FOF Lapbars?

Ho wbig is this "clip?"

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Heading to CP and PKI for a 10 day vacation!

I'm just trying to find any coasters I will not be able to fit in if any. If any of you have ever ridden the Georgia Cyclone, give me a comparison of PKI and CP trains to GA Cyclone ones. All of this info is greatly appreciated.

Fiance couldn't ride FOF but was able to ride all of the other (adult) coasters at PKI but SOB was a VERY tight fit! He is 6'6" and about #300.

How are the Racer's Lapbars? I am 6'1" , 260lbs, 38-40" waist, and 32" Inseam. Will most of the rides accomodate me?

Ok, going back to the 'one size fits all' school of thinking here. As far as the rides at PKI go, it's like this for me (keeping in mind 6'4 / 280lbs / 46 inch waist)....

Kid/family coasters (Beastie, Scooby's GC, Taxi Jam): absolutely not.

Runaway Reptar: close, but no cigar for me. The belt is short an inch. Typical Vekoma style seating. If you can ride Face/Off as a guage, you SHOULD be able to ride this (of course, I wind up being an 'exception' to that rule since I can ride Face/Off but not this).

PTC trains (Beast/ Racer): It's a close fit, if you're wide in the hips, due to those seat dividers. Here's where is really doesn't pay to be big AND tall. Big, because of the seat divider, tall, because of the lapbar. In order to 'fit', I have to ride alone with my legs skewed to the side of the car for the lapbar to close enough for a train to dispatch. Pain city, either way.

Premier trains (FOF, SOB): Sonny is relatively easy, albiet uncomfortable. Moreso for the lack of leg room than the bar being wide enough. If you're tall, Sonny will hurt, ALOT. Bad positioning of the grip handle and very shallow leg wells are the problem. If you're big, expect bruises on the sides of your legs and knees. FOF on the other hand, from what I hear, is better. The biggest problem with FOF is that clip. The clip is more a steel cord with a hook clip on the end that extends from the area around your shoulders to the lap bar. If the hook doesn't connect with the bar then you cannot ride. Again, for me, it's about 1-2 inches away.

Arrow trains (Vortex, Ad Express, Top Gun): The three easiest rides to ride, if you ride in the front seat of any car. Lots of leg room and very easy on the body, most of the time. And for something truly bizarre, Ad Express is surprisingly big for an Arrow mine train car. Try going to Cedar Point and ride the mine train there. Talk about lack of room! (Side note...with 'X' I expect size to finally become an issue on an Arrow vehicle. Oh well.)

Vekoma (Face Off): See Reptar. It's hit or miss, but I can ride this due to the rotating latch on the handlebar. It's close, but it connects.

Togo (King Kobra): One word, five syllables. Forgeddaboutit. Worst stand up design imaginable, and the added seat belt accessory makes it impossible for a lot of people to ride, regardless of size.

I think I covered them all, and I hope that helps. Don't let any of the above deter you from going though. There's still a lot to do.


Chris

Mindbender, you aren't going to like Mean Streak or Blue Streak, trains identical(?) to the Georgia Cyclone. PTC, single ratchet restraint, and a seat division(I like seat dividers, I'm very skinny, and I like them, period, my wife on the other hand. She's not big, but she flies, you know, and lands on the dividers every time. She will not ride some things with me in the back of the trains: Swamp Fox and Georgia Cyclone). Those rides themselves, Blue being the much better Streak, IMO, do not toss you around like the Cyclone, you may be comfortable.

How many of you have been on a Schwarzkopf looper with lapbars only? I fit perfectly on those...Are they any reflection of ones I will encounter?

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Did you realize that Theme Park Nacho cheese isn't really cheese?

Mindbender:

I am a larger guy who recently returned from a trip to PKI and CP. I had no problems fitting on any of the rides at either park. The "clip" on FOF is not too bad, but it is awkward. The ride ops can help, and don't make a fuss either. SOB was painful for the legs as it crams you into a snall spot. I have short legs, and still felt very uncomfortable. Racer, Mean Streak, and Blue Streak have similar lap bars. Padded orange retro-fits. They aren't too bad. If your weight is in the front, you may get stapled by an unsympathetic Ride Op. MF has an odd seat belt system that is tougher to get off than on. But the lap bar is fine. The basic rule of thumb I go by is to pull the seat belt out as far as it goes, and start from there. A good test is whether or not you can fit into Raptor or Face/Off. If you can, you should be fine.

I fit fine on Schwarztkoff looper (Scorpion at BGT).


Don't let being large ruin your time. I saw some pretty big folks cram into some pretty tight spaces.

Good luck, and enjoy. *** This post was edited by CoasterDad64 on 7/6/2001. ***

Also, after seeing pictures of Racer and Beast trains, I noticed they are remarkably similar to GASM trains, minus the single lapbar and seatbelt. How are those seats? GASM trains aren't that bad.
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Did you realize that Theme Park Nacho cheese isn't really cheese?

Is anyone going to be at PKI on the 16 and CP on the 18th and 19th? If so, E-Mail me.

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Did you realize that Theme Park Nacho cheese isn't really cheese?

Anyone?

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Did you realize that Theme Park Nacho cheese isn't really cheese?

Does anyone have pics of the "foot restraints" and the "clip mechanism" referenced in this thread?

Doug

Since we're talking PKI, and fitting into rides, here goes:

First some demographics - I'm 6' and 260#

Face/Off, Top Gun, Vortex - No Problem

Son Of Beast - Getting the bar to lock is no problem, but forget about comfortable legs.

King Cobra - I can barely fit, and the go/no-go strap forces the shoulder loops into a vice like grip about my midsection.   Uncomfortable at best.

Adventure Express - I can get the bar locked no problem, its getting into and out of the train thats a problem, but not a big enough one to discourage riding..

Racer/recaR/Beast - Tight fit in the butt region of the seat, the maladjusted lapbars are fine if they let me ride with only 1 click.  (Which is like click 3 or 4 on a correctly adjusted lapbar)  When the demand 2 clicks its a tight fit, 3 clicks forget about it.

Flight Of Fear - I actually find this more comfortable than SOB.  The Footbar is better than having your legs pinned against the underside of the bar.  (Keep the cowboy/combat boots at home and wear sneakers and you should be fine) Getting into and out of the train is a bit awkward due to the footbar, and I usually let the attendant clip my bar as its a close call.

Beastie - I need to sit solo in the seat.  Due to the fin brakes I prefer to sit sideways in the seat.  (Hard on the knees)

Taxi Jam - Never rode it, but I have no problem with other parks Miler Juniors.  (I even fit into a Herschell Junior just last year)

Ghoster Coaster - I can fit, it takes me a bit longer in the station than most people, and it feels like a vice grip, but my real problem is getting unwedged at the end of the ride.  I choose not to suffer the embarasement.

Other than that, my only other tight fit at PKI is on the Zephyr (Wave Swinger) where I the safety belt barely reaches the bar.  Then again since the alleged weight limit on a Wave Swinger is 230 I shouldn't be riding it anyway.

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For adult sized coaster trains, you may be surpised to learn that B&M trains give me the most trouble.  I often require the attendant to shove the bar down and fasten the belt. On Superman's Ultimate Escape (SFWoa) I need to use the fat boy buckle.  The Flying Dutchman trains are the ones that worry me.

Worst fitting train of all time that I rode in: Soquet Looping

 

 

 

 

 

Drop Zone - The seatbelt is 'JUST' long enough, it usually takes some shoving on the OTSR by the ride attendant to get the belt to latch

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