SS.....seriously ****

Lazarus said...


Do you read the posts here about the ss bar problems? Do you work for ss that you are so defensive of its basically inferior bar design? Have you used a depower cleat above the bar to compare it with below the bar? With other makes of bar, one does not have to turn downwind to ease the pressure - you simply depower on demand. And with the cleat in the correct position, you don't have to change your stance to depower - you pull the rope - that is what it is there for. Seems like you are either a landlubber or a bit prejudiced.

And what a lot of crap about user error being responsible for the rope wearing out! Everyone who kites will move the bar up and down the depower line and will turn the bar because that is how you change the power in the kite and turn the kite. Do you actually kitesurf?

Chill out Laz. Opinions are like arseholes - everyone has one. My opinion is I like the bar - it works for me. Stopper kicks ass, **loads of throw on the bar if you want it, simple design and works well for unhooking. I have used cleats and straps above the bar and prefer below the bar nowadays. Seriously, I couldn't care less if you don't like it.

Maybe if you stopped being so uptight you would have realised the user error comment was tongue in cheek.

Don't work for SS. Ride the kites and like the gear. If you are in Vic I ride at Brighton - come for a kite.

James

BOOMAN said...

Its not the rope, the rope is being damaged by the metal cylinder. I was looking for a how to fix, which would appear to be contact ss. As for slingshot chucking in some input this is specificly for the bar issue. I love ss but I have to admit i have had quite a few issues with my rev.

My red "lock and load safety knob" and the pin on my "lock and load harness line" keep undoing themselves after i kite for a bit. which is a real problem if i ride suicide. anyone know a fix?

http://www.slingshotkiteboarding1.ashop.com.au/c/119174/1/parts.html show the above mentioned lock and load items :P

Too many posts - last one. Is the metal cylinder damaged at all or sharp on the edges? As others mentioned if it is can it be filed smooth - if not contact the guys at SS.

So the chicken loop comes undone? Is this in a crash or for no reason? I released mine accidentally a couple of times when I first used this bar. Is the elastic on the red knob tight or has is got some slack. Might need tightening or replacing? Someone had tied off through the exposed part of the pin release and then through the CL so if they accidentally hit the red thing it would not release - lose the QR function though. You can add a short line to the CSS line and hook your leash to this and to suicide so that if you crash it is suicide but if the CL releases the kite flags to 1 line.

If the leash comes undone does the QR tube pull thing move really easily? Maybe go to SS on that and see if they can help. I had mine release on me but now check it at the start of each session and no issues.

p.s. Booman, if the leash is faulty and the tube just doesn't hold, I have a spare you can borrow in the meantime. PM me.

this is it. and wash your bar in the shower when you have one it is salt water after all.

BOOMAN said...



My red "lock and load safety knob" and the pin on my "lock and load harness line" keep undoing themselves after i kite for a bit. which is a real problem if i ride suicide. anyone know a fix?

what i did was put a self tapper through the red QR safety mechanism so it never comes undone, then buy a surefire spreader bar with a QR hook.
as for the harness line; they are only meant to be ridden on the 5th line, not suicide so you need to get a different leash. again if you buy the surefire bar it has a leash release built in so you don't need one on the leash itself

Hey guys no matter what you do or build there will always be wearing problems..
For those who kited for more then 4 years they should know that ss used to have an above the cleat bar, smaller hole, one year with a metal sleeve exposed so you wouldn't catch your fingers, the rope is now doubl;e through the bar so you can have your adjustable stopper ball easy to use, which every other brand copied now..
So ss have gone through at least 4 maybe 5 different bar designs and set ups since I have had the pleasure to ride the product.
There is a pro lenton bar still available with cleat above the bar..
There are still after sales products to make and service all the abouve mentioned bars, or to set them up.
ss used to produce accessories for kiting, back when naish had door knobs on the sides of bars to tie lines to.
I'm sure they here everything you've said lets see what they bring to the table in 2010..
ps no system is perfect..
Enjoy your riding :-)

^^^ hehe

Why are the pros lucky enough to get the above the bar cleat, but us plebs have to make do with below the bar? (I know I can buy a pro bar if I want, but makes you think doesn't it.)

So, my new "well designed" ss bar needs the following modifications:
1. replace depower line with 6 mm spectra line (chuck the bearing or keep it?). Buy sailing needle and cotton to get rope through.
2. Add a pulley for the dp rope to go through, instead of the metal ring.
3. add lace or something else to prevent the stopper from falling down the new rope.
4. Add tougher elastic to QR or fix with self tapping screw (and so loose QR ability) ro prevent unwanted and unexpected loss of kite.
5. Add a short line to the CSS line and hook my leash to this.
6. File metal cylinder smoother and go over it with waterpaper.
7. Add some elastic to each end to keep my lines neat (like all other respectable bars on the market have).
8. When riding, I cannot leave the depower uncleated because it gets in the way -I have to cleat it slightly.

Well done ss! Cutting edge design. Check out the Naish bar, Cabrinah bar... they're years ahead.

Lazarus said...
7. Add some elastic to each end to keep my lines neat (like all other respectable bars on the market have).

Or you could just check out the video on the slingshot website that shows you how to wrap the lines so you don't need the elastics. The method they show works well and removes the requirement for the elastics. I don't miss them now.

The Len10 bar also only has about 30cm of depower so if you'd prefer that.

Make no mistake, I love how the rev flies. It was by far the best of the kites that I demoed of the sle, hybridy kind of kites and I demoed 4 or 5. All the modifications I listed have been suggested in this thread by people other than me and I probably left out one or two that people have suggested. None could be apparent from the demo except modification 7 which shows that you need to take other factors into account when considering which kites to fork over your hard earned cash for.

I am amazed by the number of people who are so defensive of the bar given the number of threads previously and posts regarding all the problems.

Lazarus said...

Make no mistake, I love how the rev flies. It was by far the best of the kites that I demoed of the sle, hybridy kind of kites and I demoed 4 or 5. All the modifications I listed have been suggested in this thread by people other than me and I probably left out one or two that people have suggested. None could be apparent from the demo except modification 7 which shows that you need to take other factors into account when considering which kites to fork over your hard earned cash for.

I am amazed by the number of people who are so defensive of the bar given the number of threads previously and posts regarding all the problems.

Again, I see it as opinion. I like the bar in its current state and wouldn't trade it for a cab bar any day of the week. As I mentioned before, the plastic coated bars stick and you lose smoothness of the bar. The wear between your fingers is replaced by your fingers being pinched between the plastic coated line and the bar so its just as much of an issue.

One of the biggest issues you seem to have is the line wear. I'm amazed that people will buy a scooter for $2000 and spend $120 a service every 6 months but refuse to pay $25 every 6 months to replace a depower line on a $2000 kite or replace a pulley once in a while. I carry a depower rope in my bag and the moment my line looks suspect I'll replace it. The effort to find a stronger rope, put lace in the stopper, etc is greater and not worth the time and effort vs a $25 replacement line.

People are not being defensive, they are simply trading different opinions. There are a number of different designs on the market which cater for different people, if you hate the SS bar that much, buy a rev without the bar and buy a bar you like. There are plenty of other people who will take the current bar as it is and are happy with it.

You rave about the cab bar but having not used one, you are probably not aware that prior to the IDS (which has issues as well), the flagging system on the Cab bars was one of the worst on the market. The kite twisted 25 times on the way down to the water which meant the likelihood of you relaunching was close to zero unless you attached your leash to the chicken loop, something which is also not feasible if you ride at a place like StK where beginners can wrap themselves up with you at any moment. This is one of the things the Cab riders neglect to tell you because they only find this out when they have to swim in from 200m out because they can't get the kite back in the air. The push style releases also have issues. I've accidentally popped the release on jumps by sheeting in the bar too hard, not pleasant when you suddenly find yourself unhooked and dangling on a jump when you weren't planning on it. Then lets talk about line quality, which again, a lot of people neglect to mention. Plenty of my mates have bitched and complained about the line quality on the cabs which is not up to scratch. I doubt the cabs have 800kg lines on the front like the SS has. I've snapped a front line mid way through a jump, its an experience I don't care to repeat, but again, one that could have been avoided through maintenance. What about the leading edge issues on the 07 cab's. Sure they were replaced under warranty, but it made a lot of customers unhappy. Am I being biased against Cab? Yes, but its purely to show an example of how every brand has issues and none is perfect. Most other brands have had just as many issues with their kites. Its part of the problem of trying to perfect a model during a 1 year replacement cycle where long term testing isn't always possible and innovation is expected. As I said, no brand is perfect, no kite is perfect, no bar is perfect because riders have different tastes and expectations. As long as you have different styles of riding (freestyle, wakestyle etc) the requirements for each will be different and the likelihood of pleasing everyone is nil.

As I mentioned previous, #7 is taken care of simply by going to the website and viewing their video on how to wrap your bar, but if you are that set on elastics, you are welcome to attach them to your bar. The alternative is to have an open mind, check out the video, try the method they give and find out it works as well, if not better than elastics.

Saffer said...

Lazarus said...

You rave about the cab bar but having not used one, ... Then lets talk about line quality, ... What about the leading edge issues on the 07 cab's. ...

if you hate the SS bar that much, buy a rev without the bar and buy a bar you like...

As I mentioned previous, #7 is taken care of simply by going to the website and viewing their video on how to wrap your bar, but if you are that set on elastics, you are welcome to attach them to your bar. The alternative is to have an open mind, check out the video, try the method they give and find out it works as well, if not better than elastics.

I have used the Cab bar. Used Cabs in 2007, but damn the kites were so slow. I have no issue with the line strength or quality (coloured lines would be nice) or the kite itself of the Rev. As mentioned, I think the kite itself is awesome and ultimately it is how the kite performs that is the most important factor in choosing a kite. As mentioned, one is not aware of the bar issues when buying - depowers wearing out and QR's coming undone are something that happens only after you have used the kite a bit. I do have an open mind and followed your suggestion, looked at the vid, but isn't that how we wrapped our lines prior to about 2005 (or whenever), prior to the introduction of elastics?

Your points are well taken, Saffer. SS's motto is rider simplicity. I think they should look at the threads and others previously and hopefully next year will stick to their ideology and produce a kickass bar with fewer bugs and that require fewer tweaks and modifications.

I am looking to change to a C kite next season anyway and was looking at the video of the torch bar on the Naish site. I have used this bar a couple of times, but I am not that familiar with it. It does however, from the video, look like a well thought out piece of equipment. I will look at the Fuel too, so if I get a couple and I don't like the bar, expect some gripes from me on the forum!

BTW, how does one get the bearing off the old depower line and on to the new?

Slingshot service is great. Anything stuffs up for whatever reason, they don't stuff you around, they just fix it. Top marks from me.

just got my gear in the mail. They really looked after me the bar must be off a rpm or something its not foam grip but like soft plastic and a bunch of lines and stuff, Fu%$@$%@ love slingshots service!!!!!!!!!!! if the bar is off the rpm they have really improved the gear. this thing would last for years cant see how it could be damaged, ie old ones letters slinghot would come off. regardless after this service and what i have heard ill buy an rpm.

vader said...

heres what i have done to my bar and it works perfectly with little effort sheeting and cleating and placeing the stopper ball where ever .
i have filed out the center of the bar so it doesn`t rub the lines . the lines are a spectra speed 6mm ,which 2 meters costs about 8 bucks from your local whitworths. its the best line i`ve tryed and i`ve tryed alot. it is a 4-6mm cleat so why put 8mm line in it?
the pulley is a riely rm805 and is rated to 650 kgs and works like a dream 2 finger sheeting..the stopper has a piece of 2mm nylon through it . to get the rope through buy a sailing needle and sailing cotton.you`ll be surprised how often it comes in handy.
hope this helps, love my rev

I've done the same but used 6mm amsteel-don't trust the spectra-don't like sheathed line for such jobs-like to see the wear.

Did you use the small white nylon to keep the sliding stopper from sliding all the way down on the 6mm line? Does it work ok?

How did you go with getting the line length correct?

Did you put in a new bearing? And use a figure 8 knot to secure it rather than splicing?

Buncha' questions but on the same track.