Voodoo: Mountain Bike Roots, from Bizango Trails to Nakisi Backroads

Voodoo is a bicycle brand with mountain biking at its core and a range that reaches beyond the trail. Its distinctive character combines evocative model names with practical choices for different terrain: hardtails such as the Bizango, full-suspension bikes such as the Canzo, and gravel options such as the Nakisi. Understanding those differences is more useful than treating every Voodoo as the same kind of adventure bike.

A trail identity with a design pedigree

According to Voodoo’s brand history, the company began in 1994 with a group whose experience spanned cycling, design, racing, retail and business. The manufacturer describes an evolution from mountain bikes into gravel, road, urban and children’s bicycles. Its nature-inspired language gives the brand a recognisable personality, while its origins explain the continuing emphasis on off-road riding.

There is also a documented connection to mountain bike designer Joe Murray. In a 2017 Halfords interview, Murray was identified as the designer overseeing Voodoo bikes at that time. His discussion emphasised functional frame design and geometry, including how handling could support both climbing and descending. That historical perspective provides context for the brand without implying that he designs every current model.

Choose the terrain before the model name

Bizango and Canzo: two approaches to trails

The manufacturer’s 2025 Bizango listing describes a hardtail with 29-inch wheels, a 120mm Suntour air fork, Shimano CUES eleven-speed gearing and hydraulic disc brakes. It is a useful starting point for riders comparing Voodoo’s trail offerings: front suspension handles impacts, while the rear of the frame remains rigid.

The Canzo takes a different approach, pairing a suspension fork with a rear shock and 27.5-inch wheels. Voodoo positions it for trail-centre riding. The practical comparison is suspension layout: riders considering rougher trails can weigh the Canzo’s rear suspension against the Bizango’s simpler hardtail arrangement. Neither layout alone establishes which bike will fit a particular rider better.

Nakisi: adventure with everyday utility

The Nakisi gravel bike broadens the picture with drop handlebars, an alloy frame and fork, rack and mudguard mounts, a two-chainring Shimano drivetrain and cable-operated disc brakes. Voodoo explicitly presents it for both commuting and bikepacking. For journeys combining roads and unpaved backroads, those carrying provisions offer a different kind of usefulness from mountain bike suspension.

Explore the Voodoo brand page with your usual routes in mind, then compare the exact model year, fit and equipment. The strongest reason to consider Voodoo is this range of distinct riding purposes within a brand whose trail background remains visible.