Haro Sonix, what are they like?

GT_Dave

Hi All,

I have the chance to buy a pretty much brand new 2010/2011 Haro Sonix Full Sus 18" bike for £500, it is imaculate!!!

This is the spec (Cut & Pasted):

Pearl White
Vls120
18inch frame
Shimano Deore groupset apart from the truvativ crank
Ritchey bars, stem and seat post
WTB rocket seat
Shimano B-RM 486 mineral oil hydraulic brakes
Rock Shox 34T80011410 adjustable rear shock
Marlocchi Bomber 33 adjustable front forks
WTB Cross contry speed disc alloy rims
Shimano FHM 475 Viam rear hub
Pivit disc front hub
Kenda nevegal dual tread folding bead tyres

I cant seem to find any recent reviews or any one who owns one and the search facility isnt pulling up many results.

What are your opinions?

Cheers,

Dave

supersonic

Didn't get a particularly good review from us, rather odd rear suspension:

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... x-09-34128

Not a bad spec, but I think there are better 500 quid bikes.

GT_Dave

supersonic wrote:

Didn't get a particularly good review from us, rather odd rear suspension:

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... x-09-34128

Not a bad spec, but I think there are better 500 quid bikes.

Cool, thats all I need to know Mate, thought I had found a bargain! Thank you for your help,

Dave

chez_m356

supersonic wrote:

Didn't get a particularly good review from us, rather odd rear suspension:

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... x-09-34128

Not a bad spec, but I think there are better 500 quid bikes.

not a very good review at all, reviewing a 2009 model by using a 2008 bike?

supersonic

Which was pointed out... but the suspension system is exactly the same.

chez_m356

supersonic wrote:

Which was pointed out... but the suspension system is exactly the same.

completely irrelevant, who would buy a, lets say a 2011 bike on the basis of a review of the same model from 2 years earlier, spec does change, and it does make a difference, granted not always for the better

ilovedirt

Haro make crap mtbs. Nuff said.

supersonic

It's EXACTLY the same sus design! So how is what I/we said going to change? The system is poor and is the reason to avoid, hardly 'irrelevant'.

MountainMonster

Spec may change between the years, going up a tier or something, but changing the rear derailleur is not going to fix a bad suspension design, is it? Think this through people.

chez_m356

MountainMonster wrote:

Spec may change between the years, going up a tier or something, but changing the rear derailleur is not going to fix a bad suspension design, is it? Think this through people.

The point i was trying to make was not about the suspension design being good or bad,or the spec, but using a less than ideal review, mainly it being of a 2008 model to judge a newer 2010/11model, it was the review i was criticising,it not being very professional to do a test on the 2009 bike but using a 2008 model to do it

mudsux

Digging up an old thread ... I actually have one of these. I got it from Winstanleys on the cheap.
I did a lot of reading up on this bike and found reviews from US magazines and also recall the Singletrack review.
The suspension design is quirky and the set-up is unusual. If you don't follow the recommended set-up - you'll end up with a suspension which bobs under pedal load. The suspension should be run with *minimal* sag.
The result is a bob-free ride. Out of the saddle the suspension stiffens up for climbing and seated remains active.
It's not the plushest set-up but anybody coming from a hard-tail background will really appreciate it. As a testament to the design - the rear shock on mine uses a basic Fox Float R w/o any platform damping - it simply would not need platform damping - there is very little pedal feedback and the bike accelerates well.
BTW the spec. I got was head and shoulders above anything else at the price.
Rode it just last night and on dry hard-packed trails - it performed well. If I were regularly tackling more challenging terrain - it might not be suited.

YeehaaMcgee

mudsux wrote:

Digging up an old thread ... I actually have one of these. I got it from Winstanleys on the cheap.
I did a lot of reading up on this bike and found reviews from US magazines and also recall the Singletrack review.
The suspension design is quirky and the set-up is unusual. If you don't follow the recommended set-up - you'll end up with a suspension which bobs under pedal load. The suspension should be run with *minimal* sag.
The result is a bob-free ride. Out of the saddle the suspension stiffens up for climbing and seated remains active.
It's not the plushest set-up but anybody coming from a hard-tail background will really appreciate it. As a testament to the design - the rear shock on mine uses a basic Fox Float R w/o any platform damping - it simply would not need platform damping - there is very little pedal feedback and the bike accelerates well.
BTW the spec. I got was head and shoulders above anything else at the price.
Rode it just last night and on dry hard-packed trails - it performed well. If I were regularly tackling more challenging terrain - it might not be suited.

Try riding any other modern full suss design with very little, or zero sag, and you'll find a bob-free ride.

mudsux

I've owned Kona faux-bar, Orange single-pivot, Mountain cycles single-pivot.
These designs are all still current - yet to describe them as modern wouldn't be right since they've been around for donkeys years. Even the original horst-link has been around for an eternity. What's changed? Not much. Rear shock technology & slacker head angles being significant. However, point being, how does the Haro compare? Of all the suspension bikes I've owned - it compares very well. I have no doubt it isn't the plushest of all suspension bikes I've owned or tried but coming from more of a road background these days and a hardtail MTB stalwart - it's actually a great bike.
I'd never have paid the full amount for it and perhaps my ideal would have been a Giant Anthem but for not much over £600 after selling off the wheels - it was a bargain.

ilovedirt

mudsux wrote:

Digging up an old thread ... I actually have one of these. I got it from Winstanleys on the cheap.
I did a lot of reading up on this bike and found reviews from US magazines and also recall the Singletrack review.
The suspension design is quirky and the set-up is unusual. If you don't follow the recommended set-up - you'll end up with a suspension which bobs under pedal load. The suspension should be run with *minimal* sag.
The result is a bob-free ride. Out of the saddle the suspension stiffens up for climbing and seated remains active.
It's not the plushest set-up but anybody coming from a hard-tail background will really appreciate it. As a testament to the design - the rear shock on mine uses a basic Fox Float R w/o any platform damping - it simply would not need platform damping - there is very little pedal feedback and the bike accelerates well.
BTW the spec. I got was head and shoulders above anything else at the price.
Rode it just last night and on dry hard-packed trails - it performed well. If I were regularly tackling more challenging terrain - it might not be suited.

Of course it will pedal well if you run the shock MUCH firmer for your weight than you should. The point is that you shouldn't have to do that to get a pedal-able bike.