I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again:  Haro is very serious about its BMX program now.   I’ve seen a much more focused trend on Haro’s part to make their bikes cutting edge in function, parts, and style.  So here I have the new Forum Pro Lite - Haro’s new top-of-the-line freestyle/street/trails bike that could be the best such complete available today.

:: The Haro Forum Pro Lite is a rock-solid, high performance freestyle bike - click to enlarge ::

The Forum Pro Lite starts with Haro’s lean-and-mean Convert frame with a 21″ top tube and 100% chromoly construction.  The frame itself weighs about five pounds and has removable gyro and brake mounts.  The “acid bath” translucent finish is great without being overstated, and I’m glad to see that there’s a minimalist attitude with regard to the frame’s decals.  The welding quality is, unsurprisingly, fantastic - neat and even.

:: Ryan “Z-Man” Zielinski testing the new Haro Convert frame - click to enlarge ::

Componentry is fantastic for a bike in the $700 price class.  The bike includes Alienation center ridge rims with Haro sealed cassette hubs that are higher quality than you would expect on a factory complete.  25/9 gearing is standard, and the 175mm Haro cranks are clean looking and stiff (and they haven’t bitten my ankles either).  The Dia-Compe Hombre/Tech 77 combo works about as well as a 990-type brake should - very easy action and great stopping performance, aided by the chrome finish on the rear Black Sheep rim.

:: Note Odyssey tires, inverted 45-degree stem, and Haro sealed hubs - click to enlarge ::

I’m a tall person, so I appreciated the Haro 8-inch bars, which are full chromoly, by the way.  They are not small, yet not too wide either - just right for a person between 5′8″ and 6′ 2″.  The bike does not include pegs, though the axles and dropouts can easily accommodate them.   Full bike weight is about 25 pounds, which is light for a freestyle ride.   Adding to the bike’s light weight is a nice pivotal seat and ’stubby’ alloy post.

:: 25/9 gearing and great hubs make this bike a smooth operator - click to enlarge ::

I was a little less impressed with the inverted Haro 45-degree stem.  It works great and does not slip, however the bolts seem to have been forged poorly - my 6mm hex driver could not fully engage the bolts so extra caution was needed to tighten them.  Not a big deal, but worth mentioning.  The grips are awesome and the plastic pedals grip very well.  Finally, the Odyssey tires are a nice surprise - perfect for the street and trails.  Heck, I’ll even take this bike on the race track here for some fun on the tabletops.

:: Rear cassette hub is better than anything I’ve seen on a factory complete - click to enlarge ::

How does it ride?  Fast, smooth, and forgiving.  I like this bike much more than my Eastern - not only because of the components and quality, but simply because of the geometry.  The rear end doesn’t feel quite as slammed as some other street rides, and that’s just fine as far as I’m concerned.  The Convert frame feels great for my 36-inch inseam, and I feel a bit more confident on it as a result.  I’ll post more photos when we’re able to give this bike a real hard workout at the park, but it’s safe to say that this is a complete that freestyle riders should set their sites on.

Related Links:

• Haro Bikes
• Haro Freestyler.com