Advise please between a Felt Nine 60 vs Voodoo Hoodoo

MedwayComputers

Hi,
I know lots of you hate this question but I'ma after a bit of advice.
I am purchasing a bike on the cycle2work scheme and I think I have narrowed it down to either the Felt Nine 60 or the voodoo hoodoo.
I do a mixture of riding, road and off road. I like to explore hence not going down the road bike route.
Looking between the two as descriptions do mean a lot but they appear very similar apart from the voodoo having what appears to be higher model numbers on the gearing etc. Does this mean its better for less price?
Also I notice the felt appears to have a larger wheel, I presume this would be better for when I'm on the road, fasters speed.

Many thanks for reading and offering any advice.

Dave.
(sorry this seems to have posted twice & I cant find how to delete one)

oxocube1

Yes the Felt has a 29" wheel as apposed to the standard 26" of the Hoodoo, which would mean faster on smooth rolling surfaces i.e. roads, and generally easier for off road climbing. However the Hoodoo has a much better performing fork so that when you do go off road it will ride a lot more smoothly, and you have the handlebar mount for the fork lockout.

The drivetrains on both are very similar, the Hoodoo runs a full Shimano Alivio drivetrain, whilst the Felt uses Alivio, Acera, and Deore mix so not much in it there. They also both use Tektro Draco brakes and double walled rims so again identical.

Personally though I would go with the Hoodoo simply because of the much better fork and it has a better set of tyres, Maxxis Ardents, which are high volume but shallow tread so are fairly fast on the road. Hope that helps.

MedwayComputers

Thank you for your reply oxocube1,

Still debating which one, the voodoo does come in £100 cheaper but with the internet you can read so much that you end up going round in circles.
A local bike shop is saying the Felt, yet Halfords are saying the Voodoo. I like to think the local bike shop knows more about what he is talking about but when you look at the specs the voodoo seems to have better spec for less money.

arrhhhh dont you just hate the internet, so much info to hand.

mcnultycop

Voodoo, because of the fork - read this review.

The LBS will try to sell you whatever he sells, I guess he is a Felt stockist.

cooldad

Er they're both saying what they sell, not exactly unbiased advice is it?
Personally I'd take the Voodoo anyday. The Felt has a pretty rubbish fork, the Voodoo a very good one.
Makes a huge difference.

MedwayComputers

Hi,
Thanks for your replies I'm gearing more to the voodoo

being that I do slightly more road riding should I change the tyres to more of a hybrid type?
If so what tyres?

The Rookie

Depends what off road surface you ride on.......do you do split surface rides or is it on or off road rides?

DanDax1990

Don't change anything until you've given them a good go and as for the tyres, Try different pressures and see how they go. The Hoodoo would be the one for me. £100 saving would go towards new tyres if wanted/needed or other upgrades, I'd go for some Shimano M596 brakes personally. Aswell as other bits like inner-tunes and maybe lights.

MedwayComputers

Thanks for your replies.
I'm glad I'm not spending £1000+ like some of you as I would be even more worried about what I bought.
I would say I ride 80% of the time on the main road / back end roads then go off exploring into woods etc.
Saving the £100 on the bike is good as you say I can then spend this elsewhere.
Lights,helmet, puncture kit, pump, etc all catered for its just the bike.

MaJeeKa

hi, i have the hoodoo, and fully reccommend it...ivve taken it on all surfaces from road to heavy off roading and it loved it

chuckla

If the hoodoo is 26" why's not look at the Felt Six 60? I bought one last year and haven't been disappointed! The suntour xcm is an ok entry level fork, if you want better components, try a specialized rockhopper comp or even a felt six 50!

Couple of hundred quid more though

Woodmonkey

or the hoodoo 29er if you want bigger wheels

cooldad

chuckla wrote:

If the hoodoo is 26" why's not look at the Felt Six 60? I bought one last year and haven't been disappointed! The suntour xcm is an ok entry level fork, if you want better components, try a specialized rockhopper comp or even a felt six 50!

Couple of hundred quid more though

So worse bits for more money. Makes sense to me.

chuckla

cooldad wrote:

chuckla wrote:

If the hoodoo is 26" why's not look at the Felt Six 60? I bought one last year and haven't been disappointed! The suntour xcm is an ok entry level fork, if you want better components, try a specialized rockhopper comp or even a felt six 50!

Couple of hundred quid more though

So worse bits for more money. Makes sense to me.

Worse bits on the spesh? Or the six 50? The components are better than they are on the nine 60

cooldad

Which is not saying much. But worse than the Voodoo, which is cheaper.

The Rookie

With Cooldad here, telling someone to spend more to get a bike that's only less worse than the other cheaper option is just rubbish advice.

MedwayComputers

Thank you for all your replies.
Today I picked up the hoodoo fitted with Pump, saddle bag, bottle holder, and a new trusty helmet.
Typical of Halfords thou spent an hour waiting why they tried to sort the paper work, then then let me go struggling down the stairs with it all and not even asked if they could adjust the bike to fit me.

Anyway got home and first found I could not remove the pump as they had mounted it with the bottle holder covering the pump clamps so took that off and refitted it.
Then had to remove the saddle bag as I had no where to mount my rear lights.
Also fitted the front lights but boy those handle bars are thick.

All that done I then spent the next 5 minutes trying it out in the snow, wow certainly different to my old bike, so much smoother and the brakes well there just awesome.
With regards the front lockable fork, when locked they still move up and down a little, is that correct? as i notice a valve at the bottom and wondered if something needed adjusting but no mention in the instructions.

Also I want to fit end grips and recommendations?

thanks
Dl.

mcnultycop

MedwayComputers wrote:

With regards the front lockable fork, when locked they still move up and down a little, is that correct? as i notice a valve at the bottom and wondered if something needed adjusting but no mention in the instructions.

It should move a little bit when locked out. Have Halfords provided you with a shock pump; if not you'll need one to get the sag on the fork set correctly (unless they did it in the shop, but you'll still need one for later).

MedwayComputers wrote:

Also I want to fit end grips and recommendations?

Do you mean bar-ends?

MedwayComputers

They didn't discuss a shock pump?

Also yes I mean bar ends.

MaJeeKa

i bought a hoodoo last september, same thing with halfords get money then abandon you...bike not set up for me or suspension set to my weight. when i asked tham they said it should be right for me. bike shed was upstairs and had to make 2 trips to car and they didnt offer to help me. went back for my 6 week check up and was told just pop it in and we do it there and then so did this on a thurseday thinking it would be quiet and 3 of them were standing about chatting and i asked them and they said they too busy and i have to book it in (they dont do just turn up services). so was booked in for saturday 930. i turned up and they told me to come pick it up at 4pm. i siad why book it in for 930 then not touch it for hours, i am booked for 930 so start the service at 930 and i would wait for it to be done (i had ridden it 5 miles to shop so couldnt go home as was too far a walk), i was told they could squeeze it in first as a favour (wtf) and to come back in an hour. when i come back i asked them to sign my log book and he looked at me stupid. he said he had never had to sign a book before and didnt know where the stamp was. i called the manager and he found it eventually.
morale of they story is staff aint got a clue but the product is worth it

my forks move a little bit when locked...dont worry it supposed to

MedwayComputers

I didn't realise you set the suspension up for yr weight, is there a guide that anyone can recommend?
I didn't want to buy it from Halfords but the other bike I was looking at was £100 more and from a small local shop who I know would have looked after me better but the hoodo seemed and confirmed by replies to my questions on here a better spec.
The guy who served me even admitted he didn't ride bikes, prefers jogging.

mcnultycop

The bike you've bought is the correct decision. Halfords service seems to be a bit hit or miss.

You need a shock pump to add air to your fork. There is a guide on here to setting sag, somewhere.

Woodmonkey

Sticking up for halfords here, the bike guys in our halfords have always been real good and never had a problem with them and the store manager seems pretty keen on bikes too. Just saying like! P.s. I love my hoodoo.

Woodmonkey

And the Suntour manuals are all on the website.

Fearn0

The valve at the bottom the the fork is to set your rebound

MedwayComputers

Thanks for all your replies.
I have only been out twice on it and so far find the gears are not changing correctly towards the ends, also sometimes when changing (i don't know how to describe this) but you pdeal and have no feedback. Like pedaling hard and it slips for a second.

I presume this is just getting them to adjust the gears.

One other question what other tyres can I use when I'm not doing much off roading but more on on road?

thanks,
Dave.

DanDax1990

Don't change gears whilst peddling/putting downward pressure on the pedals. Let off the pressure for a second whilst it changes.

If you feel comfortable enough doing so, try and index the gears yourself. Worth a try if it needs doing anyway. Check out the park tools website to see how to do them correctly. It's worth knowing how to do yourself.

cooldad

DanDax1990 wrote:

index the gears yourself. It's vital

FTFY

MedwayComputers

DanDax1990 wrote:

Don't change gears whilst peddling/putting downward pressure on the pedals. Let off the pressure for a second whilst it changes.

If you feel comfortable enough doing so, try and index the gears yourself. Worth a try if it needs doing anyway. Check out the park tools website to see how to do them correctly. It's worth knowing how to do yourself.

Hi DanDax,

I have tried looking on a park tools website but dont seem to find the inforamtion on how to adjust them.
Do you have a link you could send me.

Many thanks

oxocube1

MedwayComputers wrote:

DanDax1990 wrote:

Don't change gears whilst peddling/putting downward pressure on the pedals. Let off the pressure for a second whilst it changes.

If you feel comfortable enough doing so, try and index the gears yourself. Worth a try if it needs doing anyway. Check out the park tools website to see how to do them correctly. It's worth knowing how to do yourself.

Hi DanDax,

I have tried looking on a park tools website but dont seem to find the inforamtion on how to adjust them.
Do you have a link you could send me.

Many thanks

Here you go:Rear Mech Adjustments and Front Mech Adjustments

MedwayComputers

Thank you oxocube1.