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2009 Haro XEON or 200? TRANSITION Gran Mal???

5K views 40 replies 14 participants last post by  Triple8Sol 
#1 · (Edited)
2009 Haro XEON or 200? TRANSITION Gran Mal??? NEW PICS!!

Howdy folks!!!
I'm new to the forums and have been out of the loop for sometime now. I rode a lot of DH/FR when I was younger, but gave it up for awhile and am now looking at a couple of bikes and hoping to get back into things.

The two machines I am looking are a Haro XEON 2009 with triple crown ROCK SHOX boxxers front susp. and ROCK SHOX pearl 6" rear susp. Great componentry, Hayes hydraulic disc brakes 8" rotars. Black spire dual chain guide, large frame. Thats all I can remember about that bike.
Number 2 machine is a TRANSITION Gran Mal large frame set with huuuuge Marizocci bombers(triple crown) Fox coil rear susp.(not sure of the model). Pretty much this bike has it all, Hand made rims, by a local rim maker(the man is deceased now). The owner had a grassroots sponsorship with TRANSITION and is a serious racer.

The prices are very similar and I am having trouble deciding what machine would be the best for me. Things have changed so much since I was last active in the dirt community. I know what I like and I know what I am looking for, but are these two bike THAT similar? will they both do the same job for me? I am 6'1" over 200lbs.(hopfeully dropping a few lbs. soon). I am looking for a bike that I can roll with the fam. on for a day and then hit a serious trail and get childish maybe even race when I want to.

I have read most of what I could find here on both bikes and now I just want them both!!!:mad:

Recommendations????

Thanks in advance

Josh
 
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#3 ·
I can't say much about Transition, I am sure they are great bikes and great customer service, but I own a Haro X7, and I love it. I also know that their customer service is great. There was one person that bought a bike second hand and had it crack and he posted in the Haro section, and communication was through PM, but I got the feeling that it was still covered under warranty even though he wasn't the original owner.
 
#4 ·
After looking at the two, I think the Transition looks like a much stronger frame. It depends on what kind of riding you want to do. They both have great reviews, the Haro has more people riding them, but if it were me, I would probably reneg on my previous post and go with the Transition, just because it looks like it can take more abuse.
 
#7 ·
AmirBernard said:
the haro is an AM bike when the gran mal is a freeride bike. id get the gran mal because the haro will snap with this kind of fork :p
Why would it snap with the DH fork on it? I know I would need to get a spring shock on the rear, but you don't think it would be the better bike for the occasional leisure ride and then also have the capacity to take some tough dirt?

I have to say I am leaning toward the GM, but I can't see it being a comfortable ride when I am not in the dirt...It is an 08 GM frame, 08 MARRIZOCCI front susp. and 07 FOX rear 8.5 coil, so that makes it a little more appealing to me as well.

I just want to spend the money on the right bike...

Thanks for all the responses.
 
#8 ·
ABLACKCAR said:
Why would it snap with the DH fork on it? I know I would need to get a spring shock on the rear, but you don't think it would be the better bike for the occasional leisure ride and then also have the capacity to take some tough dirt?

I have to say I am leaning toward the GM, but I can't see it being a comfortable ride when I am not in the dirt...It is an 08 GM frame, 08 MARRIZOCCI front susp. and 07 FOX rear 8.5 coil, so that makes it a little more appealing to me as well.

I just want to spend the money on the right bike...

Thanks for all the responses.
I know someone that has 2 maul's, one is his and the other is his misses'. I know someone with a Xeon and an x7. The Xeon has broken many times when it was seeing all mountain duty. My buddy is probably 200lbs and mashes, but the Xeon is not really built for someone that size IMHO. However, Haro has always come through with warranty service.

Get the Maul, they are rare and rip.
 
#12 ·
ABLACKCAR said:
I'm only 6'1", but I'm fat....:eekster:
Even more reason to get the frame that is meant for FR and not AM use. It is beefier. The fork on the Haro will contribute to cracked frames. Each inch of travel you add makes the head angle 1 degree slacker. Which puts more stress on the frame. I bet you anything that if you go to the Haro section on mtbr you can ask what they think, but DownhillJill is going to get on there and say that the frame is definitely not meant to handle that fork. She said the same thing about the 888RC on my X7, but the x7 is overbuilt, where the xeon will snap.
 
#13 ·
BIGHaroHucker said:
Even more reason to get the frame that is meant for FR and not AM use. It is beefier. The fork on the Haro will contribute to cracked frames. Each inch of travel you add makes the head angle 1 degree slacker. Which puts more stress on the frame. I bet you anything that if you go to the Haro section on mtbr you can ask what they think, but DownhillJill is going to get on there and say that the frame is definitely not meant to handle that fork. She said the same thing about the 888RC on my X7, but the x7 is overbuilt, where the xeon will snap.
UGH!
At what point on the frame would be the weakest because of the fork?? Where would it break if it did in fact snap?

This is the mtb in question...It doesn't look that layed out to me...I believe what you are saying, but I thought maybe ya'll would like to see a pic of the mtb...

 
#14 ·
It is usually the connection between the steer tube/head tube and the top tube or down tube. You are right the bike doesn't look that slack, but I still think you would be happier with the other bike...and that is a lot for me to say...look at my name...BIGHaroHucker. I love haro. If you were looking at an x7 then I would say go for it. I just think it's too much to ask the xeon to do.
 
#15 ·
ABLACKCAR said:
Why would it snap with the DH fork on it? I know I would need to get a spring shock on the rear, but you don't think it would be the better bike for the occasional leisure ride and then also have the capacity to take some tough dirt?

I have to say I am leaning toward the GM, but I can't see it being a comfortable ride when I am not in the dirt...It is an 08 GM frame, 08 MARRIZOCCI front susp. and 07 FOX rear 8.5 coil, so that makes it a little more appealing to me as well.

I just want to spend the money on the right bike...

Thanks for all the responses.
the haro can take up to 160mm's at the front if im not mistaken.. take the gran mal, you will get used to pedal around town with that
 
#18 ·
I might have a complete Gran mal for sale, I say might cause a buddy is checking it out today to see if he wants to buy it. It's a long for riders 6 foot and up, 08' boxxer, Trans DH wheels and new Vivid rear shock.

Mine is an '07, they didn't make them after that BTW, unless the seller means he bought it in '08.
 
#19 ·
rroeder said:
I might have a complete Gran mal for sale, I say might cause a buddy is checking it out today to see if he wants to buy it. It's a long for riders 6 foot and up, 08' boxxer, Trans DH wheels and new Vivid rear shock.

Mine is an '07, they didn't make them after that BTW, unless the seller means he bought it in '08.
Interested...
 
#24 ·
ABLACKCAR said:
Can anyone tell me what year the rockshox boxxers are on the Haro in the pic??? I was told they are 08'...They are green with gold stantions that say "U-turn" on them...
From the picture they look like they are Rock Shox Boxxer Ride U-Turn from 2006 (they weren't produced after that).

http://www.togoparts.com/items/view_item.php?iid=4503&did=0&cid=1

Edit: Or, like jawdrop_on_hardtail mentions, they could be a mix of things.
 
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