|
|
|
| |
Submitted by
jack_read
a Weekend Warrior
from Bolton, MA USA
Date Reviewed: October 4, 2009 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Self built | | Strengths: | Weight, handling, looks, cool cable outing that works well | | Weaknesses: | NONE!!! | | Similar Products Used: | '08 Sette frame/Deore build, '06 Trek 4500, '94 Trek 930SHX, '88 Specialized Hardrock | | Bike Setup: | XT rear derailleur, SLX front, XT hubs, Mavix 717 rims, Rockshox Duke XC, Raceface bars and stem, Shimano clipless pedals | | Bottom Line: | This is the best hardtail I've ever ridden. I built this bike about 3 months ago after picking up this 1996 Voodoo Bizango frame. It had never been built! I love this bike and can't imagine ever wanting another hardtail. I've got this bike set up for cross country. It weighs in at a touch over 25 pounds. When I first built it up I had WTB tires on it- a Mutano 2.4 on the front and a Motoraptor 2.14 on the back. It handled pretty well. This weekend I changed the tires to IRC Mythos XC II kevlar front and rear (1.95/2.1). What a tremendous improvement in handling! The bike is totally point 'n shoot. I rode it in its first "official" XC race today. I've done this race 3 times previously but was never remotely close to as fast (or as happy) as on the Voodoo. One thousand chilis! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
josh74man
a Cross Country Rider
from Sydney, NSW, Australia
Date Reviewed: September 29, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Wingello | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$550.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | Great Ride. Strong Frame. Holds a great line. Fits standard sized components for ease of customization. | | Weaknesses: | Gets a bit squirrely on loose descents. Little bit heavy for a racing hardtail frame, but well worth it. | | Similar Products Used: | Jamis, Raleigh, and Specialized hardtails. | | Bike Setup: | xt/lx, Reba's, etc. Still using v-brakes. | | Bottom Line: | Used this bike for the past couple of months for everything from the daily commute to 100km+ enduro races. I ride it every day. Comfortable, good handling, tough, and useful. Climbs like a champion. Looks the goods too. Steel is real. I found the optional v-brake mounts so cool that I had to use them instead of discs.
Buy this bike if you want to own one bicycle and use it for all manor of applications. Racing, fun rides, commuting; this one does them all comfortably and well. I'm happy. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
j
a Cross Country Rider
from Vancouver BC
Date Reviewed: April 20, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Sea to Sky | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$69.00 | | Purchased At: | Pawn shop | | Strengths: | Light frame, not at all stiff, perfect geometry, glides like a feather on the wind... | | Weaknesses: | Needs a tune up but that's my negligence..... | | Similar Products Used: | To say a factory frame is similar to hand made frame is comparing apples to oranges! | | Bike Setup: | Titec-Mavic- | | Bottom Line: | Best bike I ever did ride............ | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marcus Kruse
a Weekend Warrior
from Dearborn, MI, USA
Date Reviewed: September 9, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | The weight for a steel bike is incredible. | | Weaknesses: | The handling is a bit quirky | | Similar Products Used: | gtr,dbr,gary fisher,among others | | Bike Setup: | titec neck & 2014 bars,judy x/c forks, shimano deore components, put my fisher rims on this bike rides like a dream! | | Bottom Line: | This bike is now for sale! Make a fair offer & this dream ride could be yours. I love this bike but need the cash for lifes ups & downs. This bike has some upgrades to it. It climbs hills like no other I have ever seen. It can also just cruise the pavement with the best out there. It is just the best I've ever had . period. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
VooDooGuy
a Weekend Warrior
from Scottsdale, AZ
Date Reviewed: September 6, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | tht a way | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | Trailhead | | Strengths: | The frame is wonderful. After 11+ years under my butt, it continues to ride like a charm. Nice flex in the frame and able to handle what comes my way. A bit loose on the turns, but a shorter stem seems to have made them go much better. There will probably never be another bike like this one. Bought from when VooDoo still was owned by VooDoo. | | Weaknesses: | A bit twitchy on fast turns, but I think I got that taken care of. | | Similar Products Used: | there is nothing similar in my opinion | | Bike Setup: | XT; Thomson Stem; WTB VelociRaptors | | Bottom Line: | Great bike! Need I say more? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
wendy (voodoo woman)
a Cross Country Rider
from las vegas. nv
Date Reviewed: September 24, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$800.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | My 18.5" Tange steel frame fits me perfectly. I'm a 5'8" voodoo woman (born in New Orleans). I can ride for hours and not feel it. | | Weaknesses: | No weakness. Just the hexes she throws. The day I brought her home from new mexico, it rained for 2 weeks straight here in las vegas. One of my favorite local trails caught fire 30 minutes after I rode her there. Other bikes get flats if I park them near her. (I need to get her a worthy Moots partner) I could go on. This one got out of the factory before the "hex free" exorcism that voodoo promises. Needless to say, I painted 'BADGIRL' next to bizango. | | Similar Products Used: | Nothing compares. Ive owned a GIANT doublebutted AL, a SPECIALIZED cromoly, a TREK cromoly, other steel frames. The voodoo is in a world of its own. | | Bike Setup: | funky orange Tange steel (does anyone know the paint color #? looks like slight pearl or metallic in it) XT, XTR, shram 9.0, 2002 carbon crown sid air shock( dark metalic blue) I added this part, she came with a 98 judy. Chris King, mavic 517 with blue nipples, I added kenda kosmic lites (480g each) I will be adding FETISH carbon fiber seatpost and stem. The 1998 mountain bike mag lists this frame and set up at $4100 new. | | Bottom Line: | GET A VOODOO IF YOU CAN FIND ONE!!!!!!! I rescued this one from a garage in Alberquerque, NM. She hadn't been touched in 6 years. No wonder she was pissed off! The sexiest ass I have ever seen on a bike!!!!!!!!! Curved seatstays, ritchy dropouts. I have riden bikes for years. To class,to work, to the store, on the trail. I love riding, But this is the first time I have been in love with my bike. The term irrational devotion fits here. I have not left her locked up outside anywhere! (I take the trek for that. Although it would probably get stolen first! Noone knows voodoo.) I LOVE MY VOODOO! TILL DEATH DO US PART!!!!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gaines Tyler
a Cross Country Rider
from Mystic, CT, USA
Date Reviewed: June 29, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | pisgah, arcadia RI | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1400.00 | | Purchased At: | Vernon Cycles | | Strengths: | Excellent climber, superfast downhills, really flickable | | Weaknesses: | Rear dropout (derailleur side) bends fairly easily, difficult to realign. This happened when I picked up a stick and snapped my rear derailleur off. | | Bike Setup: | XT throughout, Titec stem, seatpost, bar, Mavic 222's, WTB Velociraptors, Specialized seat | | Bottom Line: | At first, the bike was a little scary, and seemed way to twitchy. I think this is mostly because the short top tube puts my weight forward. This is great for climbing however, and when I stand up and shift my ass back for steep downhills, I feel invincible, as my weight shifts back giving me good stability. The more I ride it, the more I love it. Too bad they're out of business. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
voodoo chile
a Cross Country Rider
from L.I.,ny
Date Reviewed: May 3, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | dupont nf, pisgah,nc | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$425.00 | | Purchased At: | babylon,bikes | | Strengths: | well, hear i am again, singing the praises of the bizango. after several mtbking vacations im more impressed with this bike than ever. ive made it a point to take this bike all over the east coast and she performs flawlessly. whether its the mountains of nc, or the super technical trail of conn. the bizango brings it. joe murray's design is perfecto for east coast riding, which is funny because i think he's from the left coast. | | Weaknesses: | cant find another 19.5in bizango to buy. | | Similar Products Used: | read other posts under "edouble". thats me also. | | Bike Setup: | ditto | | Bottom Line: | supposedly voodoo is making a come back, if so and tight technical single track is your thing, you owe it to yourself to ride the bizango. no other bike can cast a spell upon the trails like a voodoo, peace. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Thomas Bartels
a Cross Country Rider
from Los Angeles, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: March 8, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | voodoocycles.com | | Strengths: | - lightweight(esp for steel)
- fast & agile
- climbs like a monkey on crack
- ritchey drop-outs
- pretty | | Weaknesses: | - no rear disk brake mounts, but who really needs them on this bike anyway(i have an old model). | | Similar Products Used: | Parkpre Sceptre Comp | | Bike Setup: | king h/s
marzocchi z.3 80mm fork
titec stem, salsa moto-ace h/b
wtb speed-v race saddle
azonic azx s/p
intense lock-on grips
sram rocket trigger shifters
shimano LX FT der
shimano XT RR der
shimano XT cassette
shimano XTR chain
shimano LX hubs/sun rhyno-lite rims
shimano LX rim brakes w/hayes hml levers
nokian gazaloddi core 2.3 ft tire, 2.1 rr
crank bros mallet-c pedals
mrp lrp | | Bottom Line: | Originally I bought this bike on the voodoo website as a blemished frame(tiny paint blemish). I built it up as best I could afford at the time and expected to be riding it for the rest of my life and would upgrade it as soon as I could. After almost 5 years it is still living up to my expectations. My riding style has changed from purely XC to more freeride and urban and with a few tweaks to my equipment I am still totally satisfied. This bike can do anything, and now that BTI is distributing VooDoo in the US, you can get one too. ;)
http://www.bti-usa.com/list.asp?class=ALL&vendor=VD | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
edouble
a Cross Country Rider
from wheatley heights,ny
Date Reviewed: October 21, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | da'wiss in philly | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$425.00 | | Purchased At: | babylon bikes | | Strengths: | i keep forgeting to rate this frame | | Weaknesses: | check old posts | | Similar Products Used: | ditto | | Bike Setup: | avid xt,fsx mavic,syncros,truvativ,conti,raceface,koobi | | Bottom Line: | bike gets sweeter by the day. awesome in tight,twisty single track and climbs walls. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
edouble
a Cross Country Rider
from wheatley heights,ny
Date Reviewed: October 15, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | da'wiss in philly | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$425.00 | | Purchased At: | babylon bikes | | Strengths: | stated in my previous post on this frame. | | Weaknesses: | ditto | | Similar Products Used: | jamis dragon,airborne blackwidow, xero flux | | Bike Setup: | fsx fork w/speed spring's, gripshift,xt,mavic 221's, conti's,raceface prodigy stem and post,koobi prs saddle syncros 1" riser bar, time pedals | | Bottom Line: | initially i loved the handling of this bike but hated the stiffer than normal ride due to the small triangles created by the sloping top tube design. the koobi prs saddle changed that and now i love everything about it. oh, also the prodigy post w/1" of layback really opened up the cockpit (im 6ft.2 riding a 19.5in frame)with no light weight parts it weighs a stunning 24lbs. im not a weight weenie by any means (240lbs)i just used what i had lying around so this surprised me.mine's is a 97 w/ the funky orange color. they dont make voodoo's anymore so i wont torture you with how great the ride is, just know that i will never sell this frame. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Albuquerque NM
Date Reviewed: September 19, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1800.00 | | Purchased At: | Santiam Bicycle, Salem OR | | Strengths: | Quick handling
Light
Comfortable
Pretty | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Bridgestone MB-0 | | Bike Setup: | Titec handlebars and seatpost
Chris King headset
Suntour XC Pro 8 speed topmount shifters
XTR brakes
XC hubs with Bontrager Mustang back, Mavic 217 SUP front, evolution spokes
Rock Shox SID SL (2002) fork
San Marco Concor Light Ti saddle
Sugino Mighty 900 crank with Al chainring bolts, Ti crankbolts
Race Face Turbine BB
XTR rear derailleur and cassette
XT front derailleur
Icon (70 gram!) bar-ends
Ti bolt and axle kit
| | Bottom Line: | Bought in 1996
Light (sub 23 lb) flickable bike that goes where you point it and climbs walls. I don't know why everyone's complaining about the paint - mine wasn't painted, it was powdercoated. Nary a chip after six years, some dulling along the top tube where the cables have stummed against it. Sidenote on the Icon barends - sure they're scary light, but if they break, the worst that can happen is I fall over at 5 mph. I only use them when climbing. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
edouble
a Cross Country Rider
from wheatley heights,ny
Date Reviewed: April 19, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | westwood | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$425.00 | | Purchased At: | babylon bikeshop | | Strengths: | nimble handling, short wheelbase,small triangles for in creased stiffness, very fast downhill. | | Weaknesses: | not as supple in the rear as some steel frames , paint chips soooooooo easy. | | Similar Products Used: | jamis dragon (awesome) airborne blackwidow (harsh rear end but greatclimber) universal cycles zero flux (quick and nimble) great value. | | Bike Setup: | z2bam, xt, mavic 225's, syncros, salsa,hutchinson pythons, time pedals,koobi prs saddle | | Bottom Line: | ive been looking for a steel hardtail that had a sloping top tube,for a stiff front triangle, relatively short wheelbase for a big bike,19.5 in frame (im 6ft 2in 240lbs,the trails here are really tight)and quick,nimble handling. this bike is all of those things. the small rear triangle was beating the hell out of me but the koobi prs saddle took the edge off big time. this bike climbs well and absolutely flies down hill. they dont make them anymore, mines is a 97 and im very pleased with it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Captain Worldbike
a Cross Country Rider
from Richmond, VA
Date Reviewed: January 2, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | VA: Pocohantas Park, CO: Breckenridge | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | Traded For Web Site (www.worldbike.com) | | Strengths: | Quick and nimble, durable, sooo smooth. | | Weaknesses: | Other than paint(who cares if you really ride), none. | | Similar Products Used: | K2 Beast, Trek VRX200, Fisher Tassajara, Univega 600, Raleigh M80 | | Bike Setup: | Marzocchi Bomber Z2, Mavic rims, White wheels, full XTR, Geax rubber, Titic bars, Raceface stem, Chris King headset | | Bottom Line: | I never thought the top line bikes were all that much better than the sub $1k ones, but this is a super schweet ride well worth the dough. The long top tube feels fine. At 195lbs, 5'10" this bike can handle my size. Anybody can have a mass produced bike like Trek or Fisher, but you'll see scant few Voodoos on the trail. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Peter
a Cross-Country Rider
from Coventry in Sunny England
Date Reviewed: September 6, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
English Peak District | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Light, nimble, quick | | Weaknesses: |
Yep, the paint job ain't so good. But it ain't bad | | Similar Products Used: |
GTs, Treks, another Voodoo, a Specialised | | Bike Setup: |
Z2 Lights, mix LX/XT/XTR, Crosslands | | Bottom Line: | This is a 97 Bizango (the orange one), so not 853 but Tange Superlight. It is a great bike. Why buy aluminium when steel can be like this? I guess to get a steel frame to ride like this takes engineering, and that costs, so it's cheaper just to build in aluminium. But anyone who rides alimium, take note, this steed can do it all without making your bones ache!Mine is 18.5. For my height I should really ride a 17.25. Don't know how much difference this makes, but if a smaller frame made much of an improvement on this it would a truely awesome machine.This is a bike that you grow with. It always feels like it can do whatever you want. You never reach its limits. It climbs great, if it went any better downhill it would have wings.Scrap the Zaskar (thy're made in Taiwain, don't care what GT say) and get real. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jon
a Cross-Country Rider
from Long Island
Date Reviewed: April 23, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
light/weight:sub4lbs Reynolds 853 - nuff said
quick geometry | | Weaknesses: |
paint- actually chipped a bit while building the bike up | | Similar Products Used: |
countless demo's | | Bike Setup: |
XTR Drive Train/Wheels - Syncros Stem & BB - Race Face Cranks - Judy XC (one weak link) | | Bottom Line: | Bottom line is that this bike is all that I could have hoped for. A light-weight, quick steering, super climbing bike. Have tried a large number of bikes, mostly demos on biking vacations, still think that nothing feels quite like a steel hardtail. Nothing against FS, but the Reynolds tubes are light, the bike just goes where its pointed and you don't feel like you were dragged behind the bike instead of riding it after a long day in the saddle. Kudos to Joe M and the folks at Voodoo. Classic geometry with the radically sloping top tube and very quick angles. The XTR components are, as always, predictable and light and the Race Face cranks are soooo stiff, great power transfer. Spent months amassing the parts to build this bike, well worth the weight. the Judy XC is a out classed by the rest of the build, but thats next year. A new set of Panaracer Fire XC Pro 1.8's and this rig will be all set. Have heard that the Voodoo paint is an issue, can't argue, but thats such a minor thing in comparison to the ride and build quality.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt
a Cross-Country Rider
from Memphis, TN
Date Reviewed: March 26, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Tsali | | Duration Product Used: |
more than 3 years | | Strengths: |
Agile
Light
Bombproof | | Weaknesses: |
Paint job | | Bike Setup: |
Raceface LP crank, Marzocchi Z-2 BAM, Mavic Crossland wheels | | Bottom Line: | Never met Joe Murray, but if I did I'd punch him in the arm and say thanks. Proud to call the Bizango my trusty steed for 3 years. This bike is a singletrack wet dream. Upgraded to Raceface crank, Marz Z2 Atom Bomb, and Mavic Crossland wheels. This bike's very agile, very quick, bombproof and weighs the same as my buddy's tricked out aluminum Zaskar - without the harsh ride. By far the best bike I've owned. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
JB
a cross-country rider
from New Orleans
Date Reviewed: March 12, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
This bike rules. Climbs like a mountain goat on crack. Descents are oh-so-sweet with the 853 steel is real tubing. The Frame geometry is awesome for tight, technical singletrack. That dude Harley is full of crap --
I love blowing past chumps like him on their techno-geek Dualies.Oh yeah - the color Rules!HA! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Beekster
a
from CT
Date Reviewed: February 4, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I have had my Bizango for eight months now. I is buy far the best ride I
have ever picked up. I have had GTs Zaskar, Cyclone (broken),and Avalanche.
-Side note: GT screwed me on the warranty, said I had to wait 9 months for a
Replacement or take a last years Zaskar. Sure I’ll stop ridding for 9 months.-
All nice bad bikes but in no way do they even compare with the VooDoo.
This bike has been slammed off huge drops, into 12' diameter down logs at
speed and has never flinched. The only thing I have ever ridden that
comes close it the Ibis Mojo. The most confidence inspiring bike I have ever
ridden. The cable routing is one of the best I have seen.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve
a cross-country rider
from Buffalo, NY
Date Reviewed: November 30, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
My first *real* bike. As such, can only offer a few comments. I love the light weight, with a Judy XC and XT components from the shop, but I'm adding XTR derailleur and a stronger chain. Haven't seen a faster bike in its class downhill. Paint does tend to nick easily. This bike has treated me extremely well for two seasons, which I appreciate being a novice mechanical hack. Would like a little deeper shock up front I guess. Not yet had to test the manufacturer...so can't comment on that either. Handles the skulls, roots and muck of the NorthEast very very well. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
RF
a cross-country rider
from Fresno
Date Reviewed: October 28, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Hey BH,
My bad. You're right. I got it mixed up with the Ind. Fab. that I just bought. After becoming such a fan of steel on the Bizango, I went ahead and got another steel frame. However, the bizango just broke, pulled the BB shell away from the chain stays. Now I think that the bizango sucks. Prestige sucks. Voodoo sucks. Those yuppie bastards won't even warranty the damn thing. Three stars now, since I did get a few years out of it. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bonehead
a
from Eugene, OR
Date Reviewed: October 27, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Hey RF from Fresno . . . Your 3 year old Bizango is not 853. Try Tange Ultimate . . . its on the little sticker on the downtube. I've got one too. I won't ever need another hard tail frame unless I drive my car into the garage with it on top (even then it might just take the house down. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
john
a weekend warrior
from so cal
Date Reviewed: October 2, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
this is my second voodoo. i always wanted the bizango ever since it was introduced, but i couldn't afford it so my first mountain bike was a voodoo hoodoo (tange dbl butted chromoly) that frame had a decent ride but was heavy. i then got a trek oclv carbon hardtail. that bike climbed like a goat, and it was great on the descents. that bike had problems so i sent it back to trek. i found the bizango frame at a great price so i bought it. man!!! best investment i ever made. the 853 reynolds tubing has such an awesome ride. it climbs almost better than the carbon. i think that is because the steel has a much more lively ride. it is stiff, but it isn't bone jarring like aluminum usually is. for all doubters, you have to ride steel to appreciate it. i'm selling my carbon frame now, because the steel rides so much better. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Greg
a racer
from Draper ,Ut. USA
Date Reviewed: September 29, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This bike is for a person who loves a fast quick bike! I sold my schwinn homegrown f/s bike and got this one- the best thing I ever did!! It goes up as well as gooes down with the best of them. The sid fork is great, the cross max wheels are super strong and stiff. Get one... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
RF
a racer
from Fresno, CA
Date Reviewed: September 23, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I've owned my Bizango for 3 years (got one as soon as the company was founded). I would have to say that it is one of the best frames I've ever had. No gimmicks, just high quality steel and sound geometry. I've ridden all types carbon (poor durability), aluminum (too harsh), and Ti (too much money), but I feel that you can't miss with 853 steel. This bike has seen at least 3,500 hard miles and I expect to get at least that much more out of it. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mrw
a racer
from SD CA
Date Reviewed: September 4, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Voo-Doo Bizango-Very similar to my Kona Hot, same designer- Joe Murray. This bike fits me
a little better, but that's due to the 19.5 size of the Voo-doo vs the
19 Kona. Steel is real, I've been racing for 8 years and these (voo-doo and kona) are the fastest descending hard-tails I've ever ridden. My old AL C-dale has been relegated to commuter class... The Bizano climbs with the best of them,
a XTR/Judy SL Bizango weighs 24lbs. Nothing fancy, but nothing to
worry about either... A solid XC race bike without the hype... I will buy
another in 7 years when this one wears out.... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
alan
a cross-country rider
from seattle
Date Reviewed: August 18, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought mine as a frameset after borrowing my friends Wanga. I almost missed a trip to Moab because the rear shock on my full suspension went tits up. Also, I was getting tired of the high maintenance of my full suspension, such as worn pivots. Now I'm happy! This frame is beautiful. Very clean design. It is also very light, despite what the guy wrote in an earlier review. My frame (17.25) weighs 3.8 lbs. Many run-of-the-mill ti frames weigh that much. We've all heard it before, but there is no denying that a high quality steel frame provides a hell of a sweet ride...this baby rocks! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nate
a cross-country rider
from Marin County
Date Reviewed: July 21, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This one climbs like crazy, corners like a wildman, does it all, I love it. You do wind up with a bunch of seatpost sticking out- I'm going to habe to go to a 400 or 425, but what the hell, seatpost is lighter than frame tubes and the shorter the tubes the stiffer but still with that oh so cool slow steel move.
This guy that claims steel is too heavy and the other yahoo who says they broke 29 frames ought to go out on a date and trade bullshit- maybe they can go to a bike shop and see if thay can find someone who knows anything. Maybe smoke some of that fine northern green and go ride a log. NOT IN MARIN COUNTY, HOMEY | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
HARLEY
a cross-country rider
from USA
Date Reviewed: May 30, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
STEEL IS STILL TOO HEAVY! I DON'T CARE IF IT WEIGHS JUST UNDER 25 LBS. IT IS STILL TOO HEAVY. YOU WOULD BE MUCH BETTER OFF GETTING A DS. TRUE IT CLIMBS WELL, BUT UNTIL YOU HAVE RIDDEN A FULL SUSPENSION, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE MISSING. FIFTY WORDS EXACTLY. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jason Stelter
a racer
from Richmond ky
Date Reviewed: May 19, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have owned the Bizango for a couple of months, and it is terriffic!!!!!!!!. I had a GT STS-1, and this bike blows it away in climbing, and singletrack riding. The GT was the obvious winner in the downhill dept. THe Bizango is high quality and the best bike I have ever owned. I can only say one more thing.... STEEL IS REAL!!!!!!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Patrick McFinton
a cross-country rider
from Ann Arbor, MI
Date Reviewed: February 25, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I've had my Bizango for just over a year and I must say this bike is solid for the Michigan singletrack.
It climbs like a billygoat and I can whip it into corners with late braking while the other riders
are slowing up for the turn. The steel frame really provides a smooth yet responsive ride and I love the paint scheme.
With my clipless pedals, any log 3' and under is no longer an obstacle, just pull up and jam on up over it!
Excellent bike, highly recommended. Oh yeah, I'm about 5'11, 150 lbs, not a big buy but enough to inflict some
serious damage on lower quality bikes. (I bent the forks, chopper style, on a friends Giant ATX 760 after a 4' drop onto pavement!)
I give all 5 chilis 'cause this bike's got some sweet juju!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Trigger
a cross-country rider
from Europe
Date Reviewed: February 9, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This bike kicks ass. It's what I allways wanted:
- supadupa climber (you see me really amazed!)
- go-kart single-trail handling
- not nervous on fast descents
- cushy back-endMy bike weighs about 23 lbs. with a Manitou SX-ti.
I took the new Mavic 517s with XT hubs. We'll see...Unlike the ti-frames the craftmanship is OK.
Are the ti frames not made in Palo Alto?It deserves all the five chilis!
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Charlie
a racer
from texas
Date Reviewed: January 24, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I got a chance to ride one several weeks ago. Any one from Houston will know about the bufalo bayou trail at the sabine st bridge. It was tooooooo mudy to dothe Ho Chi Min so I was riding along the bayou on theb ike trail. I started talking to some riders by the bridge. One thing led to another and we were testing each others bikes. I rode the VooDoo and simply could not believe who incredibly agile it climb!!!! I was amazed! I dont consider my self a strong climber but I went STRAIGHT up the side of a steep bayou. I dont know about the rest of the ride, but it was a great climber.5 stars for climbing.; cant rate the rest. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David
a cross-country rider
from Illinois
Date Reviewed: April 25, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Cool bike...handles singletrack great, climbs great, feels great, rides great, looks great. Get lots of compliments! Earns 5 peppers, minus one for the paint. Ordered touch up paint 8 months ago and have yet to receive! In addition, paint adhesion does not seam as good as on my Trek. Chips and nicks in the paint go straight to the bare metal. RESULT: 4 PEPPERS | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Peter
a cross-country rider
from San Francisco
Date Reviewed: November 24, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought the Bizango about four months ago. I'm 6'1 and have a long torso. After a change to a longer stem, the VooDoo's long cockpit allowed a very comfortable fit. The bike came with a Judy SL and Shimano XT pieces. I swapped the original parts for a Terry mens Ti railed saddle and Salsa skewers. The Bizango rode more comfortably than other steel frame bikes I tried (understandable since it's made from the thinest mountain bike tube set Tange makes), although it was not as cushy as the Merlin Taiga. The VooDoo and the Taiga were the bikes that were in final contention for a spot in my garage. The Merlin's frame felt slightly nicer – comfortable yet stiff – but the difference in comfort was minimal and the cost difference was not. Buying the Bizango allowed me to upgrade to snootier components.The construction quality of the frame is high with clean looking joints and very nice dropouts. The paint quality is good and seems to be pretty durable.The bike weighs in at 24.5 pounds and is much more of a willing climbing partner than my last mountain bike, a Bianchi Ibex. I'm forty and the bike makes a significant contribution to making the twenty-somethings I ride with breathe hard to keep up. It is admirably stiff in the bottom bracket despite its delicate tubing and seems to track much better than my old bike while climbing.
Interestingly, it does not inspire as much confidence when descending fire trails. Slack angles and a long wheelbase have their place (as do youth and fearlessness, I guess; this is where the twenty-somethings wave goodbye). The VooDoo had difficulty absorbing the stutter bumps that inhabit a lot of the fire trails on the west coast and the front end wanted to wash out if there were any bumps mid-corner. Although I am a cowardly, uh… timid, uh… CONSERVATIVE down hill rider, I think that the Judy's innards were overtaxed. A change to Englund cartridges fixed the problem and now the bike is much more forgiving. Off the fire roads, it's much nicer than the Bianchi. It turns RIGHT NOW and is a lot of fun on singletrack.VooDoo's policy of allowing flexibility when adding components to one's chosen frame makes sense. This is not a cheap bike, but starting with more modest components would reduce the $2250 price substantially, yet give one a frame that warrants upgrades as money allows. This bike isn't perfect, but if you like the feel of a steel bike, on a Pepper-per-Dollar basis the Bizango is hard to beat.
| | Overall Rating: |
| |
|
Photo Caption Contest
(sponsored by Maxxis)
|
Enter here
|
|
|
$
