Magnum bunny hop hills really painful?

So I visited the Point June 7th and after riding Magnum my thighs were in quite some pain. I realized it was from the hills at the end of Magnum. It was actually so bad I had to sit for about 15 minutes. Made for a funny on-ride photo though :P. My question is. Does anyone else experience this and if you do, what do you do to help? Magnum being one of my favorite rides in the park up until those hills.

Magnum is real hit and miss for me. Sometimes it rides real smooth, other times the bunny hills are a bit of a nightmare. Generally though, if I brace a foot against the front and the other against the seat beneath me and lean forward (get my back off the seat), I can ride the bunny hills pretty painless, and they're actually enjoyable.

Tighten down your seatbelt as tight as you can make it. The seatbelt is a lot more comfortable to hit during moments of negative G forces than a hard lap bar is.

That's some good advice because the last time I rode Magnum in the very front the lapbar hit my stomach and I had bruises for a few days from the bunny hills. I noticed that if I ride in the middle of the train it's not as bad.

I think the ejector seat is overrated (although I dig it sometimes), and prefer the more sustained (yet still forceful) airtime that can be found in the back of the train. Much less strain on the thighs.

Yes get your riding partner to get your seat belt as tight as they can get it, that seat belt is much more softer than the metal bar.

Before leaving the station I lift my legsup to make sure the ride op doesn't staple me into my seat. I always have a few inches between my legs and the lap bar. When we come to the bunny hills I put one hand under the bar holding it like a bull rider. It keeps it as far away as possible while keeping my legs down.

After riding magnum many times the last time I was there I found the blue train was the smoothest. Followed by the black train, and the red train is just terrible.

I found out for a smoother ride, always sit in the middle seat of the car. When you sit over a wheel, you feel every bump. The middle is much, much smoother! :)

Magnum is my favorite ride BECAUSE of those magical triangular bunny hills. :)

First, if you ride in the back of the train, none of this applies, because you won't get lifted nearly so hard back there. So that's potential solution #1.

Second, there is only one seat where it pops REALLY hard, and that's the third row of the lead car. I've taken very many laps in that seat.

There are two basic techniques...well, really three...that I use to make it a generally painless experience.

1) DO NOT get your lap bar too tight. Pull it back gently and make sure you have some wiggle room. If you are pinched tight between the seat and the lap bar, I assure you, it is going to hurt.

2) Don't get the seat belt too tight in the station. Snug is okay, but don't pull it tight just yet. You will get some significant airtime on the first, second and third drops. As you come through the third drop, over the brakes and into the turnaround, reach down and find the loose end of the seat belt. NOW give it a sharp yank to pull it tight. Sometimes it is useful to wait through the turnaround and pull it tight at the top of the next hill, but to do that your timing has to be just right.

3) Now grab the lap bar with one hand and *lift up* on it, especially as you crest the next four hills. You want to use quite a bit of force here. Be especially aware of what you are doing. You are NOT holding the lap bar up. What you are doing is to hold yourself *down*. You will still come up, but you'll be pulling against your own arm, and the result should be to reduce your acceleration just enough that it won't actually hurt. The tight seat belt will help, but it is your action here that will have the greatest benefit.

The important thing here is that you need to have enough space between you and the lap bar that you can prevent yourself from crashing into the bar with any significant force. Reducing that impact force is what makes the difference between being delighted and being hurt.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

I have never had a problem with Magnum being too painful. I have probably sat in every seat countless of times. I just sit back all the way in the seat. I guess it works.

I always blamed the thigh issue on my height. I always just try to keep the lap bar up a bit before the ride ops come by so I don't get stapled in. From time to time, you get an over-ambitious ride op who thinks they need to slam the bar down on every car though. I'll have to try some of these techniques next ride though.

Those bunny hills give the ride its soul. There's a very human element at play that can't be found on over-engineered parabolic hills, fantastic as those can be.

It may have just been this ride because I never had any real issues with the hill. For the record, I was in the 3rd seat and was riding by myself since it wasn't too busy and I guess the ride op didn't feel like calling for single riders.

Ah, Magnum. First time i rode it, it didnt hurt at all. 2nd time hurt alittle. 3rd time could barley walk to Millennuim Force /:

Those bunny hopes can be a pain but i just deal with the pain cause i love the ride. Its not like its as bad as the pain mean streak causes.

I love that ride, and it only hurts me when my riding partner pushes down on the lap bar when i'm not looking until it hurts my legs, and gets it to stay there. ;)

^You'll never forget that though. ;) That was a fun day...

MDOmnis said:
Magnum is my favorite ride BECAUSE of those magical triangular bunny hills. :)

Yes.

And Rideman said it best...go back and read his post to learn how to make Magnum your #1 steel coaster. Yeah, it takes some effort, but it's so worth it. :)

Once you master the Magnum and get a trimless ride...oh man it's awesome.