Roughest coaster you have ridden on

Mine would be Georgia Cyclone! It made my back pain! Worse than Son of Beast (Thank god it is removed)!

GEORGIA CYCLONE!!!!!

I have two # ones.Mean Streak at CP and the Beast at KI.I will never ride either again.

Gwazi at BGT
Vortex at KI
Rattler at SFFT

Viper at Great Adventure was the only coaster I ever rode that actually hurt my neck. They tore it down to build El Toro.

Hurler at Kings Dominion (VA). They really just need to tear that baby down.

I haven't been to most coaster parks, but the roughest for me is The Incredible Hulk, unfortunately. I think it's a great coaster, but both times I rode it, I felt like I might pass out, and walked off with a headache.

At my local Six Flags coaster park (La Ronde in Montreal) not one ride made me feel that way, so it's not as if I'm overly sensitive.

I'm shocked to see someone put Beast with Mean Streak. My rides on Beast were so, so smooth compared to any ride I've taken on Mean Streak. That being said, CP's Mean Streak gets my vote. That ride has left me in horrible pain, to the point of being sick & it even hurt to breathe.

Thank you, Adam, for putting in an Arrow. Anyway, anyone ridden the boss in the back at SFstL?

Adam, I totally agree with Gwazi at BGT. TOO ROUGH!!! I feel like the entire coaster was going to collapse-- and to make it worse, once I wore my glasses AND I had a small pimple under my glasses's nose guards. OUCH OUCH OUCH

Wow Mean Streak is REAL pain! Time for 1 to 5 list!

1. Georgia Cyclone
2. Son Of Beast (GONE!)
3. Mean Streak
4. Great American Scream Machine (SFGAdv)
5. Ninja

No one put Ninja, Son of Beast or Georgia Cyclone? Why?
Son of Beast make my knees bleed! Georgia Cyclone made my back painful and sore feet! And yeah, Georgia Cyclone is VERY shaky!

Grizzly at KD. Really nice course through the woods, but hard to have fun when you feel you're being beaten by a baseball bat.

Iron Wolf at SFGAm and Hurler at KD. I will not ride either one of those again.

Any DINN woodies?

Texas Tornado... G forces kept lowering my upper restraint throughout the ride.

I want to say Georgia Cyclone, but I do have honest memories of that being an AMAZING coaster five years ago. It's gotten obscenely rough since then, but the pleasant memories outweigh the horrible state its in now.

So instead I'm going to run with the Hurricane at the (defunct) Myrtle Beach Pavilion. Extraordinarily rough stuff. If you've ridden Son of Beast since the loop was removed, you've been in the old Hurricane trains...

Maybe its because I'm too tall but the corkscrew at CP. A few of us went last year and we renamed it broke back mountain.

Shockwave at SFGA, but its gone. I would say currently, Iron Wolf!

Yes, i've been on Kings Island in 2009. I liked the park except Son Of Beast!

Brady, I can't remember the last time I rode Corkscrew, but I do remember the headaches. It's a classic Arrow looper that beats the snot out of you & I have no desire to spend the rest of my day with a headache.

Has anyone ridden Great American Scream Machine at Six Flags Great Adventure? Wow, wonderful headache.

Screamin' Eagle (SFStL), Timber Wolf (WoF), and the Boss (SFStL) are what I consider the Midwest Trifecta Of Pain. They are the kind of back-breakers that give wooden coasters a bad name.

Strange that no one has mentioned two coasters that were so bad that they were torn down. Hercules at Dorney and Draken Fire at BGW I believe. I've been on a lot of the others mentioned, but they're still around.

I must also state that most of the above coasters were actually smooth when thay were new and have become rather nasty as they got old. So it's more or less your opinion of these coasters when they're past their prime.

I traveled around the country to ride coasters when they were just opening, so they were still smooth. But I admit that some coasters were bad from the beginning,like Draken Fire. They even tried to take a section of it's track out, but it didn't help, so they tore it down a little while back.

So don't be to harsh on some of these old guys, when your my age, you'll have a lot of rough spots too.

The original Rattler at Fiesta Texas. Most who ride it now probably have no idea what it used to be like. I was there in May 1992 when Fiesta Texas first opened and the Rattler was in it's original state. They designed this coaster with the tallest fastest moniker in mind. When Mean Streak at Cedar Point was announced, they supposedly made late changes to recapture those records. The original drop was around 170 feet tall with a 62 degree angle and the top speed was around 70 mph. The ride was reprofiled heavily during the next few years after numerous rider complaints, injurys, and lawsuits and testing revealed heavy forces on the trains (combination of lateral and positive g forces).

The first drop originally was about 50 feet higher than it is now. It went all the way to the floor of the canyon and twisted at the bottom, then banked slightly and pulled out to the second hill at over 70 mph. The second hill had a fan curve and a punishing high banked spiraling drop before going into the 900 degree helix. The first and second drops of the original Rattler are by far the most gloriously intense elements I've ever experienced on a coaster. The helix wasn't intense or even very fast, but it was(is) jerky in some spots, and it's rumored that the designers purposefully incorporated moments of roughness to simulate the "rattle". Some of the transitions aren't the smoothest either.

The first and second hills/drops of the Rattler were drastically reprofiled, thus reducing the speed and forces of the ride. It did remove the high g-force moments, but it also took the excitement out of the ride, making it boring and slow paced. Personally, I handled the ride just fine. After a ride on the new version, I wish the old one was back, although I'm sure I'm in the minority.

James. Are you sure? A CCI coaster is rough? I've never ridden The Boss but I always think they are smoother than the traditional woodie.

Mean Streak and SOB tie in my book. Mean Streak shakes so hard that it hurt and was hard to see anything. SOB was the only coaster I have ever been on that I was afraid for my life- it felt that I was holding on to prevent being ejected. Perhaps Cedar Fair can dismantle both and use the wood to build something really huge, perhaps running from Cedar Point to King's Island? OK, so it would need to be about 200+ miles long, but it's OK to dream, isn't it?

I don't think wooden coasters should be included with steel coasters. Wooden ones always shake more, that's their purpose. Steel coasters should be smooth and loopy and fast, that's their purpose. A rough wooden coaster is like saying cold ice.

Oh yeah, Eugene, I'm sure. When I rode it in 2008 it was a beast. I don't blame CCI, though, I blame Six Flags for a lack of upkeep. However, the Boss did finally get some retracking love last season so it may be a bit more comfortable now. I'll be back to SFStL this summer, so we'll see.

And Tony, you're right, woodies are generally more noisy, but that doesn't mean they have to be painful. Come ride the Prowler at Worlds of Fun if you don't believe me.

And James, I like the way you think! =)

I'll give you Timberwolf, James, but I thought Screaming Eagle was an absolute blast...

^I didn't say it wasn't fun...just that it was painful. And while overall it is my least favorite wooden coaster at SFStL, I freely admit that Screamin' Eagle has the best "night ride" of the three.

Wait, Timber Wolf in Worlds of Fun! OUCH! I beg anyone to say Great American Scream Machine in SFGAdv? Other mentions is Mantis, Chang, Shockwave (Kings Dominion) and Grizzly. By the way. The two B&Ms at Cedar Point are both rough, are they trying to criticize B&M? That company ALWAYS make smooth coasters! Sylvain, if you are reading this, I heard La Ronde's Cobra Intamin stand-up is a rough coaster. Why is Hulk rough? Did you press your head very hard to the seat? Hulk is in the list of my top 20 coasters!

Ghostrider at Knott's is the roughest coaster I've ever been on. Everyone in my party had headaches and pain for hours after riding it. One claimed they were close to passing out.

Eugene, I disagree with your statement that both of Cedar Point's B&Ms are rough. Mantis is quite the brain rattler, but I think Raptor is far from rough. Sure, it's not as smooth as it was back when it opened in '94, but it's definitely not a rough ride.

Mantis is probably the worst B&M tied with Chang. And it was hard to get a comfortable position and the restraints are so tight. By the way, I heard AstroWorld had a Intamin stand-up named Batman: The Escape. Has anyone ridden it? Reviewers call it "Batman: The Mistake" because of its roughness.

Eugene, I'm a big fan of Hulk but it's gotten pretty rough in the last year or two. For years that thing was smooth as glass but it's desperately in need of some work.

And James, maybe you're right on Screaming Eagle. I only rode it at night so maybe that's the difference.

James I know I rode american eagle in the front, but still, it wasn't THAT bad...

American Eagle is pretty rough, but that is the point of it, its an old woodie!

I will mention that my votes have been mentioned by more than just me: Iron Wolf and Shockwave (which I think is the same one, just moved parks)

Shockwave was really a rough mess.

American Eagle in an Intamin woodie. I've never ridden it myself but El Toro was as smooth as silk. And which Shockwave? Kings Dominion or the Batman: The Escape (formerly Shockwave)? Has anyone been on an Intamin stand-up?

Shockwave @ KD can get rough, especially at that final turn. If you position yourself right, it doesn't hurt as much. Just dont try and do that one when there's a storm on the horizon.

Eli, first there was the whole "I love Panda Express" debacle, and now this "it wasn't THAT bad" garbage! I am beginning to suspect that you have never ridden a really good, smooth wooden coaster before! ;)

Screamin' Eagle is a fast, fun ride, and it is also one of the rougher coasters I have ever ridden. If I didn't know better, I would think it was made by the Dinn Corp, it is so bad.

However, because I respect the opinions of both Eli and Steve, I will re-evaluate the ride when I return to SFStL this June.

From my experience, your correct James. Most new woodies are definitely smoother when they're new but get rougher with age and neglect. But you can also have a bad design to start with. Eli, to bad you never got to ride Hercules at Dorney before they tore it down, that was one mean coaster, tops on my list for woodies, even beats out Mean Streak for roughness and that's saying something and I rode both too.

One time when I was there with my daughter, one train crashed into the train loading in the station and people in the back seats were injured. It wasn't to long after that, that Dorney tore it down.

If the Shockwave I'm thinking of was a two seater stand up, yes it is rough. But I was on a four seater standup somewhere, that was very smooth, but it was also new too. So the size and age of a standup can make the difference in a good or bad ride.

Mean Streak- CP

Psyclone and Flashback- Magic Mountain
(Both removed)

I would definately have to go with the Mean Streak at Cedar Point. I couldn't even enjoy the ride because I was too busy positioning myself so I wouldn't kill my back. At the same time I always make sure to ride it when I visit Cedar Point...go figure. Another rough ride was the Raging Wolf Bobs at the late Geauga Lake.

I beg this question anyone? Has anyone ridden an Intamin stand-up?

Ohh, I forgot about Raging Wolf Bobs. Granted, I last rode it 9 years ago, but I remember the pain. THAT was a rough ride.

Chang at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom is such pain... Hope it won't open at Six Flags Great America.

Eugene, I find the Hulk rough because it rattles a lot, and I feel like my head is under assault. It may also have something to do with G forces. In any case, the first time I rode it (December '07), I felt like I was going to pass out, then put my head against the back rest and the feeling got a bit better. The second time (May '09) I kept my head against the back rest the whole time, and the rattling was even worse. So I don't know which is better, but both experiences were rough! I ended up with a headache after the ride, both times.

As for Cobra at La Ronde, yes I've ridden it a few times. It was closed last time I went to the park (Fall '08) but I don't remember it as being a rough ride at all (maybe it's gotten rougher very recently?) It is a stand up, and one of my favorites in the park.

Steve, I'm sad to hear that I missed the years when the Hulk was a smooth ride. I think it's an awesome coaster, but I can't enjoy it that much when I feel like the big green guy himself is punching me in the head. It just proves the point I made in other threads, though: I really think it's time that Universal gave that coaster a refurb!

Haha nice one james. :D I'm sure it's probably 10x rougher, though, than last time. Still, I rode it in the front. It definitely seemed slower than it was, since I was in the front (not including wind). That was probably a huge factor of why I thought it wasn't THAT bad. Don't get me wrong, it was still a rough woodie, but not nearly as bad as some other's. (ROAAAARR.) Still, say hello to Lightning racer and El toro! ;)

Hercules at Dorney Park was so nasty we called it Hurt-Me-Please, Steel Phantom at Kennywood felt like I had gotten punched in the jaw, Viper at Great Adventure was a pretty bad experience. Thank goodness they are now all defunct!

The now defunct Hurricane Category5 that was at the myrtle beach pavillion

Rattler at Fiesta Texas (current layout) is still one of the few woodies I've ridden where about 1/2 way through I started praying for the ride to end. Hurler at Kings Dominion is another one where I started my prayers. Georgia Cyclone makes my never again list as does Mean Streak and the Wolverine Wildcat at Michigan's Adventures.

For local parks, James has the trifecta right, Worlds of Fun's Timberwolf, and Six Flags St. Louis The Boss and Screaming Eagle. They did some retracking on Screaming Eagle a few years back and it was good again for maybe one season. The retracking last year on The Boss did nothing to make that ride tolerable.

georgia cyclone is like having andre the giant body slam you through a wooden table, my children were born with back problems after i rode that damn torture rack.

Wait, how about Great American Scream Machine in Six Flags Over Georgia? Not SFGADV

I've never experienced the Georgia Cyclone, but I have been thoroughly worked over by the Son of Beast. This was when Son of Beast still had the loop and was apparently built with the sole intention of punishing fools stupid enough to sign up for five rounds with Mike Tyson.

I'd agree with you, Eugene, it was pretty painful, but I thought it was still SLIGHTLY enjoyable, so it didn't seem as rough to me as it did to my friend next to me. (As I recall, we were idiots and rode in the BACK.)

Anything and everything at Blackpool Pleasure Beach... If you haven't got a headache when you go, you'll have one by the time you leave. Even the new steal coasters are rough...

my roughest is the Big Bad Wolf,and i rode over 20 diferent coasters,butit is a great ride

The roughest coaster I've been on would probaby be Zeus at Mt Olympus. Shortly followed by all the other coasters there.

Todd - I am sad to hear that about the Boss. I had hoped some of the rumors were true and the ride was smoother now. I will be headed back to SFSTL in June to see for myself, but you have prepped me with lowered expectations. =(

Psyclone at SSFM, but thank goodness it's already out.

Has anyone tried Great American Scream Machine at Six Flags Great Adventure? An Anthony, thanks for putting an Intamin stand-up. I didn't realise one when I got angry!

Yes Eugene, I've been on GASM a number of times, but it was many years ago. I don't remember it being overly rough, but the newer age of it might have made the difference. I'd say it has been about 10 years since I was there last.

I do remember one time going on it, and almost passing out going through the second loop, only time that's ever happened, weird feeling too.

I've been going to Great Aventure before it was even a Six Flag park. I loved the drive thru safari, that monkey area was always a riot.

Rattlesnake at Chessington World of Adventures.

Drakenfire was but it was my Favorite. I miss it. Do not forget Manta.

Eugene, I rode GASM last year in the middle. I expected it to be AMAZINGLY rough, but really, it wasn't that bad for an Arrow, which really surprised me. It's still rough, just not as rough as I was bracing myself for. ;)

Wow, how about Magnum XL-200?

Grizzly - California's Great Adventure
Viper - SFMM
Roller Coaster (formerly Manhattan Express) - NYNY Casino

Magnum may be a little rougher than some of the other steel at CP, but I think it's far from being one of the roughest rides around. I've taken 30+ rides on a Halloweekends night with hardly any pain!

I think Magnum has good airtime. I was starting to like Millenium Force better because I forgot the rough part of Magnum.

Magnum is a little rough at the pretzel turnaround, but it still gives a good ride. The problem arises when you get the occasional ride op that staples you into the train. That can get pretty painful during the bunny hops at the end. Cedar Point please take note. I know that safety is a priority, but Magnum is designed to lift you out of your seat a little.

I'll have to go with Mean Streak being the roughest at Cedar Point. Mantis is a little tough on the head with it's restraints too.

Both Hurlers. The one at KD is annoying as well as the one at Carowinds. Did the design team make the ride that terrible to actually initiate hurling? If so, mission complete.

I have to agree with the Hurler and Kings Dominion. Im not sure about Carowinds because I haven't been there. I used to like Hurler and it was my first coaster I had ever ridden. Now, not really. I am older and I had some headache experience in Hurler. Wow, this is funny, Rattler is rattling, Hurler is hurling. Hehehe...

Flashback at SFMM was the roughest ride I've ever encountered, an exercise in head trauma masquerading as an amusement park ride. The restraints were designed specifically to inflict as much pain as possible on anyone taller than a garden gnome. I remember checking afterward to see if my ears were bleeding.

The Cylone at Six Flags New England, unlike the rough Gwazi and Georgia Cylone which are rough but thrilling (both of which I enjoy) the Cyclone at SFNE has NO redeeming qualities.

I don't know if these are the two ROUGHEST coasters I've experienced, but they've gotta be up there. I'm talking about Mean Streak and GAdv's Old Red Great American Scream Machine, or O.R.G.A.S.M. for short. Those stick in my head because, on my initial rides on them in the late 80's and early 90's, I considered them my favorite coasters. How naive I was. Now you won't find either in my top 50! LOL!

Mike

I heard stuff about a coaster named Predator at Darien Lake that is rough. Any DINN Corp woodies mentioned is very true (except for The Beast)!

I'm definitely going to go with Hercules at Dorney Park. The turn by the lake was so bad, you felt like miscellaneous body parts would start falling off on that turn.

I'm a strong Drachen Fire defender, and while it was pretty rough for a steel coaster, it was not nearly as bad as most Vekoma SLCs.

I'd also put the Coney Island Cyclone up there too. It's roughness is somewhat negated by the thick padding and the 2 riders per car requirement, but even with that, it's one of the roughest woodies in the world.

Ninja at SFOG was pretty rough as well. Someone in my Smoothest Coaster thread said Ninja was the smoothest coaster in the world? What a blast!

By far my least favorite and the roughest coaster I've ridden has to be Iron Wolf at SFGAm. All pain with no gain!!

21 to go till 100!

By the way, Hulk wasn't as smooth as it was last time I rode it. I find it weird when B&Ms are rough. This is one of the roughest B&Ms besides Mantis and Chang. But it was still fun!

Roughest coaster I have ever been on is Psyclone at Six Flags Magic Mountain! I'm glad they replaced it with awesome Terminator!

Try Gwazi! But it's still fun for a rough coaster!

Uh lolol Georgia Cyclone?? Least of my worries compared to that wretched Texas Giant. I literally thought my fillings were coming out of my teeth it was so rough. Next would be Predator at Darien Lakes. I can't tell which was worse. I thought Hurler at PKD & GASM at SFOG was bad but no, TG & Predator take the cake so far, definitly. One that gave me bad whiplash is the Boardwalk Bullet at Kemah Boardwalk. It's not really 'rough' but boy if you don't know about that first bank turn from the drop, you're in for a really big ouch. Last time I rode it, I tried to lean just before the turn & it wked.

Georgia Cyclone is a rough one but I prefer it over GASM (Great American Scream Machine). GASM is too rough and has to many shakes and rattles. No matter how many times I ride it, i'm still convinced that that overhead thing at the end of the ride is going to chop my head off. LOL! I find that Georgia Cyclone is the better wooden ride.

Wait, I get a close look on Ninja already. Has anyone pressed their heads to the headrest? It is more comfortable so.

The Manhattan Express at New York, New York in Las Vegas. That crappy coaster shook the heck out of me!

Anyone agree with me with Ninja?

mine would definetly be the wildcat at lake compounce in CT. very rough.

22 more to go!

the roughest coaster i have ever been was a wooden roller coaster named ghost rider at knotts berry farm in anaheim california. i got such a bad headache, back pains, and my feet even hurt. i felt like i was gonna dislocate something on that ride. i rode that coaster twice in three years and the second time was way worse than the first. they seriously need to do a huge refurb on it or get rid of it. that coaster is definitly on my never ride again list.

i guess mine would be Ninja at SFOG and Python(now gone) at BGT. I have to disagree about the GA cyclone. It is an amazing coaster. the layout is one of the best ones in the world. All you have to do is keep your back off the rest. The airtime is also great.

Definitely the Mean Streak at CP. It's amazing I didn't end up with my ribs in my throat after coming off that hideous ride.

I gotta remove The Boss at Six Flags Saint Louis from the list. The retracking seems to have helped the ride a lot. Now it is actually fun. However Screamin' Eagle and Timber Wolf (Worlds of Fun) should be avoided at all costs. Ouch!

Ninja and Screamin Eagle at Six Flags Saint Louis.

Great American Scream Machine at SF Great Adventure in NJ. That thing has been rough for years with no signs of improvement.

After having been to a few other parks, I have more for my list!

Mean Streak still stands as one of the worst, but Grizzly at KD is right up there beside it. I was in so much pain after that ride. It was very similar to a Mean Streak experience. Both Hurlers were pretty bad, & Shockwave at KD was a nightmare. It was fun an interesting until the end of the first drop. From then on out I just wanted the ride to end.

great american scream machine in SFGADV was TERRIBLE. i will never ride it again. ghostrider at knotts is rouhg too, but its so much fun! i just won't ride it twice in a row

I'd always heard nothing but bad things about Darien Lake's Predator. I rode it yesterday for the first time at the end of my coaster trip. Three rides..one back seat, two near the front. Ow. Ow. And Ow. I heard trains were replaced, but I wouldn't be able to compare.

The Predator is indeed a rough ride. But I love it! Rode it 5 times in a row this summer, but very very rough

Almost forgot The Hangman at the now defunct Opryland USA theme park, banged you around a lot. Well Eugene, time to finish this nice thread off. By the way, I had a brother named Eugene, not to many of you around.

GhostRider at Knott's Berry Farm is my winner here. As for a painful "head banger" I award that honor to "Revolution" at Magic Mountain. Worst shoulder restraints ever. Seen a few bloody ears over the years.

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