Como 3 vs Como 4 significant differences?

[JohnRC]

I have decided on a Como but looking at the slight differences between them it is difficult to determine if the 4 is worth the extra money.
The battery is slightly bigger but it sounds like it is different in some way but is it?
The charger has a higher capacity which might be good.
Are the motors the same 1.2?
Do the Shimano brakes work better?
There are a few other bits that appear to be different but overall, what do people who have had more time on these think?
Thanks,
John

 

[TMH]

The biggest difference to me is that I believe that the TC 4.0 is a Class 3 (up to 28 mph pedal assist) whereas the TC 3.0 is a Class 1 (up to 20 mph pedal assist).

That alone is worth a good bit of price difference to me (I'm kind of a Class 3 junkie).

 

[JohnRC]

Hi T
I am in Canada and we only have Class 1. For better or worse.

 

[Sierratim]

I have decided on a Como but looking at the slight differences between them it is difficult to determine if the 4 is worth the extra money.
The battery is slightly bigger but it sounds like it is different in some way but is it?
The charger has a higher capacity which might be good.
Are the motors the same 1.2?
Do the Shimano brakes work better?
There are a few other bits that appear to be different but overall, what do people who have had more time on these think?
Thanks,
John

They share most of the same equipment (battery, motor, drive train, lights...) with the Como 4 having a larger chainring to get Class 3 speeds. The rack and fenders are missing on the 3, but considering the price difference you could go with aftermarket items and save. The Como 4 lists for $3,350; the 3 starts now at $2,779 with sale prices that vary by color and frame style.

 

[Art Deco]

They share most of the same equipment (battery, motor, drive train, lights...) with the Como 4 having a larger chainring to get Class 3 speeds. The rack and fenders are missing on the 3, but considering the price difference you could go with aftermarket items and save. The Como 4 lists for $3,350; the 3 starts now at $2,779 with sale prices that vary by color and frame style.

Thank you Sierratim. I just pulled the trigger on 2 Como 3s plus whatever racks and fenders the lbs can get for them. Don't care about high speeds. The smaller battery was worrisome, but I probably can't ride far enough for that to matter much yet. And if I get in good enough shape to exceed the battery, I will be happy to spring for more battery. That would be a nice problem to have.

 

[TMH]

...The smaller battery was worrisome, but I probably can't ride far enough for that to matter much yet.

Smaller compared to which bike? From the Specialized web site it looks like the Como 3.0 and 4.0 use the same U1-500 battery with 500 Wh. Generally not considered to be an 'undersized' battery, even by today's standards.

Congrats on your new e-bike purchases!

 

[Dr.V]

I have decided on a Como but looking at the slight differences between them it is difficult to determine if the 4 is worth the extra money.
The battery is slightly bigger but it sounds like it is different in some way but is it?
The charger has a higher capacity which might be good.
Are the motors the same 1.2?
Do the Shimano brakes work better?
There are a few other bits that appear to be different but overall, what do people who have had more time on these think?
Thanks,
John

Except for the 3.0 on the US website that looks like last year's model (it's Black, avaiable in small, on sale for 2779, and has the same components as are on this year's 4 - I've noticed a lot of bike companies have been doing that, btw, i.e. reducing the component level on a particular model each year and putting it on the higher model), the current year's 3.0 and 4.0 both have the same 48t chain ring but the 3's lowest gear is a 36t whereas the 4's is a 42t, which will make steep hills slightly easier on the 4. Also the 3 has an Alivio 9 speed derailleur whereas the 4 has a Deore 10 speed derailleur. Both are good, but the Deore is considered as being better - same with Tektro vs. Shimano brakes, i.e. Shimano is considered slightly better. As for the battery, you may not notice the difference between the 3 and the 4, i.e. 460 vs. 500. I don't know where you are in Canada, but the price difference of $900 CDN is probably not worth the upgraded componentry on the 4. If you are close enough to buy one in the US, and you're still OK with Class 1 speed, you might consider the 2's they have on sale on the US website (also last year's model I believe) which have the componentry of, you guessed it, this year's 3's (2300 US).

 

[Big Boy]

I have the Como 5 and chose it over the 3 based on the battery alone. Maximizing battery life (how many charges before need to replace), is accomplished by never charging to 100% and never discharging to zero. Some suggest 80-90% max and 20% minimum. This means only using 60-70% of battery capacity which limits range. So starting with 604 kilowatt hours helps...and when I go out for a long (4 hr+ ride I charge to 99-100% and start riding immediately.
The drive train components also improve as you move up which is more of a consideration with mid drive which does stress/wear the drivetrain more than on hub motor ebikes. However all of these parts are upgradeable down the road so you can’t really go wrong with any flavour of Como.