About to pull the trigger on Specialized Turbo Como 4.0. Will I regret it?

[miahoang]

I have been researching ebikes for a long time, and finally drove to a bike shop an hour away from my city to test ride Aventon bikes, thinking I would get a Level. The bikes felt... strange. On relative flat surface, I felt I needed to keep PAS as 0, otherwise the bike would jolt a bit whenever I start pedaling again after letting it cruise a bit.

It was hard for me to find a bike that fit my height (5'1"), so there were only Aventon, Yamaha CrossConnect and Specialized Como 4.0 in size small for me to test. The Specialized bike was... special. It was so comfortable and smooth to ride (torque sensor and mid-drive motor), and the color (Mint/Black) is just perfect.

The price right now is $3,750. I have not been really into biking (because I can't keep up with my 6'3" athletic husband on a nonelectric bike), but I want to get into another form of exercise and do it frequently. I know my current level can't justify the price, but I think it will help me enjoy biking more, and I plan to keep riding it for a long time (for recreation only, as I still need to drive a car to work).

Is there anything else I need to consider? Anyone else has the Como? Can you tell me your experience with it? Would this bike last 5+ years with regular maintenance at a local bike shop?

Thank you.

 

[indianajo]

Kona ecoco comes in a 16.5" frame, has torque sensing, has a shimano steps mid drive that you can pedal yourself without power & without drag. When you feel like pedaling. 43 lb. Not a major brand, don't know if anybody near you will have a small. https://electricbikereview.com/kona/ecoco/

 

[miahoang]

Kona ecoco comes in a 16.5" frame, has torque sensing, has a shimano steps mid drive that you can pedal yourself without power & without drag. When you feel like pedaling. 43 lb. Not a major brand, don't know if anybody near you will have a small. https://electricbikereview.com/kona/ecoco/

Thank you so much! This bike looks very promising, but it's out of stock online. I will try to see if any dealers within 100 miles have it. It's so tough to find a bike for my size, especially with the current shortage that is going on.

 

[theemartymac]

Would this bike last 5+ years with regular maintenance at a local bike shop?

Absolutely. It's a good quality bike and should last 10+ years with proper maintenance. At least to the point you can't buy batteries anymore.

And as for the Kona that indianajo linked, while Kona is not generally one of the major players in the ebike space, they are an iconic brand in the MTB space and have been making exceptional bikes for many years. That should also be a solid product if you have local support through dealers.

 

[miahoang]

Absolutely. It's a good quality bike and should last 10+ years with proper maintenance. At least to the point you can't buy batteries anymore.

And as for the Kona that indianajo linked, while Kona is not generally one of the major players in the ebike space, they are an iconic brand in the MTB space and have been making exceptional bikes for many years. That should also be a solid product if you have local support through dealers.

Thank you @theemartymac! I was searching around for Kona, and I realized that I don't really have a dealers nearby that sell their electric bikes. I do have 2 dealers very close to my house that carry Specialized ebikes, so that's another factor in making a decision. I'm hoping that I would be able to ride the bike for 10+ years, as I'm not someone who wants to upgrade my vehicles constantly (I had to get a new car when my 8yo car was crashed into and totaled, and it was sad because she was my companion for so long).

 

[hrdtduck]

I have been researching ebikes for a long time, and finally drove to a bike shop an hour away from my city to test ride Aventon bikes, thinking I would get a Level. The bikes felt... strange. On relative flat surface, I felt I needed to keep PAS as 0, otherwise the bike would jolt a bit whenever I start pedaling again after letting it cruise a bit.

It was hard for me to find a bike that fit my height (5'1"), so there were only Aventon, Yamaha CrossConnect and Specialized Como 4.0 in size small for me to test. The Specialized bike was... special. It was so comfortable and smooth to ride (torque sensor and mid-drive motor), and the color (Mint/Black) is just perfect.

The price right now is $3,750. I have not been really into biking (because I can't keep up with my 6'3" athletic husband on a nonelectric bike), but I want to get into another form of exercise and do it frequently. I know my current level can't justify the price, but I think it will help me enjoy biking more, and I plan to keep riding it for a long time (for recreation only, as I still need to drive a car to work).

Is there anything else I need to consider? Anyone else has the Como? Can you tell me your experience with it? Would this bike last 5+ years with regular maintenance at a local bike shop?

Thank you.

You will not be unhappy, I bought one for my X-wife (we're friends still) and she loves it, she is short about 5'1" and 60, this bike has allowed her to get out and get the exercise she wants and needs. I've had and have several Specialized bikes and the customer support has been very, very good. Depending on the distance he rides, you will be able to keep up.

 

[ronr]

I‘ve had a Como 3.0 for about a year, and the thing I like best about it is how smooth it is. It never feels jerky when I start pedaling; it just goes. That’s what a bike should do.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I encourage you Mia to take the Como 4.0 indeed. Although I'm a Vado rider, I have got experience with my friends' Como and am amazed how good that e-bike is:

• One of the most comfortable e-bikes I've ever ridden
• Powerful and silent mid-drive motor
• Unmatched connectivity with smartphones and sports wearables (sports watches, heart rate monitors)
• Possibility to precisely tune the motor for high speed/short range or lower speed/great range
• Excellent components
• Beautiful
• Specialized with large network of LBS and really honouring your warranty!

Don't let be misled by others: Go for the Como!

Your question: Will Como last for 5+ years? Como will but the battery might not; it is not the matter of Specialized/Como but the nature of Li-Ion batteries. These degrade with number of charging cycles. Depending on how much you would be riding, the battery might require replacement in 3-5 years. Good news is the Specialized Vado/Como batteries have uniform form factor and can be easily swapped if the need occurs.

 

[Dallant]

I have been researching ebikes for a long time, and finally drove to a bike shop an hour away from my city to test ride Aventon bikes, thinking I would get a Level. The bikes felt... strange. On relative flat surface, I felt I needed to keep PAS as 0, otherwise the bike would jolt a bit whenever I start pedaling again after letting it cruise a bit.

It was hard for me to find a bike that fit my height (5'1"), so there were only Aventon, Yamaha CrossConnect and Specialized Como 4.0 in size small for me to test. The Specialized bike was... special. It was so comfortable and smooth to ride (torque sensor and mid-drive motor), and the color (Mint/Black) is just perfect.

The price right now is $3,750. I have not been really into biking (because I can't keep up with my 6'3" athletic husband on a nonelectric bike), but I want to get into another form of exercise and do it frequently. I know my current level can't justify the price, but I think it will help me enjoy biking more, and I plan to keep riding it for a long time (for recreation only, as I still need to drive a car to work).

Is there anything else I need to consider? Anyone else has the Como? Can you tell me your experience with it? Would this bike last 5+ years with regular maintenance at a local bike shop?

Thank you.

If you are like many of us on this forum, an ebike will definitely increase your desire/enjoyment in bike riding!
A lot depends on what brand dealers are near you and your confidence in them.
My wife loves her Trek Allant+7 Lowstep size small. If you can find one to test/buy, they are about that same price.

 

[Art Deco]

I have been researching ebikes for a long time, and finally drove to a bike shop an hour away from my city to test ride Aventon bikes, thinking I would get a Level. The bikes felt... strange. On relative flat surface, I felt I needed to keep PAS as 0, otherwise the bike would jolt a bit whenever I start pedaling again after letting it cruise a bit.

It was hard for me to find a bike that fit my height (5'1"), so there were only Aventon, Yamaha CrossConnect and Specialized Como 4.0 in size small for me to test. The Specialized bike was... special. It was so comfortable and smooth to ride (torque sensor and mid-drive motor), and the color (Mint/Black) is just perfect.

The price right now is $3,750. I have not been really into biking (because I can't keep up with my 6'3" athletic husband on a nonelectric bike), but I want to get into another form of exercise and do it frequently. I know my current level can't justify the price, but I think it will help me enjoy biking more, and I plan to keep riding it for a long time (for recreation only, as I still need to drive a car to work).

Is there anything else I need to consider? Anyone else has the Como? Can you tell me your experience with it? Would this bike last 5+ years with regular maintenance at a local bike shop?

Thank you.

Lots of Como riders on here. I ride a Como3 and love it, but I can't say if you will. I've never seen any thing like a customer satisfaction survey on these bikes, but I haven't heard many complaints either. The only complaints seem to be the price and availability.
The bike has a lifetime frame warranty and no cheap components, so five years seems short to me, other than having to replace the battery and normal wear parts.
There are lots of ten or twenty year old Specialized bikes still in use, and I suspect that a Como will last equally long...

 

[miahoang]

Lots of Como riders on here. I ride a Como3 and love it, but I can't say if you will. I've never seen any thing like a customer satisfaction survey on these bikes, but I haven't heard many complaints either. The only complaints seem to be the price and availability.
The bike has a lifetime frame warranty and no cheap components, so five years seems short to me, other than having to replace the battery and normal wear parts.
There are lots of ten or twenty year old Specialized bikes still in use, and I suspect that a Como will last equally long...

Thank you, @Art Deco, @Stefan Mikes, @Dallant, @ronr, @hrdtduck!

I went for a long ride yesterday with a rental ebike (mid-drive but a bit beat up and only 3 gear) with my husband, and I could catch up with him easily through all the hills. It was 93F/34C with no wind, but on a bike, it felt a lot more pleasant than hiking/walking. I think I would use the Como a lot, as I have been working towards an active lifestyle in the last year to compensate for my nerdy desk job.

I'm getting the Como today! Thank you all so much for helping me. This community is truly wonderful!

 

[Art Deco]

Thank you, @Art Deco, @Stefan Mikes, @Dallant, @ronr, @hrdtduck!

I went for a long ride yesterday with a rental ebike (mid-drive but a bit beat up and only 3 gear) with my husband, and I could catch up with him easily through all the hills. It was 93F/34C with no wind, but on a bike, it felt a lot more pleasant than hiking/walking. I think I would use the Como a lot, as I have been working towards an active lifestyle in the last year to compensate for my nerdy desk job.

I'm getting the Como today! Thank you all so much for helping me. This community is truly wonderful!

Excellent. And you are invited to the Turbo Vado Como Owners Club to share your stories...

Specialized Turbo Vado/Como/Tero/Tero X User Club

Majority of EBR Forum owners of Specialized e-bikes ride either a Turbo Vado or a Como. This is natural, as these two major models have been designed for an average cyclist. Turbo Levo and Kenevo are technical ride stuff, discussed on e-MTB fora. Creo is for road cycling fanatics :) It is...

electricbikereview.com

 

[GenXrider]

Get the Trek. The Como has a Brose motor in it. Those have a lot of early failures. I've heard of people replacing several Brose motors in the same e-bike. There's a thread here that goes into some detail about Brose motor problems.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Get the Trek. The Como has a Brose motor in it. Those have a lot of early failures. I've heard of people replacing several Brose motors in the same e-bike. There's a thread here that goes into some detail about Brose motor problems.

This tale is spread by people who have never owned a Specialized Turbo e-bike. Yes, some Specialized motor do occasionally fail. No, people do not replace Specialized motors. It is Specialized that replaces failed motors, and Specialized stands by the customer to the bitter end. Besides, it is Specialized that have worked with Brose to improve the Specialized motors (that's why these motors are not called Brose).

I have nothing against Trek e-bikes. Nothing against their noisy Bosch motors (so loud people turn their heads towards the noise source). Nothing against their ridiculous displays that offer no connectivity and only barebone information. Nothing against the 2 A chargers. Nothing against the plethora of Bosch battery formats. It is not my money anyway.

 

[GenXrider]

This tale is spread by people who have never owned a Specialized Turbo e-bike. Yes, some Specialized motor do occasionally fail. No, people do not replace Specialized motors. It is Specialized that replaces failed motors, and Specialized stands by the customer to the bitter end.

I wonder how long the "bitter end" is for your first motor failure. Someone just reported about a replacement motor that was covered under Specialized warranty after 3 years and a few thousand miles. I'm not sure if that's official though, so YMMV.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

GenXrider: Did you actually ride a Specialized Turbo e-bike or your experience is rather anecdotal?
The Specialized Turbo Vado/Como User Club is one of the largest on the EBR fora.

 

[Alaskan]

You have found a bike that makes you smile, meets your goals with good local service. You have gotten some very good advice from people that have actually paid attention to what you like, what you need, and what will be serviced close to your home.

Don't let people who's advice is designed not for you but rather to confirm their own biases, redirect you to other bikes.

We have three different brands of ebike, none of them Specialized, so I have no dog in this fight. I have test ridden Specialized and they are excellent bikes, known to be reliable, with a company that stands solidly behind its product. I am sure the Como will give you many happy miles of riding. Go for it and have a happy summer of riding.

 

[GenXrider]

GenXrider: Did you actually ride a Specialized Turbo e-bike or your experience is rather anecdotal?
The Specialized Turbo Vado/Como User Club is one of the largest on the EBR fora.

Actually, if I was going by my "own" experience riding Specialized, THAT would be anecdotal. I'm going off on what I heard about their motor failures from various sources. This has nothing to do with the way they ride, as people typically regard the Brose system to be quiet, natural, and responsive - no complaints there. I'm not anti-Brose or anti-Specialized. But my research does give me concern. There were other bikes I have been interested in that use Brose as well. I don't plan to get another ebike until next year. Maybe Brose will be worth the risk to get the other benefits. I responded about the failures in this thread because the OP specifically asked about it lasting 5+ years with only regular maintenance requirements.

 

[Alaskan]

Actually, if I was going by my "own" experience riding Specialized, THAT would be anecdotal. I'm going off on what I heard about their motor failures from various sources. This has nothing to do with the way they ride, as people typically regard the Brose system to be quiet, natural, and responsive - no complaints there. I'm not anti-Brose or anti-Specialized. But my research does give me concern. There were other bikes I have been interested in that use Brose as well. I don't plan to get another ebike until next year. Maybe Brose will be worth the risk to get the other benefits. I responded about in this thread because the OP specifically asked about it lasting 5+ years with only regular maintenance requirements.

I have not owned a Specialized ebike but have owned several of their bikes in the past. My experience on the acoustic side and impression regarding their ebikes is that, regardless of any issues that have arisen with the motors on their ebikes, the risk is minimal to nonexistent.

Specialized and their dealers have earned a reputation for standing solidly behind their products and keeping their customers happy. No bike maker is without issues and component failures. What counts is how they deal with them. Are they prompt, thorough, do they solve the problem, are loaners provided if a repair will take a long stay in the shop?

A review of the Specialized brand forum will best answer these questions. Keep in mind that the people who participate in any of the brand forums are normally those with problems on their bikes, some of whom may be reasonable...others not so much.

Specialized Forum

Discuss the brand, its products and upcoming models.

electricbikereview.com

 

[Travelbugblues]

Hi Mia,
I love my Como. It's a stretch to say I"m 5'2". I put a bike rack on my bike and also a different seat so I can lower it and clear my bike rack. I LOVE my bike! It is so smooth and a joy to ride. I can go anywhere now and before I did not ride much. It's expensive but it is so great to be outside and doing something you love. Enjoy it! Amy