had the same thing on my 13m rev1, and SS replaced the bridle line and recommended that i cut or trim down the little black wetsuit material covers off the attachment point on the kite. This allows the attachment point to twist, and the line does not seem to twist as a result (no problems with my new bridle set since doing this). I basically cut off the stiched part of the black cover (the doubled over and stiched part) leaving a smaller thinner strip, but you could just cut the whole lot off..
Have not had any problem with my Rev2
Also, when rigging up the kite make sure the pullys are rotating and free of sand (takes 30 seconds)
hope this helps

surfingboye said...

hey gibo, do you have a measurement of the pulley line. its just that i have bought a piece of rope and i need to cut it down.

also i have changed the depower line on my bars. now i have one bar with not much power, and one bar which has too much (i cant depower it). i think i have cut the rope with no power too short.

so if i cut the powerful (longer) one shorter would this solve my problem.

sorry goofy, if i have stolen your topic. i just didnt think i needed to make another one.

For the bar, the lines should even length at max power. I.e. if you uncleat the depower rope so the bar is max powered up, and the bar is pulled in all the way, then front and rear lines should be exactly the same length.

I just noticed the twist and bunching up in my P lines last Sunday. I measured 50 mm difference in length between Red and White lines. Have done well in excess of 100 flying hours on this 11 m REV since June last year. Andy R very helpful at Slingshot. Sent me new P lines yesterday.

I had checked my bar line lengths a couple of times in the previous months because the kite was always drifting to the right. They were always exactly the same length. I didn't think to check the P lines then but now I think that explains the problem. Will know for sure when I fit the new lines.

Slingshot aus or us site has a download for bridle lengths, 222cm for a 11m. Cant believe one of my bridles shrunk by 45cm.

After another session one of the new pulley bridles has shrunk by a further 2cm.

I reckon its cos a new P line is made from stretched spectra. After a bit of use the spectra softens up, the weave loosens up and hence the line length shrinks.

goofy foot said...

How often do people replace these i.e pulley bridles that connect with back lines?

After 3 months use I found that I had a 25cm difference in length between the two and one was a massive 45 cm shorter than a new one.

After 4hrs on a new set one is already 5cm shorter than the other.

Is this common on Revs?

Goofy, yes this is very normal on the REV1's.
It's only the 'P' lines & the pulley it runs through that wears.
The initial problem is that the pulley needs to be properly aligned with the run of the line. Otherwise it twists up & shortens the 'P' line. My old lines were about 250mm shorter than new. Quite odd the 1st time you notice it.
Doubling over the neoprene pulley cover helps. Make sure the pulley runs true.
I ran 3 sets of 'P' lines last year & a 2nd set of rear pulleys on my main kite.
Handling is much improved with good lines so don't put it off.
Contact slingshot about it. REV1's are still a brilliant kite, they just need that bit of maintanence. The REV2's don't have the problem. My kites are still on original 'P's
Hope that explains it all.
cheers COL

Pre stretched Spectra does shrink, exactly as walshd said, the pulley loosens up the threads and it relaxes back to its pre pre stretched state. Bloody pulleys.

you mean the weave loosens up???? whenn you fly it again it will strech back out. i dunnoo what spectra you use but ive never had this problem.

Ok i see. so he used the wrong describing word, as nothing is actually shrinking at all, just getting twisted/shorter. Well that makes sense, you would think you would notice thaat though.

p.s. the same caan actually happen to your flying lines as well, its good just to run each one out by themselfs every now and again to get the twists out.

A misaligned pulley will like Col is describing will cause rapid wear and "shrinkage" to a pulley line.
All pre stretched dyneema/spectra lines will become shorter as the pre stretched weave is loosened by the friction of the pulley.
Even a properly aligned pulley will cause the line to wear and thus "shrink" or get shorter.

You don't usually know about it till you get out the tape measure and compare it with the specs, or replace the line and compare with the new set. Adding a pigtail extension is an option if the line is not badly worn.

Haven't had to worry about it for a few years flying kites with no pulleys.

COL said...
[br
I ran 3 sets of 'P' lines last year & a 2nd set of rear pulleys on my main kite.
Handling is much improved with good lines so don't put it off.
Contact slingshot about it. REV1's are still a brilliant kite, they just need that bit of maintanence.
cheers COL

Thanks for the feedback Col, looks like I will just have to replace them every month or two, however you do notice the kite flying differently on one tack as the shortening is more dramatic on one side. May have to make fine tuning by adjusting what knots I hook the backlines up to.

I have a 9m Rev2. Slingshot have replaced rear bridle after 4 months on warranty. Thnks! However:

I have read a lot on kite maintenance today. Personally , I am not interested in maintenance and this is yet another time i have been dissapointed in dishing out hard earned cash.What is performance if the basics are not right? Is a trouble free seaosn too much to ask for?

My Rev
- Safety bungy broke first time under serious pressure in a serious incident. ( I havent let go of the bar since, so maybe been a good thing)
- Chicken loop "O Sh#t" too easy to acccidently open
- Bridle twist , on my second rear bridle which is going the same twisted way of the first within weeks.
- what about elastic bar ends for holding wrapped lines ? where are they ?
- Main depower - usual rapid wear stalled by waxing rope


To finish the kite is great to fly and and there have been no actual kite structure or bladder issues. I'll by another Rev if they don't change a thing peformance wise yet do address the above...... basics!

Surprised at the number of issues with the SS kites-I came off Naish kites (after about 6 years) to a Rev2 this year and have had a number of issues w/in the first 10 rides:

1. Front lines 12cm too short-had to add extensions;
2. Donkey dick broke off-made up my own from an old Naish fixed loop;
3. Centre line rapid wear and fraying-replaced with 6mm amsteal myself;
4. Added pulley to the centre line 'O' rings to increase ease of de-power (not really a problem-but SS could have/should have thought of it);
5. Replaced the rusted out bearing inside the quick release/chicken loop system-again SS could have/should have thought of it and supplied a better component or a better system.
6. Removed the neoprene covers over the bridle pulley to prevent sand build up and wear and also to avoid the twisting issue.

Never had ANY problems with the Naish kites-their octopus one pump is admittedly a pain in the aarse if you get a leading edge leak and need to repair-I've been there.

BUT SS should REALLY lift their game-particularly at their price point and their advertising/rep.