Touring - Specialized Seqouia Rack Troubles

I am preparing for the PCH tour this summer and getting ready to buy a trailer or panniers. A local mechanic questioned the structural integrity of the carbon fiber seat stay with the trailer and suggested that I call Specialized. The first time that I call the rep says that there is no way in hell that the bike would be ok to pull a trailer, go with panniers using the braze-ons and lower eyelets. After I got home and checked out the bike I noticed that there are no rear eyelets. Even though there is no rear eyelets there is a connection point where the carbon fiber seat stay bolts to the aluminum chain stay so I call Specialized again. This time the rep tells me that a trailer would be fine but panniers would be best and to use a rack that mounts through the axle instead via eyelets and that the CF/aluminum connection point would not handle the addition of a rack. Since I am getting so many stories I wonder why in the hell would Specialized have braze-ons but no eyelets? That or the rep from Specialized didn't give me the correct info. Does anyone know if mounting a rack to the CF/aluminum connection via a longer bolt (in order to provide sufficient spacing for the thickness of the racks mounting point) would screw up the structural integrity of the connection point? I will take some picture tonight for better explanation. Thank you

I recall reading a crazyguy journal of someone who used a Sequoia on a cross country trip. I couldn't find a link to that journal but here's another one, scroll down.


http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=3Tzut&page_id=86242&v=4w

If Specialized can't get their story straight, I'd be very nervous about touring on that bike. Not because it's sure to break, but because it's a clear sign they don't have good internal knowledge of what the frame is supposed to handle. There are plenty of comparatively inexpensive bikes that *are* well engineered for touring and the manufacturer knows it.

If Specialized can't get their story straight, I'd be very nervous about touring on that bike. Not because it's sure to break, but because it's a clear sign they don't have good internal knowledge of what the frame is supposed to handle. There are plenty of comparatively inexpensive bikes that *are* well engineered for touring and the manufacturer knows it.
I doubt the difference between what the reps told him have anything to do with Specialized's knowledge of their bikes and everything to do with differences between the reps' knowledge.

A trailer like a Burley Nomad would put very little stress on the bike. It's a two wheeled trailer. I'd hook it up to my full carbon bike and go tour if it was all I had. My experience is with the Burley... so can't speak for the other types.

In theory, the Sequoia is supposed to be a "sport touring" bike. If it doesn't have eyelets on the rear, that would be an inexplicable oversight on their part.

Fortunately, if you want to go with panniers, you can get an Old Man Mountain rear rack; they use the rear axle instead of eyelets for support.

Also, not sure about older models but at least the latest does not have CF seat stays.

Even if it does have CF seat stays, a trailer should be fine. Trailers typically connect to the frame at the rear axle and don't put a lot of stress on the frame. I'd think that any type of unexpected torsional stresses that would damage CF stays would also bend the heck out of metal as well. However, I'd check with the real experts -- the trailer manufacturer. ;)

I have a 2009 Sequoia that I just put a rack on. There are two threaded holes just above and parallel to the rear axle. I hooked the rack there, and to the two threaded holes behind the seat. I haven't seen anything back there that looks like CF except for the seat post.
I haven't put much weight on the rack yet, just a pump and some lights.

Depends on the year of the sequoia. I have an '06. That bike has the threaded mounting point above the axel and above the rear brake that was mentioned above. It also has drilled eyelets for a front rack as well. I haven't used that. I've loaded up the rear rack pretty heavily, and had no problems. I've also used this bike to pull a bob, again, no problems.

Alright so I finally got around to taking pictures of my problem. As you can see where the Carbon Fiber stay and the chain stay comes together is the area that I am worried about. In the other picture the braze-ons are clearly shown therefore making me wonder about using this connection. Oh yeah this is a 2006 Specialized Sequoia Expert, which they have since stopped producing.

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g242/donutslayernm/IMG00068-20090518-1856.jpghttp://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g242/donutslayernm/IMG00070-20090518-1857.jpg

Well, that is weird.... If you want to use this bike, just get a trailer or an OMM Sherpa rack. Should work perfectly fine.

I've got a 2004 Sequoia and was told by the dealer after they contacted their rep that the bolts above the axel should be used to mount the rack. That is why they are there. It looks like they are used in the connection between the carbon and the aluminum but that is glued and they since they are threaded into the aluminum it is a solid mount.

I have a Topeak rack on mine and have only had it loaded as much as the trunk bag with the expandable panniers can handle. I think you would be fine for light to moderate touring. Without a front rack or a trailer you would be limited for space for a heavy load anyway.

I believe most of the Sequoias had full alum frames, yours being high end it has the carbon seat stays. Since the rest of the frame is the same alum as the lower-end models, it still has the eyelet holes by the saddle. I would follow the other's suggestions to utilize the eyelets near the saddle and mount to the axle. Old Man Mtn rack. I would probably not use the seat stay lower attachment point even though you could probably do it with longer bolts.

I have a Sequoia and have encountered none of these problems... but then again, my Sequoia is from 1984.

Or you could avoid the rear rack issues and get a big huge saddle bag with a support instead. Strap your sleeping bag and tent to the top of a front deck rack and run two small front panniers.

I did a west coast tour on a sequoia elite a couple summers back. attached rear rack to the CF seat stay connection points, though had to get longer screws fro the connection points where seat stay met chain stay. Worked fine, and have been riding the bike up till i sold it yesterday, and was fine.

Best pic i can find of it

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v96/193/118/11712308/n11712308_31274590_3924.jpg