# 1995 (ish) Voodoo Wanga Build



## MassgraveX (Mar 20, 2008)

Hi!

Recently built up this mid-nineties Joe Murray era frame for my wife as a Burley puller. I'm pretty happy with the way she looks and rides. It's super comfortable. Frame is paired with a similar era Spinner fork that was stock on a mid nineties Independent Fabrication.

The frame was just freshly powder coated and frame-savered and wrapped in new decals from Voodoo. I have yet to re-install the headbadge however. The headtube isn't tapped, should I just use some superglue? 

Anyway, its beautiful and rides super smooth but it's too small for it's intended rider (my wife). The frame is a size medium. Even with a 350mm layback post and a 110mm stem, it's still too small for her. Do you guys/gals think I should get a 410mm layback Thomson and put on a 120/130mm stem? Personally, I think that would detract from the aesthetics of this piece.

My other option is to start from scratch and try and get a large in the same frame. Here's where the spam comes in. Moderators, if this is inappropriate, please let me know and I'll delete it.

Anyone want to trade a similar frame set in a larger size? Would come with seatpost, salsa collar, frame, headset, fork, and stem. 


Anyway, advice is also needed as to my next steps...

Thanks and happy trails!


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## logbiter (Dec 30, 2003)

looks nice! I don't think a longer stem would detract & fine for a trailer puller. The thomson posts don't have much layback (5/8"?), 
It's getting harder to find seatposts with lots of offset (>20mm), but they're out there (eg-raceface, ritchey, nitto, salsa shaft, FSA, 3T, Paul's, easton ea70 (old style clamp), truvativ). Of course, you may get into knee/pedaling issues with too much offset.


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

Just take out the reference to selling it or that it's for sale. 

My 2 cents is that it's never worth it to ride a bike that's not the right size. Making it fit just results in uncomfortableness and utter dorkiness. 

Good luck


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## MassgraveX (Mar 20, 2008)

Thanks for the advice so far! Edited to focus on trade potential and not sale (that's what I'd prefer anyway  )


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## datasurfer (Nov 24, 2006)

I luv, luv, luv the old Murray designed Kona's (I catch alot of grief for this on this side of the pond for this) and Voodoo's. I daresay that my Wanga somehow rides even better than my Bizango despite it being built of Tange Prestige rather than Ultimate Superlite Prestige tubing.

All Voodoos going back to thecompany's inception were suspension corrected frames...is the rigid fork you are running suspension corrected? 

I tried building up a 14" Voodoo frame (I normally ride a a Voodoo 16") using a 25mm setback seat post and longer stem (130mm vs my normal 110mm) and it just never felt right (steering slowed and I could never find a comfortable position climbing.

If I were you, I'd wait for an 18.25" voodoo frame to pop up the Bay or Craigslist-they normally do so with regularity and can often be had at a decent price.


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## anthonyinhove (Nov 3, 2007)

aperzigian said:


> Hi!
> Recently built up this mid-nineties Joe Murray era frame for my wife as a Burley puller. I'm pretty happy with the way she looks and rides. It's super comfortable. Frame is paired with a similar era Spinner fork that was stock on a mid nineties Independent Fabrication.
> The frame was just freshly powder coated and frame-savered and wrapped in new decals from Voodoo. I have yet to re-install the headbadge however. The headtube isn't tapped, should I just use some superglue?
> Anyway, its beautiful and rides super smooth but it's too small for it's intended rider (my wife). The frame is a size medium. Even with a 350mm layback post and a 110mm stem, it's still too small for her. Do you guys/gals think I should get a 410mm layback Thomson and put on a 120/130mm stem? Personally, I think that would detract from the aesthetics of this piece.
> ...


Yes, that is a 1995 VooDoo, the first year they were built. If it's a Wanga, it should have a serial number like WA095 nnnn. I guess you're aware that it was built in the Mountain Goat factory in Chico CA.

The head badges were always glued on, which perhaps explains why many are missing. I glued a replacement badge on my Wanga and it's still there, but Joe did send me two, so maybe he finds lots of folks lose them.

It's a size 17.25 and was fitted with a 11-12cm stem and sized for a male of 5-5 to 5-9, according to the catalogue. However I have always understood that females are suited by smaller frames owing to posture, spinal orientation etc, so as a rule of thumb they should choose a frame one size smaller than a male of the same height. That would suggest that the frame is suitable for females of 5-7 to 6-0.

I can't tell from your photo whether the fork is as long as the 41cm axle to crown that the frame was designed for. If it's a bit shorter than that, it would give quite sharp handling with the 11cm stem and in that case a slightly longer stem could be needed in any case.


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## cherepaha (Nov 17, 2012)

im about to build bike on wanga frame, do you think on one cro moly rigid fork within 80 mm travel range would be ok for it?


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## 993rs (Dec 31, 2005)

My1995 Bizango came with a 63mm Judy XC. I have run a Kona P1 steel fork on it over the years. It currently has a SID World Cup on it from 1998.


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## anthonyinhove (Nov 3, 2007)

cherepaha said:


> im about to build bike on wanga frame, do you think on one cro moly rigid fork within 80 mm travel range would be ok for it?


There's no way of answering this without knowing what year your frame was built (even if only roughly).

Even so, to be realistic, that isn't a fork that you can expect folks on mtbr vrc to recommend fitting to a classic frame!


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## MassgraveX (Mar 20, 2008)

*Update!*

So, after a few sort-of local offers for it (not much), I decided to throw on a shorter stem, my CBs, and my saddle and try it out before dismantling it and putting the pieces on the classifieds here.

I'm 5'6 (on a good day) with average proportions so I replaced the 110 with a 90mm stem.

What took me 2 months to throw a leg over this beast? I've been riding 15 inch 29ers exclusively for the last handful of years and wasn't super excited to go back to 26ers again...

BUT...

I really enjoyed riding it!

As for my wife and her Burley pulling...I just scored a 19" purple Klein. Stay tuned for that build thread.

Here are some pics of my recent ride on the Voodoo - Do I need another bike? No way. But this thing was a lot of fun. It weighs 22.3 lbs as pictured.


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## cherepaha (Nov 17, 2012)

classic reynolds wanga frame with sliding dropouts, i'm considering voodoo zombie fork, it's bit heavy though


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## MassgraveX (Mar 20, 2008)

Wow. Holy threadjack Batman.


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## Hunty1992 (Dec 10, 2012)

Im gunna keep my eye on this thread  seem interesting


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## jtmartino (Jul 31, 2008)

cherepaha said:


> classic reynolds wanga frame with sliding dropouts, i'm considering voodoo zombie fork, it's bit heavy though


There is something very, very ugly about the front end of that bike.


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## cherepaha (Nov 17, 2012)

thats the zombie fork. sorry for off topic, i didnt mean that


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## jtmartino (Jul 31, 2008)

cherepaha said:


> thats the zombie fork. sorry for off topic, i didnt mean that


Looks like a 29er suspension-corrected rigid slapped onto a frame made for an 80 or 100mm 26" fork. That, combined with the excessive use of headset spacers, royally screw up the geometry of that bike.


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## cherepaha (Nov 17, 2012)

yes looks like chopper bike, but that's how they were sold, bit crazy!


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## MassgraveX (Mar 20, 2008)

Update. I found a local buyer and sold it. Here it is in it's current build with the happy new owner.


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