Matteo V wrote: ↑Mon Jan 13, 2020 4:28 pm
One thing I don't get about you guys who get rid of the chicken loop and just have a release, is that you wind up putting a spacer above the release anyway. Some use knots, and some just have a fixed extra distance to make up for where the chicken loop would be.
Everyone I have asked in person about this explains that it is uncomfortable to be always using the kite with the bar so close to you where your arms are pretty much pointed downwards. Obviously it's more comfortable to have your arms out a little bit on the bar instead of right up against your body. So where is the benefit in getting rid of the chicken loop if you just make a spacer for that distance anyway?
As always, there are multiple reasons to have a short connector/release.
Pivot point
Getting rid of the chicken loop is not necessarily about shortening the distance between the harness and the bar. I dislike the traditional hook - it's bulky and in the way and it extends the pivot point further from your center.
Posture
I did however shorten the distance from the harness to the bar, mostly because I use a seat harness and I tend to ride fairly powered with the kite low. This means the kite lines are angled about 90deg away from my torso, so trimming the kite is more a forwards/backwards movement than up/down. In this use case it's very comfortable to ride with the bar close to your center.
Preference
Yet another reason I like to have a short connector is it gives me the option to trim the kite past its 100% power point, i.e. effectively backstall it. My lines are generally set up with about 5cm of overtrim.
Because I have a short connector and no hook, even with the overtrim, I can run the 100% power point at about 20cm from my harness - If I keep my back straight and arms relaxed with elbows down then I can manage the trim between 50% and 100% all day long.