A quick ride review of the Vado SL 4.0

[mfgrep]

It's fairly relative. I don't have a ride I can do that doesn't involve sections of climbs in the 8-12% range. If I leave my house, getting back to it involves some amount of that grade no matter which direction I go. On the vado SL, those climbs don't remain enjoyable for me. They are *hard*. Really hard. I do think the vado SL 5.0 might address some of that with the bigger gearing (the one I road was a 4.0). I also think a chain ring change could work miracles.

In less extreme riding (or, if I was more fit then I am), the vado sl would be spectacular. But when the "normal" ride involves 1,500 - 2,000 feet of elevation, it's something to think about. My 3-4k elevation rides are a hard no on that bike under current fitness and road conditions.

I think the next generation vado SL top end model is likely to have a bit more peak power and a bit more torque (50nm would be my guess) without too much other sacrifice. For me, that would likely make the difference on many of these routes.

For reference, my full power vado had 90nm torque and 540watts (peak I think). And many of those rides did *not* need turbo. But using the bike in "standard" sport mode is still double the vado SL. Something between those two on a light bike would be absolutely amazing on my crazy hills.

Yup...I can understand given those elevations. Though my area is not flat....my elevation changes are minimal in comparison with yours. I do have some 'work' to do on hills....but it is not agonizing with the SL. For your purposes I completely agree....a powerful SL would be the ideal.

I would like to play around with the full power Vado to see how I feel about it. At a glance....given my criteria for fitness first....the full Vado looked more 'moped' than 'bicycle' which defeated my purposes. It also looks like a whole lot of fun. I should buy my wife a full power bike like that so that I can have access to both. She would immediately see right through my ruse.

Is that full power Vado a mid mount motor?....or rear hub?

 

[dynamic]

Yup...I can understand given those elevations. Though my area is not flat....my elevation changes are minimal in comparison with yours. I do have some 'work' to do on hills....but it is not agonizing with the SL. For your purposes I completely agree....a powerful SL would be the ideal.

I would like to play around with the full power Vado to see how I feel about it. At a glance....given my criteria for fitness first....the full Vado looked more 'moped' than 'bicycle' which defeated my purposes. It also looks like a whole lot of fun. I should buy my wife a full power bike like that so that I can have access to both. She would immediately see right through my ruse.

Is that full power Vado a mid mount motor?....or rear hub?

It’s mid. And it is a great bike. But I can also see why people are a bit obsessed with lighter bikes. The vado SL has a sense of fun. My sirrus x is even more “fun” but what I can do with it here is highly limited. So it’s a balancing act.

 

[mfgrep]

It’s mid. And it is a great bike. But I can also see why people are a bit obsessed with lighter bikes. The vado SL has a sense of fun. My sirrus x is even more “fun” but what I can do with it here is highly limited. So it’s a balancing act.

If it weren't a 'balancing act' then we would all be riding the same model bicycle lol. Each of us has specific needs and wants.....and we have so many choices. Even still....few of those choices are perfect 'all-arounders' thus many of us have multiple bikes. My terrain makes choices much much easier....and that SL is a no brainer for me.

 

[David C]

After 2 months of riding my new 2023 Sirrus X 5.0 I was surprised to find my average speed is only 4mph slower than my 32 month old Vado SL 4.0(riding almost exclusively on Turbo mode). I guess the 10 pounds lighter Sirrus makes this possible.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

After 2 months of riding my new 2023 Sirrus X 5.0 I was surprised to find my average speed is only 4mph slower than my 32 month old Vado SL 4.0(riding almost exclusively on Turbo mode). I guess the 10 pounds lighter Sirrus makes this possible.

I completed a 163 mile gravel ultramarathon on last Sunday. Of that distance, I rode for 118 miles on Vado SL (and 45 miles on Vado 6.0); the "gravel part" was mostly sand or mud.
I'm sure I would not complete even the small part of the trip on a SIrrus, despite the latter being 10 pounds lighter than the Vado SL

 

[David C]

Very true, my daily rides are only 20+ miles on SL and Sirrus.

 

[mfgrep]

Very true, my daily rides are only 20+ miles on SL and Sirrus.

The new Sirrus is super sharp. If I had been in the market for a non E bike....Sirrus would have been at the top of the list.
In fact....the Vado SL is to me the closest E version of that Sirrus.

 

[David C]

They are my 2 favorite bikes of all time.

 

[dynamic]

I can speak to the sirrus X 4.0 from only a few rides. But, it's a whole different level of fun. My biggest complaint continues to be the way chains work. I am about to upgrade it to gx AXS. But I would go to X0 Transmission if the frame was UDH compatible. If I didn't live in this hilly hell hole, I probably wouldn't bother with any other bike.

I have not yet had the time to give it a "real" ride. I need to leave at least a couple hours of good weather as I expect to be walking or resting frequently on some of my shorter loops. If I think the gearing is "close", I am going to do quite a few upgrades to the bike to try and get it there.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Something between those two on a light bike would be absolutely amazing on my crazy hills.

Then it would not be lightweight.

 

[dynamic]

Then it would not be lightweight.

That's a failure in understanding future technology. Motors are getting more efficient and lighter constantly. Meaning: the battery (the biggest weight cost) doesn't need to increase dramatically to retain near the same range. Finally, Specialized already solved this with the extenders. Ultimately, you can decide what the weight vs distance you need is worth to you. I have never done more than a 30 mile ride here. A bike that could handle this terrain and that range in the shape of a vado SL is an easy win. And I am pretty sure that is possible *today* let alone "future" motors.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I rode Vado SL for 118 miles last weekend on a gravel race and needed the main battery as well as the equivalent of 7 Range Extenders. Meaning, I had to recharge three RE's, top up the main battery during an overnight stay, and I had the full main battery as well as full 4 Range Extenderd at the starting line. These four RE's weighed 8.8 pounds.

To keep up at a decent speed, I had to use 80% of SL assistance. Even with the heavy pannier (I did not carry chargers etc as I had a SAG car around), the Vado SL handled the rough terrain a way better then the Vado 6.0 I also rode for 45 miles (and resigned from using it farther).

You talk about some future dream Dynamic. However, your dream has not come true yet.

P.S. I could climb a 10.6% hill on rough cobblestones with SL Turbo mode and 44-36T gearing

 

[mfgrep]

You talk about some future dream Dynamic. However, your dream has not come true yet.

This. And precisely why I grabbed the current version Vado SL on sale price. The best I could hope for in a (potentially near) future iteration would be the new Turbo Levo motor/battery.....which would be quite nice in a Vado SL.....and which will likely cost me $4K+.....negating its 'availability' for me whether in existence or not. YMMV on that issue.
To our earlier talk though....I understand that your power/range needs surpass my power/range needs.....and fortunately for me the current Vado SL iteration meets my price, power, and range needs.
You need a unicorn.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

You need a unicorn.

Bingo!

The charismatic co-organizer of the Mazovian Gravel Race in Poland has the motto: "If you want to ride, you need to be riding" Dreams will not replace everyday riding. Any day not ridden is a day lost.

I love this photo of me finishing the race. Yes, my principal e-bike was a Vado SL 4.0, the e-bike that made me fit

 

[dynamic]

This. And precisely why I grabbed the current version Vado SL on sale price.

This bike is admittedly hard to beat on price point. However, there are a number of bikes available that have more power for similar weight (or less). For me, price is not my limiting factor, and there are, quite frankly, quite a few bikes that are relatively light *and* more powerful than the vado sl. Stefan's problem is they aren't made by specialized. Saying it is a unicorn is simple ignorance. A great example is the orbea gain. 55nm torque, 350w battery. At one point there was a flat bar version of the bike, not sure it exists today. There is a 35lb trek full suspension mountain bike with a 50nm motor. Very pricey, but probably would eat up my terrain.

It's out there. It's just not specialized. I have no idea if any of them are the right bike for me. But declaring that they aren't just seems.... irrational?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

the orbea gain. 55nm torque, 350w battery

Orbea uses the hub-drive motor and has a lot of electrical issues. The 55 Nm there only exists on paper.
See the new Specialized SL 1.2 motor coming (I do not need more power though. I need a long range).
My dream is Specialized eventually makes the SL Range Extender Y Cable, so two Range Extenders could be charged in parallel.

 

[dynamic]

Orbea uses the hub-drive motor and has a lot of electrical issues. The 55 Nm there only exists on paper.
See the new Specialized SL 1.2 motor coming (I do not need more power though. I need a long range).
My dream is Specialized eventually makes the SL Range Extender Y Cable, so two Range Extenders could be charged in parallel.

True. There are 103 mid drive gravel ebikes on 99spokes.com. Consider it replaced with the canyon grail on cf 7. Bosch 60+nm with 500w battery.

I picked gravel because most of those bikes will be comparable weight to the vado sl.

I am sure you will have problems with all 103 bikes. Because it doesn’t say specialized on the frame.

So much stuff out there. I don’t know how anyone could try it all and assume what is desired is a “unicorn”.

I have now tried more than a dozen ebikes. And I don’t feel like I have even scratched the surface.

 

[Saratoga Dave]

Well, that Orbea as a rear hub motor setup (as far as I know) is a completely different animal. There are other lightweight bikes out there though, but Specialized has for all intents and purposes created the market and pretty much owns it. Very Apple-like in a way.

But the real reason I wanted to comment here is re Stefan’s statement: “Yes, my principle e-bike was a Vado SL 4.0, the e-bike that made me fit.”

LOVE that line, and I find myself living the same story. I’ve been riding “normal” power level ebikes since 2016, around 3000 miles a year, and they’ve certainly done a lot for me, but it was only after I got the Creo and had it awhile that I realized how much stronger I had gotten. Combination of making you do a little more work but wanting to ride all the time because the bike is such a pleasure works! Creo is the best piece of exercise equipment I ever bought - maybe other than my Rossignol Stratos back in the 1968 ski season!

Whether we agree with him or are driven crazy by him or are anywhere else on the spectrum depending on the subject, Stefan is showing the way. This was a guy who could barely walk a few years ago and now he’s running all over Poland in every kind of weather like a madman, always on an SL. I’m waiting for him to discover the Audax world!

 

[dynamic]

But the real reason I wanted to comment here is re Stefan’s statement: “Yes, my principle e-bike was a Vado SL 4.0, the e-bike that made me fit.”

This is actually one reason I have backed off to regular bikes. I am hoping to get there. I have a 7ish mile route that I love. If I can get that done on a normal bike, it will be great for me. I won’t have the time to do those 20 mile routes I did on the vado even if I can physically handle them. The average speed will rule them out on time alone. I haven’t done that shorter route in a long time because it is too fast on an e-bike. The loop just flies by.

Whether we agree with him or are driven crazy by him or are anywhere else on the spectrum depending on the subjetc, Stefan is showing the way.

In this respect @Stefan Mikes is an inspiration! Keep biking!

 

[mfgrep]

This bike is admittedly hard to beat on price point. However, there are a number of bikes available that have more power for similar weight (or less). For me, price is not my limiting factor, and there are, quite frankly, quite a few bikes that are relatively light *and* more powerful than the vado sl. Stefan's problem is they aren't made by specialized. Saying it is a unicorn is simple ignorance. A great example is the orbea gain. 55nm torque, 350w battery. At one point there was a flat bar version of the bike, not sure it exists today. There is a 35lb trek full suspension mountain bike with a 50nm motor. Very pricey, but probably would eat up my terrain.

It's out there. It's just not specialized. I have no idea if any of them are the right bike for me. But declaring that they aren't just seems.... irrational?

Not sure about other people's motivations but here's mine: I agree the Vado SL is hard to beat on price point right now given the sale. My budget for a bicycle is limited by my own fiscal senses....but that is my problem. I had a plethora of choices from smaller makers....which required online sight/unseen ordering....most of which were rear hub drive motors....and most of which had components that I did not find favorable. I know the benefits and risks of such a bike delivered to my door....and I was not willing to risk such an online order for any bike > $1200 +/-. That's just me. After test riding the mid mount motor bike(s) it became more difficult for me to be interested in the other rear hub motor bikes....they felt more moped than bicycle....and my input felt secondary to the bicycle's power. The Vado SL....to me.....felt 'natural'....and completely bike-like.
Given my unwillingness to throw thousands upon thousands into a bike.....my desire to have easily obtainable local service from a reputable brand (Trek, Cannondale, Giant, Specialized).....my desire for a natural feeling motor powered bicycle....and my desire for a mid mount motor....Vado SL is/was as good as it gets for my purposes as of now. for $2500 or < it certainly was the right choice for me within the terrain that I will be riding. I didn't want or desire a suspension bike....that is a whole other animal to me. I wanted light weight, mid mount, more bike than motorcyle.....I wanted a powered Sirrus.

For your purposes right now....it might be hard for you to find EVERYTHING that you want/need in a bicycle....thus why I had said "you are looking for a unicorn". My terrain is less demanding than yours and I was forced to make a couple of compromises (I really wish the battery was removable, I really wish the bike was < $2K, I like the idea of rear blinkers, I like(d) the idea of a throttle/turbo button but now do not miss it whatsoever). Given your desires AND given your terrain you too are likely to need to make a few compromises among the pool of potentially suitable ebikes available right now. Perfection will be difficult to obtain for one reason or another.

I hope that I didn't offend you. That certainly was not my intention. I too enjoy 'the hunt'....but riding truly is more fun.

Edit: My mood can change....and someday when I might sell my Vado SL....I am nearly certain to get a better return on my investment than if I had purchased some flash-in-the-pan ebike that I had delivered to my door on a lark. That was part of my rationale in spending the extra $ too. All of us are different. The brain is a powerful organ.