Voodoo Seat and Voodoo waterproof jacket

inkj

I'm told the Voodoo Bizango seat is very hard

Any recommendations [from Halfords ideally] or a better [to my ass] seat? Or is it a good one and MTB seats are meant to make you feel like you have spent a weekend in a Cat A prison?

I say ideally from Halfords as I am buying a load from them

Finally – I doubt anyone has bought the Voodoo jacket [or gloves] but it says they are water proof – I can’t see any reviews or independent information…. I was just wondering if it is water proof. As I’m thinking of getting it, and Broadman Unisex OverTrousers – so when it rains I can cycle places and be bone dry when I get there… once I take them two things off…

CitizenLee

Get a Charge Spoon or Madison Flux (rebadged Charge Spoon). Not sure if Halfords sell them but I'd still highly recommend them anyway. You should be able to find them for around £20. Whatever you do, don't bother with any gel nonsense.

No idea about the jacket, sorry.

slc123

A second vote for Charge Spoon. I wouldn't say it's the most comfortable but certainly one of the best in terms of value. I've gone through a few seats mostly more expensive and didn't like any of them.

I couldn't comment on the jacket either. I am pretty sure it will be waterproof to start with... it will really all depend how long it lasts for. Quality jackets will remain waterproof for a long time, cheap ones tend to struggle. Then there is the question of how well it lets you breath or is it just going to make you hot and sweaty and give no ventilation. For the price I would suggest give it a go!

cooldad

Your butt will toughen up. In the meantime, suffer. But I too have Spoons on most bikes.

steve_sordy

Never buy a waterproof jacket without checking the breathability. Remember that a bin bag is waterproof, so what you really need is a bin bag with tiny holes in it that let out the tiny droplets of sweat vapour but keep out the big droplets of rain. The higher the breathability the more you are guaranteed to get were you are going as dry as a bone. A bin bag will leave you with that "boil in the bag" feeling as you baste in your own sweat.

After a bad experience with a cheap waterproof, for years I managed very happily without one. Instead I used a windproof that had a Durable Water Repellent coating (DWR). This will repel all but several hours of torrential rain and will keep you dry. But keep the garment clean, and reproof it from time to time. Never use detergent for cleaning as it destroys the DWR.

t0ffeeman

Charge Spoon ftw, obviously coupled with a good quality padded under short such as Endura.

No idea about the jacket, but man up and get wet, a waterproof jacket is only for keeping the majority of crud off you, you will still get wet.

inkj

I have two cycling bibs [castelli - one Progetto X2 Air, one has Kiss Air seat]

So maybe I don't need to ram my ass onto a spoon [?]

It's good that everyone thinks the same, and that the seat is cheap

I will use the voodoo as is and maybe get a spoon in the future

In regards the jacket - I guess it is a cooker... I likened a super warm mountain jacket I had to giving me the feeling of going 'cold turkey' - because it kept the rain/etc out... but you are sweating on the inside even on the coldest of days


Voodoo Mountain Bike Waterproof Jacket Extra Info

Waterproof fabric
Waterproof pocket and CF zip
Reflective details
Adjustable rubber cuff tabs
Underarm zip vents with mesh insert
One chest and two lower front zipped pockets
Goggle wipe attached to inside of chest pocket

So it has underarm zip vents [?] I guess that won't do much to stop sweating

I would just like to arrive dry - yes I am such a girl

and I guess a serious cycling hobbiest - you are used to girls being dry

x

inkj

p.s. thanks again for all the excellent help
x

The Rookie

The stock Merida saddle (used on their own brand bikes, Voodoo, Boardmans and Carrera's amongst others, just different colour and branding) isn't at all a bad perch, its no harder than a Spoon and is a reasonably similar shape. Soft squidgy saddles feel nice to sit on but are pretty rubbish if you also want to ride the bike.

I'd use it for a bit longer before deciding to replace it.

inkj

Thanks for that great answer

I haven't got the bike yet

I have clicked, I haven't collected yet

I'm going to look at it today - I say look - as I have orderd loads of bits and bobs.... and they don't all come in for a few more days - so I pay and collect for good in 7 days time

I like the idea of not buying a seat, I was trying to find out if it was known for being a bad/cheap seat. I guess having nothing on the internet [good or bad] about them - means they must be alright [or good]

Your answer has certainally made me think this is the case - thanks

cooldad

ps. It's a saddle.

inkj

Whoops

You're going to tell me next, the bits you put your feet on... that I've been calling pedals... are actually called stirrups?

cooldad

You might be confusing me with your gynaecologist.

billycool

The biggest challenge with waterproof jackets, is to actually stay dry on the inside. You will sweat and depending on how hard you work, you might sweat a lot. They are called `boil in the bag` for a reason. You can end up just as wet on the inside as the outside.

I've switched to softshell jackets as they breath much better (I still sweat but not in such a horrible way) and they can cope with a reasonable amount of rain. Most have a DWR finish to keep the rain off (not as good as a full waterproof though).

The last time I actually wore my rain jacket was BPW, when it was heaving down and as I was doing the uplift, I wasn't doing any pedalling. I still got hot just going DH.

fenix

Don't change the saddle until you know you cant get on with the saddle provided. If you're new any saddle will feel odd to begin with.

As has been said waterproofs can get you wetter than without - you'll sweat yourself to death if you're doing any effort.

Never had waterproof trousers for the bike - skin is waterproof anyway.

CitizenLee

Fenix wrote:

skin is waterproof anyway.

So do you ride naked then? :P