I rode the Haanjo EXP Carbon last week at the local Performance bike shop and I am definitely getting one. I took it for a test ride and ended up having it out for 45 minutes. Fortunately the Performance guys were very understanding.
For an all-rounder, I currently own a steel Gen 2 Salsa Fargo which has been a fantastic bike. I fell in love with it immediately upon the first test ride. I don't have the space here to bear witness to its fun awesomeness.
However, I've been looking for a lighter alternative. The Salsa Cutthroat intrigued me since it's a carbon cousin of the Fargo with similar (but not identical) geometry. It's nice but it didn't really bowl me over like the Fargo did when I rode it.
I have not seen the Sequoia yet. It looks nice and has a decent spec at all build levels. If you're looking for an all-rounder, I don't think you could go wrong.
That said, the Haanjo Carbon series ticks all the boxes for me.
1. Rugged and relatively light: The carbon Haanjo seems to be fairly tough. Sure, you could break the frame if you hit a tree at 30 mph in which case the bike is the least of your problems. On a purely facile level, the Haanjo's square tubes and olive drab green paint (in the case of the EXP) give it the appearance of a two wheeled jeep. It looks tough! It's also lighter than all but the most expensive steel bikes.
2. Versatility: When Gerard Vroomen's new Open UP (
https://opencycle.com/up/ ) was introduced a while back I was very excited. A carbon frame bike that can use 2.1" tires on 650B wheels or 700c road tires! YES! Very versatile and very fast-- but the price! A lovely bike but not something I could afford any time soon.
The Haanjo is like the poor man's Open UP in a way. It too can take 650B or 700c tires. It's not as light or as racy as the UP but in terms of value, the Haanjo is hard to beat.
3. Fun: The Haanjo EXP Carbon was the only model in stock at the Performance shop. My first choice would have been the Trail or Comp with the stock 700c wheels and compact crankset. With bar end shifted and a triple crank, the EXP seemed a bit dowdy in comparison.
Wow, was I wrong. The EXP is a blast and I would imagine the other Haanjos are as well. Even with 2.1" rubber, it was quick and responsive when I mashed the pedals. The handling felt agile like my carbon road bike. I'm not a fan of the PLACEMENT of the bar end shifters, but the indexed rear shifting was quick and precise. I haven't used a triple crank for a while but the friction mode shifting was extremely easy to master. My plan is to get get the EXP and put some Gevenalle CXV shifters on it. In terms of gear range, there is really no situation where you'd be wanting.
You should ride both the Haanjo and Sequoia to gauge the fit and feel. I don't think anything else in Specialized's line exactly matches the Sequoia though the AWOL may be close. I suspect you could be very happy with either choice. Specialized makes great products but Diamondback is putting some unique products out there and I think the Haanjo is a winner.
Good luck. Either way, I think you'll do fine!