Voodoo Wanga

[Madmax1993]

Re: Re:

Don't mean to push you too break it and its very nice too break.. but if you do I'll be very interested in the fork and wheels

I've sent you a PM about this.

 

[drcarlos]

Re: Re:

As much as I enjoyed building this, and am really pleased with the result (I think the candy red steel tubes go really well with the tan tyres and saddle, and the retro modern spec fits together nicely, if I do say so myself), it has occurred to me that I really should have built a 29er hardtail instead. My intention with this was to have a 'ride to the trails' bike that's better for long days in the saddle than my 26" wheeled Orange Five trail centre focussed bike. The Wanga has basically ended up as a somewhat burly hardtail with the same wheel size as the orange. It is less of an energy drain than the orange for XC use, but a 29er would be even better, and cover more bases. the Wanga just isn't different enough from the Orange to justify keeping it.
Long story short, I've got my eye on a 29er and once I've got it (and assuming I get along with it, although I have no reason to think I won't) I intend to sell the Wanga, either as a bike or split it and sell the parts separately.

I have a Kona Dawg 26er FS for the trails and a Cube LTD Race 29er as my go to bike. While it's out of action at the moment I have missed it, despite being a bit soul less and modern. Thinking I might change the frame to something like a Steel Dialed bikes or Pipedream frame, but keep everything else exactly as it is.

Carl.

 

[Kisame]

You pay too much attention to the wheel.

 

[Madmax1993]

Re:

I have replaced this as my hardtail, and I'm thrilled with my new 29er, but I don't want to part with the Wanga, so I've begun converting it for bike packing / touring. I've fitted some basic double-walled disk wheels with 700x35c tyres, a rigid fork and some basic tektro brakes. Next I'm going to get my swept bars back from my old man, along with my ergo lock on grips. I'm also going to cut down the lower set of bars as these are just for accessories like handlebar bag and lights. I've ordered an 11-36t cassette and some 160mm disk rotors and it should be up and running.
Before anyone says anything, the fork isn't on backwards, it's just a quirky design that has the brake caliper on the front right of the fork rather than the standard position.

 

[drcarlos]

Re: Re:

I have replaced this as my hardtail, and I'm thrilled with my new 29er, but I don't want to part with the Wanga, so I've begun converting it for bike packing / touring. I've fitted some basic double-walled disk wheels with 700x35c tyres, a rigid fork and some basic tektro brakes. Next I'm going to get my swept bars back from my old man, along with my ergo lock on grips. I'm also going to cut down the lower set of bars as these are just for accessories like handlebar bag and lights. I've ordered an 11-36t cassette and some 160mm disk rotors and it should be up and running.
Before anyone says anything, the fork isn't on backwards, it's just a quirky design that has the brake caliper on the front right of the fork rather than the standard position.

Bike packing is fun and I used my 1990 Muddyfox prestige comp last time I did it. The next time will be my Raleigh 531 Team.
As for the fork I hope it's an IS mount caliper and bracket as if its post mount the reason they are on the back as you can quite easily tear the bolts out of the threads as the bolts are not designed to work that way. The usual braking force pushes the caliper towards the solid part of the fork so the bolts only hold the caliper in position, this way around those little M6 bolt threads are taking the load of bike, rider and luggage in spikes too. Post mount might lessen this but if a converter is used it will be the same net result.

Carl.

 

[Madmax1993]

Re:

I've been bike packing on my old Kona hahanna on 26" wheels and had a great time. I've now given that to my dad who needed a new commuting bike, so I've chosen the voodoo frankenbike as a replacement.

That's a good point you've made about that fork, and I hadn't thought of the implications. I just accepted that it was designed that way and was going to run an IS to Post mount adaptor, but that will result in the bolts in a pulling situation. I might have to keep an eye out for a different fork then, for peace of mind.

 

[Madmax1993]

Re:

Partly due to the quirkyness of the fork I had fitted, and partly because I decided I wanted to accommodate a front rack, I picked up a genesis croix de fer fork on here, and am in the process of fettling that so that I can squeeze an SKS mudguard between the fork and 35c tyre where there is only a bawhair of space.

 

[Madmax1993]

Re:

Just realised I haven't updated this in forever. I've changed the fork to have clearance for a mudguard and acquired a ritchey kyote comp handlebar for mucho backsweep and a little rise.

 

[Madmax1993]

Thanks to @thchen 's engagement with this thread, I realised it's been ages since I've updated this. I've used the voodoo for a couple of multi day bike packing adventures, as well as commuting duties.

 

[thchen]

^ thanks for the update. I'm looking at an old US-made Wanga (so old it has no disc mounts and wondered on your thread. They're asking for only us$100 for the frame, unfortunately it's the wrong size for me.