Get Active!
These pages describe various different bridle designs that can be added to new kites or retro-fitted to existing sport kites. They are presented in rough chronological order, starting with some basic construction techniques and information about knots used in bridling, looking at the original Dynamic Bridle and then charting the development of the Active Bridle from the original version, and through the Dihedral, Trihedral and Cross-Active variations.
If you're interested in the detail on the Active Bridle concept, design and variations, then you'll probably want to read through the pages the in order presented. If you just want to add an Active Bridle to your kite and are looking for a quick start, then you should jump right down to the Cross-Active Bridle. This is the most advanced Active Bridle design, not only in terms of performance, but also in elegance, simplicity of construction, and ease of use.
This page provides useful hints, tips and general information relevant to the construction of kite bridles.
This page contains information about tying various knots that are useful in the construction of bridles.
The term "dynamic bridle" generally describes any kind of bridle that includes some component which is designed to move under tension in normal use. This page describes the simplest and most common form of a dynamic bridle and shows how it differs from a traditional 3 leg static bridle. It discusses some of the benefits of a dynamic bridle in terms of improved handling characteristics of the kite, and shows a simple process for converting an existing static bridle into a dynamic one.
The Active Bridle is another generic name for a class of dynamic bridle designs that are characterised by having one or more additional bridle lines, known as "Activators". These are used to connect two (or more) main bridle legs together and pull them in slightly to create a controlled element of movement in the bridle. They are an improvement over traditional dynamic bridle designs in providing a greater level of control over the degree and direction of movement that the activators impart. This page describes the original Active Bridle configuration, compares it to a static bridle and discusses the improved flight characteristics that it brings to a kite. An overview of the construction of an Active Bridle is also provided.
The Dihedral Active Bridle is easier to design and tune than the original Active Bridle, although slightly more time consuming to construct, having two activators instead of one (hence the name). It tends to be well suited to larger kites that expect more precise control. This page describes the Dihedral Active Bridle and compares it to the original Active Bridle. It shows the construction of a Dihedral Active Bridle, providing measurements for the Phantom Elite by way of example.
A Trihedral Active Bridle is one which has 3 activator legs which can be arranged in different ways. This page describes 2 different Trihedral Active Bridle configurations, the Tetrahedral and Tristar Active Bridles.
The Cross-Active Bridle is the latest and most advanced Active Bridle configuration while also being one of the simplest to design, construct and adjust. Like any Active Bridle, it uses additional activator lines to provide some controlled movement in the position of the tow point. The Cross-Active Bridle uses an additional activator leg, the cross-activator, which connects the opposite sides of the bridle together. This allows line tension to be transmitted smoothly across the entire bridle span of the kite, providing a smoother edge-to-edge transition profile and improving the general handling capabilities of the kite. It was designed as a replacement for the original Gemini bridle but has proved itself to be suituable for most, if not all dual line kites. The same basic principles have also been applied in the design of the bridle for the Airbow quad line kite.
The Active Bridle, Dihedral Active Bridle, Trihedral Active Bridle and Cross-Active Bridle are © Copyright 1997-2006 Andy Wardley. All Rights Reserved.
Permission is hereby granted for any person to use or modify the Active Bridle for any purpose, under the following conditions:
- The Active Bridle(s) and designs based around them must remain free for everyone to use, forever, under these same terms. Any enhancements or modifications that you make must be released to the Public Domain for everyone to use freely.
- No special permission is required, and no royalties or fees are due, for using the bridles on commercial kites. Please feel free to donate money to a charity of your choice if you feel indebted in some way for the Active Bridle designs. The proceeds of sale from a single kite would probably be an appropriate amount, but it is entirely at your discretion.
- Credit for the bridle should be given to Andy Wardley where appropriate. You don't need to make any special mention of this on the kite or in accompanying literature, but if you do mention the bridle, then you should credit Andy Wardley with it. In other words, you're free to use it, but please don't claim you invented it.
This document is © Copyright 1998-2006 Andy Wardley. All Rights Reserved. You may freely copy, mirror, print or distribute unaltered copies of this document, provided that no charge is made. Permission is given to modify reproduce these pages for the purpose of translation to different spoken languages, provided that a link to the original page is included.
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If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants
-- Sir Isaac Newton (1676)
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I've known Tim Benson and have been supported and sponsored by Benson Kites for almost as long I've been flying kites. Tim has provided me with innumerable kites, endless valuable advice, continual encouragement and miles of bridle line, without which, none of this would have been possible. I consider it a great privilege to have had the chance to work with such a talented designer and to be able to contribute something back to the kites that have given me so much pleasure over the years. Above all, Tim has been a great friend and an inspiration.
The Active Bridle has been influenced by a number of people and their bridle designs. Ray Bordelon of Big Easy Kites designed the "Infinity Bridle" on the MEFM. This was particularly influential in interesting me in dynamic bridle designs. Mark Reed of Prism Kites and I have spent many hours discussing the finer points of bridle design. He has continued to innovate and develop a number of designs that have undoubtedly furthered the science and black art of bridle design.
And finally, an acknowledgement is due to all those people who have sent me feedback, encouragement and thanks. Knowing that the end result is something that people appreciate is perhaps the greatest reward for the countless hours spent trudging to and from kites to make "one more tweak to the bridle". Thank you for taking the time to say "Thank You".