VOODOO AGWE
The Agwe is Halford’s urban hybrid bike, equipped with a 1x10 drivetrain, wide-ish fast rolling tyres, a comfortable, easy riding position and geometry inspired by mountain bikes.
The frame is a simple, well-built alloy affair. The kinked top-tube increases standover height for when you’re waiting at traffic lights, the external cable routing is easy to maintain, there’s plenty of clearance for wider tyres and mudguards and mounting points for a rear luggage rack.
For £500 you might be surprised at the kit Voodoo has been able to spec. The drivetrain is centred around Shimano Deore’s groupset, with crisp and clean shifting and reliable components. The cassette has an 11-42 range, which should be good for all but the hilliest of cities. Tektro’s hydraulic disc brakes provide ample power and, with the braking surface at the centre of the wheel, are less affected by road grime.
With heavily siped tread, the Vee Rubber Speedster tyres clear water effectively and feel confident in the wet. The 40mm width is a nice balance of rolling speed and comfort. The taller front end and wider handlebar puts you in a more upright position, making it ideal in busy streets, but perhaps not for longer commutes where you might want a more efficient position. It does have one handling quirk; at tighter cornering angles the bike’s steering is prone to turn sharply, possibly due to the trail and fork offset. It isn’t a real issue, but if you regularly swap between bikes, it will feel more noticeable.