Sidewinder, Steel roller coaster in Lakeside, Colorado, US.
Sidewinder is a steel roller coaster at Lakeside Amusement Park in Lakeside, Colorado, featuring a full vertical loop. The steel cars move through the loop and a series of banked curves along a single metal track.
The Sidewinder was installed at Lakeside Amusement Park during the period when looping steel coasters were becoming common at parks across the United States. It belongs to a generation of rides that helped establish new safety norms for vertical loop attractions.
The Sidewinder sits inside Lakeside Amusement Park, which has kept much of its old-fashioned look and feel over the decades. The loop coaster stands out visually against the park's vintage surroundings, drawing the eye from across the grounds.
A minimum height requirement applies for this ride and is posted clearly at the entrance. Visiting on weekday mornings tends to mean shorter waits than on weekend afternoons.
The Sidewinder completes its vertical loop using only the momentum built up at the start of the ride, with no extra push added along the way. The angle of the loop is calculated so that riders feel a gentle push into their seats at the top rather than a feeling of falling.
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