Hot on the heels of Specialized’s official Sequoia launch, Specialized’s UK division displayed its three bike line-up for the steel framed adventure bike.
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At the top of the tree is the Sequoia Expert at £2,500, whilst it shares the same frame as its two cheaper siblings, the Expert gains a full FACT carbon fork which features internal hydraulic cabling and light cable routing, plus water bottle brakes and big 160mm rotors (to help stop a heavily laden bike more easily).
It also gains the CG-R carbon seatpost with its inbuilt Zertz infused suspension and a newly designed flared bar called the Hover. The bike was displayed with a full complement of Specialized’s new bike-packing luggage line Burra Burra.
The Expert looks to be a seriously well thought out bike, with details like the Cruzero wheelset — a complete handbuilt pairing with tough eyeleted box section and tubeless compatible rims. The butted J-Bend spokes are exactly the same dimensions front and rear, so should the worst happen when you're out in the wilderness, you can swap and switch to get your bike rideable again.
The £1,500 Sequoia Elite shares the same frame and fork, but runs on a predominantly Shimano 105 groupset with an off-road capable gearing combination (46/36, 11-36t), which drives Specialized’s new Hayfield wheelset.
The whole Sequoia range is running Specialized’s new Sawtooth 2Bliss ready 42c tyres, and Specialized tells us that the Sequoia frame and fork can take a 650b wheelset running 1.8” tyres too.
Sequoia's entry-level bike is simply called the Sequoia and is priced at £950, and it shares the same size-specific, tubeset built steel frame as both the Expert and Elite. Up front the Sequoia gets a slender (compared to the FACT carbon) steel fork, but still retains the internal light cable routing, flat disc mount, fender and rack mounts.
The drivetrain mixes Shimano Sora with a long cage, shadow profile Alivio rear mech from Shimano’s off road stable for a 48/32, 12-36t combination.
