Wayne Dowler

As long as the 3 rods making up the leading edge are the same diameter, ie 1/4" rods, then you can mix and match to your hearts content. DO NOT MIX 1/4" rods and the bigger 1/2"(?) rods, as one will slip right over the other or might separate, causing the outer to split! Really not too difficult to seat same diameter rods, just work on getting them right. That also means getting them fully seated together for strength. Gaps can cause splitting! Some take a piece of sandpaper to the ferrules and taper them slightly!!

Just got to advertise to get answers!! Thanks Bill!

Thanks for the links!! I pulled a few pix from 1 of the threads as an example to see, YMMV!

10-4 on dragonfish's comment! The EXP has unmarked or EXP marked rods, that are 3 wraps in disguise. No difference there. There is a big difference in the SLE rods. A much larger diameter and almost no flex at all. Great learning rods, but most toss them after getting past the early crashing learning curve. Personally, I've never used them, the 3 wrap 1/4" rods provide all the strength needed. All the 1.5 rods are interchangeable in all the 1.5 size sails. To a degree, I agree on using heavier rods to learn on. The lighter rods are slightly more fragile, not bad for the experienced flier. And it's not so much a case of fragile, but they don't tolerate hits at an angle as well. But taking all this in mind, the lighter tubes do still have their place. What's important is having a certain amount of bend in the leading edge. I look for a certain amount of flex, if that gets exceeded, I either change frames or change kites. Now I haven't any experience on your Transeye (all my experience is with Revs), so I have no idea of how difficult the rods are to swap. But lighter or heavier rods (stiffness) should change the way it works. Also not sure how a mixed combination of rods in that sail might work! As for speed - I can't say that there is a direct relationship between rod weight and speed. I will say it's more about control! Too light a rod will flex too much in higher winds and you lose control. Heavier (less flexible) will return the control back to you in the same winds - but up to a point! Get conditions that are above the sail's capabilities and no rods will fix any problems. Say it's gusty - the heavy rods work great for that, but then are a burden during lulls. Not knowing, do the Rev rods match up in length? Or can you make more frames from other Sky Shark P series rods? You'll need to figure in whatever is used for ferrules also. But making your own is a definite money saving move, if you can and want to. If you do make your own, find out what you have now, so you don't duplicate what you already have!

I tried it with the limited French I understand, but an English version or way to translate would be nice!

The wrap frames are stiffer and weigh more as you go up in wraps, But they do have a similar style of flex. You are correct in that the race is more flexible, but it also has a much different way about it. The return to straight and not "bouncing" can be used to great advantage. Never have tried a set of rods made of P 90s, but have heard they are lighter for low winds.

I'd look on the member map here and on the Rev forum. Also put this post up over there on that forum! Might get in touch with some fliers that way. I know there are a bunch of UK fliers active! Someone will answer I'm sure!

I weight in with another way. I keep the bottom leaders and maybe add 1 more knot, then make my own new top ones using either 90# or 170# bridle line. The distance between knots is not anywhere near as important as making both as close to matching as possible! I use about a 1" distance myself. I too recommend making them long - I like to have my top leaders touch my bottoms if I point them at each other like you see in the 1st pic. There's a site over on the Rev forum that shows a good example, let me see if I can find it. This might give you some ideas! Attached Thumbnails

I got lucky and found an unused (in the afternoon) indoor soccer field! Talked with management that had seen some of Connor Doran's videos from AGT! So they were sympathetic to what I wanted to do and here it is nearly 4 years later!! Now the owner introduces me to all the new employees as a regular there! And I take full advantage of any time they have open! Just can't do nights or weekends, too full doing it's stated purpose.

Most of us throw away the stock leaders (even those with the "B" models) and make our own! Longer and with more knots to adjust, for our own personal feel. And that's part of the deal, you search through all the info and find that combo of details that best fits your own idea of perfection. JB's setup isn't mine and vice versa, someone on the beach doesn't like mine, but loves Joe's over there. It's all about satisfying your own ideas and feel! PS: it'll come!

I'm guessing you would need a minimum of 30' square to do a quad comfortably. Most of us use 10' lines x 2, plus some for a body. Overhead at least 10' plus your outstretched arms and body height = 20' +/-. Most small school gyms will hold 2 dualie or quad fliers at a time, 3 in a pinch maybe. Remember that quads or dualies move at a much different rate than an iFlite, plus use more body motion to stay aloft!

No tape that I know of on the iFlites, might be on the 4-D, but not likely!

Technique? Not that far into thinking about it! Putting 2 handles in one hand and trying to figure out the control inputs gets confusing, I mostly am doing it by feel now! Keeping the sail trimmed for movement seems to be my key - which handle to nudge a bit for more lift or to back down because it's rising too much! Remember that this was done with Rev handles - about 14" long and not those sticks you are using that are 3'! Just as sensitive for the kites we fly, to their orientation in your hands!

Your question of what to do with the kite during setup or takedown - break it down! Setting up - attach the lines to handles, stake out, run out lines, build kite (which is under your arm) and attach. To breakdown - take kite off lines, break it down, put under arm, roll up lines - done! Should get your set up and breakdown to one round trip for each!

I was there for this!! Sunday morning during the "Hot Tricks" shoot out! I can fly forward one-handed pretty well, it's the backwards that I'm still struggling on doing! Lot of handle control going on with that one hand, still need to get that feel for it going in reverse! Work in progress!! PS: that's my R/W/B Indoor Rev in the background!!

Printed numbers mean nothing to me anymore. With experience comes the knowledge of using the right sail for the conditions! I suffered a stroke many years ago, and am one of the first to use something vented if the winds come up. Personally don't like the "pull". So having the choice of many sail types works for me! I think what I was getting at, was that using say a full sail in too high winds, will make it very hard to really learn anything, because you're just struggling to stay airborne! If in deed the gusts are that big, be prepared to either fly out to the edge and/or land to survive them. In those winds, most of us are already using a midvent. Much better equipped to handle gusts due to the venting!

Weight - plus or minus - is not the main thing in Revs. Well placed weight will help performance in some cases. The difference you found might be due to different frame rods, etc, but not likely due to a larger area. Looking at the pic, looked like the rev type was bigger if anything. A word on winds - using the wrong kite in the wrong winds will only result in damage of some type. Most you can see - broken rods, torn sails. But sometimes you can't see it - like pulled seams or worse a stretched sail. Stretched sails never return to their original shapes, but keep that shape for ever. I know about this, as my light wind Rev SUL was the only 1.5 size kite I had for a while. I pushed it into inappropriate winds and of course the sail suffered for it. You'll notice on the Rev site, that most of the models, (B, SLE, B pro), all have several versions to choose from. Many of us have all the versions to choose from! We match up the sail for that day with the conditions we face! I understand you are a new flier to quads, but don't be fooled into using the "wrong" kite just because you feel the need to fly. Putting up that wrong kite might be worse than putting up no kite at all.

Not a question that I think much about anymore. I guess the best way for me to describe it, is to have the ability to still go in any direction from the hover. By that I mean, don't get in so extreme a position that you get "stuck". I've found my "neutral" to be a comfortable spot that I can hold for a long time! 2 years ago at a festival, we had a 9x9 grid - 81 fliers up at once. We were up for over 30 minutes, building the grid, flying moves, then breaking the grid. It has to be something you can maintain for as long as you want! Just my take on the tutorials - try breaking them down to more simple terms, like just watch the feet, or just watch the hands. Smaller chunks of information to swallow at a time!, rather than trying to learn the whole tutorial at once. Did this for all the indoor tutorials and pretty much learned indoor flight of my Rev from them! YMMV

Knots sound about right then. `Try this experiment - let the top lines all the way out - will it launch? No? Move them in a knot and try again until you can launch easily. Use the outer knot on the bottom to start, a bit easier that way. After a while of learning, try moving the tops out a knot and see if you can still fly them. Sometimes after flying some, your preferences will change and you still get all the control by using more brakes.

got a pic of the handles? You mention trim, we use long top leaders on our handles to adjust. Wondering what system they use, if any? I try to find a neutral position for my setup. Don't want the kite going in any direction by itself. I want to be the one telling it where to go, not having the wind dictate direction.

I also used the same winding method for a bit. Then I was flying with John B. and we had a little discussion of line winding methods. So I started out doing it his way on my shortest set - 30'. That was no trouble, so I moved up to 80', and again no issues. Finally went to my 120' set and still no issues, so now all my sets are done exactly alike. And that's the key - finding a method that works for you and OWNING it! Do it the same way, every time, and do it yourself, then there is no one else to blame if there are problems.

If a crash can not be avoided - GIVE TO THE KITE!! Take a few steps forward and throw your hands out at the kite. This takes all the power out of the impact and can save broken rods, or worse a ripped sail! 5-10 mph seems to be a good learner's wind speed - not too much wind to lose control, but enough that you can concentrate of commands, not just keeping the kite airborne!

Make you fat and sassy! Wait - you're already sassy!!

Also have no leading edge mesh or bridle. A much different feel from any of the outdoor models.

Bunch of us use Rev bags here. Also have a friend using that ITW 48" bag, and she loves it for her Revs and assorted stuff. Got a nice big outside pocket too for little stuff too!