Specialized Turbo Vado SL: An Incredible E-Bike (User Club)

[mogulman]

I have this for now from 2 days ago. I started at approximately 6400 ft elevation. This was a pretty flat ride though. Of course this is battery % from Garmin which is only the main (I know this now!) , but it's similar because the SL does try and drain both batteries at a similar rate.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Well... 50 km, 424 m elevation, 64% batteries used.

Effective min charge total 10% so 90% / 64% * 50 km gives 70 km.

I need 50 miles (80 km) with a similar elevation gain meaning I will need to use the 2nd RE at 60/100. Fine for me! The race organizer allowed me using 2 Range Extenders

Thank you so much!

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Well... 50 km, 424 m elevation, 64% batteries used.

Effective min charge total 10% so 90% / 64% * 50 km gives 70 km.

I need 50 miles (80 km) with a similar elevation gain meaning I will need to use the 2nd RE at 60/100. Fine for me! The race organizer allowed me using 2 Range Extenders

Thank you so much!

I know you're just after a rough range estimate here, but @mogulman averaged 15.6 mph on that ride. At that speed, well over half of the battery energy used went to air resistance.

Are you expecting your average speed to match his?

Also, do you think the two of you have similar gross weights and Crr and CdA values? Over 2 hrs, a 5W difference in mechanical power loss due to total resistance adds up to 10 Wh. If covered entirely by the motor at 80% efficiency, that's over 4% of the useable capacity of a 320 Wh SL 1 main battery with 10% reserved.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Are you expecting your average speed to match his?

It is a race, Jeremy All four competitors of mine at Great Lakes Gravel had their average speed around 15 mph

 

[mogulman]

I know you're just after a rough range estimate here, but @mogulman averaged 15.6 mph on that ride. At that speed, well over half of the battery energy used went to air resistance.

Are you expecting your average speed to match his?

Also, do you think the two of you have similar gross weights and Crr and CdA values? Over 2 hrs, a 5W difference in total power loss due to total resistance adds up to 10 Wh. If covered entirely by the motor, that's 3.5% of the useable capacity of a 320 Wh SL battery with 10% reserved.

I'm not telling you my weight. It's gross

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I'm not telling you my weight. It's gross

I'm not a lightweight person, either

 

[2wheelsgood]

One of the best upgrades on did on my bike was Sram AXS. Love how smooth it is. I'm sure you won't go electronic because you are the opposite of me

I love my AXS as well. In fact just this week I gave it a little present in the form of a new RockShox rocker switch
Took a couple of days and a few angle adjustments but I prefer it to the the POD controller now.

One thing I have found is that shifting is slightly smoother with AXS when the motor is not turning. I think that maybe the motor torque seems to put things slightly out.

 

[Base]

New handle bar and grips for the SL's. After a lot of km we came to conclusion that 16 degrees and Ergon grips fitted our needs better for our fit. Happy with this fit.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

View attachment 196783

New handle bar and grips for the SL's. After a lot of km we came to conclusion that 16 degrees and Ergon grips fitted our needs better for our fit. Happy with this fit.

Seeing your TCU in the photo made me wonder how a guy with your experience puts it to use? How many pages, and what data fields are you showing? Actually a question for all.

My usual 2 pages (assist mode, speed, clock, percent battery / assist mode, rider power, cadence) recently expanded to 4 when I learned that the TCU can show estimated range, range trend, and gradient.

Don't like scrolling through 4 pages, so will likely return to just 2 eventually. The gradients were useless in my hilly terrain, so switched that 3rd page to motor power and motor/rider power ratio just out of curiosity. Doubt this and the 4th range page will earn their keep on the TCU but will play around with them a little longer.

Love how easy it is to reconfigure the TCU with the app.

 

[2wheelsgood]

I did wonder one thing the other day when I cycle up my regular 300M 8% gradient hill, with the motor on Sport this hill is of course is much more manageable. But how would it feel if I tackled it on a something like a Sirrus X 6 or a Trek Sport FX 6?

7kg lighter bike up the same hill? Plotted against an effort level graph of Eco, Sport and Turbo, I suspect it would be somewhere between Eco and Sport but nearer to which one?

 

[Base]

Seeing your TCU in the photo made me wonder how a guy with your experience puts it to use? How many pages, and what data fields are you showing? Actually a question for all.

My usual 2 pages (assist mode, speed, clock, percent battery / assist mode, rider power, cadence) recently expanded to 4 when I learned that the TCU can show estimated range, range trend, and gradient.

Don't like scrolling through 4 pages, so will likely return to just 2 eventually. The gradients were useless in my hilly terrain, so switched that 3rd page to motor power and motor/rider power ratio just out of curiosity. Doubt this and the 4th range page will earn their keep on the TCU but will play around with them a little longer.

Love how easy it is to reconfigure the TCU with the app.

our bikes are equipped with the
S216800009 TURBO CONNECT UNIT DISPLAY (TCU)

The data fields are available with the
S216800020 MASTERMIND TURBO CONNECT UNIT DISPLAY

besides that, with are "traditional" touring bikes (like in camping trips with panniers) we do carry bike computers, mine is in my top bag so I can read after the ride what the metrics are of that day. For the SL's we use ROX4.0 computers, they connect to the E-bike via the TCU. https://sigma.bike/product/rox-4-0/

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I did wonder one thing the other day when I cycle up my regular 300M 8% gradient hill, with the motor on Sport this hill is of course is much more manageable. But how would it feel if I tackled it on a something like a Sirrus X 6 or a Trek Sport FX 6? 7kg lighter bike up the same hill? Plotted against an effort level graph of Eco, Sport and Turbo

Bike Calculator gives the answer. Let us assume these parameters:

• Rider weight: 80 kg
• Trad bike weight: 11 kg. Vado SL weight: 18 kg
• Tyres: clinchers
• Riding position: bar ends
• Grade: 8%
• Distance: 0.3 km

Let us assume the minimum stable bike speed is 8 km/h. Traditional bike would require the rider input of 180 W. If the desired speed is 10 km/h, the leg power has to be 227 W.

With the heavier e-bike, the power input in the 8 km/h case will be 194W and it will be 244 W for 10 km/h climb.
Now, let us assume the SL SPORT has been set to 60/100%. (I intentionally do not want to put a cap on the max motor power). 60% of the 1.8 maximum Assist of SL 1.1 is 1.08x The rider and the motor combined are 1 + 1.08 = 2.08x rider's leg power.

• If the desired climb speed is 10 km/h then the rider of Vado SL has to input 244/2.08 = 117 W leg power
• If the rider is comfortable with 8 km/h then the rider only needs to input 194/2.08 = 93 W.

Of course, we can also think of the scenario the rider inputs 180 W in both cases. The calculations show that:

• The speed of the traditional bike at rider's leg power of 180 W will be 8 km/h
• The speed of Vado SL 1.1 at the same rider's leg power of 180 W and 60/100% Assist will be 14.6 km/h.

The condition is to have as low a gearing as to be able to pedal at the cadence at least 80.

The Bottom Line

I suspect it would be somewhere between Eco and Sport but nearer to which one?

The difference between the lightweight bike and the heavier SL e-bike caused by weight is just 14-17 W. It makes no sense to compare both types. The minimum SL 1.1 motor power to let the motor "breathe" is some 50 W! Vado SL at any reasonable assistance (like, standard ECO) will either require less effort from the rider or will climb faster.

 

[2wheelsgood]

I did fire this at Chat-GPT just for giggles and it returned this answer for a hill that I can mash up at 90% effort but still maintain just over motor cut off speed.

Watts Difference on the Same Gradient​

Suppose you climb a 1.74% hill at 26 km/h:

• Vado SL: Requires 225 W
• Light bike:(on same hill)
  • Gravity force: 829 × 0.0174 = 14.42 N
  • Total resistance: 11.1 (aero) + 4.15 (rolling) + 14.42 (gravity) = 29.67 N
  • Power: 29.67 × 7.2 = 213.6 W

So:

• Vado SL: 225 W
• Light bike: 213.6 W
• Difference: 11.4 W

Add a little for possible extra motor drag on the Vado SL (1–3 W), and it could be around 13–14 W more effort required on the Vado SL for the same speed and gradient.

---

Summary Table​

Bike	Required Watts @ 26 km/h, 1.74% hill
Light bike (9.5)	~214 W
Vado SL (17)	~225–228 W

---

Takeaways​

• On a gentle hill where you can ride at 26 km/h at 90% effort, you’ll work about 12–14 W harder on the Vado SL versus the 9.5 kg bike.
• The difference is mainly from the extra mass (gravity effect), with a small bump from motor drag.
• The steeper the hill, the more this weight penalty matters.
• On the flat, the difference is tiny. On hills, the difference grows with the gradient.

As it is summer in the UK and I have yet to experience major age-related physical decline then some days I do wonder if I bought the wrong bike. I would certainly be much faster on my speed runs on something like the Trek Sport FX 6 (I do lust after that bike! )

This position changes day-by-day though. Last week it was over 32 degrees and I was thankful for the motor as I was overheated and tired. I was also thankful when I turned up for my dentist appointment today and not be embarrassingly sweaty in the chair.
And I want to keep this bike for at least another 6 years which will see me close to 70 years of age - I will of course rage against the dying of the light but Father Time still remains unbeaten and I am unlikely to beat the bugger either

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I did fire this at Chat-GPT just for giggles

Why do you need to run the Artificial Cretinence is you have me? Was I wrong?
Only the "26 km/h" is totally wrong

You see, I did climb a 10% hill on the cobblestones on a Vado SL

 

[2wheelsgood]

Why do you need to run the Artificial Cretinence is you have me? Was I wrong?
Only the "26 km/h" is totally wrong

The task I put to GPT was a different scenario entirely. On my speed runs I only drop below 25km/h on junctions and if I hit traffic.

This was with the motor out of the equation

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Kudos, Specialized!
After 10 months, 178 rides, and 2,346 mi — including a good bit of bumpy offroad — my SL 1's seatpost hasn't budged a millimeter! Small thing, I know, but I've NEVER had a seatpost that didn't sink over time. (Also never had a bike of this quality, so maybe not be so exceptional to some of you.)

Seatpost 1 month after New Bike Day. Rode the brand new SL out of the shop with the seatpost at 6.3 cm, and it looks exactly the same 10 months later. Never adjusted after initial fitting.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Kudos, Specialized!
After 10 months, 178 rides, and 2,346 mi — including a good bit of bumpy offroad — my SL 1's seatpost hasn't budged a millimeter! Small thing, I know, but I've NEVER had a seatpost that didn't sink over time. (Also never had a bike of this quality, so maybe not be so exceptional to some of you.)

View attachment 196844
Seatpost 1 month after New Bike Day. Looks exactly the same 9 months later. Never adjusted after initial fitting.

A small but merry thing, eh? It is very easy to get used to good things and even stop noticing them!

Yesterday morning, I realised there was nothing new I could add to my e-bikes Same with the cycling clothing! Terrible!

The task I put to GPT was a different scenario entirely. On my speed runs I only drop below 25km/h on junctions and if I hit traffic.

This was with the motor out of the equation

I indeed missed the fact it was a different scenario. I went deep into these matters before Sudovia Gravel 2024: a race in an extremely undulated and steep area. It was @mschwett who showed me Bike Calculator and explained the gearing was only to maintain a proper cadence but the climbing was solely the matter of the power delivered to the drivetrain. Now I know I can only climb maximum 10-11% hills on Vado SL with my weak legs (that's why I take my powerful Vado 6.0 to Sudovia even if this is a heavy e-bike).

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Jeremy, while we talk about seat-posts... I met one Artur in these Forums back in 2020. He and his wife are Warsawers and e-bikers. Just yesterday, Artur messaged me and asked about a suspension seat-post for his Vado SL 5.0. My immediate answer was "Redshift ShockStop Endurance, 27.2 mm diameter, the length same as your existing seat-post". Turned out, he did a solid research and came down to the same conclusion Then he said he would be excited to buy but his CFO... You know the story! Indeed, Anna is an avid tourist and prefers having vacation abroad with her husband to letting him buy bike gear!

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Then he said he would be excited to buy but his CFO... You know the story! Indeed, Anna is an avid tourist and prefers having vacation abroad with her husband to letting him buy bike gear!

Oh, I know all about that dynamic! But I'm dealing with not just a CFO, but a CXO — where the "X" stands for anything one could possibly be in charge of.

 

[Base]

Seeing your TCU in the photo made me wonder how a guy with your experience puts it to use? How many pages, and what data fields are you showing? Actually a question for all.

My usual 2 pages (assist mode, speed, clock, percent battery / assist mode, rider power, cadence) recently expanded to 4 when I learned that the TCU can show estimated range, range trend, and gradient.

Don't like scrolling through 4 pages, so will likely return to just 2 eventually. The gradients were useless in my hilly terrain, so switched that 3rd page to motor power and motor/rider power ratio just out of curiosity. Doubt this and the 4th range page will earn their keep on the TCU but will play around with them a little longer.

Love how easy it is to reconfigure the TCU with the app.

This is what i get as a readout from the rox4

Ride full against the wind