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Rank the RMC inversions

Serena

Serena

Miss CoasterForce 2016
Staff member
Social Media Team
Like any self respecting goon, the Iron Gwazi POV had me grinning from ear to ear. So imagine my surprise when Twitter folk were moaning about the "lack of airtime." !!?

A. You can't judge a ride from a POV

B. RMC are so much more than airtime machines! They make game changing, unique inversions - why does this get overshadowed with the "does it have airtime" debate everytime? I mean, these are the guys who gave us the Zero G Stall and the 270° Double Invert Stall, so lets talk more about how RMC are also one of the absolute best at delivering innovative, breathtaking inversions.

So without further ado, what are the best inversions on the RMCs you've ridden?

1. Zero G Stall - Wildfire - the views, the way it slows down, the sustained floaty hangtime. This has got to be one of the best coaster moments ever.

2. 270° Double Invert Stall - Untamed - such a unique sensation, a true wtf moment and a high point of the ride.

3. Zero G roll - Hakugei - yes, Hakugei has the kind of airtime that will bruise your thighs. But for me it's selling point is the fast, floaty, ultra smooth Zero G rolls where you properly get zero G! They are perfection.

4. Zero G Stall - Zadra - slightly faster than Wildfires but still so smooth and exhilerating.

5. Barrel Roll Drop - Storm Chaser - sometimes I get annoyed when a first drop is replaced with an inversion like a wing over, because I miss that simple plummetting joy. But Storm Chasers still manages feel like a first drop and an inversion at the same time! Lovely stuff!

I think those are my top five, how about you?
 
While it's obviously ridiculous to be moaning about that from a POV (not seen it), if they had actually ridden the thing and then come away with that comment then I might understand where they're coming from.
I love it when an RMC perfectly blends airtime and inversions. To me their greatest strength is in getting this balance just right. Personally I have actually marked a couple of RMCs down for getting that balance wrong (Wildfire and Zadra), but never have I marked one down for lack of inversions (Lightning Rod), so I guess that shows my leanings.

I had to go to RCDB for this and list them out for myself and one thing I will say - so many zero Gs. Even those step up under flip over heartline barrel roll down drop (variants) all end up as pretty much the same thing.

Anyway:

1. Top Gun Stall (Twisted Colossus) - The sensation of an RMC stall combined with the views of another train full of riders directly underneath you, being viciously ejected, is one of my all time favourite moments.

2. Zero G Stall (Zadra) - Specifically in the back row I remember getting airtime out of this one and loved it for that.

3. Zero G Stall (Wildfire) - Can't deny this one is the best for that sustained WTF moment.

4. Barrel Roll (Untamed) - Something about the timing of this one at the end was just so glorious.

5. Dive Loop (Railblazer) - Getting whipped round into this one in the back row while straddling the track felt pretty special.


6.-60. Something something zero Gs
 
I’m not a particular fan of RMC inversions but there are 3 which stand out for me:
1. Zadra’s Stall- the inverted part is fun with some great zero g and a nice view of the park, but what really makes it is the exit of the stall, the whip combined with a surprising pop of ejector made it a really fun element and it ended up being one of the better elements on the coaster.
2. Untamed’s Corner Stall- while it isn’t aggressive, the sustained floater is phenomenal, it’s just 4 seconds of floating out of your seat.
3. Wildfire’s Stall- again like Zadra’s stall the inverted part is fun, but my favourite part of the inversion was the entrance into it as the train whips upside down so fast, throwing you around a fair amount.

These are the only 3 real memorable RMC inversions for me, and generally I’d say the inversions on RMCs are a hinderance, I felt like on rides such as Untamed and Steel Vengeance, most of the inversions just did nothing and some even detracted from the ride because of discomfort or pacing. I feel like this is part of the reason that Lightning Rod is my favourite RMC as it doesn’t have any inversions so it can instead just focus on the airtime which RMC is so good at delivering.
 
  1. Wildfire's Stall - Wildfire's beginning is just impeccable, with that brilliant combo of first drop, stall, and wave turn. Shame about the rest of it though.
  2. Outlaw Run's *looks up on RCDB* "Over-Banked Inversion" - Something about RMC's first outings feel a bit like B&M's 90s creations, those imperfections really give it a notable snap that's missing from their latest coasters.
  3. Untamed's Double Stall - Easily my favorite part of this coaster and arguably the only unique element on the whole thing.
  4. Twisted Colossus's Stall - I think this would've made a bigger impact if my one ride was dueling, but, as my first proper stall, it did make a lasting impression.
  5. Iron Rattler's Zero-G Roll - This is easily RMC's best Zero-G roll (that I've ridden). It gives a great sense of floater and is a great transition from below to above the quarry.
Going through these made it all the more apparent that RMC's weakest point is their inversions.
 
1. Wildfire - zero-g stall: It's setting does enhance this significantly, but it's size, speed and forces make this a nearly flawless inversion. It's probably as close to coaster perfection as you'll get at the moment.

2. Steel Vengeance - first zero-g roll: Another piece of god-tier coaster shaping. The way the perfect zero-g sensation rolls you all the way through the main inversion and then into the turnaround is brilliant. Really, really great. Spoiled a little bit by #10 on this list right after, sadly.

3. Storm Chaser - barrel roll downdrop: I was actually a bit sceptical about this from POVs/photos, but on ride it's actually really cool. I was expecting it to dump you out your seat, but it somehow gains enough speed for it to feel like floater. In the back there's an excellent whip to it too.

4. Outlaw Run - 153 overbank: I put this one high up as it was the first time I remember thinking someone had accidentally built one of those wacky unrealistic NoLimits coasters. During it's construction I remember how insane this looked, and it does ride really well.

5. Wildfire - first barrel roll: As much as this is the start of the end of the ride, I adore how it follows the terrain.

6. Various - zero-g rolls: (Steel Vengeance x2, Iron Rattler, Untamed, Storm Chaser) These are basically all the same. They're great examples of a classic inversion.

7. Untamed - double inverting stall: Straying a bit into the silly now. It's pleasant to ride, but definitely not the stand-out moment of the ride.

8. Various - barrel rolls: (Untamed, Wildfire) These are fine. They're smooth, well shaped and fast, but they're not really anything special. On Untamed in particular I think I'd rather have had another hill.

9. Outlaw Run - double barrel roll: Not including this in the one above as the second roll is executed far too slowly to be that enjoyable. Not last for the visual spectacle, though.

10. Steel Vengeance - zero-g cutback: Should've been another perfect zero-g. Hate the jerky change in momentum it causes. Don't wanna write any more about this. It's rubbish.
 
Weirdly there's not many that spring to mind tbh. RMC coasters are so good as an overall package I guess it's easy to take the inversions for granted if that makes sense.

Steel Vengeance for example gives you such a battering it's hard to take it all in and break it down.

The one that does stand out is the drop on Storm Chaser, it's such a great way to kick off the ride especially on the back row where you get whipped through it.
 
It's all good but these are my favs

1 Zero G Stall / Wildfire - There is no strain of being upside down, it just feels fantastic with the inverted view of a glorious horizon. Spot on.

2 Barrel Roll Drop / Storm Chaser - Lovely stuff indeed. The turn and feel of a drop is so much fun. Makes me think twice about a ride I am otherwise not keen on.

3 Zero G Roll / Steel Vengeance - These are often top tier on any ride type and no exception with RMC. But being inside a dense wooden structure spinning at speed adds a new twist.


Outlaw Run's ending double barrel roll pleases me most by neatly using up momentum to head into the brake run. The hangtime is a little to hangy for me and not as good as the rest of the superb ride.
 
Ahhh man, it's questions like these for why I'm in the middle of categorizing all inversions on all coasters I've ridden. ?

Here's a general rundown:

  1. 153 Overbank - Outlaw Run: Talk about a hell of a way to start off your first RMC! Probably my top moreso for sentimental reasons, it's an inversion that packs a punch, and still brings a smile when, mid-inversion, we realized RMC was the real deal with their layout work.
  2. Zero-G Roll - Steel Vengeance: As folks have alluded to, this inversion is perfectly crafted; a double-up entering the inversion, an exit roll to the right headed into a wave turn, it is a virtually perfect flow. What's more, this inversion changes depending on where you're seated onboard and ambient temperature, which gives the inversion a lot of character ride after ride.
  3. Barrel Drop - Storm Chaser: It's an amazing piece of engineering, generating strong forces and speeds that have you staming into the very first airtime hill (read as: TONS of airtime).
  4. Double Barrel Roll - Outlaw Run: It's a very cool way to end the ride, if it does inevitably slow down given it's an uphill climb into the brakes.
  5. Cutback - Twisted Timbers: I think this inversion is underrated - it's a very fun, less-in-your-face inversion that would do Drachen Fire proud.
 
Despite having little RMC experience, I'll still share my thoughts (or mirror others on here at least) on this one as any excuse to talk about these coasters is one that i'll gladly take.

1. Zero G Stall on Wildfire - Would I like to float upside down for a seemingly neverending time, hurtling at stupid speeds whilst enjoying a breathtaking view of some of the best scenery Sweden has to offer... held in by just a lapbar? It's funny you should ask because yes, yes I would! It's no easy feat but I'd go as far as saying this is my favourite element of all time. Never have I been quite so happy to be upside down.

2. 270 Double Inverting Corner Stall on Untamed - Coaster manufacturers have been using inversions as an interesting way to perform a turn for decades now. We've seen Cobra rolls, Immelmanns, Dive loops and a couple other more unique inversions to perform a turn, but no turn is quite like this. This ups the standard and then some of what you can do with space on a big turn. I remember seeing renderings of what people thought the inversion would look like before Untamed was built and thinking surely they're not going to do that, that looks bonkers. They did and the forces experienced on that turn I have never experienced on any other coaster. To be whipped in and out of a stall with that much rotation like that is simply a flawless moment and is just one of many elements that make Untamed my number 1.

3. Zero G Roll on Untamed - This will be the last element I talk about as it is the last I've done that has really stuck in my mind. There isn't too much to say about this one aside from that it is disgustingly glossy smooth and the profiling is second to none. It might be because I haven't (or don't think I have) done any other Zero G Rolls with a lap bar, but this is my favourite one of all the coasters i've ridden. Up until Untamed it was the one on Katun and I still love a good forceful B&M Zero G Roll, but without lapbars it's quite hard to fully compare. This does lead me to this question though. Are the Zero G Rolls on RMC's the best? As people rank their RMC Zero G Rolls in the thread below, it would be interesting to see how they feel they compare against the same element from other manufactures.
 
1 - Wildfire's Zero-G Stall - Not only the best of RMC's repertoire, but clearly the worlds best inversion as well. Nothing else provides the perfect mix of speed, hang, flip and floater. All whilst on a wooden coaster with the best view from a coaster ever. The Tina Turner of inversions.

2 - Stormchaser's Barrel Drop - Nailing a drop at a good angle whilst upside down is clearly a winner, no wonder there's a few of these around, they really are fabulous.

3 - Wicked Cyclone's Zero-G Roll - It's been a while since I'd ridden this but I can still remember the absolute gorgeous way this is profiled. The speed is perfect, there is full floater from just before the apex to the bottom of the exit. Seriously hope I can travel back to Boston in the next couple of years. This needs another go.

4 - Zadra's Zero-G Stall - No, it's not as good as Wildfire's. Does that make it bad though? Hell no! It's still incredible, with a great flip in and out, it just doesn't last as long and misses the slight hang before it rights itself.

5 - Outlaw Run's Overbanked Inversion - This provides one of the best Woah! moments on this incredible coaster, propelling it much higher than you would think an overbank could be rated.

Whilst a lot of the other RMC inversions are good, these are the best 5 for me, and I only put 2 stalls in because Zadra's is still a lot better than nearly any other RMC inversion. Funnily enough, whilst I like all the inversions on Steel Vengeance, none of them are incredible, they work amazingly well as a package though.
 
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