2018 Sequoia

I got my sequoia at a giant shop near me, and man does this thing do the job. Its really comfortable no breaks so far I have high hopes for this thing :)

I live in Washington DC where we don't have the best roads, there is always construction, and last minute braking. This bike has been great for commuting in the city while still allowing me to take it on weekend 50 mile rides or gravel adventures. Highly recommend if you are trying to get the most of commuting and adventuring. If you're looking specifically for a road bike that is light, fast, and meant for 50+ mile distances, this is not the bike for you. However, if you're like me and want a bike that can hold saddles for groceries, something you can commute with in the city, and take that same bike on long weekend rides, then this is the bike for you.

All my friends switched to gravel riding at the end of this season. I was in my local shop looking at boring, boring, boring gravel bikes when this caught my eye. Something about it screamed, ""this is the bike you want in an apocalypse,"" and after all these are scary times folks. So I took it for a ride and couldn't get the biggest, dumbest smile off my face. The best thing about this bike is its simplicity: the drivetrain is garbage, the wheels weigh just shy of 42 moons, and I had to double-check the brake levers were even connected. But none of that matters, because now I have a bike I can ride whenever, wherever. I don't have to worry about getting it dirty or breaking it. I can just focus on riding. And riding it is a pleasure. The geometry fits my body like a glove and the flared drops are *Italian chef's kiss* perfect. To have spent all summer trying to eke out speed on a carbon bike with skinny tires and deep-dish pizza wheels, it was SO refreshing to get on this bike and go wherever the hell I wanted. Commuting around town? No problem. Screaming (literally, I'm a wimp) down a gravel descent? Also no problem. Getting up the hill on the other side? I've got time, wow what a view. I even entered a gravel race on this thing. Who even am I anymore? (Still not a bike racer, that's for sure.) An unexpected side-effect of this bike is that, now, getting on the road bike is fun again. Not having 30+ pounds between your legs makes my needs-an-upgrade Roubaix feel like a rocket ship. I'd even wager that come Spring, I'll be a decent cyclist. All because I bought a big dumb beast of a bike that can go anywhere, in any condition, and immediately feel the deep happiness that only riding your bike can bring.

I had a chance to get a new bike, and I looked around. I figured for the type of riding I do, an all-purpose combo gravel grinder/city-town commuter bike would be the choice. I got mine early 2019, and I have ridden a hundred or so miles on it so far, so I can comment a little. Wow! What a great rig. The bike is steel, so it's a little heavy. But the wheelset and geometry really make it a very smooth and comfy bike for me. I'm surprised how fast mine goes. I have it weighed down a little by luggage, huge rear rack, and fenders. But I end up blasting on this thing and its like NASCAR on two wheels. Just a great ride, very comfortable, takes anything, great wheelset for me, smooth, shifts great. Cons: a little heavy, mechanical brakes aren't as strong as my hydraulic ones; I could appreciate more color options; and, I would appreciate a triple chainring crankset to compensate for my weight/old age/laziness!

I bought the base Sequoia in April 2018 because I liked the way it looked, especially the flat black finish with minimal decals or labels. Of the dozen bikes I have owned in my fifty-eight years it has turned out to be the best of all of them. It handles well on all sorts of roads and trails: gravel, asphalt, concrete, and even off-road. In 2018 I road it on two days of RAGBRAI (130 miles total), a century ride, and a 40-mile gravel ride. I also rode it as a daily commuter and as a leisure trails bike. It is comfortable and fast. It shifts and brakes flawlessly. I am 6'2"" tall with a 33 inch inseam. I chose the 58 cm. size. I considered the larger size, but the 58 cm felt right to me after having tried both. Thanks to Geoff's Bike and Ski in Iowa City for getting me onto this bike.

I live in DC where the streets are worse than my home country roads of Indiana. I rode my sequoia as hard as I could because a bike like this is meant to be ridden hard. I also had issues with the back bearing becoming warped so specialized warrantied both wheels-awesome! I love this bike, on flat areas of DC I can hit speeds above 20+ MPH, but also handle dirt trails along the rivers, gravel in the construction zones, curbs, and trash. I would have to say this is the most beastly bike I've owned yet!

On it a month now and can't find a thing I dislike. I weigh 285 so I can't add much before hitting the 300 pound limit but I'm losing weight riding so it's all good. Love the way it looks because it's so basic I worry less about theft.

Bike is definitely trying to satisfy a lot of needs and does decently with almost all of them. The bikes a little heavy, but not bad for steel. The wheels havent been great. Local shop had to overhaul the bearings way too early. Said something about them coming packed too tightly from the factory. Bike rolls a lot better after the overhaul compared to when I first bought it. Hubs might just be badly designed or made. Also, I love the rims in terms of size and shape, but I struggle to understand why they need to weigh this much. Bikes pretty good, but it needs different wheels. I'm struggling to find a good replacement, however.

Rims are so weak