Months spent riding across South America, pitching from waterhole to waterhole in the Australian outback, crossing the barren landscape of the Wild West or braving the elements in Iceland – if you’re of the opinion that it takes a trip across the globe to get away from everyday life and ‘have an experience’, then you’re wrong. Freedom is calling. Heed its cry.

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Of course, living in global metropolises doesn’t make it easy to respond to the call of the wild, but that’s no excuse. Constituting the best way to better acquaint yourself with your surroundings, switch off and make the most of being by yourself (or with friends), micro-adventures don’t ask for much:

No plan is necessary. Planning can be minimal. A sense of adventure is useful. It doesn’t matter what you do, or where you do it. A simple day-out or an easy night away in a tent (or hut) can be just as satisfying as a full week of lightweight exploring and hotel hopping. The adventure begins when you close the door behind you.

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This time around we opt for an overnight micro-adventure. Without fairytale views over blossoming meadows, crashing waves on the shore and a rugged outback within riding distance, we reason that the patchy grass on the outskirts of the city will have to satisfy our craving for adventure. Wild camping is the definition of simplicity, but be sure to do so responsibility and leave no trace.

Specialized Sequoia smoke Specialized Sequoia cooking

“The fumes of freedom. With every tug, freedom inched its way back.”

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Specialized Sequoia race

So what do giant redwoods have in common with bikes?

Nothing. But here’s the explanation: Sequoia in this case isn’t referring to a giant redwood but the latest brawn from Specialized. Superbly designed, versatile and reliable, this comfy steel frame has great geometry for long rides. Not just compatible with an internally routed cable for a hub dynamo, the special carbon forks with a thru-axle comes equipped with fixtures for bike bottles, carriers and mudguards. A whole lot of thought evidently went into the Sequoia, as it comes bearing specifically designed wheels with Cruzero rims (as stylish as they are wide) and the outstanding Sawtooth tires that are rapid on tarmac, dig in well on gravel and comfortable on poor road surfaces. Specialized’s own Hover bars are flared to give more off-road riding control. The high wishbone stays have a great design and work a treat with bike-packing bags.

Specialized Sequoia bike

As you can probably gather, we could go on listing the bike’s meticulously cherry-picked design features, but it’ll suffice to say that Specialized have clearly done their homework and developed one of the finest and most versatile bikes around.

The Sequoia rides in that sought-after, hallowed ground between stability and smoothness, where speed and fun intersect. With no vagueness to its handling, it’s a bike you’ll immediately feel at home on – which is fortunate given that you’re likely to spend long days in the saddle on it. Retailing at € 3,500, the Specialized Sequoia Expert is an all-rounder to cement its position at the front of the shed. We wouldn’t change anything on this bike (and that’s high praise).

For more information head to specialized.com.


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Words: Photos: Noah Haxel