Goudurix: The worst steel coaster in the world (?)

Sean,

I generally agree, although I think comparisons between Goudurix and Space Mountain are always going to fall flat because Space Mountain has always been quite moody and inconsistent.

When I rode the two four years ago, Goudurix was absolutely unbearable. I was prepared for the worst, and despite bracing myself for the very worst, the butterfly was an absolute killer. Certainly the worst ride I've ever been on.

A year later, Goudurix was still very rough, but unbelievably, Space Mountain was worse, it was just the enclosed atmosphere and the music kinda distracts you from the roughness.

However, I rode just Space Mountain a few weeks ago, and was pleasantly surprised by how smooth it was. It was still quite rattly and jerky, but more charactaristically so, not just unpleasantly so.

For what it's worth, Indiana Jones was far smoother too, and that was when it was still running backwards.

I would be interested to give Goudurix another go. I'm not one who critisises rides for being rough easily to be honest - Eurostar and Colossus, both rides subject to complaints of being rough are both superb rides in my eyes.

I can think of far worse coasters - Pinfari's for example - same roughness but offer less in the ride. Mitch's poll is not realistic IMO.

BTW is Flashback running at the mo?

I kinda agree there, actually. My opinion isn't scientific, but I think high profile coasters are inevitably given more analysis by people in the poll than the more run-of-the-mill ones - at least in terms of reputation.

An example for me would be Batman. Now, anyone who knows me will know that Batman La Fuga at Movie World Madrid is my favourite roller coaster ever. I have to wonder why exactly Batman is so much further down the list than Nemesis. Whether it's better than Nemesis is academic; but is it really THAT far behind? I wonder whether just because it is a carbon copy (in terms of layout) distorts the real picture and people just don't hold it in such high regard.

Another example, as Chris says, would be the crappy, rough coasters that are completely ungratifying, but just because they're non-descript in terms of reputation, they seem to escape such a comprehensive anhialation in the poll.

I agree that Mitch's poll is by far the most acurate in terms of enthuasiasts' opinions, but of course it will always be in the hands of people who rate coasters on their own merits, as opposed to in-situe - I would say Trace Du Houra is the epitome of a perfect family coaster, but let's be honest; it's never going to replace Expedition Ge-Force at the top of the poll!

@ Mamoosh:

The element on Ninja is the only one in the world that looks very similar, even on layouts, to that on Goudurix... ( http://users.pandora.be/coasterland/butter.jpg )

@ Sean & Marcus:

Keep in mind that everyone can ride a coaster on different day, different temperature, different maintenance condition, different seat in the train, different train, etc. And all those factors have their influence on how one experiences a ride.

I can ride Goudurix today and enjoy myself, while you could ride it tomorrow and get in coma.
I had some of the smoothest coaster rides on Vampire (Belgium's SLC), on an average temperature day, with a wet track. But also some of the worst, mostly when it's hot and dry.

However, nobody can deny that Goudurix has some major flaws, even Vekoma engineers themselves mentioned that during a factory visit...most bizarre: one track segment was manufactured "mirrored". They used it anyway, bent and twisted to fit. :o

I haven't had the pleasure of Goudurix or Flashback, but have had the pleasure of the next one on the list - Viper at SFGadv. Viper was the bottom of my steel coaster rankings, so in that sense I thought Mitch's poll was dead on.

If Goudurix and Flashback are actually worse then Viper... oh my!

Otherwise, I rode Tennessee Tornado twice at Dollywood and I didn't think it was that smooth. Maybe it was smoother then other Arrows but there was definitely enough headbanging that I didn't want to experience it over and over...

what about RC8 or whatever it's called at wildwood. they have the automatic restraints that pin you to the seats. i heard they are getting rid of it. whoever buys this p.o.s. is getting gypt at any cost.

I've ridden many of the coasters mentioned in this discussion on several occasions (Viper - GADv, Ninja - OG, STl) and while Viper was probably the least enjoyable, I've had a few good rides on it. With Ninja at SFOG, I sat down expecting to be tossed around, and as soon as I got off, I got back in line. Ninja, like Shockwave and GASM is very enjoyable when ridden in the last row. STL's Ninja tossed me around in places you'd think it wouldn't (before the loop) and then later in the day it was the exact opposite, and re-rides were to follow.

I really think that these older loopers, like standups, need to be ridden correctly to be enjoyed. In the case of Shockwave, I always moved my head to the right side of the OTSR before the turn into the MCBR and I'd be fine. I can have fun on any SLC or Boomerang, and the people I'm with usually never complain about the ride being rough. A steel coaster can have a bad day just like a woodie. It seems like most "enthusiasts" already have their minds made up about most Vekoma and Arrow loopers, and aren't willing to give the ride a second spin after one bad experiance.

Bullguy,

If there is a ride that I find to be very rough, I will try and find a way to ride it. I used to be the only person in my group of friends that wanted to ride Flight of Fear because I knew how to ride it without gettting banged up. Sure, it took me a few times to figure it out, but once I did, I enjoyed it.

There are certain coasters that I choose not to ride, even after trying to figure out how to ride it. Manhattan Express and Viper come to mind as two coasters that I want to enjoy, but can't because I failed at trying to figure out a way to ride it comfortably. The same goes for Son of Beast. I actually used to really enjoy the ride but once the restraints were modified a bit, I now have a hard time of trying to figure out a way to ride it so I can enjoy it like I used to.

There are only two coasters that I can think of right now (I could probably think of more but it's 2:30AM and I need to get to sleep)that one ride was more than enough and I didn't even want to give them a second chance. Super Flight at Rye, and Goudurix. The only way I can explain it is I felt sort of violated after riding those two rides.

Anyone that knows me understands that I like to try and find at least a few good things about any ride. It's not hype. It's just my way of thinking. They way I look at things, rides are here for our enjoyment. Why pick a ride a part just because it isn't like another ride? What ever happened to enjoying a ride for what it has to offer, instead of what it doesn't?

Well, having said that, I will admit there have been a couple exceptions. The two coasters I listed above were two coasters I really wanted to enjoy. I went on with an open mind and tried to find at least a couple of things that would make me consider a re-ride. I couldn't think of a single thing that would make me jump back in line. That is rare for me. In other words, if I was ever back at Park Asterix and was asked to ride Goudurix with some friends that hadn't ridden it, I would seriously have to think about it for a while.

-Sean *** Edited 1/1/2005 11:38:26 PM UTC by Sean Flaharty***

Same here. Maybe that's why I don't find rides like Eurostar rough as I know it is the one in control and you have to ride it, kinda like a bucking bronco or something. I just keep my head to one side and it is never even what I'd call rough.

I have ridden Goudurix probably ten times. I've tried pinning my head forward, backwards and to the side to no avail. I have virtually pulled muscles in my neck trying to pin my head back in the Butterfly element.

I've said many times before that I don't mind rough coasters (SoB being the only exception); SFGAdv's Viper, GASM, Drachen Fire, Manhattan Express, Ninja...all of them are far from the bottom of my steel rankings. In fact, I don't think any are even in the bottom half, and some are pretty close to being in my top 10.

I haven't ridden Gourdurix, but I thought Ninja's Kamikaze element was one of the coolest and most unique set of inversions around.

Why is it that it is okay to have a rougher wood coaster but when it comes to steel people are so concerned about smoothness. I think it's all mental, People are ready for a rough wood coaster but don't think about it when it comes to steel coasters. Shaking riders up is part of ride from a woodie, why can't it be that way for steels? Then agian I have never met a ride that is to rough or a headbanger. You see my secret is that I have these things in my neck called "muscles" in my neck, these wonderful things have the ability to hold my head up while walking down the street and they can keep my head centered between OTSRs so that the whole head banging thing doesn't happen. Granted, I like smooth steel coasters like B&M, but I don't worry about if a Arrow Looper or a Vekoma is going to knock my head around. Try the neck muscle secret sometime, it really works good.

Sean, I understand there will less than pleasent coasters, and I'm sorry if it appeared as though I singled you out, but that wasn't the case at all. After posting on this site for several years, it just seems that some choose not to enjoy a ride because it's made by a certain manufacturer, or because it's a certain ride type. I'm baffled because most of the time the GP eat these rides up and come asking for seconds. Some enthusiasts will whine like children over the smallest imperfections in a coaster.

I never understood that, the fact that the GP will love a fairly rough coaster but the enthusiasts will gripe and gripe over the tiniest bump. Actually, I really only noticed this in American enthusiasts- when ACE did their European tour I joined in, and rides that I considered well and smooth, they would complain for hours on end about the one section near the end that didn't twist quite right. I don't mean to be biased (as a Brit), but these people seriously need to just chill and enjoy the bloody ride. Never have I heard so much misery and woe from the same wretched bunch of people as when we got off of Goudourix.

I like Goudourix. To me, it's only fairly rough, and the inversions are wacky and weird, and wonderful. I love it, but that's just my opinion.

I have a lot of opinions.

---

SpikeBall said:
I never understood that, the fact that the GP will love a fairly rough coaster but the enthusiasts will gripe and gripe over the tiniest bump.

---

I'm going to have to assume you mean that European park goers love violent multiloopers as opposed to American park goers. The headbangy mutlilooper is a walkon at almost any park in America with a few exceptions (Loch Ness Monster at BGW is one).

Maybe park goers in Europe have a higher appreciation for violent multi-loopers then park goers in the US?

I think people just have less smooth coasters to compare them to. I think B&M multi loopers are still a rarity to be honest.

I find it funny that people complain B&M rides are too smooth and forceless, yet I never hear people do anything but complain about other rides.

I've seen a lot of critisism of Storm Runner for being rough, and I am amazed when British enthusiasts come off Colossus at Thorpe Park complaining they have headaches. What the...?! I don't even think the ride is rough, let alone capable of giving you headaches.

Eurostar is another one. This is one of the most intense coasters I've ever ridden. There is virtually a hairpin coming out of a double corkscrew and an inline twist with turns both in and out of it, yet people critisise it for being rough. It ain't smooth, but for the manouvers it performs, it is doing nothing more than giving you a kick up the arse. Coasters are surely supposed to be something you ride, not a passive experience like watching the telly.

Back to the subject at hand, Goudurix was very, very rough when I rode, but as I say this was years ago. Space Mountain was rough too, but I re-rode a few weeks ago and it was great. As Belgian said above (I think), coasters vary, but I do agree with the above remarks that enthuasiasts are quite spoiled in a way.

Goudrix was at the bottom of my steel poll as well (and I'm not an ACEr). I made the trip to the Parc while studying abroad with a couple fellow students. We all agreed that it was the worst ride we'd ever been on and no one wanted to ride it ever again. The sentiment was the same all the way around, simply painful.

I've never experienced headbanging like that on any coaster anywhere (not even flashback at SFMM). Instant headache machine. The only other coaster I can compare it to is Son of Beast. The only two coasters that I have ever wanted off of mid-ride.

Bullguy,

I understand you were not pointing me out, but i did just want to comment on what you had mentioned. I also understand your other comments and can see your point. I usually don't make it a habit of hanging out with people that are going to be negative all the time about certain rides because they are built from a certain manufacture. Everyone has opinions. I will always give a ride a chance no matter who built it or what it looks like.

Spike,

Perhaps it was the weather, or even the fact that some of us were getting burned out. Even with those two factors, I know some of us could have found an ounce of fun riding Goudurix. I didn't speak with many people about it, and I can only give my opinion, but I know for certain by the reaction of many park guests getting off the ride that I wasn't alone in my disliking of that ride. As a matter of fact, we thought the folks that were getting off the ride were joking around (and they weren't enthusiasts).

It's nice to know that the ride has fans like yourself, but you have to also understand that not everyone is going to like it. There were only a few rides on the entire ACE tour that I heard negative comments about. I have no idea who you were exactly hanging out with during that time but it sounds like they must have not been a fun bunch. Yes, I heard a few people crying about the most trivial crap, but for the most part, everyone was trying to have a good time.

-Sean

---

Michael Darling said:

Remember, we landed a man on the moon before Toomer started designing his loopers. You can't tell me that we didn't have enough computing power around to keep from smashing peoples heads on roller coasters.

---

And the budget of NASA compared to Arrow Dynamics was....Come on, let's be realistic. The affordable PC with tons of memory as we know it today was a fairy tale back then. Programs have gotten a lot more sophisticated due to major increases in RAM and processing speed.

---

---

But then you have to wonder why Anton coasters were so much better. Oh, and Intamin of the time as well. Right, because they were still better designers...

Sure, better designers....but their computers were still crappy...:)

My worst steel coasters would have to be Viper (you *know* which one), Morey's RC48, and Rye's Hurricane...the shame of the last two being that they were unrideable due to the blasted TRAINS...:(