The Rok’n’Rol originated in 1942, by Allan Hershel Manufacturing Co. commonly known as ‘The Herschell Looper’. This design featured a rider activated pedal that could be pressed by the riders’ feet, engaging a clutch to flip the tub. Still operating Herschell Loopers are rare but can be found in a select few USA parks.
Chance continued to manufacture the ride between 1970-76 and increased the tub capacity from 2 to 4. Tub flipping was now controlled by the ride operator. With a capacity of 32 adults (4 per tub), Chance’s Rok’n’Roll is transportable on a single trailer and is commonly found at fairs and amusement parks worldwide.
In March 2010 Chance Morgan premiered Unicoaster which combines several elements of their classic Rok’n’Roll with modern technology to thrill passengers.
Chance Morgan is making a new version of this ride called the Down Force ride model. It’s mostly like the original, except riders can control which direction they spin (clockwise or counterclockwise) and the ride now has an undulating floor, making it have dips and hills. The cars are now also open and riders sit next to each other, 2 in a car. The ride’s first model is scheduled to open in May at NASCAR Speedpark in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA. Hope this info helped…
Graem - April 26th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
I checked out the video for the new Chance Down Force on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCbd7WUXmYs It looks pretty awesome. Thanks for the info.
John - May 2nd, 2009 at 3:13 am
The most painful and boring ride I have ever ridden!
Skippy - May 31st, 2009 at 11:03 pm
i rode this last summer at knoebles in elysburg pa except its called the looper there. i laughed the whole time
jenn - June 3rd, 2009 at 1:30 pm
I rode this ride last night in Lancaster, PA and it was amazing. It reminded me of the “Zipper” from when I was a kid, but was SO much better. We did flips the entire time and laughed so hard.
Rebekah - June 17th, 2009 at 11:08 pm
Ive never seen this before,but it looks cool.
Unknown - August 14th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
i just bought a looper ride for my amusement park at rock city pizza , in oregon at 260 bear creek rd curtin oregon 97428 off I-5 exit 163 just south of eugene oregon come ride this it crazzy fun
rock city pizza - October 15th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Ah I remember riding this back when I was about six maybe. About 9 years ago at the Auckland Easter Show.
Josh - April 9th, 2010 at 7:18 pm
i rode this a long time ago
cman101 - June 21st, 2010 at 8:41 am
Anyone know how much 1 of these goes for used?
lol, 1 time riding it when i was a kid me & my cousin rolled it inverted & kept it there through the whole ride!
too bad the crews up here don’t bring it anymore
GTS - August 23rd, 2010 at 4:57 pm
I think in Thrillville: Off the Rails, this is called a Head Over Heels
Annonymous - December 20th, 2010 at 9:10 am
it goes upside down!!!
Angel - December 21st, 2010 at 6:37 am
Belmont Park in San Diego, California traded their Chaos to Chance Rides for a Unicoaster a few months back. I’ve ridden the Unicoaster and I was disappointed with the ride’s experience as the rider-controlled flipping made the ride really predictable. I’d chose a Rok N Rol over a Unicoaster any time.
Also Belmont’s Unicoaster is nicknamed “Octotron”
Sky Diver - March 26th, 2011 at 6:33 pm
I rode a Unicoaster at Belmont Park – that ride is hot stuff!
VulcanNonibird - June 23rd, 2011 at 5:59 am
Outstanding ride, real sleeper ride for a one trailer piece.
Jim - November 12th, 2011 at 4:38 am
saw one of these in the county fair. the operater loves it when you want the spinning to stop and they just keep it going. it was alright though i think it wanted a little bit more out of it.
James - July 25th, 2012 at 7:31 am
The flipping of the tubs is not controlled by the ride operator. Just look at the center and you will see a track that the tires will run along to make the tubs flip. The tubs usually do not flip when the tire is not running along the track.
Isaac - February 22nd, 2015 at 11:44 pm
One question: is it scary it’s my first time going on something that goes upside down and I’m really afraid of going upside down
Jess - December 31st, 2015 at 7:43 am
I hope their are still some Chance Rides Rok N Rol ride models for amusement parks, and possibly for traveling carnivals as well,I would not mind riding one for the first time because I enjoy rides where the riders go upside down,if someday I were to see a Rok N Rol here in California I should be able to see the new Down Force ride model that,s suppose to look like the Rok N Rol.
Carlos Saltz - March 16th, 2016 at 8:17 am
rode it once it is really fun
j a y d e n - December 31st, 2017 at 6:15 am
I remember riding this at the Ekka in Brisbane in the 1970s-1990s, the user controlled spin version if memory serves. Loved it so much! Are there any still in Australia?
Stuart - June 5th, 2022 at 7:23 pm
The only one of these I ever saw was Belle City’s back in the early 1980’s. I wasn’t ready to graduate to the “big rides,” but I remember it wasn’t a ride you wanted to be too close to after a rain–the operators’ idea of drying it off was to run it at full speed and shower anyone nearby!
Wendy - August 5th, 2022 at 5:02 am
Back in 2004 or so, one of these showed up at the Atlanta Fair! It was the user-controlled version and my (now) husband had the pedal. He laughed the craziest laugh I’ve ever heard from him the entire time. We called it the Wheel of Death and we loved it, but we never saw it again. The Atlanta Fair is back in town this month and, with that crazy memory in mind, I decided to do some digging. I found this lovely site & a video of the Looper in PA.
We may need to do a road trip!
Laleña - October 27th, 2022 at 12:53 am