2022 Turbo Vado and Turbo Tero comparison: Same bike?

[Marcela]

On my older Vado the frame meets at the intersection at the top of the seat post, on the newer Vado they do not but it is the same as the Tero. IMO same frame.

There was this nice looking young gal rode by me the other day, all perfect and dressed to the nines with a white shirt. As she passed my gaze followed her and she had the brown rooster tail up her backside. I got a good laugh out of that because as I kid I wore that many times. I really like the fenders on my Vado in the wet.

I think if I was seriously wanting something like the Tero I'd use my Vado and go to a smaller size knobby wheel than the 650b and keep the fenders and have a Class 3, would be one way.

 

[Camasonian]

First of all, there was no Tero before MY 2022. Secondly, I regularly ride my rigid fork 2017 Vado in rough terrain. Adding a decent sus fork, wide tyres, dropper post is all you need to create a Cross Country bike.

Exactly. I live in an area of the Pacific Northwest where there are endless thousands of miles of rough logging roads scattered all over the place. Most of them gravel and not particularly challenging for an actual mountain bike, but more rugged than suburban pavement. The Vado looks like a good bike for this sort of riding. If one doesn’t want to hassle with swapping tires, especially if you are going tubeless, one could buy a second set of wheels and keep one set for highway and the other set for gravel riding. Using smaller 26” wheels with knobby tires as was suggested above would give one both more fender clearance and lower gearing for steep inclines. It would be a LOT cheaper than buying separate and similar ebikes for those two purposes. Most of it looks something like this…

 

[Stefan Mikes]

If one doesn’t want to hassle with swapping tires, especially if you are going tubeless, one could buy a second set of wheels and keep one set for highway and the other set for gravel riding. It would be a LOT cheaper than buying separate and similar ebikes for those two purposes.

Well. I have a set of Schwalbe Smart Sam tyres on my Vado, and they are perfect for mixed terrain (pavement/gravel/dirt). Even cheaper and less messy than a double wheel set.

I think if I was seriously wanting something like the Tero I'd use my Vado and go to a smaller size knobby wheel than the 650b and keep the fenders and have a Class 3, would be one way.

As long as your fork/thru axle is compatible, that's a splendid idea (my fork/thru axle are not compatible with aftermarket wheels: it's Specialized).

 

[mschwett]

Well, take a look at picture made by @mschwett and explain where do you see significant difference between 2 frames there? Most measurement you list are depending on the components installed (like heastube angle) and not really frame specific - they take this measurements after the bike is fully assembled. Take everything off the Tero and put to the Vado frame and you will see most numbers didn't change at all.

the overlay shows that there are slight differences - not how the crank center and rear triangle are fully aligned, but the forward portion of the bike is still slightly "rotated." it's a few degrees of difference, whether it's meaningful or not... probably to more experienced riders. i doubt i'd be able to tell a difference, unless there are other differences in the material composition that can't be seen. given that these are aluminum frames, i doubt it. now, in a carbon frame, two frames with completely identical geometry could behave radically differently by the properties of stiffness or flexibility induced by the precise layup of the carbon sheets.

 

[Camasonian]

Well. I have a set of Schwalbe Smart Sam tyres on my Vado, and they are perfect for mixed terrain (pavement/gravel/dirt). Even cheaper and less messy than a double wheel set.


As long as your fork/thru axle is compatible, that's a splendid idea (my fork/thru axle are not compatible with aftermarket wheels: it's Specialized).

Why are they not compatable? Thru axles have become more or less standard on higher-end mountain bikes these days. As long as you find aftermarket wheels with the same axle dimensions and same disk diameter and same SRAM rear cassette they should fit. Actually I think SRAM and Shimano chains and cassettes and freehubs are interchangeable. Specialized uses 15x110 in front and 12x148 in rear which is pretty standard. For example, here is one shop that will custom build up 26” wheel sets using Shimano XT hubs in the same 110x15 and 12x148 size as the stock Specialized that come on the bike. https://www.coloradocyclist.com/shi...ilt-wheelset-with-spank-spike-race-33-rims-26. You can spec it with the same 180 mm SRAM brake rotors and should be good to go. At worst you may have to re-center your brake calipers which takes all of 10 seconds.

I have two sets of 26” wheels for my analog Canondale mountain bike. One set with lightweight Rene Herse road tires for commuting: https://www.renehersecycles.com/shop/components/tires/26-inch/26x23-rat-trap-pass/ and another wheel set with traditional mountain bike tires for trail riding. If you keep your eyes open you can find inexpensive wheel sets. It is a LOT cheaper than owning 2 or 3 different e-bikes.

 

[mschwett]

Why are they not compatable? Thru axles have become more or less standard on higher-end mountain bikes these days. As long as you find aftermarket wheels with the same axle dimensions and same disk diameter and same SRAM rear cassette they should fit. Actually I think SRAM and Shimano chains and cassettes and freehubs are interchangeable....

that "as long as" can be significant, given that specialized uses a wide range of axle lengths and diameters. nothing completely specialized to specialized (lol) but there are enough variations that you can't just go grab an aftermarket wheelset. 12x100, 12x110, 15x110 are all used by various specialized bikes.

SRAM and shimano cassettes are sometimes interchangeable, often not, particularly in the 11/12 speed range. e.g. SRAM cassettes with a 10t small cog require an XD or XDR driver, which a specialized bike that came with a shimano cassette wouldn't have. it's all "standard" but there are MANY standards!!!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Why are they not compatable? Thru axles have become more or less standard on higher-end mountain bikes these days.

Because, for instance, Specialized has used a 12 x100 mm, M12x1.0 mm thru axle in their 2017 Specialized Turbo Vado, and then stopped making in. The only chance for the replacement was the special axle made by the Robert Axle Project. There are many more specialized parts found on different Specialized bikes/e-bikes not to be found in the aftermarket. I hear it is for example troublesome to find alternative wheels for Creo etc. Therefore I said: "You can do it as long as the parts are compatible".

A very good example of a specialized solution is mounting the tail-light in some Spesh SL e-bikes that makes it troublesome to use an aftermarket suspension seat-post or non-Specialized saddle. Or, removing fenders on other SL e-bikes making you put in an unpleasant situation of being unable to re-use the rack. Or, making you stuck with a specific stem etc etc.

Everything looks easy on paper before you really try to make a mod.

 

[ava1ar]

Everything looks easy on paper before you really try to make a mod.

This is why I personally don't like Specialized - they like an Apple in technology industry, only compatible with itself, ignoring standards. Sometimes this is done for good reason, but usually just because to lock the users to their own brand and parts...

 

[Stefan Mikes]

This is why I personally don't like Specialized - they like an Apple in technology industry, only compatible with itself, ignoring standards. Sometimes this is done for good reason, but usually just because to lock the users to their own brand and parts...

That's true. However, they make beautiful and well designed e-bikes with the best electronics, not being forced to dance to Bosch music
Almost any mod is doable: It is only the matter how much you try. My both Specialized e-bikes are heavily modded, for instance. And I don't need to ask both Bosch and OEM if I can replace the chainring with a different size one I can use a Garmin or Wahoo as a display, not worrying for Purion/Intuvia/Kiox/Smartphone Hub/Nyon/Smart System.

 

[ava1ar]

That's true. However, they make beautiful and well designed e-bikes with the best electronics, not being forced to dance to Bosch music

You are making everything upside down as usual - with Bosch I have plenty of choices: different motors, different bikes brands and styles, huge choice of displays (6 at the moment): so I can choose what I want (and this is exactly what I did with C380+ purchase). And with Specialized you are locked into single brand, single (or very few) motor options, single (or very few) display options, etc. I think it is clear who is the victim of brand limitation here.

I never owned (and will never own) apple hardware for this reason, and Specialized is definitely be in the same list for me.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

You are making everything upside down as usual - with Bosch I have plenty of choices: different motors, different bikes brands and styles, huge choice of displays (6 at the moment): so I can choose what I want (and this is exactly what I did with C380+ purchase). And with Specialized you are locked into single brand, single (or very few) motor options, single (or very few) display options, etc. I think it is clear who is the victim of brand limitation here.

I never owned (and will never own) apple hardware for this reason, and Specialized is definitely be in the same list for me.

Get a Smart System Bosch e-bike now.
Name a single Bosch e-bike system that is ANT+ compatible.
Replace the chainring and hope it won't brick your system.
Bosch E-Bike is Apple squared, as they made all OEMs their slaves.

The beauty of Specialized is the fact it actually owns the Brose and Mahle motors they use, and its e-bike infrastructure was developed by them. While Bosch comes now with the Smart System leaving the market in utter confusion. No Trek or Gazelle e-bike is ready for the Smart System. While Specialized comes with new e-bikes based on new motors and Mastermind TCU/TCD and no existing user feels left alone by the brand; on contrary, existing users are excited to buy yet another Specialized e-bike.

 

[Explorer-1]

This is hilarious. Pick your poison.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

This is hilarious. Pick your poison.

I wanted a Cannondale Topstone Neo Lefty. Now I wait until it is a Smart System e-bike. It will be a long waiting.

 

[ava1ar]

Replace the chainring and hope it won't brick your system.

I am going to replace Enviolo with Kindernay VII and don't expect any issues - not sure why you think this is somehow potentially problematic. As long as you don't use automatic shifting integrated into Bosch electronics, you are perfectly fine. And this is applicable for any other e-bike around. You know something I don't about this?

Get a Smart System Bosch e-bike now.

Why? I am perfectly fine with my current bike. I can suggest you to upgrade to the new Specialized with new display and computer functionality, which won't be available on the models you own to retrofit. Why this is different from Bosch?

While Specialized comes with new e-bikes based on new motors and Mastermind TCU/TCD and no existing user feels left alone by the brand; on contrary, existing users are excited to buy yet another Specialized e-bike.

Well, you hate Bosch for incompatible Smart System (you need to buy new bike to get it), but somehow love when Specialized does exactly the same with new motors and Mastermind TCU/TCD (they are also for new bikes only)?!?

I know you are all sold to Specialized and I am fine when you admire them, but please remember there are still people around who can think sensibly.

 

[pmcdonald]

How would a Tero go on technical MTB trails? Or is that still Levo country? (asking for a friend)

 

[Stefan Mikes]

How would a Tero go on technical MTB trails? Or is that still Levo country? (asking for a friend)

It's for Levo. Besides, 2022 Levo has been announced too.

 

[chucker11]

For what it’s worth, my local bike shop told me today that the tero frame was basically borrowed from vado. Also, if you look at Mission control for my tero 5 it says it’s a vado. I took it up a pretty rough trail on Saturday and it did great. It even included some 22% grade

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Also, if you look at Mission control for my tero 5 it says it’s a vado.

At least the Mission Control means nothing. MC is the weakest and worst maintained element of the Specialized system. (They didn't tell the programmer the Tero even existed) For instance, is your wheel circumference 88.78 in? No. It is because MC is a poor app).

22% climb? Impressive! The steepest I made with my Vado in 38-46T gearing was 19%.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

@chucker11: As a Tero owner, could you please help solving the @Camasonian dillemma?

Camasonian is torn between the Vado and the Tero. He seems to like the long travel fork and other features of Tero, making it good for the terrain he would like to ride. On the other hand, he also needs to ride the e-bike in the city. How do you assess Chucker the stock tyres of Tero? Are they noisy on the pavement?

(There's another matter for Camasonian consideration: Class 1 (Tero) or Class 3 (Vado) but only he can determine what he really needs).

 

[TrevorB]

I don't want to do anything in particular. It was just something I happened to notice. The pre-2022 Vados were clearly much different bikes. But for 2022 Specialized seems to have consolidated their manufacturing and are producing two different bikes off the same basic frame. Since I'm shopping for a Vado it is interesting and reassuring that they feel the frame is robust enough and versatile enough to use offroad as well, with some minor changes. I would be more comfortable using a Vado on rough logging roads, for example.

The Vado is trekking bike built for long days in saddle, more upright position but sporty enough to handle moderate mtb trails at gentle to moderate pace. No jumping. Tero is hardtail mtb designed to be ridden hard on moderate trails with some jumping allowed. Because it has more aggressive positions won't be as comfortable on long rides, especially touring. Would be excellent commuter.

I have Moustache Xroad 5 which is equivalent to Vado and is great for exploring both on and offroad. Great all round bike that is an excellent commuter and comfortable tour with ability to explore offroad tracks.