Ocean Rodeo raises the bar to a whole new level

[gonewiththewind]

This is indeed unfortunate. In 99% of situations our current system offers adequate depower but, unfortunately until this 2011 season there were still extreme situations which ultimately demanded a total release of the kite.

For 2011 all Ocean Rodeo kites will offer complete depower when ejected to the safety system and will not require, or lead to, total releases and situations described above.

All existing customers riding 2009 or 2010 Rise kites will have the option to upgrade their kite and their bar and line systems from those years to easily accommodate this change in design. Similarly, customers buying 2011 kites who wish to use bars from earlier years will easily be able to upgrade their existing bar set-up.

John Zimmerman, OR

What exactly has changed? The kite or the bar? Riders wishing to use your bar with another kite are still screwed? Does it release to one line from below the chicken loop?

[gonewiththewind]

No reply? I'm not badgering. I honestly want to know. I really like the OR bars, but I have moved on to others with a center line safety that connects below the bar. Have you now added this? Or is it something else? Trying to figure out whether I would want to move back to the OR bar or not.

[Burness]

I have been using an OR bar for a couple of seasons which doesn't have a centre line through the bar quick release. It does have a thing attached to one of the centre lines which you simply reach up and grab when you want to flag the kite out.

I've done it tons of times. If you have already released the bar and find that the bar is a long distance away, simply grab both centre lines and pull the quick release part to you.

Very easy and foolproof.

Brad

[Woody71]

No reply? I'm not badgering. I honestly want to know. I really like the OR bars, but I have moved on to others with a center line safety that connects below the bar. Have you now added this? Or is it something else? Trying to figure out whether I would want to move back to the OR bar or not.

I'm sure John wont mind me telling you what he has emailed me, its the lines and bridle that have changed.

From John: "For the kite you will need to replace 1 line (of 5) on each side of your front line bridles such that there can be a 2nd pulley used to help allow the kite to roll over. On the bars you will need to replace your outside leaders with longer leaders and replace your trim line to a longer length."

So no, no centre line safety, just a modified bridle and line set up that allows the kite to flag onto its back rather than staying under tension.

Personally I'm gonna be getting this mod for my 2010 and 2009 rises :0)

[iwave]

Personally I'm gonna be getting this mod for my 2010 and 2009 rises :0)

Woody71, where can you get this mod? replacement lines, pulleys and so on...
Thanks

[Woody71]

Woody71, where can you get this mod? replacement lines, pulleys and so on...
Thanks

OR will be selling them soon, no release date yet that I know of though John did say he didn't think they will be too expensive. If I hear I'll post on here, but John or Evan will probably post when available!

[Noo Noo]

No reply? I'm not badgering. I honestly want to know. I really like the OR bars, but I have moved on to others with a center line safety that connects below the bar. Have you now added this? Or is it something else? Trying to figure out whether I would want to move back to the OR bar or not.

The 2010 or SLE 3.0 bar does have a safety leash connection below the bar. Its a small ring that passes through the Chicken loop set up, leaving everything above the bar extremely clean and uncluttered. They also have the OS handle on one front line if you want to flag the kite out.

The 2011 bars still have this arrangement. The pure SLE bar has some subtle improvements on 2010 I believe while OR are also releasing a new bar set with their Razor kites. These have a trim strap above the bar (till now they had a cleat below the bar) and have a safety that runs on a mini 5th line that passes through the bar.

Take your pick!

[EvanOR]

For 2011 both the bar and kite bridles have seen some modifications. This is at the request of some of our shops and riders who want maximum depower in the event that shit hits the fan. With the 2011 setup, the Rize and Razor will roll over almost onto their backs. The kite is now depowered off of both front lines - in effect the same as when you hold your kite upside down into the wind on the beach. There is no possibility of a spinning kite as with a single line flag out.

The arrangement is very simple, and very reliable. However, for guys like me who prefer ultimate simplicity over maximum depower , this stock arrangement can be modified with three snips of the scissors and retying three knots. No parts necessary. Best of all worlds.

The bar in this vid is the freeride - below the bar depower - ships stock with the 2011 Rise. We also now have the Freestyle bar with above the bar depower for those that prefer that.



Cheers,

Evan

Ocean Rodeo
Hyperflex Wetsuits

Performance over Hype

[brunoperez]

On the video we cannot see the mini 5th line that passes through the bar?
The video shows very light wind conditions so it makes sense, but what happen during a very high gust?
Will the kite be holding on 1 line?
I am trying to understand what is the new setup, pictures would help a lot.
Thanks

[frankm1960]

Where the guy walks up the trim line to retrieve the kite, how does the kite get from laying on it's back to LE down and into the wind? I thought it fell mostly onto its side/back kind of after he let go of the bar, did it flop over on it's own or did the pilot do something there?

So in the first method, is the leash connected to the ring at the end of the depower rope similar to how it can be done with the 2010 bar?

The trim rope seems a lot longer now than the 2010 bar, looks almost 20' long.
Is that how you got the extra depower, by lengthening the trim rope and making mods to the bridal?

How hard would it be to walk up the trim line (if you had to) in 25kts of wind with a 12m? I'm assuming you added the "walk up the trim line" part to the video to demonstrate how someone could bring down and get a hold of their own kite by themselves in strong winds.

Did you remove the grab handle on the center line? I thought there was one on the 2010 bar but I didn't see one in the video.

Looks good though, nice and clean and simple.