Cyclone/ Psyclone

Maybe I'm just bored and the offseason is getting to me, but heres one to discuss. I am comparing Coney Island's Cyclone to Magic Mountain's Psyclone. If these two coasters trace the same path pretty much, why is the one world-famous and known for being a world-class thrilling wooden coaster and the other one notorious for um, not being such a good ride and donning such an appropriate nickname (suckclone). What makes these two rides with similar layouts deliver different rides? Discuss............. *** Edited 3/1/2005 8:24:43 PM UTC by DorneyDante***

I'm sure there are a lot of 'technical' reasons, but from what I know there are number of different factors:

1. Trains that tear apart the ride
2. Material used to build the ride
3. It's not an 'exact' clone
4. Minimal amount of maintenance.
5. Re-profiling that's been done
6. Trim brakes that have been added.
7. A really, really nasty earthquake that hit in '94 and the ride has never quite been the same since.

IMO, the coaster actually used to be 'pretty good' from '91 - '93. Then the earthquake hit and really tore the thing apart. The first drop, and several other parts of the ride were re-profiled, trim brakes were added, and those B&M trains never really seemed to work quite right on it.

This is all information I've gathered while talking to some of the guys in maintenance during some Discovery Channel shoots, and stuff I've learned over the years talking to people involved with the consturction of the ride, and I'm sure there's other people who can give you more details, but I'm pretty much most, if not all of those things on the list, have something to do with the ride's demise.

--Robb

Krud! With the threat of the "big one" I guess I should get my rides on Ghostie while I can. That's interesting though. I always wondered how wooden coasters fared in big earthquakes.

When the Northridge quake hit, Valencia got damaged pretty good. Not sure if Psyclone is an example of what could happen to a woodie in every earthquake, since I'm sure the SCBB Giant Dipper has seen it's fair share of them over the years, and it's managed to stay in good shape.

My "guess" is that SFMM just simply didn't do that good of a job with the repair work after the quake.

And it could totally be a coincidence, but it really seems like that ride was never quite the same after the quake hit.

--Robb

It's most likely the combo of the 7 things that Robb already mentioned. Personally, I think the worst thing are those damn B&M trains. They're so boxy and look really heavy too. They also obviously leave a lot of room to "shuffle." This combo may well have caused the early demise of an otherwise "fairly good" coaster.

Not to mention the fact that it's Summer's - Dinn woodie. They all are high on the "roughest woodie lists" no?

I thought Psyclone was the better of the two and SFMM should win an award for how much better of a ride Psyclone is compared to Cyclone.

Both are horrible roller coasters, don't get me wrong. Cyclone is just the most painful, unpleasant roller coaster. How it became a star is beyond me.

ROFLMAO.....amazing!

Well, *my* opinion, FWIW, is that CI Cyclone gets some of the best care available anywhere and that THAT is part of what makes it a timeless masterpiece....

After that (of the ones I've ridden):
SFAW
SFGAm
SFoG (very much a moody ride, very hit or miss)
SFMM

Riverside is a Cyclone in name ONLY, therefore I'm not ranking it here...

Psyclone better than Coney Cyclone? Wow...I've got to say you're probably in the minority on that opinion. You have every right to have that opinion but I don't know many who would agree with you.

That being said Coney Cyclone is NOT for wimps. You don't ride Coney Cyclone...it rides you! But what a wonderful, agressive, classic ride it is ;)

I really dug the Coney Cylone too.

Must've hit SFOG's on a 'miss' day. :)

"Must've hit SFOG's on a 'miss' day."

I know where you are coming from with this statement Gonch. I've had some great experiences and downright boring experiences on this ride over the 5-6 times I've visited. There was a time when I considered this one of the best woodies only to be hit with mega-anticipointment on return visits. However, I had another great experience in Oct of 2003... I just am not sure what to think of this clone!?

Psyclone over Cyclone...? What an unusual and original take...

The original is still the best IMO, and as for the imitators, I would say that Astroworld's is the best (esp. since they got rid of the old headrests), followed by Georgia's (which I think runs great, but not always, so I can see where people may think poorly of it), and last and most certainly least Magic Mountain's Psyclone, which is a pathetic pile of crap.

I know I'm probably in the minority here, but I actually prefer SFGAm's Viper over all the other Cyclone clones! SFOG's is a VERY close 2nd, but Viper just seems to ride better.

--Robb "I guess Aska would be tied as my favorite Cyclone clone since it's pretty much a clone of Viper" Alvey

I think they are all great rides, except Psyclone, but I do remember getting some good rides on it back in 92.

I had some terrific rides on Viper at SFGAm in 2002, but when I rode it in Sept 2004 it was pretty tame! Goergia Cyclone was running great in March 2004.

It annoys me about woodies and how they don't always run as good. One that has never let me down over the years is the Grand National at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. The front and back seat are just aritime mania, and the Phoenix is pretty consistent too.

Dont think I've ever really enjoyed a ride on any cy"clone". Maybe its just that I'm biased living about 10 minutes away from the original, so I guess I can't be impartial.

To me, cyclone is great, because it is rough, close to the point of being "too" rough, without ever going over the line. Are the clones all exact duplicates of layouts, banking and all??

To the best of my knowledge none of the cy-clones are exactly like "mom."

Georgia Cyclone is probably my favorite wooden coaster. I doubted it would be better than Viper, and while Viper was far smoother, GC had ridiculous forces and I also think I remember numerous head-choppers. The rough, agressive ride GC gave is what I'd imagine Coney's Cyclone gives.

^^ I knew I always liked that guy for some reason.

Brian, who knows MY Cyclone is not near as an enjoyable OR consistent ride for the amateur, but this a coaster board, right?

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The rough, agressive ride GC gave is what I'd imagine Coney's Cyclone gives.

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Interesting. I think the Coney Cyclone gives an agressive, but not necessarily rough, ride. I thought Ga. Cyclone gave a rough, though not necessarily agressive, one.

Hence, Coney's being in the top part of my personal woodie list and SFOG's being in the bottom part.

"Phoenix is pretty consistent too."

Hey Grant:

I rode this for the first time in 1996 or 1997 I believe (around there anyway)... It was a warm mid-summer night ride (perfect conditions) and I just did not understand why the enthusiast community liked the ride so much. I had the back car and tried the front and it did nothing for me. I spent a couple of years thinking that everybody must have a PN bias, or a soft spot in their heart due to the coaster moving across country...

Went back in 2001 or 2002 under the same circumstances and fell in love with Phoenix. Airtime galore and perfectly mean and well paced. It is one of the best.

I guess it goes to show that any wooden coaster can have an off day or year. Of the many wooden coasters I've been on (multiple times and years), only Ghostrider and Raven have never delivered a bad/boring ride for me. However, I'm sure some of you have had bad experiences on these rides similar to my Phoenix experience. It is just the nature of wood I guess...

I have never ridden CI Cyclone or any old coaster (1902-1960) I wonder is it a "painfull" coaster? What I mean by painfull is that you are better off holding the handles at all times because you will bang into the side and that everytime you lan at the bottom of a hill you will grimace in pain rather than feel smoothness?