Does a steel coaster need inversions to be fun?

It really all depends on the coaster. In general, I'd prefer a ride like Raging Bull to a ride like... say... Shockwave, but between Raging Bull and Hulk, it is a much tougher decision.

If the looping coaster is done right, where the inversions don't take anything away from the ride (in roughness, for example... read: Shockwave) that is as much an enjoyable ride as a ride without loops. Sure, OTSRs are much worse than lap bars, but a ride that doesn't make your head feel like WW2 just passed through is as enjoyable as any other ride, even if it has OTSRs. I mean, on my top 5 steel coasters, there's an undoubted mix of inversion & inversionless.

For the record, Hulk, Raging Bull, Raptor, Millennium Force, and, depending on the day, either Great Bear or Magnum round out the top 5 (6). :)

I think inversions add excitemant to a ride, but they are not necessary for it to be a good one.

All coasters in any shape and size or form are good fun rides to me, even if they are rough rides, jr coasters etc. I have been on steel coaster without inversions that where more fun then ones with inversions, somtimes they are more fun becuase people who are scared to go upside down still get on,and everyone has a good time,but a Steel coaster dosent need inversions to create a better ride, just some nicely based hills,curves,helixes,,hops,pops whatever it can trow at you.

A few coasters that prove steelies don't need inversions: Millenium Force, Raging Bull, and Xcelerator.

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Take it up a notch, Mr. Operator! I wanna feel my brains in my feet!

Of course! If a steel coaster has no inversions its automatically no fun right? Wrong. Just look at the top 25 steel coaster listings if you don't beleive me, mainly check numbers 1-3.

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Yes I'm 15, no I'm not childish, I'm not being sarcastic, well maybe I do have somewhat of an ego...

Notice something. What do all the top steel coasters without inversions hve in common? Hight. Come up with a good steel coaster that is about the same hieght as most steel coasters, and you won't find many. INO after the first drop on hypers, the ride is fun but starts to get allittle boring. Steel coasters can be fun without inversions but they will always be the same. very high. Inversions to me, are nessesary for a good coaster. But the only excepts are coasters that are over 200 feet.

so goliath at SFH needs inversions to be fun? i think not!

gator - I agree 100% about those trains on the B&M Speedcoasters. I'm always amazed that so many people comment on how "free" they feel, while I find them ultra-restrictive. I haven't ridden in an Intamin hyper yet, but I'd take the trains on Phantom's Revenge anyday over those Swiss La-Z-Boys. :)

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"The perfect machine, you seemed to be, when I built you up in my mind..." - Reverend Jon Autry

Intamin Trains...

mmmmmm.. I love'em!!

My favorite trains! That with B&M inverted trains, and the old PTC trains before the ratcheting laps bars.

Lap bars are a heck of a lot better than those friggin shoulder restraints.

mmmmm, a steel hyper with buzz bars......:):):)

IMO, what I like better than inversions are helixes. I have always liked going around tight circles at high speeds while the cars are at an angle. So far the best I have seen is Gemini at CP. However, I am sure there are better examples out there but because of my location, I am somewhat deprived.

No, a steel coaster does not need inversions to be fun. Without inversions you have no OTSR's. Take Phantom's Revenge for instance. It opens up very nicely with comfortable trains compared to Steel Phantom. Another one is Apollo's Chariot. It blew me away the first time I rode it because of how open it was. Finally, there's Millenium Force which is just simply the best.

There are good loopers such as Hulk, Alpengiest, and Raptor. Inversions or no inversions, they both have their advantages, and can be extremely fun.

Actually, I prefer non-loopers to loopers. It seems USUALLY, that when there's a coaster with inversions, that's all that the designer focuses on. Which means air-time is overlooked. And air-time is probably my favorite thing on coasters. I understand that this isn't ALWAYS the case, but it just seems the typical style.

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Chilla!: You didnt even *read* my list didya? Just ride the Disneyland steelies and with a straight face tell me you didnt have fun!

RGW: You are just ALL wrong about the B&M hypers :) (and that's all I'm going to say about that)

And Vipper: I think that the helix on Raptor (the coaster's saving grace) is far better than Gemini...course that little trim brake might have something to do with it :)

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"To get inside this head of mine, would take a monkey-wrench, and a lot of wine" Res How I Do

I too would have to say that Raging Bull proves that inversions are not neccesary for a coaster to be fun.. Actually, there are hundreds of coasters that are fun without inversions. Raging bull (and a few others) are Great!