Core and German engineering meme

[deniska]

I am on my 9 month of using sensor 2+ bar.
About 6 months in, I started to see some minor wear on the center PU lines and having bad prior experience with those (snapped safety with kite flying away) and major problem SSF rope (it got so chewed up the metal rings could not slide through..)
So I order 18,6,6A and 8 for $70... pricey but not too bad, i guess.
Here is a reference diagram for the parts..
https://store.corekites.com/collections ... pare-parts
Now, 3 months later I notice that #6 safety, that was replaced is all chewed up again

That sounds a little premature so I call up my dealer to see if it can be exchanged..
The first reply is that they can't do it as it's likely to be my fault as I did not replace the inserts ($20 plastic things) when changing the line..(they assumed I did not cause I did not buy them in that previous order with lines)
Well I send them the photo, showing replacing one of them (protecting the hole for the safety line #6)
While we are at it, I note that the swivel just does not turn well anymore and I think that's the root cause.
And since it's all rusty, it would be nice if they could replace the rusty nuts or the bearing - whatever holding it from easy untwisting..
After some message ping pong they give me a deal - $78 for the new QR and free #6 line and new inserts..
All if I promise to wash and dry the bar after each use!!!
Apparently it's my fault that those geniuses put rusty nuts on $550 bar that cannot survive a year..
I would be ok with the rust on the bar, but it triggers a cascade of other problems: once it stops rotating well it starts chewing the depower/safety lines AND now also inserts!! I used to get 2 uncovered lines (old design) for about $40 and they lasted about 4 months.. now I have to pay almost double because of that hightech tektanium & PU and also the inserts.. and they last about the same or less!!! WTF???
Congrats CORE geniuses, you are really making my day with your new innovations!!!
So prepare to pay about $150 to service that bar within the first year (and that does not include the main line set)

To be completely fair to CORE, that bar was a replacement for another Sensor2+ bar that snapped a PU line w/o any warnings a year ago.
So I own the replacement bar for a year but I only started using it 9 month ago after I killed my older CORE bar (yes another line snap)
So I probably don't have a good warranty case anymore.. but common! rusty parts on the bar is just bad design!!! Let's all acknowledge it!
one last photo: previous bar that snapped center line and was exchanged:

[dice]

This topic is not what I expected when I read the title

[jeromeL]

when i demoed core kite the other day, i noticed that tons of sand was stuck around the PU line.

According to that French kitetool constructor the sand in US is very coarse compared to wherever he kites at in Europe.
https://kitesurfvoilier.fr/en/

I did get a few of his tools and they pretty much don't work in NY, other people started shipping him bucket of sands so he can test his tools in differnent environement making all type of sand flush well.

I wonder if we have similar issues with kitebar lol

[Eltreato]

Just as a general observation it seems more and more kite manufacturers have made it increasingly difficult for users to replace consumable parts on their own. With my old bars a decade ago I'd just go to the marine store and get new line to replace the chicken line, cut it to length, fid it if necessary and be good to go. Now the equivalent line on a modern bar seems to have a bungee spliced into it or something else that prevents me from using regular line from the store. I'd love to see more field serviceable options out there for real kiters who travel to places or live in places where parts aren't readily available. I'm not down with paying for a $500 bar that becomes junk after a season or requires a annoying RMA process, arguing with a shitty dealer or manufacturer because of a wearable or non-wearable part failure. Good luck to you Deniska.

[lewmt]

Sure seems like Core & Flysurfer have some serious customer service issues. Thank goodness there are brands that are solid in customer service, don't gouge customers on pricing, & perform great for my needs. Pay more for attitude? - Not me

[deniska]

when i demoed core kite the other day, i noticed that tons of sand was stuck around the PU line.

According to that French kitetool constructor the sand in US is very coarse compared to wherever he kites at in Europe.
https://kitesurfvoilier.fr/en/

I did get a few of his tools and they pretty much don't work in NY, other people started shipping him bucket of sands so he can test his tools in differnent environement making all type of sand flush well.

I wonder if we have similar issues with kitebar lol

Jerome,

if you look at my photos, you'll see that half of the metal assembly of the bar catches rust.. not all of it.. just half..
that other half is still shiny..
what does it tell you?
CORE figured: "we can make some parts out of stainless steel and some out of regulal, that will corrode quick in salty water..
Good job geniuses!

[hongchew]

Hahaha, the Germans managed to overprice their flimsy products yet sell it at premiums over other countries‘ much reliable designs, eg, Asian cars.

Excellent marketing if you ask me. Otherwise how is a car that claims to be well engineered yet constantly breaks down like clock work?

[jhonson]

My depower line also breaks after 3 months and I tried the North Bar and it works perfectly.

[Da Yoda]

So prepare to pay about $150 to service that bar within the first year (and that does not include the main line set)

Just as a general observation it seems more and more kite manufacturers have made it increasingly difficult for users to replace consumable parts on their own.

Deniska... at least be happy that replacing the line-set on a Core bar will only set you back $218. I was trying rebuild an older North Quad bar and their line-set alone is $286. Brand new 2018 Quad complete bars are now on sale for around $120 more, so I will probably just part out my old bar and toss the rest. At least some of it is recyclable materials.

Based on your observation Eltreato, I fully agree with you. Finding "import" parts is a major pain in my experience.

[alexeyga]

You shouldn't have brought up the question of "German engineering". I've been wandering about the inflate valve which requires a separate piece to be de-flated ever since XR3-s came out... That's some "German thinking" alright!