Convert 2016 Best GP bar to four lines possible?

[oshaugho]

Is it possible to easily convert a 2015 Best GP 5 line to a four line with single line flag out safety? There are some really good deals going on these bars and I think the specs of the lines alone make these a great and also the small 42cm size which is perfect for small kite freestyle.

Does anyone know how far up the front lines split and is it just a case of attaching the flag out line to one if the front lines and removing the fifth or is it much more difficult than that.

Thanks guys.

[Sun]

I will take a look at my 2014 bar tonight. It should be reasonably simple, especially if you are willing to do a mini-fifth by splicing the existing 5th line into one of the two front lines. They are damn good bars, only thing I dislike is the QR. Replace it with a North or F-one QR and the bar is pretty bulletproof.

[dylan*]

I will take a look at my 2014 bar tonight. It should be reasonably simple, especially if you are willing to do a mini-fifth by splicing the existing 5th line into one of the two front lines. They are damn good bars, only thing I dislike is the QR. Replace it with a North or F-one QR and the bar is pretty bulletproof.

i could be wrong but i think 2016 is the year where they switched over to the north QR. unless they kept the oldschool release for the gp bar

[Sun]

You are correct. In 2016 they started calling it the BLK bar. Very similar to the 2015 and prior years, but they have the bombproof North Ironheat QR. I should know, I have it too.

I did not have time to dig out the old bar tonight. I will get some photos up this weekend so that you can decide if you want to convert it to a four-line bar.

[swimmer]

Yes you can. The front lines are 19m and back lines are 22m so the front line split is 3m up which still makes it a relatively low Y split bar.

It's fairly straightforward:

1) Remove the metal leash ring off the red safety line at the QR.
2) Pull out the red safety line from the QR and bar.
3)Disconnect the red safety line from the 5th line and wind up the 5th (save if you plan to use the bar in 5line mode or as a spare front line).
4)Use a pliers or a screw driver to pull out one of the metal retaining squares from the black splitter that holds a side front line. This line will become your new flag line.
5) Remover the metal retainer from the line and the piece of tubing just above the line.
6) Insert the front line back through the splitter and attach the red safety line to it.
7) Re-thread the red line back through the bar and QR
reattach the metal ring to the red line.

Pics below. First one is how the splitter looks 4-line mode and bottom one in original 5-line setup. I have a video of the process somewhere too...
Should only take about 5min to change it to 4-lines.

No guarantees with this mod! Make sure to test if the safety/flagging properly works with your kite and also check for wear and tear periodically.
Enjoy

[oshaugho]

Hey Swimmer thank you so much this is exactly what I was thinking but wasn't sure without seeing one.

Have you personally done this and tested it on flagging or are you just hypothesizing? I

If you could post or pm me the video you mentioned that would be amazing!

[dylan*]

What he describes is how virtually all modern flagging systems work, so it should be fine as long as the hole is big enough for the line to easily slide through. I'd also check that there aren't any sharp edges or bits of plastic that could cause the line to wear over time as it slides around, since it could cause it to fray and eventually jam... this is the issue with Switch bars, for example.

[oshaugho]

Yea that's really what I wanna know. Will the flag out line pass easily through the hole in the quick release. If so it should be easy. Can just add a stopped ball to the front like that is attached to the flag out line and have a perfect 4 line system.

[Peert]

Hey Swimmer thank you so much this is exactly what I was thinking but wasn't sure without seeing one.

Have you personally done this and tested it on flagging or are you just hypothesizing? I

If you could post or pm me the video you mentioned that would be amazing!

I have done exactly the same, but I am not 100% happy with it. The flagout length is a bit too short for my 7m cabo. Fine for the 4m.

Just bought some dyneema to change this.
I also have the red bar so no problem to copy the exact setup there...

[oshaugho]

Hi Perrt

Are you saying that the flag out line with front line attached will not pass through the quick release and therefore only flags 3m? If so then it will not depower correctly.

I was under the impression that if I attached the flag out line to a front line and removed the fifth line then it would work line any other 4 line single line flag out system.