Perhaps I can give a bit more detail on my top 10:
1 Phoenix - I've only ever had one visit to Knobels and we only got in two rides on Phoenix that day - the first was back row (which was good but only just above average). The second, front row, had an incredible amount of airtime. I didn't sit down for the whole ride and nothing has yet to top that for me yet. It's the right amount of 'rough' and pure, traditional wooden bliss.
2 Helix - maybe none of the elements are the best in the world by themselves but together, they form the most 'complete' ride experience. It goes on and on and the pacing is perfect with no dead spots so that it builds and builds with each launch. The airtime hill after the inverted tophat is my favourite part to the ride and I also love the little drop out of the station, the amazing view, the gorgeous little terrain s-bends and the final slow, beautifully-crafted finish, framed by the big wheel. Fab!
3 Shambhala - Tough choice between this and Nitro but I've ridden Shambles many more times and ridden it more recently so it's going here. It's a great mix of ejector and floater and is just so gloriously smooth and rerideable. Plus, the things it's done to that skyline. Oh my!
4 Nitro - slightly more ejector than Shambles. I had some insane rides on this back on the US Live. I love airtime. Buckets of it, that's my thing, and Nitro did not disappoint.
5 Skyrush - Don't think there's any other ride out there that makes me genuinely believe it's trying to kill me. I love the ridiculous wild feeling to it as it tries to snap your spine sideways. And the drop is obscene. Not as high in my count as the pure airtime machines though, and the restraints are (were) disgusting.
6 Nemesis - It took a long time for me to pluck up the courage to move Nemmy down from the top spot. Maybe as I get older, I'm moving even more towards airtime than forces, IDK. At night, in October during the rain, it's still probably number 1 or 2, but this is a more suitable position for a normal ride. The zero g is perfect and, like Helix and Troy, I love the way it builds up over the course of the ride. The roar and the close terrain layout will always make this hard to beat.
7 Black Mamba - So, so similar to Nemesis. If anything, I even prefer some of the first half, but the final s-bends (while thematically great), lose a little pace. Also, Nemesis' monster theme is better than a snake.
8 Balder - A very variable one for me. The first time I rode it, I adored the airtime, but I hadn't been on many world class woodies back then. Next visit, it seemed a bit tame. I understood the 'clinical' term it had been tagged with. But on our recent visit, I got in a couple of really, really good rides towards the end of the day, where the airtime through the tunnels was huge. Really pushed it back up the rankings.
9 Troy - TROY! Such a great, fun ride. Intense but not rough - the Nemesis of wooden coasters, it builds up speed all the way round. No pauses, just relentless fun. Best rides have still been on a cold rainy February.
10 Tonnere de Zeus - Back to airtime again. More natural air than Balder but not quite as much. I've been on it so many times over the last few years and not once had a bad ride. Always come off smiling.
