotwire, make sure you can easily release that strap with one hand. Things can be mighty
confusing if/when you're upside down and you need to make sure you can release the kite and yourself quickly. Hotwiring is one instance where I see a
small roll bar on the back axle being a good head/neck saver in the event of inverted reality.
One thing you might find with having a 'floating ring' is when you change direction, the ring may slide pretty violently to the other side - watch for
anything that could get jammed in it.
All great points John. I spoke with Jeff (BigKid) earlier today and he is going to make me his 4th AQR. I may mess around with the Hotwire a bit but
the AQR sounds like the ticket.
Jeff's AQR is great, but I can tell you from experience that the important part of Jeff's AQR is to make sure you actually use and hook into the "A"
(Auto) portion... failure to do so from thinking "Oh, I can just yank the QR if I get into trouble" doesn't actually work... I can tell you that this
is a painful mistake.
Jeff's AQR is great, but I can tell you from experience that the important part of Jeff's AQR is to make sure you actually use and hook into the "A"
(Auto) portion... failure to do so from thinking "Oh, I can just yank the QR if I get into trouble" doesn't actually work... I can tell you that this
is a painful mistake.
Ask my podiatrist how I know
Ortho porn! :o
Are you saying you had Jeff's AQR installed but just didn't use it that day, or were you saying that you (foolishly) thought you could pop the chicken
loop before anything bad happened?
I'm (fortunately) living proof too that "hope is not a strategy" and that relying on pulling the rip cord is hardly a safety valve at all. When I
retrieved all my gear there was my chicken loop still intact.
Are you saying you had Jeff's AQR installed but just didn't use it that day, or were you saying that you (foolishly) thought you could pop the chicken
loop before anything bad happened?
First off, FYI it was FB on a strop... but Yes,... I got into the bad habit of being comfortable hooked in... In my poopy lull infused wind, it was a
pain to unhook from the buggy every time the kite landed wrong and I had to go reset it, (which was VERY often) then come back hook the QR back up etc
etc etc... So I eventually just stopped using the "Auto" part of the AQR for convenience and thought I'd be fast enough to yank the QR if I needed (or
just pull the brakes). All rationalizations that did not hold up in the end. I proved myself wrong that day and ended up with that scar on my left
foot to remind me of it.
That day in particular, I was doing a lunch break session and was extra stupid, because A. I was obsessed with hitting a speed, so that was my main
focus, not so much safety, B. I was hurrying so I ignored the conditions and C. I was in a hurry so I ignored that little voice that told me I ought
hook the "Auto" back up... plus like I said I was just too comfortable hooked in so I didn't even think twice about getting out there and just ripping
it up... instead I ended up in the air too far off the ground and didn't know how best to respond and I pulled the brakes and hit the ground REALLY
hard.
I'm (fortunately) living proof too that "hope is not a strategy" and that relying on pulling the rip cord is hardly a safety valve at all. When I
retrieved all my gear there was my chicken loop still intact.
I recently acquired an AQR system from Jeff (BigKid). It is really nicely put together. There was wonderful wind today but it blew in completely the
wrong direction so no maiden voyage today!
I am going to initially use the system with DP kites and as such will be looping a chicken loop through the mechanism, not a strop line. One thing I
was concerned about was that if I strung the chicken loop through the pulley mechanism that I would build a few extra inches into the system, making
my arms really outstretched when I had the bar fully out in DP. To get around this I'm considering skipping the pulley mechanism altogether and just
run the chicken loop directly through the snap shackle as show in the second picture.
Looks like a killer setup. That's not a good term to use, looks like a well thought out and quality setup. Yeah that sounds better.:D
Appex buggy, Libre hardcore buggies.
Flexboardz. Blokarts.
PKD Century Soulflys. NPW's. Nasa Stars.
A few other less flown oddballs,
Line sets from 10" to 328" or 2m to 100m.
worlds only AQR that works.
North American distributor for PKD.
"Kite Bugging is not an addiction until you try to quit".
Steve, I've flown it without the block a couple of times, but haven't really had it tested.
My only concern is the possibility of the plastic chicken loop being "stuck" to the snapshakle (preventing a quick slide out) versus the hard metal of
the block sliding off cleanly. Seems that not using the block adds an additional pain point.
Either way, I appreciate the added safety that it provides.
(Yes, Jeff, it is. Thanks!)
Go ahead... tell me to "go fly a kite!" Please!
Howard - used to be KC67
Fly: A quiver of Lynx' and Cores (did someone say "Pansh"?), a couple o' Arcs, and a Rev to remind me about control
Ride: PL XR+
Where: 43.857899, -78.941661 and 38.970951, -74.828922
![[*]](images/perspective/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
