Specialized Sequoia

[Brian Campbell]

I have an opportunnity to buy a 60cm Specialized Sequoia ($650) in almost new condition. My interweb research has let me know that these bikes have a dedicated following. I was wondering if anyone here has one and could possibly tell me their thoughts about the bike and also, if the price is in the ball park?

[franklyn]

Brian,

I have one that I got last year. I replaced a Riv Bleriot with it. Here are some pictures:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/franklyn/sets/72157627342403464/

Mine is a 58cm. I really like these miyata-built sequoia. They are supple and responsible, and the geometry is pretty close to a Riv Romulus or Bleriot. I did swap out the fork to one with lower trail, as all my other bikes have low-trail forks and I preferred the handling now.

However, even with the stock fork, it was a fun bike to ride. I got the frameset for $280--repainted. If the bike is really "near new", and you will not be swapping out many parts, then $600 is pretty good. If you plan on making lots of changes to the bike, then it might not be as economical for you.

Franklyn

[newenglandbike]

I have an '83 sequoia that I stumbled upon in brand new condition at Bikes Not Bombs in Jamaica Plain a few years ago, and it gets ridden quite a bit.    Not quite Rivendell geometry with it's steep ST angle-    but it is a great bike, worth it if you can find one.    I love mine-   it handles great, is fairly light yet sturdy, and it fits 28's with fenders no problem.

Here's a shot from before I got fenders for it:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/43029278@N07/5764577826/

[William]

In a lot of ways I think of the Sequoia as the pinnacle of the 1980's American-style 'sport touring' bike.  I was just getting my first bike shop job at the time, so I wasn't super tapped in to the industry, but I think it's very uncontroversial to say that the 1983 Sequoia has aged remarkably well.  

[Michael Hechmer]

Which Sequoia?  My wife rides an '83 and loves it.  I think we paid around that for her bike, but it's been a while.   I think the Sequoia and the Trek 620 were the hi water marks for sport-touring bikes in the '80's  and the improvements on their design has been marginal since then.

Michael

[Brian Campbell]

This is an 83 ( I think). So what I am gathering is that is similar to a Ram in function but a bit more generic in looks? 

[Michael Hechmer]

It will come with 126mm rear spacing and probably a 6 or 7 spd freewheel.  It can easily be spread to 130 and used with a 9 spd cassette if you want.   It will probably have 57 mm single pivot brakes and good tire/fender clearance for 32 mm tires.  My wife's has an unusual seat post size - 26.8 if I remember correctly, but I think PJW still carries them if you want to upgrade.  The original had limited range.  Go for it.

Michael

[Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery]

Similar to a Ram in function? Yes, in the sense of tire clearance and general appearance. However, if I recall correctly, the sequoia has very long chainstays, while the Ram had "short" chainstays (by Riv standards).

[Dan]

Actually your recall is incorrect. The Sequoia has 43-ish chainstays.
Near-identical geometry to a Ram, except the seatpost. On my 62.5,
the SA was 74 degrees! I sold it for that reason; I couldn't get the
seat back far enough.

The other diff. between the Ram and the Sequoia is the latter has
standard tubing which some prefer the feel of; while others like the
solid feel of the OS-tubed Ram.

I ride an 83 Expedition now as my daily commuter and it is also a
fabulous bike. 73.5 SA but I added an old MTE seatpost with gobs of
setback and it's fine. I didn't keep the Sequoia long enough to form
an opinion of its ride but the Expedition is fast and responsive;
surprising attributes for a touring bike. Of course, with a loaded
rear rack it wobbles and wiggles, so it would not be my choice for a
loaded tour. Strange attributes for a touring bike, but for my
purpose it's great.

On Apr 14, 8:05 am, Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery <thill....@gmail.com>
wrote:

[pruckelshaus]

Yeah, that's one of my grail bikes, and the first frame that I built used a very similar geometry to the Sequoia.  Tim Neenan, the guy who designed the original bike, is making them again -  http://www.lighthousecycles.com/lighthouse-sequoia/ 

On Wednesday, April 11, 2012 9:37:52 AM UTC-4, Brian Campbell wrote:

[Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery]

I must be thinking of another model. Was there a heavier touring model?

[El Sapo]

It's a great bike. I've had a lot of fun on mine. I was able to solve the seatpost / Brooks saddle issue by getting the SR MTE 100 adjustable setback seatpost in that weird size. I also put a riv stem to get the bars up above the saddle. The 32 tires just fit. Doubt that you could fit those and fenders. I'm probably going to go with the 28 ruffy tuffy, that the tire size that specialized put on the bike originally.

 

The bike is bigger than I thought. Mine is 58 c-c, so it's like a 59+ in comparison.

 

Still trying to get a first post. Help me mods. I'm not an animal.

 

    
On Wednesday, April 11, 2012 6:37:52 AM UTC-7, Brian Campbell wrote:

[dougP]

Yes, one with cantis, maybe called Expedition(??) or something more
suggestive of loaded touring.

doug

On Apr 14, 7:44 am, Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery <thill....@gmail.com>
wrote:

[cyclotourist]

MId-eighties Specialized: Allez, Sequoia, Expedition, Hardrock, Stumpjumper. Five great bikes!

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[Steve Palincsar]

On Sat, 2012-04-14 at 07:44 -0700, Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery wrote:
> I must be thinking of another model. Was there a heavier touring model?

Specialized had a fine touring model called the Expedition.

[Phil Bickford]

On Apr 14, 2:33 pm, Steve Palincsar <palin...@his.com> wrote:

> Specialized had a fine touring model called the Expedition.

That's right. Still popular with the Miyata bike folk in Yahoo
groups. They were built at the Miyata (Panasonic) factory.

There's been some recent interest with the 650b crowd as a conversion
candidate. Well built with Touring in mind.

Phil B

[LF]

On Wednesday, April 11, 2012 9:37:52 AM UTC-4, Brian Campbell wrote:

I have an opportunnity to buy a 60cm Specialized Sequoia ($650) in almost new condition. My interweb research has let me know that these bikes have a dedicated following. I was wondering if anyone here has one and could possibly tell me their thoughts about the bike and also, if the price is in the ball park?

I'm a faddist, prone to being fickled with bikes.

One winter night, after my first ride on a Specialized Sequoia (mid 80s?), I turned to the owner and said, "Dan, this is the nicest bike I ever rode." A few years later, he gave it to me. It rode it for 5-6 years as a fendered fixie, pretty much daily, preferring it to my other bikes. My friend Phil bought one new back in the day, and continues to favor it, dreams of taking it on a trans-continental tour. Those Sequoias have a following, and I read that the guy who designed them is manufacturing them again. (Someone on the list undoubtedly knows the details.) 

I'm done with fixies for a while, and now like riding a RED mid 1980s Pinarello Trevisio with Jack Brown greens. Great on trails and on the road.  During fender weather, I like the Rivendell Custom Road or the Univega triple butted comfort bike, set up with a huge front rack. 

If you have your heart set on a 1980s steel Sequoia, I guess it's worth $650, and certainly is cheaper than a brand new equivalent bike. It might benefit from some TLC: perhaps new cables all around (cable technology has improved in the last 30 years), new rubber, repacking and/or replacing the bearings all around, saddle, pedals.) Me, I'm more of a bargain hunter. I'd find something great for half that much, or less, on CL. Plus, yard sale season is blossoming here in New England. The $5 yard sale pink Univega (60 cm) sport touriing bike I got last year rides much like the Sequoia. I stopped riding it after a crash, but will getting it going again soon. Just found a nice Campagnolo front wheel to replace the tacoed one.

Best,
Larry