20 replies to this topic

[Guru4tru]

Ok...I spent all the money I'm permitted for the rest of my life!! But, I should receive my Racing Rods in the next day or two for "My Most Beautiful" Elvira (Blk/Rainbow mid-vent). Ah...Yes...how expensive the women in my life are.

I will be keeping the rods under lock and key along with my Lazer Pro Gold line, because their cost is now exceeding the value of my house that I had to morgage to buy them!!
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But, I would like to hear from the experienced ones out there on a question I have...

If the wind is "really" light..just enough to barely get Elvira's beautiful legs off the ground...would you put 2 wraps or Racing Rods inside her? :confused!:
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And don't say, "Buy a Zen!" (Maybe, in my next life!)
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Keep It Up!
Duane

[Choccy]

Guru4tru, on 28 January 2010 - 01:03 PM, said:

would you put 2 wraps or Racing Rods inside her? :confused!:

Howdy Duane

I believe some use the race rods pretty much most of the time in light wind...

some even like to use their race rods in their venteds when the wind picks up!

have fun experimenting and seeing your preference.

no idea if it's a fashion thing but the RRs were all the rage when they first came out.

[BillLamm]

now that the new zen rods are out I am going to watch for race rod deals at my local rummage sales

[Jeepster]

BillLamm, on 28 January 2010 - 04:22 PM, said:

now that the new zen rods are out I am going to watch for race rod deals at my local rummage sales

Oh Bill, that's just plain mean!!! Truthful, but mean!!

Cheers,
Tom

[Guru4tru]

Jeepster, on 28 January 2010 - 04:57 PM, said:

BillLamm, on 28 January 2010 - 04:22 PM, said:

now that the new zen rods are out I am going to watch for race rod deals at my local rummage sales

Oh Bill, that's just plain mean!!! Truthful, but mean!!

Cheers,
Tom

AHHH...NOOOO! You've gotta be kidding!!

"Zen Rods" are now the way to go?!?!...A day before my Racing Rods will show up...their "out" and Zen is "in"! :confused!:

(I'm going to have to try to sell my wife on EBAY again... )

Keep It Up!
Duane

[Jeepster]

Guru4tru, on 28 January 2010 - 05:59 PM, said:

AHHH...NOOOO! You've gotta be kidding!!

"Zen Rods" are now the way to go?!?!...A day before my Racing Rods will show up...their "out" and Zen is "in"! :confused!:

(I'm going to have to try to sell my wife on EBAY again... )

Keep It Up!
Duane

Duane,

Keep this quiet ... don't tell anyone else.

Don't get caught up in chasing that elusive "thing" that others lead you to believe will instantly make you into an accomplished, but older, JB. If you enjoy chasing the latest great thing, and you can afford it, than go for it. However, realize that the only thing that will make you into a great kite flier is hours and hours of very enjoyable practice.

At our club get together, it's interesting to watch the beginners become grounded when the wind starts to die down. Next, the intermediate fliers to come to ground. Finally, there will be one member still flying ... with an old, well worn SLE. If it was windy earlier in the day, he probably installed 3-wrap rods and was too lazy to take them out as the wind died down. So, old equipment, wrong equipment, and not the latest, newest, best thing, and yet, he's flying when the rest of us are unable.

The difference is practice ... sorry, just plain old ordinary practice. Oh yes, there is one thing that can really speed up the learning curve. Fly with others every chance you get. It's amazing what you can pick up flying with others. And, ask for help!!! I asked Bazzer once how to do a reverse tip pivot ... in five minutes he made the process so clear that I was able to do it before the day was over ... maybe they looked a bit goofy, but they looked good to me!

Cheers,
Tom

[BillLamm]

Sorry Duane... wasn't trying to bust your bubble... I will probably get race rods before zen rods... I'm too new to kites to say but in most other things my success is 20% or 30% equipment and 70% or 80% passion or practice

[Baloo]

You take care in case you end up in the negative equity trap Duane.

I like Race Rods and will fly with them any time I can. Use them in full mid and full vent sails.

Then of course you can go for hybrid sets. Race in middle with 2 wraps in the outer. 3 wrap middle, Race outers, etc, etc.

You just be sure to have fun.

[FortFlyer]

Jeepster, on 28 January 2010 - 08:01 PM, said:

Guru4tru, on 28 January 2010 - 05:59 PM, said:

AHHH...NOOOO! You've gotta be kidding!!

"Zen Rods" are now the way to go?!?!...A day before my Racing Rods will show up...their "out" and Zen is "in"!

(I'm going to have to try to sell my wife on EBAY again... )

Keep It Up!
Duane

Duane,

Keep this quiet ... don't tell anyone else.

Don't get caught up in chasing that elusive "thing" that others lead you to believe will instantly make you into an accomplished, but older, JB. If you enjoy chasing the latest great thing, and you can afford it, than go for it. However, realize that the only thing that will make you into a great kite flier is hours and hours of very enjoyable practice.

At our club get together, it's interesting to watch the beginners become grounded when the wind starts to die down. Next, the intermediate fliers to come to ground. Finally, there will be one member still flying ... with an old, well worn SLE. If it was windy earlier in the day, he probably installed 3-wrap rods and was too lazy to take them out as the wind died down. So, old equipment, wrong equipment, and not the latest, newest, best thing, and yet, he's flying when the rest of us are unable.

The difference is practice ... sorry, just plain old ordinary practice. Oh yes, there is one thing that can really speed up the learning curve. Fly with others every chance you get. It's amazing what you can pick up flying with others. And, ask for help!!! I asked Bazzer once how to do a reverse tip pivot ... in five minutes he made the process so clear that I was able to do it before the day was over ... maybe they looked a bit goofy, but they looked good to me!

Cheers,
Tom

Very Sound advice and probably the best you'll ever get right there. With experience you can spank just about anyone with a old EXP in hardly any wind.

Race rods are great for their ability to spring back to shape after loading up usually good in a standard sail up to about 10mph after that they get a bit squishy but would work great in a vented from 5-15mph (with practice)

Enjoy them they are great.

[quaa714]

Whenever the wind drops it is a steady progression of kites coming back to earth.
Same when when there are strong or subtle wind shifts where the edges change rapidly, etc.
People complain the wind is this or that and the kite is this or that.
Ask anyone that knows me and they'll tell you what I say..........

YOU fly the kite, the kite doesn't fly YOU!

Basically the advice given by others above is sound. You just need to get out there and fly and fly and then fly some more.

With respect to the race rods. They are normally my go to set up on all kites when flying alone or just bumping around the sky with others, but when flying team, one needs consistency so you go with the masses and use the same.
Since you are new and not yet really flying on line with anyone, it's important to try different set ups.
The thing is, this hobby/sport is so subjective. You really need to experiment and decide what works best for you. As you improve you will be able to make the snap, on field decision on what suits your style the best.

Caveat here....while at TI earlier this month, Ben handed me a set of ZEN rods for my B series kite and said "have at it". Where a lot of people say the race rods flex and then snap back at the outside of the leading edges quickly after the sail has loaded up and come out of the heavy pressure zone, I found the ZEN Rods to load up in an entirely different manner. The flex comes more from the center of the leading edge and slightly stiffer on the outsides of the leading edge. Makes the sail load up in a different way. I found them to be a little less forgiving then the race rods but a whole lot more precise in feeling the kite throughout the window. What I noticed most was that I used less pressure on my fingers to give input to the kite, making the turns that much more precise.
LOVING IT!

The above said.....I haven't taken those 1.5 ZEN rods out of my full sail yet. Today however, I'm gonna put them in my mid vent and check out their characteristics in a kite with holes.

Keep pushing the envelope Duane. There is nothing you can try that won't encourage you to try some more!