End of the B&M Dip?

Have we seen the last of the B&M Dip before the first drop? I know it's been phased out of a lot of coaster types that B&M makes and the most recent custom design to include the dip is 2007's Phaethon. But Oz'Iris at Parc Astérix appears to be the first B&M Invert to be constructed without the dip. Hypers, Flyers, and Dive coasters have been without the dip for a while. Hydra is dip-free, but Hair Raiser was made with a dip (although this might be more about the terrain than anything else and is why I didn't use it instead of Phaethon).

So do you think we'll see another B&M coaster with the dip?

(Off season topics, yay!)

I suppose it depends on what the point of it was in the first place. If the reason no longer exists, it's not worth expensive extra steel to do it.

My understanding or theory or something was that the dip was intended to provide a smooth and gradual disengagement of the chain dogs. In retrospect, that seems silly, seeing as how Arrow rides get along fine dragging the chain dogs over the chain quickly. The chains still manage to serve an adequate life span, and the chain dogs are a part you replace every so often anyway.

I've always felt that the "snap" experienced at the bottom of the dip in the back of the train is pretty uncomfortable, anyway.

Especially on the stand-ups (imho)

I like the dip on the older B&M's because it gives some speed before hitting the first drop, sometimes offering a little airtime.

I love the back row on Scorcher for that very reason.

^ Scorcher is pretty unique in that regard in that it's the only stand-up to go into a straight drop right after the dip. All the other stand-ups curve.

Scorcher just does everything perfectly for a standup.

Well, I do love Riddler's giant inversions. More of those on Scorcher certainly wouldn't hurt.

I believe Jeff is correct. I asked during our behind the scenes tour a couple yrs back at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and recall that being the answer.

I thought the dip really added to their rides. Raging Bull and Apollo are 1 and 1a in terms of drops (to me) for that reason.

I was happy to see that their newest floorless has it.

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6223/6368639521_94d03c079e_z.jpg

Funny, I always thought it was just for...well...looks, like a "signature" of sorts; something that made their coasters stand out. "You guys just have a lift hill? Well our lift hills have a dip, and we can drop you over here...or over there..."

IMO, Hydra and Wild Eagle look really awkward without the Pre drop. That's a signature part of B&M and I like the full turn around on like Mantis where you have time to look around a bit.

From what I was told, B&M did away with the dip in favor of a much simpler solution to managing the chain dog disengagement: Speed up the chain as the train crests the lift.

^ Do you mean speed up the chain a set amount, or speed it up keeping it lockstep with the speed of the train? Usually the motor gets louder when the chain speed increases and I can't remember whether or not I've ever heard the motor at the base of Goliath @ SFoG get louder like that.