We are excited to announce that Colin Varanyak has joined the Haro team for 2024. Colin has been destroying the streets with his own brand of tech for years and his presence in BMX has evolved to the highest levels. He's been "in the building" already as part of the Haro-owned Premium Products brand, and now Colin's making the big jump to the Haro pro team. We cornered Colin for a few words about the move.
Welcome to Haro! We are stoked to have you on board. How did you get here? Thank you! Excited to be joining the team as well. My journey to Haro started with me riding for Premium Products (Haro's parts company). Over the last few years riding for the brand, my relationship with Haro has grown organically. With the office and warehouse less than an hour away, frequent visits became the norm. The timing just seemed right, so here we are!
You've worked with a couple of the crew in previous roles. Does familiarity factor into the move? Are you comfortable with your new surroundings? Absolutely. My relationship with everyone at Haro grew naturally after I started riding for Premium, making the move feel extremely natural and comfortable. It felt like I was already a part of the family.
You're a San Diego transplant from Jersey. What pushed you to head West? It's always been the dream for us in the Northeast to have the ability to be outside riding all year round. I had been to SoCal when I was younger, racing BMX, and always kind of dreamed about living here. At the time of the move, the company I was riding for was based out here. I needed to film a part with them to turn pro so I knew I had to make the move!
You're tight with Dennis and Chad, how do you feel about being teammates with them now? It's amazing. I always have such a good time hanging out with both of them and we've all known each other for such a long time now. They are both good friends of mine and I have a lot of respect for both of them on and off the bike.
You've evolved as a rider. You started out as a racer, but you've been known as primarily a street rider. The last few years we've seen you expanding your reach, even into mountain bikes. How does this fit into the Haro plan?
Haro is evolving as a brand and so am I as a rider, so it fits perfectly. My love for two wheels remains the same. It's funny, most people know me as a street rider but I used to ride tons of dirt and park. I grew up about an hour away from the Incline Club (Scotty Cranmer's skatepark) and would ride there whenever I could, but it was hard to get rides to and from the park because it was so far. When I got into high school, our local dirt jumps got plowed and the streets became the only option most days. Then I discovered the local rail lines and started exploring nearby cities by train, out of curiosity. I fell in love with street riding and always will love street riding, but it's cool to explore new terrain. Growing up, I didn't have access to mountains or mountain bikes so it wasn't an option. It's cool to have all these different bikes to ride and explore such a wide variety of places.
Speaking of street riding, it's not known as a competitive discipline, at least in a traditional sense, yet you managed to win an X Games gold medal in 2023 for a very real, very "street" performance. What are your thoughts on this? I'm really happy. It's a dream come true on so many levels. I've been looking forward to and watching the X Games every year for as long as I can remember, so to be able to compete in them is an honor. (X Games photo by @jeffzphoto)
You've also been known to vlog, documenting life, snowboarding, surfing, and of course, bikes. How did this come about and can we plan on seeing more? I've always been into video and video editing. I started vlogging and creating content for YouTube to try and stay more active when I didn't have a traditional filmmaker to work with. It started as something fun and still is. Going to keep the channel going this year for sure!
You're one of the few BMX riders on the Adidas program. How does this factor into your day-to-day? Besides always having the freshest gear... I know that there are so many amazing and talented riders out there that are just as deserving to be on the team. I'm very fortunate to be in the position that I'm in. On the day-to-day, it's a reminder to continue to work hard and express gratitude for what I have.
What do you feel like your responsibilities are as a pro rider for a brand like Haro? To represent the brand at the highest level and continue to grow Haro's legacy for future generations to come.
Anything else? I just want to thank my parents for everything. I wouldn't be where I am today without their guidance.
Welcome video here: Haro YouTube
Keep up with Colin at @colinlikewhat