omg wrote: ↑Wed Dec 26, 2018 10:43 pm
What the lock mod does for the kite’s performance, please?
I have had the bridals locked on my Flites for 2 years now. As Randy said you do not lock the outer wingtip pulley, only the center and middle pulleys.
Locking does give a faster more direct feel. I feel that I jump better when using the locked bridals. I haven't noticed a difference when looping, but Flites loop fairly soft anyway.
I think you may lose a little depower and the relaunch does seem be a bit slower to me. I see some wear on the bridal lines from the pulleys as they no longer move. I don't see this as a problem on the newer Flites as they have eliminated these pulleys, keeping only the outer one.
8 and 10 m Flites are already quite fast so you may want to try it out.
Currently I run my 10m unlocked and on the slower wingtip setting as I do more foiling now. My 12 m I keep locked. It makes the speed differential less so when I move from the 12 to 10 m I don't notice it as much.
My 14.5 m is also locked and in fact have changed out some of the bridal sections to eliminate the center and middle pulley like on the newer Flites.
To lock the bridal you need a short piece of bridal or flying line. Run it through the pulley and knot the end. Separate the the bridal at the loop/knot connection point and add the new "locking" line. You will have to run the loop over 2 knots now. It easy enough to lock/unlock the lines if you leave the locking line in the pulley