Ocean Rodeo stick shift bar

[randycasburn]

...makes trim adjustments faster and smoother rather than reaching up, shifting your weight, setting trim, leaning back just to find you over or under did it.

This is very true. This also goes to the finite trim settings available. A couple days ago, using the above the bar trim, I over trimmed (took too much). So I had to repeat the entire process you described above a second time to get it correct. With the Stick Shift you simply adjust in increments until you get it where you want.

[ORSales]

Official press release sent today for the formal launch of the bar. We are almost entirely caught up with the early bird pre-orders and shipments of demo bars worldwide and are now officially beginning to ship inventory to dealers!

If you haven't checked the bar out yet, it's a perfect time to get in touch with your local retailer to arrange a demo! Hit me up on PM if I can help at all!

[ORSales]

It may have been covered already - but is that stopper moveable just by pushing the bar against it, or is it locked in place?

Bar looks great! I want one .

The action of pushing the bar against the stopper locks it in place. The stopper slides when the two pieces are pushed apart by your thumb and forefinger, allowing you to move it up and down. Shifting only the bottom piece up into the top "bites" the PU and locks it in place.

There is a pretty informative video here that specifically shows the G-Stop in action:

[SparD]

The Stick Shift Bar is great for foiling, it allows you to adjust your trim without changing your position on the foil.

You can even adjust your trim while sitting down on the foil :

https://vimeo.com/226974236

[Regis-de-giens]

I bought a stick shift bar that I tested yesterday : really great concept and actually efficient and compfortable in ride !
Actually the bar was without Chicken loop since I wanted to install a Mini chicken loop of old Cabrihna type ( as I do for all my bars now) to increase the power/depower stroke and reduced momentum in switch rides ...
bare nude :


... mini CL installed on the power -depower rope ( which is dyneem on dyneema to reduce wear and keep a good sliding).



I mounted the whole last week ...



... and tested it yeserday.

The trim / untrim is really easy to actuate and precise ; and you can untrim even without rear line tension (while with a Standard trim or strap in hyper light winds, you may nee to impose a kind of shock to free the sliding from the cleat, affectiing the kite stability). Very appreciated.

Moreover, and this is the major advantage, you always know where the command is so you can reach and set it even without looking at it, which is realy great on hydrofoil with waves for example. Style besomes minimalist in front of you, nothing floating in the wind or tangling around the power/depower rope. The weight is higher compard to my other light wind custom bars but seems however lighter that my heavy North classic 2014 . However for hyper light wind use, it is interesting because all the weight on front lines is transferred to the bar , which has non impact on the zenith of the kite (because weight on the front lines is almost equivalent to weight of kite for the zenith low-end flight).

I just need to test it on switch mode on the "oposite side" to confirm I can still cath it, but I see no problems at first sight.

For my light wind application with a medium/big foilkite, I like larger bars, but this is not linked to the concept in itself of course... and floaters are quite rigid, which allows you to take them in hand and pilot the kite in case of increased punctuel agility need .

So I am 100 % convinced and recommend you to test it ! It really increases the compfort and security since you always know where is the trim command and you can actionate it with one hand on the bar only or in "blind mode".

Thanks OR fort having accepted to send me a bar without CL for my special application and modification ... wish their might be mini CL as an option in the future.

[alford]

Interesting. Are you going without flag-out line?

[ORSales]

Thanks OR fort having accepted to send me a bar without CL for my special application and modification...

Delighted to see people experimenting with the product. Needs to be said publicly, we neither tested nor endorse this version of the bar but we are happy to see Regis excited by the bar's trim control and its applicability for foiling!

JZ

[Regis-de-giens]

Indeed this home made system is not "Ocean Rodeo proved" but thanks again to having provided the spares;
As safety I use a mini 5th line connected on one front line 10m above the bar and that runs through the bar central hole, like Flysurfer foil kites. So not appearing on the photo.

[CaptainArgh]

Got to demo the OR bar this weekend. Here is my initial thoughts after one use. I hope to fly it again with any tips from other users and to see how things change after initial use.

So, it was a powered 8M day. Really awesome conditions although the wind would surge from low 20s to low 30s. It was a perfect day to test out the depower on a new bar. I flew for 2 hours with my stock Compstick 17" bar (which is what I use on small kites). Then I took a break and went out for another 90 minutes on the same kite, but with the OR bar.

Some things I liked, some things I didn't, but I'm conscious that it is different from my normal and I'd probably adjust. So take this for what it's worth. Feel free to provide feedback.

Overall, I liked the bar for the simple reason that it is clean, with no dangling lines.
I also liked the effortless center line spinner.
More below, in order of the OR website list of bar features;

R3 Sidewinder trim knob - Meh... Being a gusty day, there were times when I wanted to go to full power (lull) or full trim (gust!) and I instead had to <click> <click> <click> my way to the setting of choice. I have since been informed that if I just keep my hand pressed against the knob it will play out on it's own. I'll try that next time. In this session (not knowing that), it was quicker to increase power (bring in rear lines) then it was to spill power (let out rear lines).

As it didn't seem there was a way to just let it all go- instead I'd be slamming my hand into the bar end or manually turning the knob with outward pressure to keep it spinning. So I wasn't sold on the knob, but I think it'd be good if you don't usually muck with your trim, or foil board. (easy "no weight shift" adjustment) The knob is the real compromise I guess... if you like the clean bar, you need a trim mechanism somewhere.

I also found that sometimes the knob would turn very easily, and other times there was a lot of resistance. For instance, if I wanted to power up I'd get two turns easy, and then a lot of resistance. I'd fly a little bit and then I could get more turns in. Seemed like things needed to play out or snug up in the mechanism. I didn't debug it, just first time observations.

Groove Bar - bar was fine. On first grip the squareish feel was awkward, but you quickly got used to it. Did seem like it should be a little smaller, but I think it is just me coming from a round bar.

G-Stop (Stopper Ball) - Didn't like this. Traditional stopper balls work without you having to think about it. You just push away or pull it in. When the bar hits it, it's fixed. I'm sure once you get used to it, t'd be second nature, but I always had to think what I was pushing or pulling on this mechanism to release it.

Helix Force Tension line payout system (springs) - this worked flawlessly. I do wonder how the springs will last over time. Thin metal in salt water seems to rust eventually even if it is stainless. I think you'll have to be diligent about rinsing in fresh water if you want to get more than a year out of the springs. Just a guess. But, it worked perfectly! The lines would always play out equally on both sides. Really nice system. It was a bit of a mind-f*ck when I first got out because you are used to pulling in lines to depower, not let them out. Even though I knew what was going on, I found my self going, "does the + sign mean more power or more depower?"

Roto Hub / Roto Bit front line spinner - This works flawlessly. I really liked how effortless it was to turn the spinner and have the front lines untwist. I don't think I'd miss having an above the bar spinner. Also, as there is a single poly tube going from the below the bar hub to the roto bit, you don't deal with twists of multiple lines below the bar which have to first be untwisted before the spinner engages.

The bar did squeak while I used it (center line against the hole in the bar) but I guess that goes away or you get used to it. Also that center re-ride line is hidden as it passes through the black tube. But the bar instructions point out that you should pull your safety through on occasion to inspect. I tend to ride with my hands at the center of the bar and I mashed my fingers against that roto hub a few times. Now, on my current bar it's the opposite, I mash my fingers against the above the bar trim block! You can't win I guess.

Gen 7 Trim Loop - solid design. I found it difficult to reset one handed, though. I know when I've had to activate the safety on the water, once you pull the bar back to you, there is usually a bit of a race to get the CL back together and hooked in before the kite powers up. I seem to need to do this one handed often (I forget why, but it always seems like I need the other hand to tend to the bar or something.) Like anything, I suspect with practice, you'd have this down.

Relaunch Beads - didn't try them, but they seem like a nice idea. Their rear line grip points if you ever have to launch that way.

Flying Lines - seem to be good quality and I like that they are colored. I'm used to white lines. Will be very nice for snowkiting.

Pig Tails - I wish they were colored for Right and Left to prevent mistakes. I understand the lines are different colors though, so you just have to get used to orange on the left and grey on the right.

Bar Bag - great bag. I wish all bars came with a nice bag like this. If they sell it separately, I may buy one for all my bars as I always think that when I jam my bar in my bag a piece of metal is going to grab a kite seam and tear it. Bag is vented so I think you could rinse a bar, and hang it in the bag and all would be good.

So overall, as I have said early in this thread, I applaud the innovation to work on things that most of us have considered standard equipment. It is a well thought out design. I'd love to compare the Click bar to the Stick Shift some time. The OR bar is very well constructed. I think you see some prototype pictures earlier in this thread where the finish is not as good as the production version. It's all tip top!

[ORSales]

Argh!

Thanks for the great write up - very well presented!

The stopper does become second nature once you've used it enough, kind of like fumbling for the light switch in the dark you start to intuit the behaviour you need to get it to move quickly every time.

The winder, as mentioned, is easy to unspool if you just push the butt of your hand against it to let it free spin. Helps if you also dig your heels in to windward and drive some power in the kite, will pull the lines out. Equally, when powering up (tightening the back lines) it helps to bear off the wind and lighten up on your heel edge as you crank the trim knob. It's possible you were doing this subconsciously for some of the easier turns and were digging in a bit on your heels for the harder turns. The less tension on the back lines, obviously, the easier it will be to wind them up!

JZ