For the guys who have bought the RR 8.1 or Voodoo Hoodoo....
Tora75
Posts: 40
Just wondering as this seems to be bikes of choice around the 400-500 price bracket how you are all getting on with your bikes?What you you have been upto on them?Also any issues and made any changes to either of the bikes......
Planning on buying one this week at some point so what to gather some info in one place.Many thanks for all your feedback..
Planning on buying one this week at some point so what to gather some info in one place.Many thanks for all your feedback..
0
Posts
A couple of people have even commented on the parts, saying they are a really good spec.
JC
Specialized Elite Allez with 105
Rockrider 8.1 : )
Jon
Replaced the stock tyres with Schwalbe Landcruisers, which in turn are waiting to be replaced with Maxxis Ignitors, swapped the stem for a shorter one and the pedals for Shimano 530's.
Oh, most important of all - took the bloody reflectors off the wheels!!!
Voodoo Hoodoo and had it 5 or so months.
Changes
Wellgo B54 pedals (much gripper pins than the standard pedals)
Changed from standard stem of 90mm to a used titec 50mm one
Longer bar from standard of IIRC of 680/690 to a sunline v1 745 38mm riser
MT15 wheelset due to me writing off the front wheel plus SSC rotor adapters
a QR seatpost clamp
a NC17 headset top - was being a bike tart matching other parts
chainstay protector
....and a bottle holder
Issues
No where stocking a 16" to try for fit
Problems with front wheel untrueing before writing it off (LBS said wheel was incorrectly laced)
Parts not torqued correctly out of the shop, i.e. stem & grips
Seatpost too long, catches on internal screw mounts to get it low enough (hacksaw sorted the seatpost out)
Paintwork seems to scratch really easily but it's a mtb so it's partly expected
Bent front gear shifter - my own fault (now kind of works with some bodging)
I've ridden different types of terrian, I like a varitey of riding doing local DH stuff but I'm not doing 3ft plus drops yet or doubles. Bike seems fine for XC as well but have consider getting a slighter long stem for climbing, i.e. 70mm.
Overal, I'm pretty happy with with the bike. I paid £405 (using NUS code) for it new so I feel like I got a lot of bike for the money. Most of the upgrades I did were when they were on offer or just 2nd hand. No decathlon near by for me to have had the RR option. I would have thought the decathlon was more suited to XC than trail riding due to fork length and IIRC steeper head angle but I reckon these are minor differences I don't think you will go wrong with either. I do like having an air fork and being able to adjust it with a shockpump. Tyres on hoodoo also seem popular - saves chaning these. Main thing - get one and ride it until either you or the bike breaks! Then fix up and do again!
If I were to do 'upgrades' again, I would focus on other non-bolt on bike stuff, i.e. multi-tool, bottle holder + bottle or camlebak, gloves, glasses, bike spray, chaintool, split links, chain lube, skills book, knee protection, bike security - 10% of bike cost(?), the list goes on forever not all necessary but does help. Worth budgeting for some of this if you don't have it.
Perhaps If I only had £500 and could get the voodoo for £400, I would get the voodoo and spend the spare £100 on other items noted above.
Sorry for long post but I hope it's of help.