Whats Good About Riblets?

Started by Skitheeast, Mar 12 2004 07:42 PM

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#1 Skitheeast

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Posted 12 March 2004 - 07:42 PM

Hi

I was just wondering, there seems to be alot of Riblet installations in the past, and I was wondering why people like them so much. The only ones I've been on are the double and triple at Song Mountain New York. And I don't remember anything special about them other than the extremely weird looking lift towers on the double.

Just wondering :rolleyes:

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#2 SkiBachelor

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Posted 12 March 2004 - 11:48 PM

Riblet's were cheap, reliable, easy to maintain, very smooth (clip) and easy to get parts for. Oh and the carriers were also very light in weight.

- Cameron

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#3 liftmech

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Posted 13 March 2004 - 04:37 AM

As a former Riblet mechanic, Cameron has hit it on the nose. The only problem I ever had with Riblets was the tedious chore of moving the clips every summer. Other than that, they worked great. They have the easiest line machinery to work on of any lift I've seen. They are easy to find parts for, both because there are so many used lifts and also because many of the parts that wear out can be purchased easily at NAPA or any other auto store. Solid lifts. :)

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#4 Eric

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Posted 13 March 2004 - 03:08 PM

I hate Riblet

Their grips doesn't look safe to me. When the chairs pass on the tower, it usually hit the tower usually when it's windy.

PS: Is the Eagle chair at LL a Riblet ?

-ERIC

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#5 edmontonguy

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Posted 13 March 2004 - 07:26 PM

No not as far as i know. I am unaware of any riblets in Alberta.

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#6 Whistler

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Posted 13 March 2004 - 11:19 PM

Riblets run great, I just think that they are extremely ugly.

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#7 liftmech

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Posted 14 March 2004 - 04:30 AM

Eric, on Mar 13 2004, 03:08 PM, said:

I hate Riblet

Their grips doesn't look safe to me. When the chairs pass on the tower, it usually hit the tower usually when it's windy.

Riblet's clips are as safe as any other manufacturer's, else they would no longer be in service. I know from experience how much force it takes to remove one from the rope. As far as wind- any chair will swing into a tower if the wind is strong enough. I've ridden Murray-Lattas, Muellers, Riblets, Yans, etc, where I've not felt entirely safe. Riblets are probably the lightest chair out there, so wind affects them more, but not much.

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#8 floridaskier

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Posted 14 March 2004 - 05:26 AM

For older Riblets, if they are maintained well, then they're perfectly fine. Take any of the Riblets at Vail or Breck for example. They're old, but they're in good shape for their age.
They're just as safe as any other maker.

- Tyler
West Palm Beach, FL - elev. 9 feet

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#9 iceberg210

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Posted 15 March 2004 - 04:18 PM

I personally really like Riblets as they are great looking and realible lifts.

Erik Berg
Bald Eagle Lifts: Defying Gravity
http://www.baldeaglelifts.com

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#10 Guest_altaskier_*

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Posted 15 March 2004 - 09:45 PM

In regards to the Eagle Chair at Lake Louise, it is a former Mueller centre-pole double (towers and terminals at least) that has been retrofitted with Riblet carriers, including the insert grips. Besides this - I agree with Edmontonskier - I think it's the only Riblet in Alberta.

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#11 Eric

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Posted 16 March 2004 - 09:07 AM

Is that the oldest double at the mountain ?

-ERIC

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#12 edmontonguy

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Posted 16 March 2004 - 05:01 PM

I believe so the Olympic chair is a Yan if i'm not mistaken

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#13 Guest_altaskier_*

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Posted 16 March 2004 - 05:02 PM

Eric, I think the Olympic Chair (a long 2100' vertical double) is older than the Eagle chair.
Edmontonskier, I've also heard a completely unsubstantiated rumour that the Olympic Chair is actually a Murray-Latta. Since I haven't ridden on it for a couple of years I'm not really familiar with its features. Would you have any idea?

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#14 Guest_altaskier_*

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Posted 16 March 2004 - 05:09 PM

Oops. Edmontonskier replied while I was writing my response. Yan could well have done a retro-fit to the Olympic Chair, as Lake Louise had a strong relationship with them in the 80s and 90s (Paradise, Top of the World, Friendly Giant and the Ptarmigan FG Quad are all Yans). However the tower or terminal design for the Olympic Chair does not look like a Yan. Some of its original components reminded me of a double Chair at Whitewater - which was a Murray Latta.