I personally have never been on a Vekoma Suspended Looping Coaster before because so far I have yet to visit a park that has one. Based on what I've read over the internet, SLCs seem to be put in a negative light by most people. Are they really as bad as everyone says they are? I'm pretty sure that they aren't even half as good as, say, B&M inverts, but I don't think I've ever seen a positive review of an SLC. To those of you that have ridden one, what is it really like?
Are Vekoma SLCs really that bad?
- Thread starter VF15
- Start date
ATTACKHAMMER
Strata Poster
The two I've been on were awful. I find them very rough so there can be a bit of head banging, overall they are too rough to really enjoy. The restraints are also very uncomortable.
Smithy
Strata Poster
I've ridden Kumali, Infusion and Jubilee Odyssey.
Infusion is an absolute ****, rough as anything else I've ridden and just generally an unpleasant ride and layout.
Kumali was very good when I first rode it (opening season I believe), noticeably rougher a few years later, and felt a bit short but was enjoyable.
JO was utterly brilliant for the first half of the ride with one of the greatest drops on a ride in this country. But the second half can throw you around a bit.
Infusion is an absolute ****, rough as anything else I've ridden and just generally an unpleasant ride and layout.
Kumali was very good when I first rode it (opening season I believe), noticeably rougher a few years later, and felt a bit short but was enjoyable.
JO was utterly brilliant for the first half of the ride with one of the greatest drops on a ride in this country. But the second half can throw you around a bit.
No... They're worse than everyone says they are. I dread having to ride them just to film POVs and before I started filming I used to skip them even though it meant not getting the cred. I simply can't stand the headbanging against the restraints. The only thing worse I've encountered was the complete body pounding Son Of Beast gave me.VF15 said:
That being said, there are exceptions to the rule. Jubilee Odyssey's size seems to have an effect of removing the headbanging, Fly the Great Nor'Easter at Morey's Piers uses different trains without the headbanging restraints, Kumali at Flamingo Land has a different layout that doesn't force your head into the restraints, T2 at Kentucky Kingdom rocked back-to-front instead of side-to-side (so limited headbanging), plus there's the occasional standard SLC that's an exception to the rule and isn't so bad (Thunderhawk at Michigan's Adventure and Vampire at Walibi Belgium, for example).
cjbrandy
Hyper Poster
I rode an SLC for the first time in August. It was Infusion in Blackpool which is the standard SLC model and there was no queue at all so I had couple of re rides. I found it fairly enjoyable until the last two inversions- the double barrel roll which was so rough that it gave me a neck ache for the rest of the holiday. The standard SLC model would probably be a much better ride without the last two inversions.
Casio
Mega Poster
The first SLC I did was Blue Tornado at Gardaland, and I actually rather enjoyed it. I was with a big group of friends, so I think the whole idea of being smashed around together was a bit of a laugh and made it a lot better; a lot of my friends actually said it was better than Raptor.
I've been on two since then; Infusion and El Condor, and they were both absolutely terrible. They start off ok, but they shuffle along the track, and once your past the roll over they're vile. I'll doubt I'll bother with any more standards.
I've been on two since then; Infusion and El Condor, and they were both absolutely terrible. They start off ok, but they shuffle along the track, and once your past the roll over they're vile. I'll doubt I'll bother with any more standards.
Youngster Joey
Strata Poster
Snoo said:
+1
Screaming Coasters
Strata Poster
No they're not. Everyones just being a p**sy.
I've only been on Infusion and I didn't find it unpleasant at all. Its more jolty than rough, but what do you expect with a 90's built prefab coaster, which most of these SLC's are anyway.
I've only been on Infusion and I didn't find it unpleasant at all. Its more jolty than rough, but what do you expect with a 90's built prefab coaster, which most of these SLC's are anyway.
Been on 6 some bad some not to bad. But the clone ones have all been bad.
It's a shame as the layouts are not that bad.
I sat out the one in Heide as I already had a head ache.
The worst one I've been on was the one in Movie Park Germany which was my first one.
Odyssey was ok probably the best one I've been in.
It's a shame as the layouts are not that bad.
I sat out the one in Heide as I already had a head ache.
The worst one I've been on was the one in Movie Park Germany which was my first one.
Odyssey was ok probably the best one I've been in.
The layout of the standard model, and the extended version, is actually decent, but yeah most of the ones I've been on are horrible because of the roughness.
Vortex at Siam Park City was a real exception when I rode it a few years ago - it was practically B&M invert smooth - but it's got a lot rougher since then. The one at Nasu Highlands also wasn't too bad.
Different restraints help. Arkham Asylum would've been vile, but the new restraints mean that there's nothing to bang your head on.
As a point of reference, Infusion falls somewhere slightly higher than the middle for me - it's not too bad at all - so using it as a standard to judge the roughness of all SLCs when you haven't ridden any others just doesn't work.
The Kumali layout (tried three of them) doesn't throw you around as much, but the layout itself is crap.
Vortex at Siam Park City was a real exception when I rode it a few years ago - it was practically B&M invert smooth - but it's got a lot rougher since then. The one at Nasu Highlands also wasn't too bad.
Different restraints help. Arkham Asylum would've been vile, but the new restraints mean that there's nothing to bang your head on.
As a point of reference, Infusion falls somewhere slightly higher than the middle for me - it's not too bad at all - so using it as a standard to judge the roughness of all SLCs when you haven't ridden any others just doesn't work.
The Kumali layout (tried three of them) doesn't throw you around as much, but the layout itself is crap.
Intricks
Strata Poster
Of the two Ive been on (Thunderhawk when it was at Geauga Lake and Mind Eraser at SFNE), there is a vast difference between those two alone. I dont remember head banging on Thunderhawk, and I had a migraine after exiting the first inversion on Mind Eraser.
So it is dependent on the individual ride from my experience.
So it is dependent on the individual ride from my experience.
insanecoastervids
Hyper Poster
No they are not as bad as everyone else seems to make them. But they are bad.
Mysterious Sue
Strata Poster
When they're good, they're very, very good, but when they're rough they're evil ;p
The minority of SLCs that beat you up (I'm looking at you, Infusion) give the rest a bad name. Most have above average roughness, but it's manageable and always worth the effort.
The minority of SLCs that beat you up (I'm looking at you, Infusion) give the rest a bad name. Most have above average roughness, but it's manageable and always worth the effort.
theRock-steel
Mega Poster
Ranking of steel coasters that could be better if not for the pain:
Arrow Custom Looping
Vekoma SLC
Vekoma Boomerang
Stand-Up
There are some really harmful ones in all of those groups and then there are some that are not so bad. On rcdb, Gauntlet had a redesigned wheel assembly. This gave it a more comfortable ride. Unfortunately it is in Magic Springs in Arkansas, a place that few know about. I would say that all of the other SLC's are pretty much the same. I have "learned how to ride them", so I can put up with them. Like with most with OTSR's, try to keep your upper body stiff so your arms and neck don't get killed by the restraints.
Many want to compare the SLC's to the B&M inverts. B&M wins on all counts. I don't like the Batman ones has much as the others, but even those are better than the Vekomas. (By the way, the original Batman at SFGAM has a little something extra and I like the less "dark" paint jobs of Goliath and Great White.)
Arrow Custom Looping
Vekoma SLC
Vekoma Boomerang
Stand-Up
There are some really harmful ones in all of those groups and then there are some that are not so bad. On rcdb, Gauntlet had a redesigned wheel assembly. This gave it a more comfortable ride. Unfortunately it is in Magic Springs in Arkansas, a place that few know about. I would say that all of the other SLC's are pretty much the same. I have "learned how to ride them", so I can put up with them. Like with most with OTSR's, try to keep your upper body stiff so your arms and neck don't get killed by the restraints.
Many want to compare the SLC's to the B&M inverts. B&M wins on all counts. I don't like the Batman ones has much as the others, but even those are better than the Vekomas. (By the way, the original Batman at SFGAM has a little something extra and I like the less "dark" paint jobs of Goliath and Great White.)
Screaming Coasters
Strata Poster
Snoo said:
Wow, I thought you were smarter than that...
I only commented on my one experience on Infusion, I didn't comment on any other SLC apart from stating the obvious that they're mostly old.
Get a grip.
