2022 Turbo Creo SL Expert EVO

[kahn]

Good call on the dual charging cable, will add that to my list.

Be aware that if you use the Dual Charging Cable, you HAVE to charge both at the same time. It will not work if you only plug it into one battery. Use the regular charger with no splitter to charge only one at a time.

 

[covert]

Be aware that if you use the Dual Charging Cable, you HAVE to charge both at the same time. It will not work if you only plug it into one battery. Use the regular charger with no splitter to charge only one at a time.

I read about this in another post on this forum.
Thanks for the tip

 

[covert]

I picked up a pair of range extenders. Too bad I won't get to use them until December.

They have some scuff marks, I'm assuming from the cage they're in.
@Rincon I bought from the same place you did, they arrived packaged as you described, did yours look like mine?

Range Extender Cable (220mm) and SL-Y cable are on their way.

P.S. The color of the bike has grown on me.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I picked up a pair of range extenders.

As many as two Range Extenders! Man, you're going to use a lot of assistance!

We're all waiting for your Creo to arrive!

 

[covert]

As many as two Range Extenders! Man, you're going to use a lot of assistance!

We're all waiting for your Creo to arrive!

Yeah, I’ve lost some weight but still heavier than most riders. I figured I could use the extra range to help with hills and overall endurance until I build up more strength.

i can’t wait for it to arrive! I’ve gone through 3-month waits for my last car and motorcycle, you’d think I’d be use to this by now.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Yeah, I’ve lost some weight but still heavier than most riders. I figured I could use the extra range to help with hills and overall endurance until I build up more strength.

You live in a hilly area, so I understand your needs well. Here, I ride mostly in the flatland and work on the assistance levels to get possibly far with a single RE. Yet sometimes I dream to have a lot of energy at my disposal so I could increase the assistance and ride my SL really fast!

 

[covert]

You live in a hilly area, so I understand your needs well. Here, I ride mostly in the flatland and work on the assistance levels to get possibly far with a single RE. Yet sometimes I dream to have a lot of energy at my disposal so I could increase the assistance and ride my SL really fast!

I plan to use the power strategically, I'm hoping to be able to ride with it off most of the time. That might change as I start increasing my distance.

I believe this bike is about 3 pounds heavier than my current aluminum bike. I will see how I'll do riding up and down my street and the next street over (~250 ft steep). It took me several months to be able to climb the next street on my current bike.

Outside of riding it on inside of my neighborhood, my first planned ride will be about 13 miles round trip with 720 ft of elevation.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

You would be positively surprised how little of energy your Creo would take from the battery. Only the climbs really eat the battery. Or, riding fast.

 

[Rincon]

@Rincon I bought from the same place you did, they arrived packaged as you described, did yours look like mine?

I didn't buy from that website. I bought one from the Specialized dealer, and the S-Works Creo came with a RE battery. No scuffs, brand new. Came with the rubber band and the holder. You'll like them, they really give you peace of mind. I've never out-ridden the combo of bike + RE, but I've come close climbing hills.

 

[covert]

I didn't buy from that website. I bought one from the Specialized dealer, and the S-Works Creo came with a RE battery. No scuffs, brand new. Came with the rubber band and the holder. You'll like them, they really give you peace of mind. I've never out ridden the combo of bike + RE.

Ahh my mistake, I assumed you did because of your response in the other thread.
Looking forward to putting these to use.

 

[RGL]

TLDR at the bottom.

I'm new here. I live in a hilly area which has always limited the distance I rode my current road bike. I've always wanted to ride to the beach but was concerned that I wouldn't be able to make it back . I started researching electric road bikes about a week ago. I looked into the Trek Domane+ LT, Scott Addict eRide, and Orbea. Through this site, I discovered the Specialized Creo and the more I read about it, the more I felt it was a better fit for me.

I visited several bike shops across town and was able to find a few Creos in my size range of XL to XXL. I test rode a few and ultimately choose to go with XXL because it felt more comfortable and according to Specialized's website it is the size that is recommended for my height and other measurements. Some dealers tried to push the XL on me, but I'm assuming it was because it was what they had in stock.

I was initially going for the SL Comp Carbon EVO, but somehow I fell down the rabbit hole of looking into electronic shifting. I consulted with a friend who is more experienced than me and he indicated that he regretted not having electronics and is currently trying to upgrade his bike now. In reality, he is way more series than I am and does rides that I can't even imagine doing. However, since I consider this a long-term investment (I say this now) and I like gadgets, I figured this would be an upgrade that I would enjoy.

I almost bought the yellow 2021 version from a store that had it in stock, but one of the shops I visited called me and indicated their supplier could have a 2022 version in late December. I went down to their shop to look at the specs on their computer and was pleasantly surprised to see that it came with SRAM eTAP AXS. I only learned about eTAP and Di2 a few days ago, and my reasoning may be naive, but I preferred this over Di2 because it's wireless. The bike is not the color I want, but overall I'm happy with the purchase. I'm looking forward to taking on new challenges and improving my overall health.

TLDR; Ordered my first e-bike, a 2022 Turbo Creo SL Expert EVO XXL. So far it only comes in "Satin Gun White Mountain", now has SRAM eTAP AXS and 12 speed.

View attachment 101283

View attachment 101406

SKU: 98122-3206
Specs:

Frame	FACT 11r carbon, Open Road Geometry, front/rear thru-axles, fully integrated down tube battery, internal cable routing, fender/rack mounts, Boost™ 12x148mm
Fork	Future Shock 2.0 w/ Smooth Boot, Boost™ 12x110mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc
Handlebars	Specialized Adventure Gear Hover, 103mm drop x 70mm reach x 12° flare
Stem	Future Stem, Pro
Tape	Supacaz Super Sticky Kush
Front Brake	SRAM RED eTAP AXS, hydraulic disc
Rear Brake	SRAM RED eTAP AXS, hydraulic disc
Rear Derailleur	SRAM GX1 Eagle
Shift Levers	SRAM Rival eTAP AXS
Cassette	SRAM NX Eagle PG-1230, 12-speed, 11-50t
Chain	SRAM NX Eagle, 12-speed
Crankset	Praxis Carbon Crank Arms
Chainrings	SRAM X-SYNC, 44T
Front Wheel	Roval C 38 Disc, carbon, tubeless-ready, 38mm depth, 24h
Rear Wheel	Roval C 38 Disc, carbon, tubeless-ready, 38mm depth, 24h
Front Tire	Pathfinder Pro 2Bliss Ready, Transparent Sidewall, 700x38c
Rear Tire	Pathfinder Pro 2Bliss Ready, Transparent Sidewall, 700x38c
Inner Tubes	Presta, 48mm valve
Saddle	Body geometry Power Expert titanium rails
SeatPost	X-Fusion Manic Dropper, 50mm travel
Seat Binder	Specialized Allow, 30.8mm
Motor	Specialized SL 1.1 custom lightweight motor
UI/Remote	Specialized MasterMind TCU, percentage of remaining charge, 120 possible display configurations, MicroTune assist adjustment, over-the-air updates, ANT+/Bluetooth®, w/Handlebar remote
Battery	Specialized SL1-320, fully integrated, 320Wh
Charger	Custom charger, 48V System w/ SL system charger plug
Wiring Harness	Custom Specialized wiring harness w/ chargeport

Your

TLDR at the bottom.

I'm new here. I live in a hilly area which has always limited the distance I rode my current road bike. I've always wanted to ride to the beach but was concerned that I wouldn't be able to make it back . I started researching electric road bikes about a week ago. I looked into the Trek Domane+ LT, Scott Addict eRide, and Orbea. Through this site, I discovered the Specialized Creo and the more I read about it, the more I felt it was a better fit for me.

I visited several bike shops across town and was able to find a few Creos in my size range of XL to XXL. I test rode a few and ultimately choose to go with XXL because it felt more comfortable and according to Specialized's website it is the size that is recommended for my height and other measurements. Some dealers tried to push the XL on me, but I'm assuming it was because it was what they had in stock.

I was initially going for the SL Comp Carbon EVO, but somehow I fell down the rabbit hole of looking into electronic shifting. I consulted with a friend who is more experienced than me and he indicated that he regretted not having electronics and is currently trying to upgrade his bike now. In reality, he is way more series than I am and does rides that I can't even imagine doing. However, since I consider this a long-term investment (I say this now) and I like gadgets, I figured this would be an upgrade that I would enjoy.

I almost bought the yellow 2021 version from a store that had it in stock, but one of the shops I visited called me and indicated their supplier could have a 2022 version in late December. I went down to their shop to look at the specs on their computer and was pleasantly surprised to see that it came with SRAM eTAP AXS. I only learned about eTAP and Di2 a few days ago, and my reasoning may be naive, but I preferred this over Di2 because it's wireless. The bike is not the color I want, but overall I'm happy with the purchase. I'm looking forward to taking on new challenges and improving my overall health.

TLDR; Ordered my first e-bike, a 2022 Turbo Creo SL Expert EVO XXL. So far it only comes in "Satin Gun White Mountain", now has SRAM eTAP AXS and 12 speed.

View attachment 101283

View attachment 101406

SKU: 98122-3206
Specs:

Frame	FACT 11r carbon, Open Road Geometry, front/rear thru-axles, fully integrated down tube battery, internal cable routing, fender/rack mounts, Boost™ 12x148mm
Fork	Future Shock 2.0 w/ Smooth Boot, Boost™ 12x110mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc
Handlebars	Specialized Adventure Gear Hover, 103mm drop x 70mm reach x 12° flare
Stem	Future Stem, Pro
Tape	Supacaz Super Sticky Kush
Front Brake	SRAM RED eTAP AXS, hydraulic disc
Rear Brake	SRAM RED eTAP AXS, hydraulic disc
Rear Derailleur	SRAM GX1 Eagle
Shift Levers	SRAM Rival eTAP AXS
Cassette	SRAM NX Eagle PG-1230, 12-speed, 11-50t
Chain	SRAM NX Eagle, 12-speed
Crankset	Praxis Carbon Crank Arms
Chainrings	SRAM X-SYNC, 44T
Front Wheel	Roval C 38 Disc, carbon, tubeless-ready, 38mm depth, 24h
Rear Wheel	Roval C 38 Disc, carbon, tubeless-ready, 38mm depth, 24h
Front Tire	Pathfinder Pro 2Bliss Ready, Transparent Sidewall, 700x38c
Rear Tire	Pathfinder Pro 2Bliss Ready, Transparent Sidewall, 700x38c
Inner Tubes	Presta, 48mm valve
Saddle	Body geometry Power Expert titanium rails
SeatPost	X-Fusion Manic Dropper, 50mm travel
Seat Binder	Specialized Allow, 30.8mm
Motor	Specialized SL 1.1 custom lightweight motor
UI/Remote	Specialized MasterMind TCU, percentage of remaining charge, 120 possible display configurations, MicroTune assist adjustment, over-the-air updates, ANT+/Bluetooth®, w/Handlebar remote
Battery	Specialized SL1-320, fully integrated, 320Wh
Charger	Custom charger, 48V System w/ SL system charger plug
Wiring Harness	Custom Specialized wiring harness w/ chargeport

Your situation is almost identical to my own. Was looking at the 2021 but the local shop here just received their list of 2022 bikes and this was on it so I bought it. Thank you for the picture, all I had access to was the specs and "gunmetal" so much appreciated. Really looking forward to the bike. Shop said it is "scheduled to ship" in December, but that shipping times could be lengthy so I'm not expecting it until early 2022.

 

[covert]

Have the SL Y-Charger Cable and Range Extender Cable in hand.

To keep myself occupied in the meantime, I'm discovering/researching accessories such as handlebar bags, saddlebags that will work with a dropper post, considering a bike computer, and radar.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Meanwhile, @covert, charging my Vado SL sans the Range Extender The beauty of the system is sometimes you don't need the RE, making the e-bike more lightweight....

I'm happy with your happiness! Get your Creo soon!

Regarding the bike computer, I'm all for Wahoo. I can read the ELEMNT Bolt v2 is even newer than the Roam, a sharper screen, a no sacrifices except a smaller size and lack of vertical LEDs (which are not necessary, after all). Note: All Garmin Edge and Wahoo ELEMNT will connect to your Creo. Both systems work with Garmin Varia (you'll want the ELEMNT Roam to use the radar).

 

[covert]

Meanwhile, @covert, charging my Vado SL sans the Range Extender The beauty of the system is sometimes you don't need the RE, making the e-bike more lightweight....

I'm happy with your happiness! Get your Creo soon!

Regarding the bike computer, I'm all for Wahoo. I can read the ELEMNT Bolt v2 is even newer than the Roam, a sharper screen, a no sacrifices except a smaller size and lack of vertical LEDs (which are not necessary, after all). Note: All Garmin Edge and Wahoo ELEMNT will connect to your Creo. Both systems work with Garmin Varia (you'll want the ELEMNT Roam to use the radar).

I've been looking at that and the Karoo 2 which I hear also works with the Varia.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

the Karoo 2

Is Karoo 2 e-bike compatible? That is, does it connect the e-bike as a sensor?

Bei einem Specialized E-Bike erkennt das Karoo 2 einen Geschwindigkeits- bzw. einen Leistungsmesser (eine Anzeige von Akku und Unterstützungsmodus ist nicht möglich).

On a Specialized E-Bike, the Karoo 2 recognizes a speed or power meter (the battery and assistance mode cannot be displayed). It means Karoo 2 does not support so called LEV (Light Electric Vehicle) fields. You would rather want to know what your batteries' level was in %, wouldn't you covert? Cannot say for Garmin but Wahoo displays the e-bike battery level as, e.g. 100/100% with Range Extender.

In Wahoo ELMNT Roam, you can have up to 11 data field on the Workout Page. Here: Blue fields are based on the information extracted from the e-bike, the green is a LEV data field, and the red data is from a HR monitor. (I decided I needed no ECO/SPORT/TURBO information as I can see it on the TCU).

 

[covert]

Is Karoo 2 e-bike compatible? That is, does it connect the e-bike as a sensor?


On a Specialized E-Bike, the Karoo 2 recognizes a speed or power meter (the battery and assistance mode cannot be displayed). It means Karoo 2 does not support so called LEV (Light Electric Vehicle) fields. You would rather want to know what your batteries' level was in %, wouldn't you covert? Cannot say for Garmin but Wahoo displays the e-bike battery level as, e.g. 100/100% with Range Extender.

View attachment 103200
In Wahoo ELMNT Roam, you can have up to 11 data field on the Workout Page. Here: Blue fields are based on the information extracted from the e-bike, the green is a LEV data field, and the red data is from a HR monitor. (I decided I needed no ECO/SPORT/TURBO information as I can see it on the TCU).

I'm glad you pointed that out because that wasn't even on my radar (pun intended).
Since my bike will come with the Mastermind TCU, I wonder how much of this information will be available there. I also wonder if Hammerhead will catch up and add support for ebikes. I suppose I'll reach out to them and inquire on where it is on their roadmap.

I saw you had some issues with the Wahoo device dropping its connection from your bike and losing out on some data. Has that been resolved?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I'm glad you pointed that out because that wasn't even on my radar (pun intended).
Since my bike will come with the Mastermind TCU, I wonder how much of this information will be available there. I also wonder if Hammerhead will catch up and add support for ebikes. I suppose I'll reach out to them and inquire on where it is on their roadmap.

I saw you had some issues with the Wahoo device dropping its connection from your bike and losing out on some data. Has that been resolved?

I guess the MasterMind TCU would only encrypt the input data to prevent tampering with the motor by speed derestrictor chips. If Specialized are sane (I think they are), they would not deprive users of the great ANT+ capability. Especially as the remote TCD display used for several Specialized e-bikes relies on ANT+.

The Wahoo dropping its connection with my Vado was a one-time occurrence. To prevent it for good, I switched the Auto-Pause feature off. Now, on any longer stop, I just push the Pause button to Resume the ride before I start pedalling again. It works perfectly, and the minor inaccuracy with the time recorded is nothing compared to the ride track and distance recorded properly. I might experiment with Auto-Pause more. User @Vamos has suggested briefly pressing the On/Off button to refresh the connection but I found it unnecessary on several long rides I have had since.

I also managed to calibrate the WhC perfectly for my both Specialized e-bikes.

 

[covert]

I guess the MasterMind TCU would only encrypt the input data to prevent tampering with the motor by speed derestrictor chips. If Specialized are sane (I think they are), they would not deprive users of the great ANT+ capability. Especially as the remote TCD display used for several Specialized e-bikes relies on ANT+.

The Wahoo dropping its connection with my Vado was a one-time occurrence. To prevent it for good, I switched the Auto-Pause feature off. Now, on any longer stop, I just push the Pause button to Resume the ride before I start pedalling again. It works perfectly, and the minor inaccuracy with the time recorded is nothing compared to the ride track and distance recorded properly. I might experiment with Auto-Pause more. User @Vamos has suggested briefly pressing the On/Off button to refresh the connection but I found it unnecessary on several long rides I have had since.

I also managed to calibrate the WhC perfectly for my both Specialized e-bikes.

I was referring to how much of the information would be available on the Mastermind TCU screen itself. If that data is available there, I might not care as much about it being available on the bike computer. I'll need to do some research around the advantages of having the data on the bike computer itself.

Good to hear that you only experienced the issue once. I might end up buying the Garmin Edge, Wahoo, and Karoo to evaluate them side by side and then sell the two I don't use at a discount.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I was referring to how much of the information would be available on the Mastermind TCU screen itself. If that data is available there, I might not care as much about it being available on the bike computer.

I expect a lot of data there. As long as you are ready to look between your legs while riding In such a situation, the bike computer would only serve you for GPS navigation and ride recording.

 

[Scott Eakin]

I expect a lot of data there. As long as you are ready to look between your legs while riding In such a situation, the bike computer would only serve you for GPS navigation and ride recording.

I had been thinking about buying one of the Wahoo products but decided not to due to the steep learning curve, now however, thanks to Stefan, all that has been done for me. Time to go shopping!! Thank you Stefan!