Is Vado Smoking Addictive?

[PedalUma]

On Friday my former boss was riding his new100 Nm Velotric Level 4 mid-drive in a group ride. It has push button electronic shifting and a bunch of other features. At $2,800 he said that is better than a $5,400 Vado. And he is a Specialized dealer. I get to take it on a climb on Tuesday. It smokes the Vados. They can't compete on the sales floor or on a climb.

 

[kevinmccune]

Some Vado is stronger then others( depends on the trip) Smokin!

 

[stompandgo]

Aventon Level 4.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Current Vado 3 has a 105Nm motor and an 840 Wh battery.
Regarding the price, wait until the Aventon breaks then look for the repair or a warranty in the long term.

 

[Te. S]

On Friday my former boss was riding his new100 Nm Velotric Level 4 mid-drive in a group ride. It has push button electronic shifting and a bunch of other features. At $2,800 he said that is better than a $5,400 Vado. And he is a Specialized dealer. I get to take it on a climb on Tuesday. It smokes the Vados. They can't compete on the sales floor or on a climb.

View attachment 209490

Let us know how you like it and how it performs and post up some pictures

 

[PedalUma]

Let us know how you like it and how it performs and post up some pictures

It is raining tomorrow. I will see it it clears up by the afternoon and let you know my assessment.

Looks like I will be making a mid-drive Montague full sized folding mountain bike. It will fit under a desk and in the trunk of a sports car. He will use it camping in some cool places.

 

[PedalUma]

Oh, by the way, Aventon is based in California and totally supports its vast dealer networks and they fully stand behind their products. One time Specialized did fly an expert in from Colorado to help us with a problem and show us how to repair it. A batch of wire lombs were corroded from the Philippines floods and we could not figure out why we could not fix those bikes. It can take four days and tons of documentation to get Specialized's attention. Aventon picks up the phone on the first ring and there is never any lip, paperwork, or push-back. Just support. It is almost always someone cheerful with a name, like a six AM surfer/cyclist, Jennifer who picks up, with a fresh Masters in Engineering from UC Irvine, sharp as a honed tack, and the part is trackable the same day, again, no questions, other than How can I help and what is the serial number. With Specialized you feel like you are under questioning by the Gestapo and need to work up the chain of command.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Who does make Aventon motors?
Where are Aventon e-bikes actually assembled?
You have described a corporate structure of Specialized and compared it to the relaxed approach of Aventon, OK. What was that other big e-bike brand that has recently declared insolvency?
If an e-bike is priced half of another similar one, corners must be cut somewhere; componentry, labour cost or the ability to handle warranties.

 

[Gionnirocket]

This is the part of the story when you wake up from the overpriced, nothing special about Specialized wet dream. . . and realize you've been bent over

 

[stompandgo]

Agree 100% on Aventon dealer support. Even stupid stuff like broken lights or bent racks. No issues. Aventon gets it.

 

[Rás Cnoic]

"Level 4 ADV: This model features the Aventon Ultro S mid-drive motor, which is Aventon's first in-house mid-drive motor. It delivers 750W of peak power and 100Nm of torque."

"The Aventon Ultro S mid-drive motor is not a simple "rebadged" generic third-party motor. Rather, it is part of Aventon’s proprietary drive system family, which they have been developing since 2019 to differentiate their products from generic e-bike brands.

While Aventon owns its manufacturing facilities in China, their approach to mid-drive development typically involves a collaborative model similar to how major brands like Specialized or Giant work. Aventon provides the core software, firmware, and motor mapping—which define the bike's "feel"—while partnering with specialized hardware manufacturers (such as Gobao in some instances) to produce the physical motor components. This allows them to maintain proprietary control over the ride characteristics and integration, distinguishing them from brands that merely "white label" off-the-shelf motors."

"Gobao (officially Guangdong Gobao Intelligent Technology) is a major Chinese electronics company that has recently emerged as a significant supplier in the e-bike drive system market. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in the Songshan Lake high-tech zone in Dongguan, China, the company built its reputation as a global leader in e-bike controllers, reportedly shipping over 30 million units annually.

Following its success in electronics, Gobao expanded into complete e-bike drive systems in 2019. Their "P" series motors, such as the P100 and P100 Pro, are designed to compete directly with established mid-drive manufacturers like Bosch and Shimano by offering high-torque, thermally efficient solutions with custom software integration for OEMs. Rather than acting as a simple off-the-shelf supplier, Gobao provides comprehensive, customizable "ecosystems" that include motors, batteries, displays, and mobile applications, allowing brands to tailor the ride feel to their specific product lines."

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Aventon electric bikes due in Europe by spring 2026

From the spring of 2026, Aventon electric bikes will land in Europe, starting with the two-million unit sales per year

www.cyclingelectric.com

I can see a potential buyer here

 

[kevinmccune]

Who does make Aventon motors?
Where are Aventon e-bikes actually assembled?
You have described a corporate structure of Specialized and compared it to the relaxed approach of Aventon, OK. What was that other big e-bike brand that has recently declared insolvency?
If an e-bike is priced half of another similar one, corners must be cut somewhere; componentry, labour cost or the ability to handle warranties.

or less greedy company owners(hype is hype)

 

[PedalUma]

Who does make Aventon motors?
Where are Aventon e-bikes actually assembled?
You have described a corporate structure of Specialized and compared it to the relaxed approach of Aventon, OK. What was that other big e-bike brand that has recently declared insolvency?
If an e-bike is priced half of another similar one, corners must be cut somewhere; componentry, labour cost or the ability to handle warranties.

Extortion and Profits. Delusions of Grandeur. It is all made in the same place. Belly Lycra sweaty cottage cheese butt with padding and limited to 15.3 mph then walking like a pregnant penguin when you get there? click, click. It is time for a mandatory proprietary software update or the bike won't work.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

This is a very simplistic view. Aventon is in a fact a Chinese company with offices in the U.S., only serving North America and only with e-bikes. Specialized is a global company with a vast dealer network worldwide. The brand has to, for example, cope with different regulation everywhere it sells the bikes. High price yes. The dealers around the world need to be paid. Taxes and duties cost, too. Charge more and you can handle warranty claims up to delivering a new bike to an unsatisfied customer. When a crisis comes, Specialized survives but many other brands don't.

Now, Uma, the same question to you as I normally ask the Apostle for: Why don't you own an Aventon yet?

 

[Gionnirocket]

Charge more and you can handle warranty claims up to delivering a new bike to an unsatisfied customer.

So then you do understand that you are paying for two bikes up and not for quality.

Common Knowledge:
Extended warranties are generally not worth the cost for most people, as they are priced to ensure providers make a profit, and the average repair cost is often less than the premium.

A common sales tactic targeting the simple.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

 

[Gionnirocket]

Admit what you did.