How to breake when on high speed

So as a respect and to continue the talk that "hijacked" Jeff's post about 'Life after accident' (:wink2, I'll be happy to hear some newer ways (then I do anyway..) about how you guys slow down / stop when you reach high speed with the buggy ?
Please mention the wind condition, as I think it's a major contributor to the way of stopping your ride.

On a beach or grass sliding can be fun and effective. Riding on the lakebed all the time we have to be concerned with tire wear so we try not to slide if it isn't necessary. I say "we" but Wexler finished off 2 front tires the last day of NABX while playing with a 14m HQ Montana. Depending on the wind/kite combo, it can be possible to edge upwind without actually sliding and still slow down. While learning basics you shouldn't be riding overpowered anyway, so the upwind edge will bring things to a halt. Just leave room for if a gust adds in power when you don't want it.

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Originally posted by deanaoxo On the Dry Lake's kite should always be low. Avoid OBE! Low, to go slow! aoxomoxoa

I had to keep mine high while turning into the wind to slow down, down low it ripped from my hands, there was one time that I did speed up doing this but thankfully there was enough room I just stuck with it till I was able to start slowing. so Im guessing "low, to go slow" applies when (edit) using a harness? I was not to concerned about an obe going high becouse I wasn't using a harness and I was using a grip on the handles that I learned from a previous thread

LOL .. funny...thanks

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Originally posted by MDK Quote: Originally posted by deanaoxo On the Dry Lake's kite should always be low. Avoid OBE! Low, to go slow! aoxomoxoa I had to keep mine high while turning into the wind to slow down, down low it ripped from my hands, there was one time that I did speed up doing this but thankfully there was enough room I just stuck with it till I was able to start slowing. so Im guessing "low, to go slow" applies when (edit) using a harness? I was not to concerned about an obe going high becouse I wasn't using a harness and I was using a grip on the handles that I learned from a previous thread

The trick is working the kite down low along the EDGE avoiding the power zone. It is a bit tricky and takes some commitment but pays off in spades once you are low.

Down low and back in the window equals a HUGE power burst. Once you have the kite down there you have 3 choices. Cut upwind and slow down. Add a touch of brake so the kite falls back and shoot downwind in a power boost or find a nice balance and cruise. With the kite low like that scrubbing speed by sliding is also an option. Once you get used to it this is the least risky way to ride. It is a bit counter intuitive so is something you must teach yourself to do.

Keep it Low and Go, fast or slow !

:wee:

Hi soliver,
First, feel free to make ANY comment you like, I always enjoy other ppl's experience/knowledge and tips, so no need to apologize.

As I said before, I like to say that I'm a "YouTube certified", meaning everything I've learned, was from watching clips and reading post all over the net. The reason I'm turning with the kite a bit high is because I figure that when I'm half way into the turn, the kite is dropping down to the power zone, and kinda complete the turn for me (it also makes me make a nice sense of 'drifting turn with some splash ). To tell you it's the right way, I won't, and only from the reason that it did pulled me too much at times, making me ether drift too much or having the OBE feeling (haha...making some use of a new definition I've learn here..).
I'll be so happy to learn other -and much more safer- ways to do so, yet sometimes it's hard to imaging or picture in your head what you read here from other and much more experienced rider's tips. That is one of the reason I'm dying to meet other buggiers, so I can see with my own eyes how it's been done the proper way.
I'm still trying to figure out how to turn with the kite lower while in motion, cause the way I do it, it seems like when I put the kite lower while in speed, the kite just generate more power and pull, something that tells me that if I won't slow first, I will fly out when try to turn.
I know I still have a lot to learn, but I'm trying to have some fun while doing so....kinda hard to stay on the learning path all the time when you know you can "just cruise" with the wind...

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Originally posted by AviN Sorry MDK.....I just can't see it or spot what I'm doing different...:dunno: Maybe you can point me to the right minute in that clip..?

min. 620 i believe is a down turn. you may have been doing this, dunno I would have to watch your vid again. it was soliver that I was responding to about the down turns. Heh...I started another thread on turns in this section

brakes, turns...doesn't matter, we're all learning :-)

Unfortunately it will be hard to see in my video the turns I make, since the cam is not steady and you can't really see me turn (again, it was a cell phone camera without the ability to zoom in, so when I do turn, I'm far from the camera..)

Thanks anyway..I will watch it again

Edited : Just saw it again, looks exactly what I'm doing, raising the kite and half way in, the kite goes down into the power zone, pulling and completing the turn....correct me if I'm wrong

in your vid someone is doing up turns....er I guess thats what you call them heh...we got new guys teaching new guys here.. the experienced pilots will sit back and have a chuckle for sure a down turn is when you take the kite up high and turn down and complete a loop under and back the other direction as you turn down wind. eesh the best I can do to explain. your turns looked fine tho... the kite looked powered up and no trouble. I think up turns or apex turns are most common anyway. but maybe someone with experience should comment on this

I've embraced the downturns this past year. I used to get a little shaken by the speed and always started to think "Okay, now I better think about how to slow down". Quite often I'd let the kite ride up to zenith (my arcs would do it all on their own), edge and when life came back to reasonable for me I'd turn. Since dropping the arcs to get used to the FSers I found that letting the kite drift up resulted in some pretty serious lift, pulling me off my edge. I slowed, sure but I also lost a pile of my upwind gains.

I was told a couple of years ago about the down low, edge hard theory but at speed I'm still a little chicken. I trust the sources that told me as well as the sources above and do make a conscious effort to 'try' each time I'm out but it still hasn't clicked. Sometimes I think I just gotta learn (and master) the air gybe - that seems to be the most immediate STOP that I could think of....but you may be a few dozen feet UP once stopped.....then you have to come DOWN

I kinda like the way the downturn and the resulting path in the snow/sand looks like a big "military ribbon" when I shoot right back across my tracks - already zipping upwind out of the turn.

MDK, same here with that 2nd page, I wonder why it's doing that....yet I will try what Bob offered
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Just came back from the beach, wind was not strong enough, but enough for me to try that 'down under' turn. Honestly, I think the upper side worked better for me. Maybe it was the low wind, but I've found that down under doesn't give me enough pull to 'sling' me out from the turn, as much as the high kite turn.

You've read my mind John, the 'one hand' grip (well, and lets be unest, less work) is what makes the bar (I think) more appealing.
When I started with that sport, I've practice with handles only. Only when I went on the water, I've discovered the greatness of the bar and how much less work it takes from you.
I know that you'll get more controll with the handles, since it's like steering with 4 wheels, but woooww to the sore muscles after the session....

Sorry to make such a big stink with the "down turn" bit,... Just wanted to share my good experience with it.

AviN, lets just both keep doing whatever works and eventually we'll be cool enough to not be newbies anymore....

so at what point am I allowed to not be considered a newby?

just askin'.

Good one soliver .....

I think we're always be newby, just cause there is so much to learn, and on top of that, the pro riders just come up everyday with something new....just making it too hard to follow.

You know what they say : "if it burns it's working" (so we're not shaving, but it still hurt when we fall :frog::saint: )

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Originally posted by BeamerBob I've been at this for 5 years and I'm still asking questions, so while not a newby, still consider myself learning. Every time out. You guys are just on a steeper learning curve right now. Keep the passion and put the time in and the stuff you are stressing about now, you won't be thinking about a year from now.

Thanks Bob, much appreciated

Ok, I'm supposed to be working now, so back to the salt mine!!!

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I know that you'll get more controll with the handles, since it's like steering with 4 wheels, but woooww to the sore muscles after the session....

Don't forget, you can add a strop/pulley and quick release and use handles with a harness too which should alleviate the sore muscles. And I've seen plenty of folk happily able to steer one handed in that situation. Although I find I tend to sit more side-on when using handles and front on when using the bar. Spend a bit of time with both and see which you prefer...

I thought OBE was odd but effective..........................:duh::duh: