We have tested many of the Voodoo range of mountain bikes here at MBR, from the Voodoo Bizango, which was crowned our best Hardtail of the Year, to its latest budget full-sus bargain – the Voodoo Canzo. The Canzo recently scored an impressive 9 out of 10 in our review, and we reckoned it was one of the best budget full-suspension bikes around – on par with the equally brilliant Calibre Bossnut.

The Voodoo Loco blends modern geometry with classic steel lines.

So it’s safe to say Voodoo has it dialled when it comes to producing budget mountain bikes. Voodoos deliver a performance level that far outweighs their wallet-friendly price tags, especially when Halfords drops regular discounts across the range. One such reduction that caught my eye is on the Voodoo Loco. The Loco comes with an impressive spec sheet including a British steel frame, the brilliant Marzocchi Bomber Z2 fork and Shimano gearing. This makes the MX (mullet) wheeled Loco a bargain buy, that right now can be picked up at Halfords with £250 off for just £1,000, which surely makes the Voodoo Loco one of the best hardtail mountain bikes around, in the sub £1,000 category.

Voodoo Loco | Save £250 at Halfords
Was £1250, now £1000
The Voodoo Loco follows in the wheels of some of our favourite budget mountain bikes from Halfords in-house bike brand. The Loco, at this discounted price comes with an impressive spec, built around its steel frame that comes with geometry numbers ready to deliver a perfect balance between agility and stability. The Marzocchi Bomber Z2 fork with 140mm travel is a real big box ticker, and comes paired with the ever reliable Shimano Deore 12-speed gearing, along with the brands own tubeless compatible rims that roll on Maxxis tyres. There is also an internally routed dropper seatpost with 170mm of travel and makes the Loco a very attractive budget offering, which appears to be selling fast, as it’s now only availble in M or L sizes.

View deal at Halfords

If you’re a fan of a steel-framed mountain bike, then the Loco is made in the UK from chromoly, which is renowned for its strength, resilience, and ability to take the sting out of rough terrain. The steel frame delivers natural compliance, which Voodoo has paired with very modern geometry numbers, including a 63.5° head angle that will make the bike more stable at speed. Remember, a hardtail only sags at the fork, so you need a slack head angle because it will always be steeper dynamically.

Lean, green, and keenly priced: the Voodoo Loco hardtail.

The Loco comes in a very nice-looking green paint job and features a proper head tube badge

Elsewhere, the impressive details continue, and the Shimano Deore 12-speed setup offers a marked weight reduction compared to lower-spec rival groupsets. The inclusion of a dropper post is also a big bonus, and the internally routed dropper seatpost with 170mm of travel is matched with a WTB saddle.

Finished in a stunning Forest Green, the Loco also looks amazing, matched perfectly with the Red paint on the Marzocchi Bomber Z2 fork, you’ll have to move quickly though as it’s now only available in M or L sizing.