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

[stompandgo]

I chuck the contaminated pads in the dishwasher. Then give them a quick scrape with some fine sandpaper. Works like a charm. Easypeasy.

Remind me not to accept your invitation for dinner. Not that I'd get one.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Trying to make it as easy as possible to transport the SL on my original-style Thule EasyFold XT rack. Problem is, the best place to clamp the lateral restraint arm is on the down tube right at the bottle bosses.

Three alternatives:
A1. Remove the bottle cage (Specialized Zee) just for transport.
A2. Move the cage to the free top tube bosses.
A3. Mount a Fidlock bottle and base on the downtube bosses.

A1 is too much trouble — even with better screw access than the Zee cage allows.

A2 is out. Clumsy bottle access while riding. Bottle never leaked onto the motor during trial but don't want the worry. Mounting anything there also blocks the best grip for lifting the bike, which the rack requires.

A3 is very tempting, as the rack arm could then clamp in the ideal spot with the magnetic base still fixed to the down tube.

Two questions, please:

Q1. Anyone have Fidlock experience, any bike? (Lots of Fidlock mentions with forum search, but no follow-up reports.)

Q2. OK to keep a strong magnet right next to the SL's internal battery given the potential effect on intra-battery currents — i.e., would the alloy tube wall provide adequate magnetic shielding?

Thanks!

 

[BlackHand]

My Bulls came with a fidlock base but no bottle. I couldn't bring myself to spend the $$ for a fancy water bottle I could only use on 1 bike.

I bet if you take your lock off its base the Thule jaws would fit nicely on the seat tube between the lock base and the stays. That's about where I clamp my bike:

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

My Bulls came with a fidlock base but no bottle. I couldn't bring myself to spend the $$ for a fancy water bottle I could only use on 1 bike.

I bet if you take your lock off its base the Thule jaws would fit nicely on the seat tube between the lock base and the stays. That's about where I clamp my bike:

View attachment 198155

Thanks! For now, shooting for a rack-compatible down tube bottle solution.

Seat tube bosses reserved for the lock shown and a future range extender. Keeping the SL as light as possible (no trunk bag), so nowhere else for these 2 items to go.

Sorry, misunderstood your suggestion. Will try removing just the lock itself.

Stiil interested in Fidlock questions, as the range extender on the down tube might be a different story.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

You need the Zee cage on the seat tube for Range Extender.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

You need the Zee cage on the seat tube for Range Extender.

When that day comes, yes. Then I'll have to figure out where to put the Abus folding lock, which might or might not be secure in its holder on the top tube on bumpy surfaces. Will eventually have to test that, but not hopeful.

But for now, I'll keep the lock on the seat tube, ignore the top tube bosses, and continue to pursue a bottle on the down tube. Hence the interest in the Fidlock system — provided the magnet is safe for my battery.