Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
It's good to have a wife
Specialized Turbo Vado SL: An Incredible E-Bike (User Club)
- Thread starter Stefan Mikes
- Start date
Darth_Vado
I Find Your Lack Of Faith Disturbing
- Region
- USA
- City
- Huntington Beach, CA
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Jeremy McCreary
Bought it anyway
- Region
- USA
- City
- Carlsbad, CA
Wow, never thought of my SL as that loud!
Sure, I notice when I ride, but only half the time. Not welcome, and another reason to ride in OFF when that makes sense otherwise. But hardly oppressive.
The noise seems a small price to pay for a bike that's perfect for me in every other respect. Plan to ride it as long as my hills and knees will let me.
BEC111
Well-Known Member
I did it. I’m trading in my Vado SL1 Model 4EQ for a new Vado SL2 5. Got a really good trade in value making the purchase a no brainer and as many can attest, that’s my normal state. It”ll take a week and a half or two for delivery and assembly. Very exciting for this old man.
Rás Cnoic
Hillrider a.k.a. The Apostle
- Region
- United Kingdom
- City
- Dartmoor
Wonderful. And it's such a great feeling.
Jeremy McCreary
Bought it anyway
- Region
- USA
- City
- Carlsbad, CA
Congrats — very exciting indeed! If I may,
Q1. Is the SL 2 quieter?
Q2. You got that trade-in from a local Specialized dealer?
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BEC111
Well-Known Member
I don’t have the bike yet. About two weeks for delivery and assembly at the LBS. I will share my impressions when I’ve gotten the bike. I think I’ll provide details then.
I bought it through a local Specialized dealer - Al’s Bike in Herndon VA - who arranged the trade-in through a partner dealer. (They’re an excellent shop, BTW.)
Watana Bob
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
My own observation: I have rented an SL5.0 in Hawaii on three different occasions and own and ride a turbo creo 2, I cannot discern a lot of difference in the motor wine when riding. The most noticeable in both motors to me was at lower cadence in eco mode. I don't use turbo enough to really remember well, but I don't recall it being exceptionally noisy. I never had both bikes side by side to do a comparison; I am just going off of memory from when I rented. I'm sure all motors probably are a little different and make slightly different wining noises.
PedalUma
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Petaluma, CA
FYI, Some bikes do not look electric, are open source, lighterweight, and outlast and out climb anything from Specialized.
Just saying. Oh, and non-proprietary external batteries are the only way to go. When the tech changes, so can you, easily. All for half the money. For San Francisco climbs she could pull 864 watts when needed, speed limited to 45 Kmph. On what is stamped a 500W motor.
Jane Dunlap
1 review
Five Stars
4 months ago
PedalUma is wonderful. He created a fantastic custom e-bike for me.A few years ago,I decided to move on from a lot of my regular biking to e-biking due to some health issues,so I bought an off the racks e-bike. (Specialized) That e-bike was mostly a city & around town bike. But,I missed getting in to the dirt & wilds which mountain bike riding provides. After looking at the high price tags for a decent electric mountain bike, I decided to investigate transforming one of my old mountain bikes to an e-mtb. My search came up with him @ Pedaluma Bikes. He put together an amazing e-bike from a gravel bike he had, which fit me much better than my old mountain bike would have. He looked at every possible way to tweak the fit for my exact needs - for my body (which is a little less pliable these days) and for the terrain/environment I intend to use it. The display is very user friendly and gear changes are quite intuitive. It’s also very lightweight in comparison to my store bought city e-bike. So much easier for me to put on my rack! Oh,and it’s aesthetically a really nice looking bike,too. I highly recommend getting in touch with him for an all around great bike! He’s also very responsive and super oriented to his customer’s needs.
Just saying. Oh, and non-proprietary external batteries are the only way to go. When the tech changes, so can you, easily. All for half the money. For San Francisco climbs she could pull 864 watts when needed, speed limited to 45 Kmph. On what is stamped a 500W motor.
Jane Dunlap
1 review
Five Stars
4 months ago
PedalUma is wonderful. He created a fantastic custom e-bike for me.A few years ago,I decided to move on from a lot of my regular biking to e-biking due to some health issues,so I bought an off the racks e-bike. (Specialized) That e-bike was mostly a city & around town bike. But,I missed getting in to the dirt & wilds which mountain bike riding provides. After looking at the high price tags for a decent electric mountain bike, I decided to investigate transforming one of my old mountain bikes to an e-mtb. My search came up with him @ Pedaluma Bikes. He put together an amazing e-bike from a gravel bike he had, which fit me much better than my old mountain bike would have. He looked at every possible way to tweak the fit for my exact needs - for my body (which is a little less pliable these days) and for the terrain/environment I intend to use it. The display is very user friendly and gear changes are quite intuitive. It’s also very lightweight in comparison to my store bought city e-bike. So much easier for me to put on my rack! Oh,and it’s aesthetically a really nice looking bike,too. I highly recommend getting in touch with him for an all around great bike! He’s also very responsive and super oriented to his customer’s needs.
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stompandgo
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
I am happy to hear that your dealer takes trade-ins. Ebay has made selling used e-bikes impossible. There are other outlets that we use at our shop, but many shops have chosen to not take trade-ins at all.
PedalUma
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Petaluma, CA
Bicycle Blue Book allows for trades and buying used bikes. They also give evacuations. https://www.bicyclebluebook.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopCqYifkoxvE8fKs7lv4imn9MK2Eu76QqoPL6YYnEl6RKVIL9pa
Darth_Vado
I Find Your Lack Of Faith Disturbing
- Region
- USA
- City
- Huntington Beach, CA
I'll remember this the next time a chemical tank near me is on the verge of exploding.
PedalUma
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Petaluma, CA
Spell check: evaluations.
That is funny.
I have ocular shingles today. It is being treated. But I was due to work on six bikes. Instead I will just install a Tanus tire liner. Do you know the jingle for Tanus? You can't get a Tanus where the sun don't shine.
That is funny.
I have ocular shingles today. It is being treated. But I was due to work on six bikes. Instead I will just install a Tanus tire liner. Do you know the jingle for Tanus? You can't get a Tanus where the sun don't shine.
Darth_Vado
I Find Your Lack Of Faith Disturbing
- Region
- USA
- City
- Huntington Beach, CA
All in good fun!
I knew you meant evaLuations, but with the mandatory evacuations we had here this past weekend, i couldn't resist.
Darth_Vado
I Find Your Lack Of Faith Disturbing
- Region
- USA
- City
- Huntington Beach, CA
anyways, back on topic...That Specialized Turbo Vado SL sure is an Incredible e-Bike
stompandgo
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
We use them. They all get their vig.
PedalUma
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Petaluma, CA
$750. For a 2018 Giant mid-drive on Blue Book. It must need a proprietary battery that can't be sourced. And an update the cannot be found. It is already Windows '95. Majors have planned obsolescence in mind. So, you need to buy a new bike about every six-years. You cannot take an off the shelf external battery and install it. Instead of the normal two wires to the discharge it has six proprietary ones. And instead of a $20 replacement charger from Staples, Ebay, Target, or Amazon, it only takes for a $600 charger, that is now unsupported, not available. Just like the SL Creo. Those weekend dentists in Lycra are all screwed. I love it. Take their money and give them the feeling of status as they get screwed on heavy underpowered bikes with no right to repair.
PedalUma
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Petaluma, CA
This bike is lighter, faster and will out last than anting from Specialized. It does not look electric to most people. The off-road Cues gravel drivetrain is the bees knees. It has handmade of Reynolds 631 tubes, and is customized by me. It is all open source . With the right to repair.
It will kick the axx of any Specialized. the photo came out upside down. It is made from Reynolds 631. Far better than carbon. The very best bikes do not look electric, are open source, and outperform high-priced ones from stores. All with the right to repair.
It will kick the axx of any Specialized. the photo came out upside down. It is made from Reynolds 631. Far better than carbon. The very best bikes do not look electric, are open source, and outperform high-priced ones from stores. All with the right to repair.
