Touring - Sequoia Elite Strength issues

Hello,

As this is my first post, I’d like to start by thanking the people on this forum for all of the great information on bikes, racks, wheels, etc that I have been reading. All the info has been really helpful.

I have been debating whether or not to purchase new bike for riding in the mountains around my adopted home of Geneva, Switzerland. I finally broke down and purchased a Sequoia Elite. I know that this bike is not a touring bike, but I've read about people using it for light touring. As people on this forum seem to know a lot about issues of bicycle and wheel strength, my question is about whether or not people think this bike is strong enough (with the 25 mm tires and 32 spoke count wheels) to put a child seat on to take a three year old (about 17 kgs) on rides through the neighboring countryside. I would always be on paved roads and personally, I am not too heavy (between 68 and 72 kgs depending on the time of the year). I am also concerned about the brakes coming down some of the hills around here (just in case I happen to get stuck with only one way down). If I were alone and weighed 95 kgs, I would not be concerned at all. But with my daughter on the back, I’d rather ask people who know something about bicycle strength issues. I have a mountain bike too, so I could also use that bike to take my daughter around. However, with a new bike, I'd love to be able to ride it around without having to leave the kids at home.

Thanks,

Rob

The bike will be plenty strong enough for your daughter;s weight, but with all that unaccustomed weight at the back the handling will be seriously different. Therefore dont do any adventurous riding until you become used to the difference. When I rode with my daughter on a bike seat, I once forgot when I dismounted, swinging my leg over the back and we both ended up on the ground. She now has a trailer for my grand-daughter, which she bought on the internet from a german manufacturer, for about 80 pounds sterling. It folds very neatly and she keeps it in her garden shed. Its also easy to attach to either her or her husbands bike, clamping to LH seat stay and chainstay.

Yep, the Sequoia Elite will more than hold up. My GF has one and we finished a tour, and it came through with flying colors! If you are concerned with braking, you can always upgrade the brakes if they are not Shimano 105 or better. What size is your frame? The one issue we had with the bike is that in the XS frame at least, a standard rear rack wouldn't fit. The upper eyelets are at the monostay, and the smaller frame size made for PITA fit issues. We went with OMM rack and d-ring clamps at the seatstays.

Enjoy the bike!

I have a new Seq Elite as well. The first three rides were long, brutal tests of both the bike's strength and my liver. Very rough,steep, paved descents and lots of hills - which I attacked. I weight 102kgs and the bike faired better than I. I plan to replace the moderately effective stock brakes with Kool Stops like on my Trek 520. Those stop me. The 105 hardware is very good.

I'd be more concerned about the strenght and quality of the rack. Make sure you get a rack that is approved for child seat use.

25 mm tires are too skinny. get something fat unless you like pinch flats and squirrley handling. panaracer paselas, 32mm wide are great and lite and fit. why they dont come with them is beyond me.

Thanks for the feed back. I thought the bike would be strong enough, I just felt better checking with people with experience. The bike shop guy thought it would be fine, but he also did not fill me with confidence.

I asked about changing the tires and the guy told me he did not think I could go any higher and still have fenders installed. I thought I read that it could be done. I wanted 28 mm tires. Oh well.

Thanks,

Rob