2020 Turbo Vado 3.0

V

VeniceGerry

New Member
Picked up my first e-bike last week and am enjoying the experience. I chose the Specialized because of the local bike shop experience. I've only put on around 20 miles so far, but I'm really happy with my choice. I'll be 70 in August and have degenerative arthritis which is one of the reasons I chose to purchase an e-bike. One of the things I've tried so far is to ride as much as possible without the pedal assist. I've used the motor to help going up hills and overpasses, but as long as I'm on flat terrain with a strong headwind I've tried to build up my endurance so that I can eventually take longer rides. The temperature in Venice, FL is already in the 90's so I ride early in the day or in the evening. I'd like to ride an hour each day once I get my strength built up and hopefully shed a few pounds in the process. The 3.0 comes with a nice set of options; headlight, taillight, fenders, computer, disk brakes, etc., & lists for $2700.00. I negotiated a bit off that price and feel I received a good deal. Hopefully as I ride more I can write more about my experience and list my pros & cons for the bike. I'm just an average guy who rides for fun so perhaps my perspective will strike a chord with folks like myself who aren't professional riders. Thanks for reading my little blurb and if anyone has any questions they'd like to ask me I'll try to answer them as best I can.
 
VeniceGerry said:
Picked up my first e-bike last week and am enjoying the experience. I chose the Specialized because of the local bike shop experience. I've only put on around 20 miles so far, but I'm really happy with my choice. I'll be 70 in August and have degenerative arthritis which is one of the reasons I chose to purchase an e-bike. One of the things I've tried so far is to ride as much as possible without the pedal assist. I've used the motor to help going up hills and overpasses, but as long as I'm on flat terrain with a strong headwind I've tried to build up my endurance so that I can eventually take longer rides. The temperature in Venice, FL is already in the 90's so I ride early in the day or in the evening. I'd like to ride an hour each day once I get my strength built up and hopefully shed a few pounds in the process. The 3.0 comes with a nice set of options; headlight, taillight, fenders, computer, disk brakes, etc., & lists for $2700.00. I negotiated a bit off that price and feel I received a good deal. Hopefully as I ride more I can write more about my experience and list my pros & cons for the bike. I'm just an average guy who rides for fun so perhaps my perspective will strike a chord with folks like myself who aren't professional riders. Thanks for reading my little blurb and if anyone has any questions they'd like to ask me I'll try to answer them as best I can.
Click to expand...
Welcome to the forum Gerry,
There are quite a few Vado owners here
We all look forward to hearing more of your adventures and how the Vado performs
Happy and safe riding
 
Hello again, everyone! I'm still getting used to navigating the forum so if I don't post a reply quickly or post something in the wrong area please be patient.

Here in Venice, FL the temps have averaged in the low to mid 90's with a lot of humidity so I've been riding in the early morning or evening. Tonight I went for a 6 mile ride around my neighborhood and averaged between 10-12 mph without any turbo assist. I've been trying to ride as much as possible without the assist to get my body back into shape after not exercising for many years. I used assist on my initial ride home from the bike shop, but rarely since then and used the light for about 30 minutes. I've ridden a total of about 38 total miles and the battery is still 80% charged. The battery can be a bit awkward to get back onto the bike, but hopefully it'll become easier with practice. Despite its weight, the Vado, is easy to ride and up to speed. If I'd thought of it I would have gotten the step-thru version to make getting on it easier because I'm not as limber or worried of what others might think as I used to be. The bike ride is very comfortable and soaks up bumps. All in all I'm very happy so and hope to take much longer rides. There are some very nice places to ride here with one being the Legacy Trail that goes from Venice to Sarasota. There are additional trails that connect or are in the process of being built. I've noticed that riding my bike has made me happier and I've learned it's okay to ride at a pace that's comfortable for me.
 
It's another hot & humid day and I had't gone on a ride for a few days so decided to get off my duff and go for a spin. I'm still amazed at how agile, fast, & comfortable the bike is (wish I could say the same thing about myself, lol). As mentioned in a previous post, I like to ride without the turbo assist if at all possible and today was no exception. The total distance I rode was 6 miles @ between 10-11 mph with a couple of bursts above that. Luckily, we can ride year round for the most part, but the summer heat can be a limiting factor for some of us older folks.

Prior to purchasing my bike I didn't do a lot of research and would enjoy hearing from Como riders on their likes/dislikes with that model. I'm very happy with my purchase, but wonder if the Como's more upright riding position would have been a better fit? It hasn't been a problem so far and I'm sure that once my body is toned from regular riding I'll be fine with the slightly forward riding position of the Vado. I haven't experienced any aches/pains and don't expect that'll happen in the future unless I push myself too far.

As always, thanks for reading and happy biking to everyone!
 
VeniceGerry said:
It's another hot & humid day and I had't gone on a ride for a few days so decided to get off my duff and go for a spin. I'm still amazed at how agile, fast, & comfortable the bike is (wish I could say the same thing about myself, lol). As mentioned in a previous post, I like to ride without the turbo assist if at all possible and today was no exception. The total distance I rode was 6 miles @ between 10-11 mph with a couple of bursts above that. Luckily, we can ride year round for the most part, but the summer heat can be a limiting factor for some of us older folks.

Prior to purchasing my bike I didn't do a lot of research and would enjoy hearing from Como riders on their likes/dislikes with that model. I'm very happy with my purchase, but wonder if the Como's more upright riding position would have been a better fit? It hasn't been a problem so far and I'm sure that once my body is toned from regular riding I'll be fine with the slightly forward riding position of the Vado. I haven't experienced any aches/pains and don't expect that'll happen in the future unless I push myself too far.

As always, thanks for reading and happy biking to everyone!
Click to expand...

Stop second guessing yourself! You have an incredible bike. Specialized put a lot of effort into making a comfortable and efficient machine.
I tried a Como and the frame geometry didn’t quite work for me. I’m a road rider and prefer the crank and pedals in a more vertical alignment with my back and hips.
However, I have a permanent wrist problem so need more upright position to take weight off my hands. On my Vado 6.0 I chose to switch the bike stem for a shorter and higher one. Love it!
And I NEVER ride with the motor off. It’s so much fun to ride even on eco and it makes me want to ride for longer miles and more hours.
Take pride that you are cycling again!
 
You're right, Marci jo, I should stop second guessing myself. I'm still trying to get over the fact that I'm not a young kid anymore and need to just take it one day at a time. Back around 12 years ago I was riding quite regularly and used to ride around 25-30 miles almost daily. It's just going to take a little longer to get to where I can do that a few times a week, but it'll eventually happen. For the moment I'm going to take your advice and just enjoy myself and be proud of getting back on a bike. Thanks for your kind words.
 
E-Wheels said:
Welcome to the forum Gerry,
There are quite a few Vado owners here
We all look forward to hearing more of your adventures and how the Vado performs
Happy and safe riding
Click to expand...
Thanks, E-Wheels! Where in Australia do you hail from? I visited there many years ago when I was in my early 30's and working in the airline industry. Had a ball drinking beer and eating at the Working Men's Clubs. Guess that's why I now need to ride a bike more than ever. lol Cheers!
 
Marci jo said:
Stop second guessing yourself! You have an incredible bike. Specialized put a lot of effort into making a comfortable and efficient machine.
I tried a Como and the frame geometry didn’t quite work for me. I’m a road rider and prefer the crank and pedals in a more vertical alignment with my back and hips.
However, I have a permanent wrist problem so need more upright position to take weight off my hands. On my Vado 6.0 I chose to switch the bike stem for a shorter and higher one. Love it!
And I NEVER ride with the motor off. It’s so much fun to ride even on eco and it makes me want to ride for longer miles and more hours.
Take pride that you are cycling again!
Click to expand...

You're right, Marci jo, I should stop second guessing myself. I'm still trying to get over the fact that I'm not a young kid anymore and need to just take it one day at a time. Back around 12 years ago I was riding quite regularly and used to ride around 25-30 miles almost daily. It's just going to take a little longer to get to where I can do that a few times a week, but it'll eventually happen. For the moment I'm going to take your advice and just enjoy myself and be proud of getting back on a bike. Thanks for your kind words.
 
VeniceGerry said:
Thanks, E-Wheels! Where in Australia do you hail from? I visited there many years ago when I was in my early 30's and working in the airline industry. Had a ball drinking beer and eating at the Working Men's Clubs. Guess that's why I now need to ride a bike more than ever. lol Cheers!
Click to expand...
I’m in Perth on the west coast
 
Just test drove one of these, its gets you going quick but not too powerful that you feel out of control. think i'm going to get one.
 
I have a como 5.0 and love it, I sometimes wish I would have gotten the Vado.... but dang is the como ever comfortable to ride. Start using the motor more in your rides, you’ll find you can do more miles and get to enjoy your bike even more. Don’t you feel like a 10 year old again when riding your Vado.... enjoy..
 
I have 2020 Vado 5.0. I am enjoying it so much. If you pass the expensive ticket. So far everything is perfect.
I upgraded from another ebike after owning it for a month. When you ride Vado other bikes really don’t compete.
Enjoy your rides.
 
I've started using my battery more as I've been working up to longer rides. At first I was worried that I should have considered the Como because of arthritis all over my body and a lower back that has a mind of its own, but after getting used to riding a bike again I'm happy with my choice of the Vado.

Last week I encountered a problem with my battery not accepting a charge and it's in the shop. The bike & battery needed a software update, but after that happened the battery still wouldn't accept a charge so now its a warranty issue with Specialized. Hopefully the problem will be resolved quickly so I can get back into my riding routine. I like to do a 30 minute ride in the morning and then again in the early evening. I've occasionally done some 60 & 90 minute rides, but here in Florida the temps have been in the mid to upper 90's and I'm not quite as young and vibrant as I used to be. lol

Glad both of you (TurboComo5.0 & Nxkharra) are enjoying your bikes. Thanks for responding.
 
I also have arthritis and knee injury with a torn meniscus. I am 66 and this helped me to be out there and also bike with my son who is an avid biker.
Happy riding.
 
Bike shop called today to say that Specialized says they're out of stock of the battery that came with my bike and wanted to know if they could send a lower WH (watt hour) battery. I told them that would be okay with the caveat that when the higher WH battery is available that they would exchange it at no cost to me. Kind of frustrating that I'm pretty sure they are still producing bikes with the battery I need, but will give them the benefit of the doubt for the time being. I'm very satisfied with my bike shop and hope they'll keep fighting for me.

In the meantime I hate not riding every day and getting out of my routine.
 
Hey Gerry, what Class is your 2020 Vado 3.0? I just got mine and its a class 3. Great bike by the way, extra buttery smooth.
 
Just got back from a 35 minute leisurely ride around my neighborhood, but this past Monday did an extended ride of around 35 miles averaging about 14.4 mph. At the moment I've got a temporary battery from Specialized while I wait for them to replace the higher rated one that came with the bike. After only one charge it wouldn't recharge and I was occasionally getting a motor warning on my display. Bike shop couldn't duplicate the malfunction and had the bike for two weeks running diagnostics and talking with Specialized. After riding it a few times I got the error message again, but once I turned the battery off & restarted it didn't show the error message. Has been fine ever since. I have noticed this battery discharges a lot quicker than the original one and am hoping its because of its lower power rating. Still enjoying the bike and keeping my fingers crossed that nothing else comes up.
 
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