Love most of the OR gear but I think you could do a lot better with the chicken loop.
It has little loose bits that float around under the bar, and the loop istself is way too small for easy hooking back in.
I would love to see a solid cuff like on the flexy release that auto orients itself with the bar insert. SS and Liquid Force both have solid below the bar CL systems. Naish has a decent one too. I’m sure the collective brain at OR can do a lot better than what is currently shipping. Gotta get away from little bits of PVC as spacers and exposed knots to compete with the clean systems on offer out there. Self orienting is another simple but important feature.
Please, please, please? The velcro cuff is so old windwing,,, and it wasn’t cool for them either! No need to get all gadgety like the crazy piece by GK. Just simple clean and sand proof. Again, I urge you to look to flexy for your inspiration. all it needs is a cleat below the cuff and your golden.
I think there can be improvement, but myself I like the velcro quick release a monkey could use it grab a pull up gone, very easy and is programed in my brain automatic now, I find it’s good because it’s big and I can find it without looking, saved my ass a few times, if there’s something better out there I’m all for it.
i like it too. My biggest complaint is it’s a pain for hooking back in. I find if you’ve been riding hooked for a while it keeps it’s shape kinda pinched, and it’s really difficult to hook back in. I like the QR because you’re not grabbing for some small tab or strap to pull, you grab the entire thing, can’t miss.
there was a thread somewhere on here where someone added a round stopper ball between the bar and chiken loop. When unhooked the ball would then sit in the recess under the bar locking the c’loop at a nice angle for hooking back in!
I agree,something like the Naish smart loop,North Iron Heart or even Eclipse QR is awesome but needed to be updated to push away design…On my 08 Rise the swivel works poorly too….My frontlines are always twisted…Anyone ever tried some lube like mountain bike water resistent lube???
Leave it. I’ve tried lots of different brands and the OR is the cleanest, simplest, most easy to deploy and most failsafe one out there. No need to change it.
Honestly, this last weekend i helped my friend re depower rope his 07 Slingshot bar! Was a lot of usesless crap, it even has a crappy rusty bearing in the cl bit! All that crap and cost and it is in no way near as good as the OR setup!
The body of the CL needs to be solid and wide enough to hold the loop open making it easier to hook back in and preventing the CL from conforming to the shape of your hook. The release could work on exactly the same principle but be a solid piece instead of material. The Flexi release is exactly that. no more complex than the OR release, just easily shaped to fit into the bar insert for auto orientation. Adding a ball just means one more loose bit below the bar that I am trying to prompt a move away from and it makes for a tiny loop on a longer unit. As a rider I understand the safety and functionality of the system but also have a good idea of its shortcomings. As a retailer I see the untidiness and home made look of the unit, and as a progressive thinker I know it can be improved without compromising its utility, reliability or serviceability. Nothing complex, just take what works and improve on it.
To those that feel the loop is perfect as is, I suggest you take your riding to the next level and learn to unhook. Then get back to me on how many times you biff while looking down, one hand on the bar, one on the CL trying to hook back in.
Yeah, alright I’ll bit on this one. 70% of my riding is unhooked and I have no problems hooking back in. I don’t even have to look when I do it. It is all about feel and muscle memory. The more you do it, the less you need to focus on it. Maybe you just haven’t been at the ‘next level’ long enough.
I have no problems as well - hook in is easy. RE/RE the safety in the water after an emergency release is very easy compared to the Naish set up (as an example)
I agree that the current setup is not really a problem hooking in. I do usualy grap the CL with 1 hand though. So from that aspect I also strongly agree that a molded system which falls in the oval barhole to keep it more straight makes the whole system perfect.
I ride a number of different kites/bars and find the OR the toughest to hook back into without taking a hand off the bar. Especially toe side or in chop. A slightly wider loop is much easier and a pretty easy improvement to make. Pretty touchy in here! Didn’t realize constructive criticism was taboo.
If your nailing it every time maybe its just your uber skill.
I think the same basic design layout with a molded plastic base of the chicken loop to keep it wide open. I think the cuff should be molded plastic as well to fit the bar insert. Definitely an expense to get made, but I shouldn’t think its all that hard to design.
