Bar feedback wanted!

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Created by

Krispy54 > 9 months ago, 1 Apr 2012

Krispy54

NSW

73 posts

1 Apr 2012 9:33pm

I'm looking for feedback on bars that you are using or have used.
I'm not after what your mate says about his, but your own experiences.
I'd also like to know what would your perfect bar would be.
Please copy and paste the template below and fill it out.

Thanks

Bar make/ model:

What do you like about the bar:

What don't you like about the bar:

If you could change or add anything to the bar what would it be?

youngbull

QLD

826 posts

2 Apr 2012 4:57pm

Hi Krispy54. I'll reply.

Bar make/ model: Australian / Gen y

What do you like about the bar:
Good circumference to get my hands around. Good on rotations. Low maintenance. Can be a little $ when in the wrong hands.

What don't you like about the bar:
Very poor turning ability. Req's maintenance every month. Also have to clean it after every use as I heard the covering can become distorted

If you could change or add anything to the bar what would it be?
I had to add the pin to the end to improve performance as it's an older model.
Does not handle heavy loads well - had one bend on me a while back and took 3mths just to get the parts right.

Overall this model works well and I am happy with the performance.

Was to inviting

kaleidoscope

NSW

132 posts

2 Apr 2012 5:12pm

Bar make/ model: Candys Apartment.

What do you like about the bar: Good atmosphere.

What don't you like about the bar: Sometimes there's too many tools there.

If you could change or add anything to the bar what would it be? Reduce the price of schooners.

Overall this is a pretty good bar.

RPM

1549 posts

2 Apr 2012 3:14pm

Bar make/ model: Mars Bar

What do you like about the bar: Tastes good

What don't you like about the bar: Too small

If you could change or add anything to the bar what would it be? Could be bigger and have a lot more caramel

eppo

9762 posts

2 Apr 2012 3:22pm

Bar make/ model: North (Latest 2012)

What do you like about the bar: Well engineered, quality is high. Like the toggle to adjust depower rope length for further trimming. Iron heart works really well to untwist lines.

What don't you like about the bar: The leash strap buckle drives me nuts, trying to get it on and off the saftey line of the kite. Front line stretch, need to tune the bar on a regular basis. Chicken loop release is difficult to put back together in the water, but not impossible.

The worst thing and I can't get my head around this, why the depower rope is not covered in plastic tubing. Having the regularly change depower ropes is a pain in the ass and you get a more smooth feel with it covered.

If you could change or add anything to the bar what would it be? oh, what I said above about depower.

dusta

2940 posts

2 Apr 2012 5:42pm

If relevent, please fill in this template...(& remove this line)

Rider: Weight,Level (beginner,intermediate,advanced)
Style: Freeriding, Surf, Wake, Freestyle
Weather: ?-? knots
Build Quality: ?/10
Satisfaction: ?/10
Disclosure: (e.g. work at a shop/team rider etc)

My Comments:

youngbull

QLD

826 posts

2 Apr 2012 8:07pm

Rider: Weight,Level (beginner,intermediate,advanced)
Weight(to personal). advanced rider. 14yrs exp

Style: Freeriding, Surf, Wake, Freestyle
My fav style is surf. Especially when you tell them about how good their twin sis was.
I do not mind a little bit of freestyle just annoying having your feet bound together.

Weather: ?-? knots
Around 20-25 knots are good although my stamina is not what it used to be and now a good solid 15knots

Build Quality: ?/10
Ha 10

Satisfaction: ?/10
Seriously 10

Disclosure: (e.g. work at a shop/team rider etc)

More of a solo person I do not like to share. Defiantly not a team rider I have hair on my face.

Am I on track Dusta

puppetonastring

3619 posts

2 Apr 2012 6:12pm

The latest from BEST is a great option for those who like the double straps above the bar. Definitely the BEST rebuild on the market (that I know of). Absolutely a one hand only system. The leash is also shorter & neater. Has to rate as the 'most improved' and is now right up there with the BEST of them.
For a clean, uncluttered bar with a 'cruise control' (active stopper ball) that actually works then the BWS Undertow is a great option at a far more realistic price than others. Now has the option of the cleat depower either above or below the bar.
Also a great feel from the rubberised (or is it siliconised?) grip. Super grippy & super comfy.
Both have below the bar front line untwist which I rate pretty highly.
Both have board & head friendly soft bar ends & winders.

NB: great step forward for kite safety that pretty much all kite cos. now have push away QR at the head of the CL. Full props to kite cos. on that one.
Be good if kiters responded by refusing to buy any bar using any other system.
Who knows any brand that hasnt fallen into line on this major safety move. Be good to see them named here.

cauncy

8407 posts

2 Apr 2012 7:59pm

Ozone contact bar clean and simple , I've seen the bws bar and it also looks a nice bit of kit, in my opinion you don't need heaps of straps and toggles dangling all over the place, gives me the s..ts

Krispy54

NSW

73 posts

2 Apr 2012 10:50pm

Thanks heaps for the replies so far. It's a great help.
Keep them coming.

eppo

9762 posts

2 Apr 2012 9:19pm

Haven't owned an ozone but ridden a C4 and spent a number of hours riding a friends REO.

Plus one on the ozone.

Can I ask, why you are asking this??

Subculture

443 posts

2 Apr 2012 9:42pm

Select to expand quote

puppetonastring said...

NB: great step forward for kite safety that pretty much all kite cos. now have push away QR at the head of the CL. Full props to kite cos. on that one.
Be good if kiters responded by refusing to buy any bar using any other system.
Who knows any brand that hasnt fallen into line on this major safety move. Be good to see them named here.

Agreed that push away is safer but I'm sure you know full well that Ozone haven't got the push away QR yet. Why do you feel the need to suggest boycotts, name & shame etc..? The politics of retail sometimes make for ugly posts hey... Or, is your comment genuinely concerned with safety?...........

Personally the current Ozone bar with the old pull QR stops me buying what are otherwise excellent kites. No big deal really, I don't even unhook, a big complaint from some of the freestylers - but I have used push away for too long to entertain what I consider a counterintuitive design. However, I do suspect the wording of your post is a bit of a cheap shot by you at your main (local) competitor - who you definitely know sells Ozone..

AFAIK Ozone will introduce push away for the 2013 range. Reasons given for failure to introduce in 2012 were quality issues with parts suppliers, therefore they did not want to introduce with any quality/safety risk involved. I respect that from a company renowned for a quality product. I will definitely be considering them next year.

Anyway, who am I to comment on the politics of retail? Just someone concerned with keeping the playing field level...

Krispy54

NSW

73 posts

3 Apr 2012 12:05am

Select to expand quote

eppo said...

Haven't owned an ozone but ridden a C4 and spent a number of hours riding a friends REO.

Plus one on the ozone.

Can I ask, why you are asking this??

RPM

1549 posts

3 Apr 2012 10:38am

you should get together with waveslave..

He likes to 'tinker' as you call it..

I'm curious as to what part of uncluttered your trying to do as there are quite a lot of great bars that are uncluttered already...

Wainman (IMHO the nicest bar in today's market)
Zeeko
BWS

And the list goes on......

eppo

9762 posts

3 Apr 2012 11:05am

Select to expand quote

Krispy54 said...

eppo said...

Haven't owned an ozone but ridden a C4 and spent a number of hours riding a friends REO.

Plus one on the ozone.

Can I ask, why you are asking this??

I like to tinker. I've spent about 20 years manufacturing all sorts of weird and wonderful items for other people and I would like design a user friendly, uncluttered bar where all of the ideas that go into it actually work.
To do this, I'll need as much varied input from as many people as possible.
The only way I'll know what works and what only looks the part but does nothing is by asking the question and getting feedback from guys that are using different bars.

Okay cool. To me I would like the north bar, but with a plastic central covering on depower (like ozone). Other than that is it a good bar. I wish ozone had a stopper toggle to trim - although it is a light feel on the bar and you need to fly this kite with precision - using the board edge and small adjustments to depower, I like to be able to adjust the range of this depower - quite short, so I cna use the board edge more. Also when you do a roll/loop, and head out on the plae again, when I spinned the bar, it shot all the way up / would depower and I had to keep reaching for it. With the toggle you can spin the bar, not have to reach and it keeps some power for plaining. Just a small thing, but did find it annoying on the ozones.

puppetonastring

3619 posts

3 Apr 2012 4:39pm

Select to expand quote

Subculture said...

Agreed that push away is safer but I'm sure you know full well that Ozone haven't got the push away QR yet. Why do you feel the need to suggest boycotts, name & shame etc..? The politics of retail sometimes make for ugly posts hey... Or, is your comment genuinely concerned with safety?...........

Absolutely innocent of all that - honestly didnt know any brand by name that hadnt fallen into line on this one. But I do agree now I should have been a bit more guarded (or thoughtful) with comments.
Definitely not a cheap shot - I am very wary of stepping on competitors toes. Fully aware that it can only end in grief - both ways.
But now its out there I stand behind a 'genuine concern with safety' and only hope that no-one takes offence & that the good advice might flow through to designers.

rwtaaffe

NSW

92 posts

4 Apr 2012 12:22am

Everyone has there own opinion, here are a few ideas of mine.

1 Four line bars that have four lines of the same length, not a single front line that Y's near the kite.

2 Coated centre line through bar.

3 Depower within reach and above the bar.

3 Short depower travel bars.

4 Safety line attachment point at base of Quick Release.

5 Soft Bar ends/winders

6 Good grip around bar that lasts/wont peel away.

There are many good kite bars on the market, some not so good.
I would like to put one together with the parts I like from various brands.
Krispy, I would like to see what you come up with.

Keep it simple :)

NickT

1094 posts

5 Apr 2012 12:52pm

Ozone bar is clean and functional. Didn't initially like the pull chicken loop and accidentally released numerous times. Now I am used to it I couldn't care less, I dot think push or pull is any more intuitive unless your used to either. Would maybe be annoying if I was changing bars regularly.

Only problem in my eyes with the bar is the hard bar ends, always bruised and get caught easy if I try handle passes and miss. But Airush run the same ends!

Grip is way more durable for me on the ozone bars than the Norths I was using aswell.

FlamingTroll

16 posts

5 Apr 2012 3:31pm

Whats better?

1) A single protected by plastic center line? ( cab )

2) 2 center lines with a stopper ball? ( BWS, Peter ln )

I prefer the stopper ball, but means replacing lines more often

radman4

678 posts

5 Apr 2012 4:25pm

Yea i prefer the non sheathed system with the stopper ,you do have to replace lines a bit more often but i find it glides way better and theres no jamming on the bar,also like a long throw and def above the bar depower, also push away system is best quick and easy.

End of posts

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