Utah Windriders Association

I have flown a few kites and experienced lighter bar pressure on some compared to others. I have read ads advertising light bar pressure. I am curious as to what causes a kite to have light bar pressure. Is it the kite or the bar? Is it a combination of both? If it is a combination of both then it would make sense that you may take a kite/bar combo that is pretty light on the bar pressure, and use a different kite with the same bar and experience different bar pressure???

Thanks.
Kyrk

Kyrk,

Do a search on www.kiteforum.com. There is a lot of information on the physics of bar pressure there.

Light bar pressure is preferred by most riders because it allows one to ride longer without becoming fatigued. However, a slight amount of bar pressure is useful to help the rider know where the kite is located without looking at the kite.

Some of the older kites had a lot of bar pressure and were not a lot of fun to fly for more than an hour or so. The newer SLE's and bow kites have really solved that issue.

Kenny

For a any amount of wind, the force exerted on the kite will be divided between the front and rear lines. I don't know what the distribution would be for "normal" bar pressure, but i'd guess that the front lines generally have more of the load. High bar pressure would result when a higher than "normal" amout of the kite's pull is being distributed to the rear lines, and consequently the bar, which you have to pull against with your arms. When a higher amount of the kite's pull is being distributed to the front lines, that greater pull is linked to your harness, so the load on the bar is less. The design of the kite and the attachement points for the lines determine the distribution of the pull between the front and rear lines. The further back the front line attachement points are, the more the distribution of the pull will be on the front lines (resulting in ligher bar pressure).

Thanks Kenny for the kiteforum tip.

Thanks Jason for the good description. That makes perfect sense. I appreciate the comments.