2020 Turbo Vado - Early Impressions!

Eheller

Eheller

Member
Well, after months of research, much of it at this awesome site, I took the plunge and bought a 2020 Specialized Turbo Vado 3.0. Picked it up over the weekend. And wow - I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

All I want to do is ride this bike. Two rides this weekend, 17 miles , and it was COLD in New Jersey, and it's the most exercise I've had in an embarrassingly long time. But I felt great afterwards, a serious energy boost, and it was so much fun, I could live on the thing.

A few early observations, which may be helpful to others:

First off, this is probably the most comfortable BICYCLE I’ve ever ridden. Ok, I’ve been puttering around on an old Walmart Special for ten years. But this bike is smooth and comfortable, shifts great, very solid and I feel totally in command, and most surprisingly - I can hardly hear the motor. I went through the park, past lots of people, needed to use the bell as I approached, nobody looked up or even noticed. All I heard was the regular sound of a bicycle. At least as far as I could tell.Even turned off the support at one point on a flat surface, doing about 15 MPH - no difference in sound. I'd read about this from others, and it's totally true in my experience.

It does not feel heavy at all. It FEELS like you're on a lightweight bike. But this is deceptive - heavy is heavy. I came to a rolling stop once and turned onto a sidewalk, and being unused to hydraulic brakes, I hit them hard and I almost went down. So it takes a little while to get the feel of things, especially if you're an amateur like me.

I also did the brake "bed in" process, which basically means you slow the bike down from higher speed down to walking speed about 10 or 20 times until they break in. It's all over YouTube, here's one:


I pretty much stayed in Eco, which was plenty of support for flat and slight inclines - most of the ride in my neighborhood. Just enough to take the "edge" off. Which bodes well in terms of mileage.

Then I hit the hill that always makes me regret going for a bike ride. I popped it into Level 3 - and I was the bionic man. I mean I just spun right up the thing. So I went out to the other hill-of-misery in my neighborhood, which I used to avoid if I could but that really limits the ride - same thing. Just an absolute and complete blast. So I went out LOOKING for hills. I hit the biggest rise in the park, which forces most people off their bikes - I spun up that thing like it was flat ground.

But let me add this - to anyone who thinks ebikes are "cheating" or just a walk in the park, let me tell you, I was TIRED when I got home. Breathing hard. This was a work out. Now, I'm in lousy shape, I admit it. I'm 53, and do very little in terms of exercise - mostly I walk around my building at work, and I play the drums. Otherwise, couch potato and it's been bugging me. And I'm tired a lot and clearly need some exercise. So the reason I bought this bike was to get into aerobic shape. I’ve never found an exercise that I look forward to. Every time I join a gym, I go for a few weeks, and then I just don't.

But I think I’m going to love riding this bike. Like I say, it's a workout. But it is an absolute friggin' joy to ride. I've been trying to find the words to explain what's so compelling. I will say that every time I get on a bicycle, those first few spins have always been spectacular. Then I hit the first hill and I regret it. But riding this bike feels almost like...flying. That's as close to the description I can come up with. When you feel that motor gently support you, it feels like taking off in the air. I think this is why people get hooked so quickly on ebikes.

As for accessories, at the moment I've done the following:
That Mirrcycle took some effort to install on the Vado handlebar, but it works. I can share the process if anyone's interested.

A few additional surprises:
  • The Vado 3.0 has a Quick Release front wheel. All the pics I've seen show a Thru-Axle. Apparently only the 3.0 has QR. Not an issue, just pointing this out
  • I was able to get the bike into my Mazda 3 hatchback - but this is not sustainable. It just barely fits if you push the passenger seat all the way forward, but it messes up the fenders and it's really too heavy and awkward to do this regularly. It's fine to the LBS, I guess. Ultimately, I'm going to have U-Haul install a Class 1 hitch and pick up a Saris Freedom 2 bike rack. More cash. Needs to be done. I'm going to run out of roads in the neighborhood very quickly!
  • I was able to connect it the Mission Control app with a breeze. But the app's a little buggy. For instance, I was not able to change from metric to imperial.There’s an option for it, but it doesn’t seem to take. Instead there’s a manual process which you have to do and it took some digging around Google to figure it out. Basically, you hold the left button on the display for five seconds until it enters a kind of edit mode. Then you click them both at the same time to cycle through the different options until you get to the metric or imperial section. Then you use the right button to choose between the two. This works.
  • I've not been able to hit 28 MPH, or even close. Maybe 23 or so. Not a big deal - the important part for me is that there's no cuttoff at 20, which I found annoying on my test ride of the Como 3.0 (seems the Como 4.0 is a Class 3, but more $$). Need to figure this out a bit.
  • I used about 40% of the battery on my two rides, not bad. I will say the 2 Amp charger is slow - took about two and half hours to get it back to 100% (actually did not time that, so I could be wrong, though the point is that it was not quick)
Well, these are my first impressions. This site has been so helpful with information, it's nice to finally have something of my own to share back. Any questions, just ask. And I'll share some more info as I get moving.
 
Last edited:
I had the same experience when I got mine after five or six years off the bike. Head for the hills and enjoy climbing them again. I still go out of my way to find challenging hills when I’m someplace new.

In the old days I loved climbing big hills, so it’s a gas to have that option back again.
 
Eheller said:
Well, after months of research, much of it at this awesome site, I took the plunge and bought a 2020 Specialized Turbo Vado 3.0. Picked it up over the weekend. And wow - this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

All I want to do is ride this bike. Two rides this weekend, 17 miles , and it was COLD in New Jersey, and it's the most exercise I've had in an embarrassingly long time. But I felt great afterwards, a serious energy boost, and it was so much fun, I could live on the thing.

A few early observations, which may be helpful to others:

First off, this is probably the most comfortable BICYCLE I’ve ever ridden. Granted, I’ve been puttering around my neighborhood on an old Schwinn Walmart Special for ten years. But this bike is smooth and comfortable, shifts great, very solid and I feel totally in command, and most surprisingly - I can hardly hear the motor. I went through the park, past lots of people, needed to use the bell as I approached, nobody looked up or even noticed. All I heard was the regular sound of a bicycle. At least as far as I could tell.Even turned off the support at one point on a flat surface, doing about 15 MPH - no difference in sound. I'd read about this from others, and it's totally true in my experience.

It does not feel heavy at all. It FEELS like you're on a lightweight bike. But this is deceptive - heavy is heavy. I came to a rolling stop once and turned onto a sidewalk, and being unused to hydraulic brakes, I hit them hard and I almost went down. So it takes a little while to get the feel of things, especially if you're an amateur like me.

I also did the brake "bed in" process, which basically means you slow the bike down from higher speed down to walking speed about 10 or 20 times until they break in. It's all over YouTube, here's one:


I pretty much stayed in Eco, which was plenty of support for flat and slight inclines - most of the ride in my neighborhood. Just enough to take the "edge" off. Which bodes well in terms of mileage.

Then I hit the hill that always makes me regret going for a bike ride. I popped it into Level 3 - and I was the bionic man. I mean I just spun right up the thing. So I went out to the other hill-of-misery in my neighborhood, which I used to avoid if I could but that really limits the ride - same thing. Just an absolute and complete blast. So I went out LOOKING for hills. I hit the biggest rise in the park, which forces most people off their bikes - I spun up that thing like it was flat ground.

But let me add this - to anyone who thinks ebikes are "cheating" or just a walk in the park, let me tell you, I was TIRED when I got home. Breathing hard. This was a work out. Now, I'm in lousy shape, I admit it. I'm 53, and do very little in terms of exercise - mostly I walk around my building at work, and I play the drums. Otherwise, couch potato and it's been bugging me. And I'm tired a lot and clearly need some exercise. So the reason I bought this bike was to get into aerobic shape. I’ve never found an exercise that I look forward to. Every time I join a gym, I go for a few weeks, and then I just don't.

But I think I’m going to love riding this bike. Like I say, it's a workout. But it is an absolute friggin' joy to ride. I've been trying to find the words to explain what's so compelling. I will say that every time I get on a bicycle, those first few spins have always been spectacular. Then I hit the first hill and I regret it. But riding this bike feels almost like...flying. That's as close to the description I can come up with. When you feel that motor gently support you, it feels like taking off in the air. I think this is why people get hooked so quickly on ebikes.

As for accessories, at the moment I've done the following:
That Mirrcycle took some effort to install on the Vado handlebar, but it works. I can share the process if anyone's interested.

A few additional surprises:
  • The Vado 3.0 has a Quick Release front wheel. All the pics I've seen show a Thru-Axle. Apparently only the 3.0 has QR. Not an issue, just pointing this out
  • I was able to get the bike into my Mazda 3 hatchback - but this is not sustainable. It just barely fits if you push the passenger seat all the way forward, but it messes up the fenders and it's really too heavy and awkward to do this regularly. It's fine to the LBS, I guess. Ultimately, I'm going to have U-Haul install a Class 1 hitch and pick up a Saris Freedom 2 bike rack. More cash. Needs to be done. I'm going to run out of roads in the neighborhood very quickly!
  • I was able to connect it the Mission Control app with a breeze. But the app's a little buggy. For instance, I was not able to change from metric to imperial.There’s an option for it, but it doesn’t seem to take. Instead there’s a manual process which you have to do and it took some digging around Google to figure it out. Basically, you hold the left button on the display for five seconds until it enters a kind of edit mode. Then you click them both at the same time to cycle through the different options until you get to the metric or imperial section. Then you use the right button to choose between the two. This works.
  • I've not been able to hit 28 MPH, or even close. Maybe 23 or so. Not a big deal - the important part for me is that there's no cuttoff at 20, which I found annoying on my test ride of the Como 3.0 (seems the Como 4.0 is a Class 3, but more $$). Need to figure this out a bit.
  • I used about 40% of the battery on my two rides, not bad. I will say the 2 Amp charger is slow - took about two and half hours to get it back to 100% (actually did not time that, so I could be wrong, though the point is that it was not quick)
Well, these are my first impressions. This site has been so helpful with information, it's nice to finally have something of my own to share back. Any questions, just ask. And I'll share some more info as I get moving.
Click to expand...

Congrats Eheller on your new ebike.
You got it! Now you’re hooked.
Same here, there’s times when I deliberately seek out hills just for fun. My non ebike cycling friends give me strange looks when I say that.
Many great miles to you.
 
Eheller said:
Well, after months of research, much of it at this awesome site, I took the plunge and bought a 2020 Specialized Turbo Vado 3.0. Picked it up over the weekend. And wow - this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

All I want to do is ride this bike. Two rides this weekend, 17 miles , and it was COLD in New Jersey, and it's the most exercise I've had in an embarrassingly long time. But I felt great afterwards, a serious energy boost, and it was so much fun, I could live on the thing.

A few early observations, which may be helpful to others:

First off, this is probably the most comfortable BICYCLE I’ve ever ridden. Granted, I’ve been puttering around my neighborhood on an old Schwinn Walmart Special for ten years. But this bike is smooth and comfortable, shifts great, very solid and I feel totally in command, and most surprisingly - I can hardly hear the motor. I went through the park, past lots of people, needed to use the bell as I approached, nobody looked up or even noticed. All I heard was the regular sound of a bicycle. At least as far as I could tell.Even turned off the support at one point on a flat surface, doing about 15 MPH - no difference in sound. I'd read about this from others, and it's totally true in my experience.

It does not feel heavy at all. It FEELS like you're on a lightweight bike. But this is deceptive - heavy is heavy. I came to a rolling stop once and turned onto a sidewalk, and being unused to hydraulic brakes, I hit them hard and I almost went down. So it takes a little while to get the feel of things, especially if you're an amateur like me.

I also did the brake "bed in" process, which basically means you slow the bike down from higher speed down to walking speed about 10 or 20 times until they break in. It's all over YouTube, here's one:


I pretty much stayed in Eco, which was plenty of support for flat and slight inclines - most of the ride in my neighborhood. Just enough to take the "edge" off. Which bodes well in terms of mileage.

Then I hit the hill that always makes me regret going for a bike ride. I popped it into Level 3 - and I was the bionic man. I mean I just spun right up the thing. So I went out to the other hill-of-misery in my neighborhood, which I used to avoid if I could but that really limits the ride - same thing. Just an absolute and complete blast. So I went out LOOKING for hills. I hit the biggest rise in the park, which forces most people off their bikes - I spun up that thing like it was flat ground.

But let me add this - to anyone who thinks ebikes are "cheating" or just a walk in the park, let me tell you, I was TIRED when I got home. Breathing hard. This was a work out. Now, I'm in lousy shape, I admit it. I'm 53, and do very little in terms of exercise - mostly I walk around my building at work, and I play the drums. Otherwise, couch potato and it's been bugging me. And I'm tired a lot and clearly need some exercise. So the reason I bought this bike was to get into aerobic shape. I’ve never found an exercise that I look forward to. Every time I join a gym, I go for a few weeks, and then I just don't.

But I think I’m going to love riding this bike. Like I say, it's a workout. But it is an absolute friggin' joy to ride. I've been trying to find the words to explain what's so compelling. I will say that every time I get on a bicycle, those first few spins have always been spectacular. Then I hit the first hill and I regret it. But riding this bike feels almost like...flying. That's as close to the description I can come up with. When you feel that motor gently support you, it feels like taking off in the air. I think this is why people get hooked so quickly on ebikes.

As for accessories, at the moment I've done the following:
That Mirrcycle took some effort to install on the Vado handlebar, but it works. I can share the
process if anyone's interested.

A few additional surprises:
  • The Vado 3.0 has a Quick Release front wheel. All the pics I've seen show a Thru-Axle. Apparently only the 3.0 has QR. Not an issue, just pointing this out
  • I was able to get the bike into my Mazda 3 hatchback - but this is not sustainable. It just barely fits if you push the passenger seat all the way forward, but it messes up the fenders and it's really too heavy and awkward to do this regularly. It's fine to the LBS, I guess. Ultimately, I'm going to have U-Haul install a Class 1 hitch and pick up a Saris Freedom 2 bike rack. More cash. Needs to be done. I'm going to run out of roads in the neighborhood very quickly!
  • I was able to connect it the Mission Control app with a breeze. But the app's a little buggy. For instance, I was not able to change from metric to imperial.There’s an option for it, but it doesn’t seem to take. Instead there’s a manual process which you have to do and it took some digging around Google to figure it out. Basically, you hold the left button on the display for five seconds until it enters a kind of edit mode. Then you click them both at the same time to cycle through the different options until you get to the metric or imperial section. Then you use the right button to choose between the two. This works.
  • I've not been able to hit 28 MPH, or even close. Maybe 23 or so. Not a big deal - the important part for me is that there's no cuttoff at 20, which I found annoying on my test ride of the Como 3.0 (seems the Como 4.0 is a Class 3, but more $$). Need to figure this out a bit.
  • I used about 40% of the battery on my two rides, not bad. I will say the 2 Amp charger is slow - took about two and half hours to get it back to 100% (actually did not time that, so I could be wrong, though the point is that it was not quick)
Well, these are my first impressions. This site has been so helpful with information, it's nice to finally have something of my own to share back. Any questions, just ask. And I'll share some more info as I get moving.
Click to expand...
Nice Write up. I am Pretty Sure the Vado 3 for 2020 cuts out assist at 20MPH : So that's good based on that if you are getting to 23: I also seem to remember the Class should be on a sticker somewhere ;

If you are going to be hauling just one Bike : The 1UP USA Bike Racks are Very Well made : And they work with Fenders just fine : Although you do have to buy the add on/ Which is only about $14 I personally wouldn't Trust that Saris Rack if you are hauling 2 heavier E-Bikes : JMO though :
 
I was going to mention the 1Up rack also, but if your bike has fenders it might mean a phone call to them to check. I’ve had a few racks and the 1 Up is by far, way ahead the best. On and off the car in literally 30 seconds without having to crawl around on the ground... and you can get it for one bike if you don’t need two. All aluminum, it really is great.

Also, if you do get one, KEEP THE BOX... the rack folds up in it for winter storage. I cut mine up like an idiot, but it has a shelf space in the garage anyhow.
 
Rick53 said:
Nice Write up. I am Pretty Sure the Vado 3 for 2020 cuts out assist at 20MPH : So that's good based on that if you are getting to 23: I also seem to remember the Class should be on a sticker somewhere ;

If you are going to be hauling just one Bike : The 1UP USA Bike Racks are Very Well made : And they work with Fenders just fine : Although you do have to buy the add on/ Which is only about $14 I personally wouldn't Trust that Saris Rack if you are hauling 2 heavier E-Bikes : JMO though :
Click to expand...

Great info on the bike rack - THANK you. As for MPH - 99% sure it's Class 3, at least on the sticker. Will confirm that tonight...
 
Eheller said:
Also, Rick - what is the add on you mention? Is that for bikes with fenders? Thanks again....
Click to expand...
More expensive then what you mentioned https://www.1up-usa.com/product/quik-rack-single/ YOU CAN EITHER USE THIS https://www.1up-usa.com/product/wheel-saver/ or use this to protect Fender : You only need for the rear https://www.1up-usa.com/product/fender-cushion/ If you don't have Fenders You don't need the other options I listed :

These are very Sturdy racks : Plus they aren't heavy either : Plenty of videos on Youtube to research if you want https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=1up+usa+bike+rack+

I would appreciate knowing for sure if 2020 Vado 3 is class 3 : I've been told by Specialized CS on the phone : It's class 1. The cadence Support is 120 So you wouldn't feel the engine quit at 20 that much. I question because you should be able to reach 25-26 on a class 3 Vado without Much effort n Turbo.

So when you can confirm it make a thread and let is know :

LINKS ALL HOT Just Click on Them
 
depending on how far down the fenders come on the back tire, the 1up can be an issue

I have two 1up racks and recently just bought a Hollywood ebike rack specifically because of the fender issue, it may be slightly more trouble getting the bikes on and off but works much better for one of my bikes, and I was surprised at how stable the bike is on it

for the money I feel it is well made and that I will be able to get parts for it in the future

I have a velcro padded wrap around to use on the top tube for this bike and that should prevent any scratches on it from the arm that holds it
 
Eheller, Jealous, no fair! I'm champing at the bit to get my Vado, but with the winter weather here in Michigan I've decided to wait until about April to make my move. Otherwise, it will just sit unused in the garage or stored in the basement while I get itchy to start riding. A couple of other comments:

We also have a Mazda 3 hatch and I can't believe you got that heavy bike in there with the front wheel on and all. Of course, you're about 20 years younger than I am and 50lbs feels a lot heavier to me than it used to. My vehicle is an Outback and more suited to carrying a bike in the back, but I generally only put my 20-lb carbon road bike in there if I'm going somewhere by myself. Otherwise, we use a hitch-mounted rack for our bikes.

When my wife got her e-bike last year, and anticipating that I'd soon have one, we were faced with some issues with our Saris rack and the fact that my wife's Trek Verve+ has fenders (neither of our older conventional bikes had them). The issues were mainly:
  • It had to carry two 50+ lb bikes with minimal lifting required.
  • It couldn't clamp on the tires due to the fenders.
  • It couldn't clamp on the top tube since my wife's bike is a low-step
  • It had to be easy to handle and store
We did find what has proven to be the perfect solution for us, but probably not for all (especially due to the $$$ price): the Thule EasyFold XT. Take a look at the photos. Some of the features we like:
  • A low lift height to the deck level with nothing you have to lift the bike over.
  • Accommodates multiple tire sizes (works with my skinny-tired road bike)
  • Comes with a small folding ramp so you can just roll the bike onto it (I'm not quite to that point yet).
  • Various clamping options, usually clamps to seat post or downtube.
  • Easily and securely attaches to hitch without using a thru-bolt.
  • Keyed locks for hitch and bike clamps.
  • Folds up compactly for storage.
  • Has wheels on the bottom so you can roll it in and out of the garage(!).
Anyway, there are a bunch of photos on the site above so you can get an idea of how it works. This is our 3rd hitch-mount rack after others from Thule and Saris, but it's really working out well for the e-bike (especially when mine will be added to it).
 
rochrunner said:
This is our 3rd hitch-mount rack after others from Thule and Saris, but it's really working out well for the e-bike (especially when mine will be added to it).
Click to expand...

That's great info, RR - and thanks for it! Hope April comes quickly. BTW, I did in fact remove the front wheel to get it the car....still, it wasn't easy. Will be getting a hitch rack for sure. Enjoy.
 
Rick53 said:
I would appreciate knowing for sure if 2020 Vado 3 is class 3 : I've been told by Specialized CS on the phone : It's class 1.
Click to expand...

Rick53 - can confirm, 2020 Vado 3.0 in the US is Class 3. Picture attached. Went for a ride today, got it up to 26, working hard to do it though, in the next to highest gear - however, in a strong (and cold!) wind. Might need to tweak some settings in the Mission Control app down the road. For now, having too much fun. It feels very fast to me.
 

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Eheller said:
Rick53 - can confirm, 2020 Vado 3.0 in the US is Class 3. Picture attached. Went for a ride today, got it up to 26, working hard to do it though, in the next to highest gear - however, in a strong (and cold!) wind. Might need to tweak some settings in the Mission Control app down the road. For now, having too much fun. It feels very fast to me.
Click to expand...
Weird they told me differently : But great to know Thanks very much. So do you have Fenders ? How much was the Bike?
 
Rick53 said:
Weird they told me differently : But great to know Thanks very much. So do you have Fenders ? How much was the Bike?
Click to expand...
Yes, fenders - photos attached. It's a stock bike, just like the website, $2700, no negotiating :) Here's a few pics from the weekend.
 

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First of all @Eheller I'm so happy you've got that premium e-bike! May it serve you well long years! When I'm riding mine, I feel it like driving a Ferrari; it's a luxurious e-bike indeed. A lot of that comes from perfect geometry.

Eheller said:
Even turned off the support at one point on a flat surface, doing about 15 MPH - no difference in sound. I'd read about this from others, and it's totally true in my experience.
Click to expand...
It is enough to stop pedalling or engage the brakes - I didn't hear any difference in the Vado's sound either.

Eheller said:
It does not feel heavy at all. It FEELS like you're on a lightweight bike. But this is deceptive - heavy is heavy. I came to a rolling stop once and turned onto a sidewalk, and being unused to hydraulic brakes, I hit them hard and I almost went down. So it takes a little while to get the feel of things, especially if you're an amateur like me.
Click to expand...
The hydraulic brakes in Vado act softly when you press the levers softly. In the emergency, the bike stops almost immediately. Now, you'll be prepared.

Eheller said:
I've not been able to hit 28 MPH, or even close. Maybe 23 or so. Not a big deal - the important part for me is that there's no cuttoff at 20, which I found annoying on my test ride of the Como 3.0 (seems the Como 4.0 is a Class 3, but more $$). Need to figure this out a bit.
Click to expand...
The fact your e-bike is Class 3 does not mean reaching and maintaining such speed is easy. The higher the speed, the higher air resistance. The power demand rises in cube power with the speed and the power of Vado is limited. By no means Class 3 quarantees you hit 28 mph -- it only doesn't forbid you doing so. If you want to get nearer to 28 mph, these conditions have to be met:

  • Flat terrain, good road surface; or downhill
  • No wind; or tail-wind present
  • Turbo mode on
  • Take aero position
  • Pedal like a crazy!
It is relatively easy to hit 23 mph on the Vado, even in the Sport mode. Going beyond is hard. I myself reached 29 mph in Sport mode on Vado but it was gentle downhill and no adverse wind. The best intermittent speed I got on the flat at ideal conditions was 26 mph in Turbo mode.

Transporting: Since it is thru-axle in my Vado 5.0, I don't remove the front-wheel for the transportation with the car. However, I own a station-wagon with foldable rear seats. The only trouble for me is the registration plate is made of a thin sheet of metal and it gets bent in the car 🤣

@Eheller I agree with your observations and wish you many happy and safe rides!

P.S. The Dry-Tech fenders are the pride of Specialized. These are of a special design. I had the doubtful pleasure to ride my Vado in liquid mud and deep puddles. The bike was very dirty afterwards. I was clean.

Ah. I'm happy you chose the Mirrycle.
 
Last edited:
Looking at how far back that rack support structure goes, I have to back off the 1 Up. The support arms want to be a little more upright. You certainly don’t want anything happening to that nice bik

1582157563934.jpeg
 
Stefan Mikes said:
The fact your e-bike is Class 3 does not mean reaching and maintaining such speed is easy. The higher the speed, the higher air resistance. The power demand rises in cube power with the speed and the power of Vado is limited. By no means Class 3 quarantees you hit 28 mph -- it only doesn't forbid you doing so. If you want to get nearer to 28 mph, these conditions have to be met:

  • Flat terrain, good road surface; or downhill
  • No wind; or tail-wind present
  • Turbo mode on
  • Take aero position
  • Pedal like a crazy!
It is relatively easy to hit 23 mph on the Vado, even in the Sport mode. Going beyond is hard. I myself reached 29 mph in Sport mode on Vado but it was gentle downhill and no adverse wind. The best intermittent speed I got on the flat at ideal conditions was 26 mph in Turbo mode.
Click to expand...
Good points! And there is also the matter of gearing. The Vado 4.0 has a 40-tooth chainring and 11-tooth sprocket, and I calculated that 28mph is a cadence of 91rpm. I can do that, but not for a sustained time these days. The Vado 5.0 has a 46-tooth ring and 28mph would be about 80rpm, which would make it easier for the average rider to get some force into the pedals.

It would be nice to have double chainrings on these bikes, but we can't have everything I guess.
 
With the 48t chainring it is theoretically easier to get on the 28 mph but it requires terrible effort from legs to get the cadence of 80 rpm under resistances at that speed 😉
 
I just looked at those pics and also would get a different car rack Than a 1up for this bike with the long fenders and rear rack
 
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Douglas Ruby
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mschwett
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hemismith
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