Voodoo vs Genesis

I’m looking at the Voodoo Bizango or the Genesis Mantle 10 as a first MTB. I could probably get either for a similar price (around £450 – £550); the Voodoo with the documented Halfords discounts, and the Genesis with a bike shop discount and £100 credit note.

Is there much between them?

Neither particularly appeals to me (I’d prefer a Jones), but they’d let me see if I like mountain biking.

The Voodoo frames are all designed by Joe Murray. And that bloke knows a thing or two about putting a bike together. I’ve had old School Kona’s and a Voodoo Wanga (the steel one) designed by the very man. They’re brilliant bikes to ride. built to be chucked about! That fact alone would wing it for me.

When you inevitably get upgrade-itus, you want a decent frame to be hanging stuff off. It’d be the Voodoo every time for me

I read an interview with Joe Murray a couple of years back.
Halfords license the name and Joe just signs off on frame designs, he did have a hand in designing the Wanga and FS models but looks like they’ve been discontinued.

That said, still great bikes for the money.

Got a Bizango ten days ago. Several rides around the trail centres in north Wales and its back at Halfords as the forks no longer do what they should do. In fact on the third ride out they became very unresponsive. The tech guy thinks its because there isn’t enough air in them “its only got 80psi in” ( i still think they should do something with 80 psi in) i explained they had 110 psi a couple of days ago, they haven’t got back to me yet. Early days I know but its such a shame as it really is a stonking bike when the forks are working.
But i know other people who have them and have had no problems 😕

The geo on the Bizango is spot on. I managed to get one frame only to build as a ss. If I only had one bike I’d happily have the Bizango.

Both are strong forms of woo, you are better off reading Bertram Russell.
In a fight though, voodoo would win.

It appears I’ll have to take a trip to Halfords! Are there no Genesis Mantle fans around here?

Were the old Kona bikes not XC race machines, with an aggressive riding position? If the Bizango is like that, then perhaps it’s not what I’m looking for.

Nope – Bizango geo very current – slackish ha, shortish stays, runs 120mm fork.

Thanks, Clink. Yours is a nice looking bike – I prefer the black forks, plus singlespeeds/fixies just look better!

Isn’t it the Bizango that’s won MBR’s hardtail of the year 2 years running? Looks like a good bet, and Murray designed frames are a lot of fun.

I’m gonna give the mantle a reprieve – I have the genesis core (26″), it was the mantle’s predecessor with 26″ wheels, they’re well built and generally well spec’d aluminium hardtails with geometry somewhere between XC & Trail (if you’ll forgive the terminology), basically suitable for anything you chuck it at. They ride well and genesis support is good.

Finishing kit is good, besides seat posts and clamps usually. Another bonus is you usually get shimano over avid.

I did have a Genesis Core (26″) and have replaced it with the Voodoo Bizango!

Both nice bikes, I honestly prefer the Voodoo as feels a lot more comfortable with the geo.

Interestingly though my forks have too failed! Seals inside gone and causing an air leak… plus making an awful sound.

But that said I know 2 others with the same bike who ride a lot more regularly and a lot harder than I do and theirs are completely fine!

Halfords are fitting a brand new pair as we speak rather than getting them repaired!!

I think the voodoo is great, especially singlespeed! My forks have taken a fair bit of stick, but still going. They definitely benefit from regulary stanchion lubing though.

Different voodoo, but I love my Bokor 29er long-time.

The sliding dropouts make SS a joy, which is nice as my gears like to hibernate over winter.

Colleague of mine has a Bizango, it is ridiculously good for the money, if it had a cooler name on the side it’d cost a grand and still get 5 star reviews.

I have a voodoo bokor (the 26in wheel one) and I think it’s great, it will go SS if/when I eventually go N+1