Specialized Sequoia Elite?
 

I ride occaisionally on an old Raleigh Technium Tri Lite. It's a good road bike for what I do.
My wife has a Trek Hybrid and is wanting to ride some easy hard packed trails. I am 60 years old and 5'10" and about 240 and am afraid I would destroy my Raleigh so I have been looking out for a bike for trails.
I found a Specialized Sequoia Elite in a pawn shop for a good price- I think. I really need to look it over closely.

Would this be a good casual trail bike? It looked like a road bike when I briefly looked at it but everything I can find online calls it a gravel bike.
Were there more than one style of Sequoia Elite?

'Gravel bike' is basically marketing speak for a road bike that can fit wide tires... A 'cyclocross' (CX) bike is basically a racing road bike with room for wider tires, and 'gravel bike' can be thought of as a CX bike with less racy (generally more comfortable) layout.

I don't know how Specialized sized the Sequoias, but a 57 to 60 cm or 'L' frame should work for someone 6' tall.

It seemed to be beefier than my Raleigh.

The Sequoia looks to be a cross between gravel bike and touring bike. A little heavier than the modern crop of racier gravel bikes.

I will see if I can at least straddle the top bar then look for the serial number to see what year model it is.
Other than checking for cracks in the frame tubes and seeing if the steering head bearings feel smooth is there anything specific I should check?

Be careful. I owned a 2007 Sequoia Elite and it was nothing like the current Sequoias. In 2007 it was essentially a road bike with relaxed geometry; a bit higher head tube, a more upright position, and spec’d as an “endurance bike.” If I recall, it fit 28mm tires maximum which would be inadequate for sporty gravel riding.

Over the years Specialized has played it pretty loose with the Sequoia name. The Sequoia has been a touring rig, an endurance bike, and is currently a gravel bike (or “adventure touring”). The original steel framed touring Sequoias are collectible items these days. My endurance version was an aluminum frame, carbon fork, skinny tired unremarkable road bike. The current Sequoia sees a return to steel but with a carbon fork and a bit of a stretched geometry and, of course, the ability to fit fat tires.

There’s a chance you might be looking at the road bike version while all of the current information is referring to the newer gravel/adventure/touring version. When looking at the current version I get a feeling Specialized is struggling to fit it into a marketing category. Honestly, it looks like a great all around bike one could ride everywhere, but the marketing guys just won’t be happy unless they can label it.

Google “1980’s Specialized Sequoia” and “2007 Specialized Sequoia Elite” and then take a look at the newest version at the Specialized website — three completely different types of bikes.


-Kedosto

Play or slop in the hubs or cranks. Wheels spin true? Condition of the tires? Shift smoothly up/down through the range? You know, all the usual stuff. Also, old, dried up tubes are unreliable so if you buy it replace them before heading out on a long ride.


-Kedosto

Thanks. I will try to get the info today. I will take a magnet to check the frame too.
It did seem to be more like a road bike, but the tires and rims seemed heavier duty.
I may get it regardless if it fits. My old Raleigh has the shift levers on the frame. I like the shifters on this bike where I don’t have to let go of the handlebar.

I've looked at the new Sequoia. Really nice bike. Specialized makes a great product..

It was sold before I got back to check it out.