Mate is looking for an entry level MTB upto £500.

Was looking at the usual Spesh hardrocks giants etc, and he asked me about the voodo Hoodu sold by Halfrauds.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_786847_langId_-1_categoryId_165499

it actually looks like a very decent bike for the money, and (cough cough) bike radar (cough cough) and what MTB give it very good reviews:

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/bikes/mountain/product/review-voodoo-hoodoo-12-46194

Anyone got one and what do you think of it?

Don’t have a hoodoo, but I do have a bokor 29er.

Ace riding bike, like the frame a lot so it’s been upgraded and the frame’s about the only original part!

So I will say they know how to make bikes that ride well.

not got one personally, but two friends have and they like them a lot.
It’s def a good entry level bike with a good fork for the price point. The drivetrain is mainly alivio stuff but works well as long as it’s kept clean.
Brakes aren’t amazing but could be easily swapped.
The frames one of the strong points and makes it a good bike to buy and upgrade later.

On the whole its a well thought out package and def a better first bike than some of the spesh’s and treks at that price point.

The absolute main thing to do is go with them to buy the bike, make sure they get the right size then take it home and re-do everything from how halfords have sold it to them. Both Hoodoo’s and my boardman have required;
1. Re-indexing both front and rear derailleurs
2. Pumping up the air shocks to more than the 50psi they came with
3. Pumping up the tyres to more than 10psi
4. Repositioning controls etc. on the handlebars
5. Check how true the wheels are, one had a rear wheel that was well out.

Overall it’s a great bike once you get past the way it’s been sold to you

also if you join british cycling you get a 10% discount on the bike

Ive had a bokor which the frame has just been replaced by a wanga on warranty as I snapped the chainstay after 8 months, around 300 miles. Im 18 stone+ and ride it like i stole it every weekend at Afan. Had to take loads of photos and send the frame back as they’d never seen it snap there before. Service was awesome as well, took the bike in and had the new frame the next day.

I’d disagree with the brakes, i think theyre awesome for the money, feel far better than the Avid Elixir 5’s i tried this weekend.

Paint is pretty thin but nothing a small amount of tape wont sort out.

I’ve swapped out the bars for wider ones again (theyre a decent length as standard) and put some superstar flats on.

i suppose i’d better clarify that i don’t think the brakes are bad at all, i just don’t think they’re anything above average.

They’re better than the elixr 3’s i’ve just replaced, but then i hate the elixr 3’s so anything would be better!

For the price point they are bang on the spec and better than any brakes you’d get on a spesh. The bike is def good enough that you could upgrade after a bit to something offering a bit more feel

Bought my son one last Easter, great bike for the money (he rides same size frame as me) so have used it a couple of times, not had any issues with it so far, the suntour forks with lockout work well, the wheels are more than stiff and strong enough, transmission and brakes work well and the frame looks and feels good enough to last a good while and not inhibit future upgrades, would recommend one as a first ‘serious’ mtb