Stand-Up coasters= A failed concept?

[Nrthwnd]

My fave stand up was my first one, Vortex at Great America, Santa Clara CA.

So smooth I remember. It was great. I took lots of photos of it, back then.

 

And my most awkward stand up, was the one at Rusutsu Park, in Sapporo Japan.

The bicycle seat didn't seem to be locked, so I bounced up and down a bit

over the course of the run. But I still enjoyed it, lol.

 

Which means, I am on the fence about whether stand ups are past their prime.

They are still obviously unique among coasters in general.

 

So, maybe there could still be an inverted stand up coaster possible?

Holding my own (only one on board, front row), on Standing Coaster, in Rusutsu park, Japan. (2013)

[coasterbill]

Um.....That link had a trojan on it, MalwareBytes had a fit when I opened it.

 

It's probably being over-sensitive, it's the official website for a knockoff Chinese coaster manufacturer. Maybe MalwareBytes is trying to protect your computer from terrible rides.

[Canobie Coaster]

So, maybe there could still be an inverted stand up coaster possible?

 

The standing floorless drop tower looks painful enough. I can't imagine an entire coaster.

[GwaziBSRider1]

So, maybe there could still be an inverted stand up coaster possible?

 

Bill, as cool as that idea might be, I don't think that would be the best idea for us men folk!

[chasbron]

The standing floorless drop tower looks painful enough. I can't imagine an entire coaster.

 

Personally, I think the standing floorless design makes Acrophobia one of the best drop towers but that's just my opinion.

 

Anyway, I actually love B&M stand-ups when they are done well (Georgia Scorcher). If they are done poorly (Vortex at Carrowinds) they can be killed with fire. Honestly, I think that just like B&M redesigned their inverted trains, dive coaster trains, and floorless trains, if B&M were to redesign the stand-up train so that it loaded faster and kept the OTSR away from your ears, they would have a kick a$$ ride. Please redesign this B&M!!

[Geauga Dog]

 

The standing floorless drop tower looks painful enough. I can't imagine an entire coaster.

 

Acrophobia may look painful but I didn't think it was painful at all. It's my favorite drop tower.

 

All they need to do is add the floorless element to the ride - put in a retractable floor and your legs will just dangle freely. Of course the trains may need to be raised a little higher so that there is enough clearance between rider's feet and track.

[StuckInSD]

 

The standing floorless drop tower looks painful enough. I can't imagine an entire coaster.

 

Acrophobia may look painful but I didn't think it was painful at all. It's my favorite drop tower.

 

All they need to do is add the floorless element to the ride - put in a retractable floor and your legs will just dangle freely. Of course the trains may need to be raised a little higher so that there is enough clearance between rider's feet and track.

 

I can only imagine the pain my crotch would be going through.

 

I think a stand-up design would be really effective on a lie-to-fly, since it could eliminate that awful crotch clamp with the right restraints. Just get some good OTSRs, a belt and ankle restraints and you'd be good to go!

[rcjp]

The standing floorless drop tower looks painful enough. I can't imagine an entire coaster.

 

Personally, I think the standing floorless design makes Acrophobia one of the best drop towers but that's just my opinion.

 

Anyway, I actually love B&M stand-ups when they are done well (Georgia Scorcher). If they are done poorly (Vortex at Carrowinds) they can be killed with fire. Honestly, I think that just like B&M redesigned their inverted trains, dive coaster trains, and floorless trains, if B&M were to redesign the stand-up train so that it loaded faster and kept the OTSR away from your ears, they would have a kick a$$ ride. Please redesign this B&M!!

B&M hasn't really change floorless trains since they were created but yes, I do agree they could make a better experience now. Just look at the last standup (Georgia Scorcher) which seems to be the best around. Their new vest restrains would be great for these rides.

[Moose]

Was it a failed concept, no. Are there better concepts and better ride experiences, most definitely.

[jacksoro2]

I actually don't mind stand ups either. I've only been on Vortex(Carowinds), Georgia Scorcher, Apocalypse and Shockwave. Vortex left me with a headache for the rest of the day and I didn't exactly care for Shockwave but the other two weren't that bad. I actually dislike flying coasters (other than Manta) more than stand ups.

[Midgetman82]

Oddly, I've only ever had a bad experience on Mantis. After a full-day's walking Cedar Point and saving a night ride on it (thanks to the nearly non-existant line) put an enormous amount of pain in my calfs the whole ride. Glad they're going the floorless route.

 

Chang and Riddler's Revenge were awesome coasters in my book, although Georgia Scorcher gives them run for their money with its tighter layout. Georgia Scorcher is the stand-up coaster I hear the least amount of complaints from. I remember trying Shockwave at Kings Dominion bracing for dear life, but ended up not being as bad as people had touted it for being. A few pumps here and there on the final stretch, sure, but I enjoyed it a little.

[hey...hey]

I would not say a failed concept...just a fad on a long list (Hypersonic XLC, Son of Beast, etc). This one had just lasted a good while.

[TPDave]

I wouldn't say son of beast was a fad, it was the first of a genre that's since become very good with the rise of RMC.

 

I don't think stand ups are a failed concept, from an enthusiasts point of view maybe, but they seem popular enough with the GP which is what the business is all about.

[StLCPfan]

I thought substandard construction was SOB's failure. Wood support structure undergoes a lot of stress with that much weight and force, and RCCA just didn't build enough support structure to keep the ride from shaking itself to death. I think structural steel, or more if they did have some, in key places would have made SOB a better ride.

 

As far as standup coasters, the issue with your head being farther away from the track is the biggest problem I have seen for a lot of people. When you're already standing up, going through the twisted maneuvers B&M put on some of their standup coasters just flings your body around much more than a sitting coaster. Just look at riders on a bus or train. When the vehicle makes a turn at higher speed or an abrupt stop or acceleration, standing riders' bodies jostle around more than sitting riders' bodies. B&M put some crazy quick transitions in Iron Wolf, Vortex CGA, and Mantis. Head banging from the quick transitions and shoulder harnesses that are in the perfect position to bash riders' temples and ears is the biggest complaint my friends an family have had with standup coasters. And of course the bicycle seat is not the best answer to stabilizing the body at midsection. Maybe if someone could re-engineer the seat area and find an efficient way to get Schwarzkopf style adjustable shoulder restraints that are comfortable and hug the shoulders without shifting down during the ride we might see another era of standup coasters.

[KingRCT3]

Maybe if someone could re-engineer the seat area and find an efficient way to get Schwarzkopf style adjustable shoulder restraints that are comfortable and hug the shoulders without shifting down during the ride we might see another era of standup coasters.

 

What about my proposition on page 3? I might add that the restraint I drew is no more valid. Instead, try to picture something like this, with a soft vest for shoulders:

 

Drawing from a Vekoma patent (don't mind the seat's shape. Your face would actually hit the headrest). Coloring and retouches by me.

Edited November 14, 2014 by KingRCT3

[coasterschile]

^Thats a good idea, I think that if B&M could make that possible, there could be a new era of StandUps, and many old StandUps could replace their trains

[Midgetman82]

^That'd be nice, but current B&M inverts can't even gain the new trains Banshee has due to it being wider than normal invert trains. I'd suspect the trains for those would be too wide as well.

 

Of course, I'd love for them to prove me wrong on this. Those seats look so nice!!

[CanobieFan]

I honestly thought Green Lantern was pretty awesome at SFGAdv. I know I'm in the minority.

 

B&M standups aren't bad. I can't say for togo though.

[rcjp]

Maybe if someone could re-engineer the seat area and find an efficient way to get Schwarzkopf style adjustable shoulder restraints that are comfortable and hug the shoulders without shifting down during the ride we might see another era of standup coasters.

 

What about my proposition on page 3? I might add that the restraint I drew is no more valid. Instead, try to picture something like this, with a soft vest for shoulders:

 

[attachment=0]Vekoseat.jpg[/attachment]

This.

The salvation for standups.

[Steely Dan]

The stand-up rollercoaster concept was somewhat big in the '80s/'90s, but the last new build stand-up was B&M's Georgia Scorcher @ SGOG in 1999. And with the removal of the Togo stand-ups from north american parks, the ongoing Cedar Fair floorless conversions of their B&M stand-ups, and the recent rumor of La Ronde removing their Intamin stand-up Cobra, I started wondering when this style of coaster will disappear from the coaster landscape altogether.

 

As recently as 2000, there were a dozen stand-up coasters operating at north american parks, but if La Ronde does in fact remove Cobra, and if Carowinds' Vortex ends up meeting the same floorless conversion fate as Mantis/Rougarou @ CP & Vortex/Patroit @ CGA, then that would leave only 4 operating stand-ups left in North America, all of them at SF parks:

 

Georgia Scorcher @ SFOG

Riddler's Revenge @ SFMM

Green Lantern @ SFGAdv (former Chang from KK)

Apocalypse @ SFA (former Iron Wolf from SFGAm)

 

And globally, the picture doesn't look much better because the stand-up concept never really took off very strongly outside of Japan and North America. There are still 4 older Togo stand-ups operating in Japan. And there are two stand-ups operating in Europe: Intamin's Shockwave @ Drayton Manor and Togo's Freestyle @ Cavallino Matto (former Skyrider from CW).

 

 

 

I'm aware that the stand-up coaster concept was never fully embraced by the coaster enthusiast community, and that most of the examples were seen as gimmicky at best, or outright torture devices at worst. Still, a part of me will be sad to see this style of roller coaster disappear altogether into the dustbin of roller coaster history. I was lucky to ride 4 stand-ups (King Cobra, Iron Wolf, Mantis, and Shockwave @ KD) and I enjoyed riding each of them.

 

Since it doesn't look like we're gonna see any new-build stand-ups anytime soon (Togo is completely out of business, Intamin is definitely out of the stand-up business, and B&M haven't built a stand-up in nearly 2 decades), how long do you think the few remaining examples will last?

[BotanicalStig]

I almost wonder if the stand up train would work better on B&Ms newer, less intense ride style. My issue was always with the strong forces hurting my legs and feet. Along with the snappy transitions, it makes for a miserable ride.

 

Actually, I think a B&M hyper with stand-up trains would be fun.

[XII]

I wouldn't say that the Stand Up coaster was a failed concept. They had a good run, but sadly, there haven't been any new ones being built since 1999. I'm in the minority who really likes the Stand Up coasters. I've been on every single B&M one, and have tried one from Intamin (Cobra @ La Ronde) and Togo (Skyrider). I enjoyed all of them to some degree, though I will admit that I'm looking forward to the conversion to Patriot @ CGA. But I'd still love to see another great Stand Up coaster along the lines of Riddlers Revenge or Georgia Scorcher being built.

[thrillseeker4552]

I wouldn't be a bit disappointed if stand-up coasters went completely extinct in the next decade or two. Aside from Riddler's Revenge (which I actually enjoy), all other stand-ups I've ridden are utterly terrible (Apocalypse, Green Lantern, and Mantis). I think Cedar Fair has the right idea with converting theirs into floorless coasters (even if the ride layouts are mediocre like the Vortexes). If Patriot is successful at CGA, I can almost guarantee we will see the Carowinds Vortex get converted for 2018 or 2019, completely ridding Cedar Fair of stand-ups. I wonder how long the ones at Six Flags will last.

[larrygator]

As recently as 2000, there were a dozen stand-up coasters operating at north american parks, but if La Ronde does in fact remove Cobra, and if Carowinds' Vortex ends up meeting the same floorless conversion fate as Mantis/Rougarou @ CP & Vortex/Patroit @ CGA, then that would leave only 4 operating stand-ups left in North America, all of them at SF parks:

 

Georgia Scorcher @ SFOG

Riddler's Revenge @ SFMM

Green Lantern @ SFGAdv (former Chang from KK)

Apocalypse @ SFA (former Iron Wolf from SFGAm).

 

 

And quite frankly it is not surprising that those would be the last 4 in the US. Georgia Scorcher, Riddler's Revenge and Chang were always considered the 3 best. Some people complain about Chang's new life at SFGAdv but I still enjoy it. Apocalypse, I know some complain about it being uncomfortable, but I just find it very boring.

 

I expect stand-ups to be around until at least 2025.

[Rill'o'beily]

I might add that the restraint I drew is no more valid. Instead, try to picture something like this, with a soft vest for shoulders:

 

[attachment=0]Vekoseat.jpg[/attachment]

 

Tbh I would brave to try that.