Review: Specialized Sequoia Elite

My review of this excellent steel gravel touring bike. A couple of changes from standard spec, with upgraded shifters, rear derailleur and saddle.
An excellent bike, with a great feel for the terrain, and great capability for so many conditions. Definitely a bike to consider for all sorts of mixed terrain rides, even including single track.

[@sboy1955]

I'm looking for my next bike, keep coming back to the new Sequoia. Thx for the solid review.

[@DaveTriDad]

Alex Davis Just did a reasonable road ride on it the other day, it ruled even on bitumen. So smooth and comfy. Get one...

[@aaronb369]

if you didn't get one yet Alex my one is for sale :-) www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/bolton-point/other/specialized-2017-sequoia-elite-size-large-56cm/1160815587

[@todddietlin9974]

Alex Davis Im looking to buy my first road bike this spring and I too keep coming back to this bike

[@gstone1345]

you have a good narrator voice "professional Russell Coight" good review tho and great bike and location - thanks

[@havefunandbikestuff]

just ordered this bike. it's being built by my shops mechanic to be completed by Saturday. really excited about it! same one the sequoia elite.

[@hugoburgin4762]

Nice review. Hope the prep goes well!

[@devanois]

Thanks for your quick review, very useful and concise, excellent. I'd like to see how can you fit a front rack here to carry bags in the front. I imagine there is no difficulty fitting one in the back.

[@DaveTriDad]

devanois Whilst I haven't fit one on there, you definitely can. Specialized make a 'Pizza Rack' that will take a front bag, with panniers on the side.

[@IvansBikesBmws]

Lovely review and channel. Subbed to follow and support. Cheers

[@DaveTriDad]

Ivans Bikes cheers!

[@CraigLafferty]

Great review! Thanx!

[@mallugasify]

Hi Dave , how tall are you and what size did you get?

[@TheBedwynBullet]

Hi. I've just ordered this bike, can't wait to get it. I have a quick question though if you don't mind - can you do a straight swap of the RS505 shifters for the RS685 or do you have to change the whole brake system to match? Thanks PS. Great Video!

[@DaveTriDad]

Phil Boardman Happy new bike day for when it arrives mate! You can straight swap the levers, no sweat at all. Just need to be bled, and good to go.

[@TheBedwynBullet]

With All I Have That's great, thanks, better talk to the local bike mech. Cheers mate

[@havefunandbikestuff]

Phil Boardman hi Phil, i just ordered my sequoia elite too! it's being built up and done by Saturday. How do you like yours?

[@JustRideAdelaide]

Dave, I'm leaving a comment on your video.

[@DaveTriDad]

Ride Adelaide James, I am replying to your comment on my video.

[@JustRideAdelaide]

Noted.

[@broadfjord7087]

Did you make a video talking about the mtb tire? Did you have any issues with flex or tire rub with the fork? Thanks for posting the video!

[@mattmangen]

Can you do a review on how it road w/ the Mountain Bike Tires? Or comment? Wondering how it road and how it was in Single Track with them on.

[@havefunandbikestuff]

Dave, could you do a follow up on this bike and anyrhing new you discovered on it...its been a while. Thanks

[@car6120]

Hows the gear changing ? looks like my dream commute and travel bike but my race bike has gotten me used to heavenly electric shifting, so thats my only concern. Obviously ive checked out the higher model but its a very steep price and i like the colour on this one better anyway ahaha great vid dude

[@DaveTriDad]

Declan Cargill cheers. I changed to the better shifters and Ultegra RD out of the box, so my answer is a little skewed. Having said that, the chainrings, chain and cassette run the quietest and smoothest of any bike I've ridden. Really happy with the shifting and gearing.

[@car6120]

thank u for the reply ! good idea on ur behalf there, i reckon looked after they'll ofc be fine. Now just the process of committing to buy! thanks for the review

[@karlbrasse4877]

Nice Vid! Is this Scott Creek in S.A.?

[@kathyfrance2764]

Can this be delivered 2 or 3 day?

[@filisterfilm3828]

Thx for your review. I'm about to buy sequoia frame set and bulid custom and parhraps a bit lighter machine than Elite model. Have a question: what size of mtb tires You were able to fit? They seem to be quite wide on last picture.

[@DaveTriDad]

film bloki In the vid I had a 1.95 in the rear and a 2.1 in the front. Both too big. Looking to get a WTB Riddler 45 for the rear, and put the 1.95 on the front. I think those will be the biggest practical tyres to use.

[@filisterfilm3828]

Thank You. It is important info for me.

[@havefunandbikestuff]

can you do a video with the bike fully loaded to show it full packed? thank you

[@bryanbox5940]

Great review. just wondering, can you give some details on the 29er tires you threw in that sucker? looks like a 29X2.1 Renegade. I've been looking for a good tire to replace those sawtooths on mine (I deal with lots of mud in Alaska, and the sawtooth has not been ideal).

[@DaveTriDad]

Bryan Box Spot on for the tyre! BUT, it's too big... A Renegade 1.95 goes great in the front. A WTB Riddler 45c is what I want to use in the back, they're just hard to come by in Aus. Should be a prime solution though.

[@bryanbox5940]

thanks! I've been thinking of running Riddlers or Firecross, but if a 1.95 fits up front, that'll get a gander too. are you wanting the riddler in back for a specific reason? is it that you need the grip on the front, but it is not as important in the back?

[@DaveTriDad]

Bryan Box Wanting the Riddler as it will fit, but I will still have clearance. And yes, grip is more important for the front.

[@bryanbox5940]

having trouble with chain/frame rub in the back?

[@DaveTriDad]

Bryan Box With the 1.95, yes. A 1.95 is a 50c, and it's way too big.

[@charlesmansplaining]

I think I would rather have a flat bar on that bike than the drop bars.

[@DaveTriDad]

Charles Rush Flared drop bars are TOPS for gravel, especially longer gravel. More options to change position, and heaps of control

[@frakafrocka]

Jones bars on that thing would be great

[@ivanhrusovsky5530]

Sequoia or Diverge?

[@wranglercycling6420]

Any issues with the stock wheels...? I watched other day some people saying some complains with broken spokes....!?

[@DaveTriDad]

The stock wheels are rubbish. The bearings are rubbish, whole lot are no good. That was the first change I made

[@ParrishJamesTV]

Versatile bike this one. I'm riding it around Australia in a few days time. Might get to Perth in time for the race to the rock to join ya. See how the training ride goes. 😜 You can check my route here parrishjames.maprogress.com/cyclingforchange

[@DaveTriDad]

Parrish James good luck with the ride man! Sounds huge. Solid bike choice

[@LeoInterHyenaem]

Hi mate, Is that rust on the low tube? If so, that's very disconcerting. For a chromoly bike it is a very handsome one, but that rust is most offputting, one of the reasons I shun steel bikes (beside the great visual appeal of carbon frames and lower weight). By the way, everyone waxes lyrical about how though steel frames are. Of all the bikes I've owned - a couple of crappy old steel city bikes, chromoly fitness bike, a few various aluminium cross-country and folding bikes, a magnesium frame bike, a carbon hardtail and a carbon full-suspension rig - the two that succumbed were a steel one (the chainstay snapped while pedaling) and an aluminium folder that I happened to crack the seat tube - top tube weld. And a stripped rack mount thread in My aluminium Cannondale Caffeine F1. The way I see steel as a frame material - is as an affordable substitute to titanium, but uglier, prone to corrosion and thus also to fractures, as a corroded steel is the most breakage-prone frame material there is.

[@DaveTriDad]

Not rust. Just dirt

[@CanIHasThisName]

Good Cr-Mo frame will take decades of daily riding before any damaging corrosion occurs - that is if you do not protect the frame in any way. With the most basic care, all you're going to get is surface rusting, which isn't going to compromise the integrity of the tubing. There are various types of steel so quality varies. Steel is heavier but often the most resilient in terms of riding abuse, and it's also more flexible than titanium. More importantly it is very easy to repair, unlike titanium or carbon. You can literally bend it back into shape if you crash it and if you have no better way of getting a snapped tube fixed, even an amateur welder will do good enough job for the frame to be rideable.

[@timmbrockmann959]

Noaice Boaike!