skybike: the machine can not raise his voice
February 16, 2009 9:01 PM Subscribe
The Skycycle (google translated) at Washuzan Highland Park (warning: noisy) in Okayama, Japan is (not) a pedal-powered roller coaster. Video, photos. Other things called a skybike: skybike, sky-bike, skybike, skybike, skybike.
This post could use more skybikes.
posted by not_on_display at 9:35 PM on February 16, 2009
posted by not_on_display at 9:35 PM on February 16, 2009
I saw the weeds growing through the tracks
The commentator was saying "安心感のなさ" here; here's your Japanese lesson for today:
安 = AN/yasu "cheap/safe"
心 = SHIN/kokoro "heart"
ANSHIN = "safety"
感 = KAN, "feeling"
の = no, possessive modifier, similar to the Mandarin 的
なさ nasa is the adjective ない nai "not" inflected with さ sa, which is similar to the English "-ness"
posted by troy at 10:00 PM on February 16, 2009
The commentator was saying "安心感のなさ" here; here's your Japanese lesson for today:
安 = AN/yasu "cheap/safe"
心 = SHIN/kokoro "heart"
ANSHIN = "safety"
感 = KAN, "feeling"
の = no, possessive modifier, similar to the Mandarin 的
なさ nasa is the adjective ない nai "not" inflected with さ sa, which is similar to the English "-ness"
posted by troy at 10:00 PM on February 16, 2009
Who the fuck stumped up the money for a pedal powered roller coaster? How?
posted by mattoxic at 10:03 PM on February 16, 2009
posted by mattoxic at 10:03 PM on February 16, 2009
More skybikes! (Well, one anyway.... From Ringworld)
posted by Kronos_to_Earth at 10:13 PM on February 16, 2009
posted by Kronos_to_Earth at 10:13 PM on February 16, 2009
Who the fuck stumped up the money for a pedal powered roller coaster? How?
Probably some zero-interest loan money to a well-connected industrial concern via some economic stimulus package from the 90s. I never went to one, but it was my impression that Japan's various regional "theme" parks are almost all uniformly quite craptacular. With Japan's population of kids now nearing HALF what it was when I was FOB in 1992 I don't think these places have much of a future, but part of the theory of the stimulative spending I guess was that Japan needed more places out in the sticks for families and expecially schools to take organized trips to.
posted by troy at 10:16 PM on February 16, 2009
Probably some zero-interest loan money to a well-connected industrial concern via some economic stimulus package from the 90s. I never went to one, but it was my impression that Japan's various regional "theme" parks are almost all uniformly quite craptacular. With Japan's population of kids now nearing HALF what it was when I was FOB in 1992 I don't think these places have much of a future, but part of the theory of the stimulative spending I guess was that Japan needed more places out in the sticks for families and expecially schools to take organized trips to.
posted by troy at 10:16 PM on February 16, 2009
All this stuff looks far too unsafe for use in the safety/litigation conscious USA, except for the tandem zipline.
posted by Xurando at 10:16 PM on February 16, 2009
posted by Xurando at 10:16 PM on February 16, 2009
uh, rusty bike on a weed covered tracks? no thanks....
posted by dibblda at 11:29 PM on February 16, 2009
posted by dibblda at 11:29 PM on February 16, 2009
If you want a really, really tame version of the first link, there's always this, which is an attraction at Legoland California.
There's a YT video which was apparently taken in the depths of winter, but pretty much conveys the um, fun of the ride.
It doesn't have weeds, but it also doesn't have a cool view. If you're looking for peddle-your-ass-off in North America, it's certainly an option!
posted by librarylis at 11:51 PM on February 16, 2009
There's a YT video which was apparently taken in the depths of winter, but pretty much conveys the um, fun of the ride.
It doesn't have weeds, but it also doesn't have a cool view. If you're looking for peddle-your-ass-off in North America, it's certainly an option!
posted by librarylis at 11:51 PM on February 16, 2009
rusty bike on a weed covered tracks? no thanks....
yeah, the closing statement of the write-up, and this fpp's title is "the machine can not raise his voice", but the actual meaning is something of a pun on the Japanese term for "thrill ride", which is "scream machine". Here the author said this ride is definitely not a "scream machine", it's so scary you can't scream. His judgment:
超・超・超オススメの絶叫マシンです
Ultra Ultra Ultra Recommend の Thrill Ride.
posted by troy at 12:05 AM on February 17, 2009 [2 favorites]
yeah, the closing statement of the write-up, and this fpp's title is "the machine can not raise his voice", but the actual meaning is something of a pun on the Japanese term for "thrill ride", which is "scream machine". Here the author said this ride is definitely not a "scream machine", it's so scary you can't scream. His judgment:
超・超・超オススメの絶叫マシンです
Ultra Ultra Ultra Recommend の Thrill Ride.
posted by troy at 12:05 AM on February 17, 2009 [2 favorites]
If you have seen this first arrived here, the unconscious, "something cold to run the muscles of the back," I wholeheartedly feel that look.
Google translates more than words.
posted by twoleftfeet at 2:35 AM on February 17, 2009
Google translates more than words.
posted by twoleftfeet at 2:35 AM on February 17, 2009
I HAVE seen this - the First Arrived, here. The Unconcious, that "something cold to run the muscles of the back," oh my brothers, and let me tell you, man to man, you most definitely don't want to feel that look.
You all best be moving on now.
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 5:44 AM on February 17, 2009
You all best be moving on now.
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 5:44 AM on February 17, 2009
I want to take one of the bikes and put it on the tracks of the regular roller coaster in the background.
posted by nomisxid at 8:18 AM on February 17, 2009
posted by nomisxid at 8:18 AM on February 17, 2009
All this stuff looks far too unsafe for use in the safety/litigation conscious USA, except for the tandem zipline.
Guess you've never seen Cyclecide. They were at Maker Faire in Austin in '07 and '08. Among other rides, they had a rolling human-powered Ferris wheel. Three riders (and several wranglers) would power the monster over hill and dale. I think everyone who rode on it got more than they bargained for.
posted by adamrice at 8:25 AM on February 17, 2009
Guess you've never seen Cyclecide. They were at Maker Faire in Austin in '07 and '08. Among other rides, they had a rolling human-powered Ferris wheel. Three riders (and several wranglers) would power the monster over hill and dale. I think everyone who rode on it got more than they bargained for.
posted by adamrice at 8:25 AM on February 17, 2009
The tandem sky cycle would probably be similar to my real world tandem experience. "Honey, you still back there?"
posted by fixedgear at 9:33 AM on February 17, 2009
posted by fixedgear at 9:33 AM on February 17, 2009
The skycycle definitely has that run-down-amusement-park "it could kill you" vibe going on.
But it's the zipline skybike that really scares the willies out of me:
Over time I've discovered more and more uses for the skybike. For instance, simply waving your arms and legs in the right motion makes the skybike bounce up and down for a really wild ride. It can oscillate by 10 feet or more in the middle of the cable, like you're bouncing on a giant trampoline. As you pedal toward one side or the other, the frequency of the bouncing increases. As you reach negative Gs, the skybike begins to twist and jolt violently sideways. (Most people really don't care for this last part.)
YOU DON'T SAY.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 10:42 AM on February 17, 2009
But it's the zipline skybike that really scares the willies out of me:
Over time I've discovered more and more uses for the skybike. For instance, simply waving your arms and legs in the right motion makes the skybike bounce up and down for a really wild ride. It can oscillate by 10 feet or more in the middle of the cable, like you're bouncing on a giant trampoline. As you pedal toward one side or the other, the frequency of the bouncing increases. As you reach negative Gs, the skybike begins to twist and jolt violently sideways. (Most people really don't care for this last part.)
YOU DON'T SAY.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 10:42 AM on February 17, 2009
Damn. Now I have to figure out how to get to Okayama. How long you reckon until that thing falls down, 6 weeks?
posted by dirtdirt at 12:33 PM on February 18, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by dirtdirt at 12:33 PM on February 18, 2009 [1 favorite]
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posted by Ugh at 9:17 PM on February 16, 2009