New MTB - Hoodoo 13/14 Vs. Kraken

AidenTurton

Hi all, long story short i've had a mountain bike for years, rusty, squeaky and getting more uncomfortable with each ride, so I want to buy a new one for around £450.

I've been browsing threads for a few days and I decided to purchase a 2011/2012 Voodoo Hoodoo as my entry level bike, however; they have sold out everywhere it seems, even the display models. So my question is, what bike do I go for?

Voodoo Hoodoo 2013/2014
- From a few threads people have said that this seems to be a downgraded version of the 2011/2012 Hoodoo; are the new brakes and fork as good as the old?
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_927849_langId_-1_categoryId_165499

Carrera Kraken
- Spotted this on the best entry level mountain bikes for under £500 BikeRadar put out; is this better spec-wise than the new Hoodoo?
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_810647_langId_-1_categoryId_165499

I've spotted a thread like this already, although that thread was with the old Hoodoo, all thoughts are much appreciated and alternatively any other bikes are welcome for my budget of around £450.

Thanks in advance.
-Aiden

The Rookie

Voodoo has the better fork (just), and has been downgraded from the air in an 11/12 (so get one of those if you can!)
Same Formula wheels fitted to both (different stickers!)
Hoodoo has the better brakes (again downgraded from 11/12)
Drivetrain wise the Kraken is better equipped as the voodoo has been downgraded from last year (common theme here).

In fact that Hoodoo is worse specced than an early 11 Bantu in pretty much every respect, if you can get an 11/12 Hoodoo get that, otherwise try and stretch to £550 for a Rockrider 8.1!

paulski1966

AidenTurton wrote:

Hi all, long story short i've had a mountain bike for years, rusty, squeaky and getting more uncomfortable with each ride, so I want to buy a new one for around £450.

I've been browsing threads for a few days and I decided to purchase a 2011/2012 Voodoo Hoodoo as my entry level bike, however; they have sold out everywhere it seems, even the display models. So my question is, what bike do I go for?

Voodoo Hoodoo 2013/2014
- From a few threads people have said that this seems to be a downgraded version of the 2011/2012 Hoodoo; are the new brakes and fork as good as the old?
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_927849_langId_-1_categoryId_165499

Where abouts in the UK are you? I'm going to be selling my 11/12 18" Hoodoo in the next few days - the entire bike with the exception of the wheels and seat were replaced four weeks ago by Halfords under warranty - I have ridden it about four times since so the bike is pretty much brand new.

With regards to the changes between 2011/12 and 13/14 model -

FORK - The original Hoodoo I got had Tektro Auriga Comp and Raidon X1's. The first gen of the Hoodoo's had a really crappy fork lockout which was very easy to break (I had two go on me) - they changed this later on - the updated version of the fork has RAIDON in solid white lettering on the fork, the old style does not- I will try and take a photo of the newer lockout later to show the difference.
The new fork on the 13/14 model is coil not air - I notice they do not publish the weight of the Hoodoo - which would be a concern to me as i would imagine the coil fork has added a chunk of weight, the 11/12 hoodoo is around 13.5kg.

BRAKES - The new 11/12 Hoodoo I got from halfords has the Tektro Gemini on rather then the Auriga comp which was on my original 11/12 hoodoo, so I have ridden with both - my opinion is that the Gemini is a much nicer brake - the calipers seem to be identical so stopping power is the same, however the brake handle design on the gemini is much nicer (the auriga comp is almost straight, and i had to ride with them well in on the bars, and even then found middle finger braking more comfortable then index finger, the gemini is a kinked design which I found more comfortable).

Hope this helps.

AidenTurton

Thank you for the fast responses! ..it seems as though the new Hoodoo has been downgraded a lot and still beats the Kraken; so I guess the Kraken is out of the picture now and i'm put off buying the new Hoodoo because of all the downgrades.

@The Beginner

otherwise try and stretch to £550 for a Rockrider 8.1!

£550 is a bit of a stretch, are there any discounts for the Rockrider?

@paulski1966

Where abouts in the UK are you? I'm going to be selling my 11/12 18" Hoodoo in the next few days

I'm from Keighley (Close to Leeds), i'm interested for sure; such good reviews on the bike, how come you're selling?

Thanks again.
-Aiden

paulski1966

AidenTurton wrote:

Where abouts in the UK are you? I'm going to be selling my 11/12 18" Hoodoo in the next few days

I'm from Keighley (Close to Leeds), i'm interested for sure; such good reviews on the bike, how come you're selling?

Thanks again.
-Aiden

Selling due to an odd set of circumstances - had the first generation of the hoodoo ( the one with the older style lockout - hence why I know the issues with them) - had a lot of issues with the bike - not all the bikes fault, quite a bit was down to various issues. As such I decided to build my own bike in the meantime (more dedicated to the type of riding I do and a simple set up that has less to go wrong) - a week before I got the final bits for my own bike
Halfords agreed to replace the entire bike with the exception of the wheels and seat. Which means I have a virtually new Hoodoo and a newly built On one 456



as such the hoodoo is up for sale now.

Unfortunately I live down in Eastbourne - which is about as far from Leeds as i think its possible to get!