Change gearing on Vado

[Stefan Mikes]

It definitely does, but I have not yet done any mountain riding that requires ascents of 500+ m, one after the other. Especially since low gear is quite low, I encounter few hills that I can’t climb. My biggest complaint is that low gear requires a very high cadence to achieve satisfactory speed and motor efficiency, and that is no fun on a long hill. A slightly smaller chainring would improve climbing ability even more, theoretically at the cost of top end speed (not really a concern), but it would compound the “insane cadence” problem. It’s also tough to come up off the seat and shift my weight forward while peddling so fast. My friends with more torque at their disposal always leave me behind on the uphills.

I do agree with you. One needs power to do climbs at a comfortable speed.

 

[Marquezdl]

As someone who has owned both a Turbo Vado 4.0 and a Turbo Vado SL 4.0, I can tell you that if what you want is a pickup truck that can climb some serious hills, the the Turbo Vado is the ticket. It has a powerful and torquey motor and one can easily lower the gearing to give more climbing power if that is what you want.
The turbo Vado SL is much more a road bike with a boost.
I understand your desires. I am 74, I live at 5300 feet, and the hill up to my home from downtown Medellin has 2 short pitches that measure out at just over 15.5 degrees or 27.5% if my math conversion is correct. In either case they are kneebusters for an old fart like me.
I used to climb up the hill in my 2nd lowest gear with the boost on turbo with my Turbo Vado. The Turbo Vado SL has lower gearing than the Turbo Vado, but not nearly as much torque. On the SL I make it up those pitches in my lowest gear with max boost.
I am planning to swap the 40t cw on the SL for a 36 as Stefan SL advised me for a little more climbing power. Top end is no concern to me.
the Turbo Vado was a fine machine, but I have been a lifelong road/gravel cyclist and I don’t care for shock absorbers, suspension seatposts, and 58mm wide tires and 30+ kg of weight.
The SL scratches my itch quite nicely. As soon as I get the smaller chainwheel and the range extender battery I will be in hog heaven!

 

[Setubalense]

Marquezdl, I agree with you in that I really do not want a bigger, heavier bike or the larger tires (for the same reasons as you cited), but I would not trade away my suspension seat post and gel seat! My SL with just a little more "oomph" would put me in a state just above Hog Heaven -- Seventh Heaven, perhaps?

 

[Marquezdl]

Marquezdl, I agree with you in that I really do not want a bigger, heavier bike or the larger tires (for the same reasons as you cited), but I would not trade away my suspension seat post and gel seat! My SL with just a little more "oomph" would put me in a state just above Hog Heaven -- Seventh Heaven, perhaps?

 

[Marquezdl]

On my Turbo Vado I had a carbon fiber seatpost, a brooks leather saddle, and a Passchier Gump laminated bamboo handlebar.
the seatpost and saddle were very nice, but the laminated bamboo handlebar was incredible!
i will get a another Passchier Gump for my SL. They really make life a lot easier on the wrists and hands.

 

[Setubalense]

... a Passchier Gump laminated bamboo handlebar.

Very intriguing. I spent last evening reading reviews, most of which were quite complimentary. Nevertheless, there were also more than a few descriptions of catastrophic or potentially dangerous failures. I'm not sure I am ready to take the risk yet. Maybe wait for a few more iterations while they continue to refine their production methods.