Tag: 1983

Suntour Thumb Shifters

So we are out on a family ride yesterday and my wife is telling me how much she loves the cork grips and the Sequoia in general, but why are the shifters still on the down tube?  It is realy fun being able to build bikes up and share the stoke.  I remember having the conversation on this, none the less I was off to the parts bin with a score had been saving for just such a build…

The barcon shifter orientation part of my brain thought these would work well this way.  The reality is that they are much better flipper over with the Suntour logo facing down they way they were meant to face on a flat bar.

Bikes In the Garage – 1983 Specialized Sequoia 47cm

This is a recent Ebay acquisition that we could not pass up.  It is the perfect size for my wife, and happens to be the closest to mint Sequoia I will likely ever see.  Every piece is the way it was the day it rolled off the showroom floor, and it was stored indoors for 27 years and only ridden a few times.  I had High hopes, but was stunned once I put it together and wiped it down.  Superbe brakes and pedals, Avocet crankset and Saddle, Suntour derailers, Specialized hubs smooth as butter, and the tires still have the mold witness lines with skin walls in great condition. 

She will ride it for a bit as it is, but it will quite likely get a set of Albatross bars, the 650b wheels and brakes off of her Miyata.  The build quality on the frame is incredible, as nice or nicer than my Rivendell.

Now if only I coud find a 62.5 like this one.