Recommended bar length for Cabrinha Switchblade 12m

[espana23]

Hi,

The Cabrinha Overdrive 1X bar (2015) can be adjusted to 49cm or 57cm. I am aware of the pros and cons of using a shorter vs. a longer bar, but does anyone know what is Cabrinha's recommendation for bar length when using the 12m Switchblade? Also, what size bar do others that have the 12m Switchblade use?

Thanks.

[iriejohn]

Cabrinha 1X Trimlite Kite Bar Quickloop 2017

[Kamikuza]

I use 60cm on the 12 and 10, or 52 on the 10 and 8 depending on my mood.

[SENDIT!]

I use 60cm on the 12 and 10, or 52 on the 10 and 8 depending on my mood.

Exactly! I use the 60cm on 17 down to 12 normally. Cabrinha would normally suggest that the 12 could go on either the 60 or 52. What you're doing with the large bar is getting better leverage to turn the kite faster. Crucial for the biggest kites, becoming less so as you downsize.

Oh, and the Overdrive is 48cm-56cm, just to be accurate! Good luck!

[kiterkay]

So would it be madness to use a 2018 1x 44cm on a 2019 12m switchblade?

[Herman]

It would not be madness but it would not be optimal for average riding. However, it would allow you to be very aggressive with bar steering movement which could be useful training for some. If you are looping it in waves there may be a danger that you cannot tighten a loop hard enough to kill power when required without pulling a leader and this requires practice. Shorter bars will, arguably, just make it more wake or air style orientated !!!

PS I regularly fly a 12m Reo and a older 9m SB on 45cm bar.

[DAnderson]

I use 60cm on the 12 and 10, or 52 on the 10 and 8 depending on my mood.

Oh, and the Overdrive is 48cm-56cm, just to be accurate!

Incorrect , not that it matters
I personally would use it in the larger setting.

[Kamikuza]

I use 60cm on the 12 and 10, or 52 on the 10 and 8 depending on my mood.

Oh, and the Overdrive is 48cm-56cm, just to be accurate!

Incorrect , not that it matters
I personally would use it in the larger setting.

I was using the fixed bars at that stage.... Until the cleat chewed through the depower line

[kiterkay]

It would not be madness but it would not be optimal for average riding. However, it would allow you to be very aggressive with bar steering movement which could be useful training for some. If you are looping it in waves there may be a danger that you cannot tighten a loop hard enough to kill power when required without pulling a leader and this requires practice. Shorter bars will, arguably, just make it more wake or air style orientated !!!

PS I regularly fly a 12m Reo and a older 9m SB on 45cm bar.

Really helpful, thank you. My level isn't up to looping but it would be interesting to see how it feels. I usually ride F-one but I've borrowed Cabrinha kit and I find the bar is too far away, I have to jump from the ground to reach it when launching, and yank the centre lines in the water. Not ideal, and of course the deposed is also nearly out of reach. I'm tall, 5ft 10in, so I don't understand this. Someone said I could adjust the distance but it would negatively affect the depower. Thoughts?

[Herman]

There are many ways to set up a bar and I use both long throw and short throw for different circumstances. However for kites in the normal sizes for normal riding at 5ft 10 I would expect you to be able to set a bar up so that it is within reach at the end of its throw, if that is what you want. An older common design was to have a movable cleat.

To be suitable for a particular kite the bar has to cover the kites sheeting range, onset of backstall to slack rear lines/depowered. Let’s say that is 600mm. To cover this you could have a bar with no trim and a throw of 600mm. Or you could have a bar with 400mm throw and 200mm of trim. Obviously the ergonomics would be different but both bars would be usable.

Just for completeness you can guess the length the rear leaders.......... 600mm plus any bar attachment pigs etc. It is also worth noting that smaller kites have smaller sheeting range, therefore non bespoke bars will often have more sheeting range than required for the smaller kites in the kite line up.

PS when I say 200mm of trim this refers to length of the trim or as some call it the depower strap. All the above is simplistically speaking.