Top 5 Worst Standard 689m SLCs

[thoe124]

So I was thinking about SLCs, and about how they are really bad, and how there is so much headbanging, and about how there are 24 standard SLCs in the world, and then i was wondering, which is the worst one?

(T2 doesnt count, as it is a prototype)

[K1ngdaKa88]

I've been on one SLC and I didn't liked it!!!! It was Limit at Heide Park and it is a SLC from the year 1999, so it is one of the first ones and with the old restrains!!!

[grsupercity]

The couple that I have been on weren't bad. Just hold your head forward.

[Mater]

I've been going on Kong since the late 90's, and I've always hated it.

 

 

It's just such a bad layout.

[ejot]

I've only done a few SLCs - and I actually kind of like them - but Mind Eraser at SFA was the headbang-iest of them so far.

 

Also, we were stuck on the lift for about 15 minutes before maintenance trucks showed up and guys with really massive toolbags walked over. Ride op walks up the lifts and tells us: "Don't worry guys, this happens ALL the time.

 

Also, they keep a cherry picker parked under the ride. Yeah.

[Mater]

I think the lift is the worst part about the rides. Was stuck on Kong once for a bit and would have killed for a floor underneath like any B&M invert.

[thesman]

I know T2 is shorter than the rest (as its the prototype) but I'm not sure where it's shortened as it looks the same as the standard.

[Myself]

I believe T2's difference is the hill before the brake run...it's straight as opposed to the banked "swoop" on other models.

 

I may have 101 coasters as of this post, but I've yet to be on a single SLC, surprisingly. That said, if KI's Invertigo is any indication of the ride experience...I'm not quite looking forward to it.

[screaminkid2005]

Off the top of my head, I believe I have only been on 5 different SLC's. Ill rank them 1 being the best and 5 being the worst.

 

5.Gauntlet at Magic Springs- Awful color scheme, one train operation, multiple broke seats, slow dispatches. This SLC also hurt the most out of any I've been on. It had tons of head banging and would make this strange sound as it went though the half loop.

 

4. Mind Eraser at Darien Lake- The over presentation of the ride just looked really bad. All the line fences were either bent or broke, tons of rust pots on the supports, and trash everywhere. While the ride did give me a slight headache, it wasn't as bad as Gauntlet. This ride also ran with only one train with very slow dispatches.

 

3.Mind Eraser at Six Flags America- I rode this back in 2004 or 2005 so it could have gotten better or worse with time, probably worse, but I remember this being a decent ride. I remember the lift being faster on this version then any other I've been on, also while it only ran one train on a semi busy day, it was clear that they did have a second train as it was on the transfer track, unlike the number 4 and 5 and they had a fast attendant which lead to decent dispatches. This coaster did knock me around a bit but I did have fun on it.

 

2. Mind Eraser at Six Flags New England- I personally love this ride. Since I've worked on this coaster for the past two seasons and have ridden it the most out of any of the 5, my opinion of it may rank it higher than others will. This coaster is always running two trains, always has a great crew working it and getting high numbers, and while it does knock you a round a bit, it does deliver a good ride experience. I personally think its a great ride!

 

1. The Great Nor'Easter- The new trains made the ride so much more enjoyable. I actually was able to keep my hands up and not have to stay in the brace position! While it does throw you around a bit, it is in no way painful and is just overall a great ride. It does have a strange locker policy that says you can not have anything in your pockets at all. And the entrance person has a metal detector wand and scans you as you come through. But it's understandable considering how much it interacts with other rides. Overall it is a great ride!

 

 

I believe T2's difference is the hill before the brake run...it's straight as opposed to the banked "swoop" on other models.

 

I believe it also has to do with this version being shorter in height. T2 is 101.7ft while most other models are 109.3ft according to RCDB. While it might not seem like much of a difference, it most likely made it so all the other models could make their inversions and elements a little bit higher adding to a slight increase in track length.

[XII]

I've been on 8 Standard SLCs, and this is how I'd rank them.

 

8. Kong @ SFDK - AWFUL!!! Easily the worst SLC I've been on and possibly one of my least favorite coasters ever. Just...OUCH!!!

7. Top Gun @ Canada's Wonderland - Not quite as bad as Kong, but still a very rough and painful SLC.

6. Ednor @ La Ronde - Terrible.

5. Mind Eraser @ Elitch Gardens - Wasn't really painful since there wasn't much headbanging, but it was still rough and felt bouncy (not in a good way) in a lot of places. Almost like it was made of chewing gum and rubber bands.

4. Limit @ Heide Park - Mediocre.

3. MP Express @ Movie Park Germany - Also Mediocre.

2. Mind Eraser @ Six Flags New England - Hmm, not painful. I'd dare say that I almost cracked a smile at one point.

1. Thunderhawk @ Geauga Lake & Michigan's Adventure - Rode this in both locations and this is easily my favorite SLC. It's currently the only SLC I've ridden where I got off and said "That was fun. I want to ride again."

 

Counting non-standard SLCs, I've ridden Blue Tornado @ Gardaland, which has a bonus helix. It's also mediocre and the bonus helix is worthless.

[Rollercoaster Rider]

5. Ednor at La Ronde

4. Ednor at La Ronde

3. Ednor at La Ronde

2. Ednor at La Ronde

1. Ednor at La Ronde

 

 

Makes a Vekoma SLC Feel like Iron Rattler by Comparison

[rcdude]

I've been on a half dozen of these and I'd rank them as follows (best to worst);

 

1. Mind Eraser (SFNE): If there was an SLC that I'd say "isn't bad," it's this one. Not a good ride by any means, but not really painful.

2. Ednor-L'Attaque (LR): This one gets bonus points for being over water. It was rough but not horrible, but the operations were atrocious.

3. Kong (SFDK): This was my first SLC and I thought it was horrible. However, after riding several others and trying it again it wasn't too bad. Still not the best, but pretty average in my experience.

4. Mind Eraser (DL): This one was rough but not brutal. This one also had terrible operations.

5. Mind Eraser (EG): People say this one isn't that bad but I found it pretty rough and somewhat painful. It is the most intense coaster in Colorado, however, and seems to be a massive hit with the general public.

6. Flight Deck (CW): Cedar Fair should have removed this thing instead of SkyRider. Rough, painful, and not something I'd care to ride again.

 

In general, I consider SLCs one step above credit coasters in that I'd ride them again if there was no wait but wouldn't wait more than a train or two for a re-ride on a subsequent visit. They aren't the worst coasters out there, but even the best SLC is not even on the same level as the worst B&M invert.

[RideofSteel]

I've only been on three. They're in order of worst to best.

 

3. Mind Eraser at Elitch Gardens. Very rough and shakes like crazy. This was the only one to have two train operations but the park only runs the ride with two operators making dispatches slow. It also happened to break down right before I got on both times I was at the park.

 

2. Mind Eraser at SFA. I don't remember too much about the ride besides minor headbanging and it being a walkon.

 

1. Mind Eraser at SFNE. Maybe I just got a good ride on it, but I thought this SLC was better than the B&M floorless next door. I didn't get any headbanging and it was really intense.

[ScreaminNewEngland]

I have only been on Mind Eraser at SFNE and it's my second favorite coaster at the park right now. I love the SLC layout. Very forcefull and thrilling. ME at SFNE is not too rough. A little shaky but not bad. I like a coaster that has a little bit of a kick to it. Mind Eraser certainly does the trick!

I'll take Mind Eraser over the next door B&M snoozer any day!

[GwaziBSRider1]

I'll rank my seven. Worst to Best

 

7. Flight Deck - CW. Easily THE most painful ride I've ever experienced. NEVER. AGAIN.

6. Mind Eraser - DL. Brutal.

5. Mind Eraser - SFA. Nice amount of headbanging.

4. Thunderhawk - MiA. It ran a lot better at GL, and I'm sure it will get much worse.

3. Mind Eraser - SFNE. This one wasn't as bad as I expected. Still not good.

2. Batman the Ride - SFM. Of all the ones with the older style trains, this one is the least painful. It's still nothing special.

1. Fly the Great Nor'easter - Morey's. I actually really enjoy this coaster. It's still fairly rough, but it's like rough sex: it's so much fun.

[redfoot12]

I've only been on three. They're in order of worst to best.

 

3. Mind Eraser at Elitch Gardens. Very rough and shakes like crazy. This was the only one to have two train operations but the park only runs the ride with two operators making dispatches slow. It also happened to break down right before I got on both times I was at the park.

 

2. Mind Eraser at SFA. I don't remember too much about the ride besides minor headbanging and it being a walkon.

 

1. Mind Eraser at SFNE. Maybe I just got a good ride on it, but I thought this SLC was better than the B&M floorless next door. I didn't get any headbanging and it was really intense.

 

These are the three I've been on and I'd swap #2 and #3.

[ajfelice]

SLCs are no doubt pretty uncomfortable in general, but I always find myself taking at least a ride if not two or three of them if the line is minimal when I visit a park with an SLC. Perhaps it's the, in my mind, intense layout fit into a compact space?

 

I haven't ridden enough of these to really compile a formal list, but I have found that Canada's Wonderland's Flight Deck to be the worst. Mind Eraser at Darien Lake and Six Flags New England are uncomfortable, but not unbearably painful like CW's Flight Deck, so there is some enjoyment with the intensity. Thunderhawk when it was at Geauga Lake was actually a very good ride. It's fairly smooth ride really showcased how the layout of these coasters is actually pretty good for an off-the-shelf coaster.

 

With the exception of Flight Deck, I have found that SLCs will vary in roughness based on sitting in the right or left seat. Especially in the front row, I have found the left side to be actually very decently smooth to the point I won't ride defensively. It's almost like a different coaster on the right side as the experience lives up to every part of the stereotype of hang-n-bang. As much as a front-left ride reduces headbanging, I have found that the further you go back the less the snapping/shuffling there is in the first inversion.

 

I guess the one redeeming factor of these rough coasters is the fact they seem to be very reliable and relatively easy to maintain. I can't recall a time I have been at a park with an SLC and it was down for mechanical reasons.

[gerstlaueringvar]

I've only been on one 689, one Shenlin, one Shenlin with bonus helix and a Shibaolai knock-off. The two Shenlins (Happy Valley Shenzhen and Beijing) are fun and forceful but the 689(Gauntlet) is as bad as the knock-off(Dizzy Love and Whirling Passion)

[Midgetman82]

If you're going to exclude T2, then you'll need to exclude Condor at Walibi as well. T2 was the world's second SLC. Condor was the first, and both are the only SLC prototypes in existance.

[Genx24]

The only SLC I've ridden is Mind Eraser at SFNE, and I thought it was awful. Not very rough, but the vibrations wrecked my back for a couple of days after. Arguably the worst coaster in that park. However, I am curious to test out another.

[Geauga Dog]

Other than T2 I've been on...

 

Serial Thriller/Thunderhawk at GL - definitely the smoothest I've been on plus it had a great location on the lakefront. I sort of miss the ride.

 

Mind Eraser at DL - the most brutal I've ridden. It's no wonder I've heard people call it "Ear Eraser".

 

Kong at SFMW/SFDK - from what I remember it wasn't bad but it seemd like the train slowed down while going through the inversions.

[cfc]

They all just run together for me. I guess I'll say Mind Eraser at Six Flags America, as that was my first experience with the "off-the-shelf" SLC.

 

This is like comparing hammers to see which one will give you the smallest contusion after striking you in the head.

[thoe124]

 

Thanks for the info! I was just wondering, since i have never been on one, and people all say they are bad.

Here are a few that were apparently the worst ones.

[nicman]

For me, I would say Flight Deck at Canada's Wonderland.

[Dom497]

Flight Deck has actually gotten a bit better over the years.