Bar Length Question

[GregWoj]

Hi All... Intermediate here progressing nicely...

Question on bar lengths. What impact performance wise does a "wide" bar have on a kite that may be "too small" for the bar length. For example, I ride my 11m Cab SB (2013) most of the time but it has a 55cm bar with it. What would be the potential performance difference by using a bar that was 48cm on the same 11m sized kite? Faster / snappier turns? What is the vice versa affect? Say... using a 55cm bar on a 8m kite?

Thanks in advance

[tr3v]

Generally speaking... the wider the bar, the more responsive it is as it can pull more of the rear lines than with a narrower bar. Smaller kites are more responsive than larger kites so narrower bars are used to reduce the "sensitivity".

For the same reason, we keep our hands in the centre of the bar to avoid sudden unwanted kite movement when learning/executing many tricks.

PS. I meant to add that this comes down to riding style, personal preference and conditions.

[SLiiCK]

Hi
If you are using a 48cm bar say on your 11m instead of using your 55cm it will make the kite turn slower it will not be as responsive as the larger bar vice versa if you use a larger bar on a smaller kite it will make the kite quicker than using the smaller bar eg much more responsive to smaller movements of the bar,best to stick to the recommended size bar for kite the only times I do change my bar size if I have a kite that is too fast for the recommended bar size I will drop down a bar size or two, on the other hand if my kite is to slow for the bar I am using and what it to fly quicker I will go up a bar size. Hope this helps.
Cheers Steve

[ShaveTheWhales]

In others words
Slow pig
Fast pig
Spider pig - doh

[dyyylan]

a bigger bar may make the kite behave a little weird, though depending on the kite design. ive flown kites with too big a bar, and it can make them stall out if they try to turn faster than they can fly forward

i always go with the manufacturers recommended bar, you know it is tested and works well

[GregWoj]

Great thanks guys... As im advancing, im getting more comfortable in higher wind conditions. Therefore, Im looking into quivering down to include an 8m kite on high wind days. My dilemma, from a $$ perspective, is that I don't want to have to buy a new bar with an 8m kite and was hoping to leverage my 55cm Cab Bar (2013) and my Core Sensor Bar (45-52cm adjustable... I have a 17m XR3 for LW days). Im hoping I can just adjust my Core bar down to 45cm and it should work fine with an 8m of any brand kite that I ultimately choose. However, to Dylan's point, I may be forced into a Core XR3 8m. Which is fine... Im very happy with my XR3 17.

[bnthere]

50cm is pretty solid on everything

[Flight Time]

a bigger bar may make the kite behave a little weird, though depending on the kite design. ive flown kites with too big a bar, and it can make them stall out if they try to turn faster than they can fly forward

i always go with the manufacturers recommended bar, you know it is tested and works well

+1 on that, I have flown kites that will wrinkle the leading edge and distort if you turn them too fast, almost as if they didn't have enough pressure in the leading edge.

[dyyylan]

its worth mentioning though you can you use a big bar on anything, as long as you know fast you can turn the kite, you will get used to it pretty quick. its still not ideal but it will work until you can afford to get a different bar

[William Munney]

I use the same size bar on everything from 6m to 16. Probably not ideal, but you adjust your technique.