Haro Klunkerson: First Review & Riding Impressions

I’ve spent three weeks with a brand-new Haro Klunkerson. Is it any good?

I discovered the Haro Klunkerson quite by accident. I hadn’t heard of it before, nor did I find any news of its launch. And there’s a bloody good reason for that—one Google search will show you why.

At time of my purchase, April of 2024, there was nothing online about the Haro Klunkerson but retailers. No reviews. No social media. I think I found one old Reddit post with three short comments. But that’s it.

Now, you want to Google the more popular State Klunker, or bikes like the Surly Lowside, and you’ll find some decent articles and socials.

But up until now, nothing but online retailers came up when I searched for the Klunkerson—all recycling the same marketing material doled out by Haro, and sometimes links to this fun YouTube video. It was as though the cycling community had never heard of it.

So I’m going to give you the gift nobody gave me. A review of the Haro Klunkerson. Let’s take a look at some key specs first.

Klunkerson Specs

There’s more than the above—but you can find that easily at Harobikes.com. I want to talk riding impressions. And whether or not I’m glad I laid down the cash for this thing.

Fit

My biggest concern was fit—I’m 6’2″ and one of the reasons I wanted a Klunker is to have a relatively comfortable cruiser to bomb around on. Was this thing gonna kill my knees, back or butt? Actually, no. While I’m likely at the top end of a comfortable height for this bike, and it took a week or fiddling with the seat to get it perfect, I’m pretty happy with the comfort.

I asked the guy at the bike shop how you fit a Klunker and he just shrugged. “You really don’t.”

It’s true—it’s a one-size-fits most. If you’re over 6’3″, don’t buy this online. You’re going to want to ride it first. But anyone between about 5’6″ and my height should be fine.

At 175mm, the crank arms are on the long side—so I’m not sure how much customization you can do on this, fitwise. I think the stock 39T chainring is about as large as you’ll be able to go too. I’m toying with the idea of different handlebars, to raise them up a nudge. (But I probably won’t bother.)

On this bike, I can’t fully extend my legs while riding in a seated position—if this is going to annoy you, take it for an extra long test ride. And while the seat looks amazing, it’s not exactly plush. Maybe this is the old man in me… but would it have killed them to add a 1/4-inch of memory foam?

I prefer to ride this Klunker standing up anyway. Kinda the way it was meant to be ridden.

Ride

Speaking of the ride—what’s it like? Well, it’s simple. And fun. And hard. And harrowing. Let me explain.

In a world of e-bikes and carbon road racers, this is a throwback to your old BMX you left outside one day and never saw again. It runs 39/17 gearing—which is about a 2.3:1 ratio. So it’s not a bad cruiser—I rode 10 kilometres home from the bike shop, in moderately hilly terrain, and it took me about 35 minutes (total), averaging about 17 km/h.

However, I am leaning towards wishing it had something closer to a 2:1 ratio. Some of those uphills were tough, and if you take it into the trails, steep dirt might finish you. Plus, I bought it to be a wheelie machine and a lower gear ratio would make that easier.

After a 30- or 45-minute ride, I’m pretty sweaty. And there are a few times I’ve thought about changing my route… but then the hills stop me. Maybe I just need to get in better shape.

But it is fun. I get compliments all the time. And the wide handlebars, 27.5″ knobby tires and short wheelbase means it responds quickly and well. Case in point, I took it on a dirt path, headed towards a jump, chickened out and swerved around the kicker with ease… then almost hit a cement abutment and swerved back.

What I’m saying is—this bike is like an extension of your body. Point it and it goes.

I found the mechanical disc brakes more than adequate, even though I’m accustomed to hydraulics on my other bike. Big rear-wheel skids and front-wheel endos are easy. Plus, I like the simplicity and light weight of mechanicals. Original Klunkers barely had functioning brakes at all—this is an upgrade.

The 2.4″ knobbies are meant for dirt. If you don’t plan on riding trails at all, you may want to swap them out. I plan on spending some time on dirt so I’m happy with them. But they are trail-oriented, and combined with the tall gearing… well, you’ll get your exercise.

Value

This bike pretty pricey, for a Klunker. It’s about $300 more than the stylish State Klunker—although it’s considerably better spec’ed than the State. I got a sweet deal from Ride On Cycles and paid 30% less than MSRP. So at that dollar-figure, the value is killer. At the full $959 CAD pricing? Well, one might expect at least hydraulic brakes.

A Klunker is very much an emotional purchase. And this bike called out to me. Others will see it as an overpriced novelty bike. Only you can decide.

Good Stuff

Let’s break this down by bullet point.

• Looks amazing—seriously stylish. I am constantly getting compliments.
• Comfortable to ride, even for someone who is 6’2″
• Responsive and decent on the dirt
• Wheelies, bunny-hops, endos? Yep!
• Full chromoly frame and fork
• Tapered head
• High-quality components throughout, including disc brakes

Room For Improvement?

I would have done these things differently:

• Gear ratio is too tall—this bike needs a 2:1 for wheelies and climbing
• Handlebars too low-profile? Would open the dimensions up to taller riders with a bit more rise
• More padding in the seat would be appreciated
• Crank quite long at 175mm—shorter arms would allow for more custom gearing choices

State Klunker vs. Haro Klunkerson

State’s popular and excellent-looking Klunker is the closest competitor. But how do the two compare?

Final Thoughts

I’m very happy with the Haro Klunkerson. It’s fun and simple—no gears, no suspension, no lithium-ion batteries to recharge. And because of those facts, a 45-minute fun ride in my neighbourhood also doubles as a workout! (Especially in the hilly city where I live.)

It’s not likely going to be your only bike though—the single-speed is limiting and the riding dynamics mean it’s better suited to fast laps on the track, cruises to the pub or beach or messing around at the park… not a serious day of riding. So you’ll want to keep your road or mountain bike in the garage if you still hope to keep multi-hour tours on the menu.

But it’s delivered all I hoped it would. Not everybody is going to “get” this bike, and it’s not designed to be a crowd pleaser. But for a Klunker like me, or you, it’s just about perfect.

Just try to find it on sale.