Considering a Specialized, got a few questions

[GaryInCO]

My new toy!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

My new toy!

Congratulations, Gary! The fasterestest colour!
Happy and safe rides! Please report your experiences soon!

I am so jealous of the weather you have now... (Full winter in Poland!)

 

[GaryInCO]

That's why I just took it out for a chilly ride this afternoon at 4pm -- it SHOULD be winter here too! Snowed about 15cm last week. But we have a couple of beautiful days before we go back to winter. It's supposed to be 15-17C for the next two days, then back to 2-5C. Winters in Colorado are pretty easy to tolerate... we get "spring" 4-5 times each winter. So I'll take advantage of the warmth while I can.

Say, I meant to ask you a question in another thread, but it was an old thread and I waited until I got the bike. You talked about raising the handlebars on your Vado 6.0. I may need to do that too, but I'm not sure it's possible. The LBS says you can't do it for some reason -- the Specialized part is too specialized, or something?

Do you know if it's possible to raise the bars on a Vado 4.0? EDIT: Whoops nevermind. Two weeks ago you agreed it wasn't possible/practical to raise the bars. Seems damn weird that they would design it so you can't do such a common adjustment!

 

[Ebikelife72]

That's why I just took it out for a chilly ride this afternoon at 4pm -- it SHOULD be winter here too! Snowed about 15cm last week. But we have a couple of beautiful days before we go back to winter. It's supposed to be 15-17C for the next two days, then back to 2-5C. Winters in Colorado are pretty easy to tolerate... we get "spring" 4-5 times each winter. So I'll take advantage of the warmth while I can.

Say, I meant to ask you a question in another thread, but it was an old thread and I waited until I got the bike. You talked about raising the handlebars on your Vado 6.0. I may need to do that too, but I'm not sure it's possible. The LBS says you can't do it for some reason -- the Specialized part is too specialized, or something?

Do you know if it's possible to raise the bars on a Vado 4.0?

Yes the Specialized Vado stem is peculiar one. I've seen people replace them with adjustable ones but they don't look right as they don't have the same shape. Your best best is to change the handlebars to some with a larger rise

 

[AvalancheRun]

Underrated color. This red really pops. Enjoy it!

 

[GaryInCO]

Yeah, that was the color I WANTED on my Tesla. But Tesla's red is boring, so I got blue instead.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Gary, bear one thing in mind: as you raise the stem as your butt would suffer more Don't spoil the excellent design. Get used to it!

 

[GaryInCO]

Yes, I'm very (painfully!) aware! I borrowed my sis-in-law's Como last summer for a 150-mile charity ride. Which I didn't finish, largely because the seat brutalized my butt. My brother kept insisting that I should use chamois butter, but I kept telling him "it's not saddle sores or irritated skin. It's blunt-force trauma on my heinie!!"

I'll run with the stock handlebars through the spring/summer, until I can take it on long rides and see how I do. By then I should either be used to it, or I won't GET used to it.

 

[Ebikelife72]

I find a more upright position fine for short trips, cruising, but learned that a more sporty position that balances the weight much better for any distances.

 

[decooney]

Congrats on the new bike @GaryInCO !

Six months back I recall my demos on the Vado 4.0 vs. the Gazelle bikes. While the Gazelle was more upright, and the Vado was a little more down and forward, I felt like the Gazelle could be fine for all purpose, yet the more leaned over/forward feel of the Vado had more spirited handling and was simply more fun to ride the more I compared the two. After 3 different test rides on the Vado, I increasingly became more fond of it and the overall design and feel of the Vado. As others suggested, give yourself time to adjust 2-3 more rides maybe.

In similar fashion, my wife's brother (BIL) had been coming up to use my wife's bike. We had put a riser stem on the bike which brought the bars more upward and back towards the rider a few years back. He did a few rides on the bike, and complained a little about the handling of the bike after a close-call front tire slippage incident in a gravel section just off the paved trail. For the next ride, we decided to remove the adjustable riser stem, and went back to the lower/shorter more forward lean stock non-adjustable stem. He tried it and liked it more, feeling more confident of the steering an handling of the bike with a little more weight over the front tire. I tried the bike myself in both formats and really did feel the lower stock stem did result in better control of the bike.

On my Turbo Levo Comp, I felt a little too leaned over (could have bought a medium size bike, went large anyhow) and the MB style bars were too wide in my case for my shoulder width. I ended up leaving the front stem alone, and went with different PNW alloy bars with a little bit more rise and back-sweep - and cut 20mm off each side of the bars. Custom fitting with your local bike shop may also be something you can ask them about too. Bars and stems are a personal thing, it's worth asking a few local folks to look at it closer with you.

 

[GaryInCO]

Thanks @decooney, good observations. I had a similar experience last summer with a Lectric XPremium. It was a bit small for me, so I put an extra-long seat post on it. And I proceeded to have 4 minor-ish crashes in the next 2-3 weeks, and one near-fatal loss of control. The **** thing just had a mind of its own. If I took one hand off the handlebars to signal or whatever, it would dive for the ditch. Even with both hands I couldn't control it. It would wander all over. Which is a bit of a problem if you're on a narrow bike bridge, or in an underpass tunnel, or just trying to avoid drifting into traffic. I think having my butt that far in the air messed up its weight distribution and thereby its handling. You'd hate to think that a simple adjustment of the bars or whatever could have that kind of impact, but ...

One big reason why I ended up with the Vado instead of a 2nd (3rd?)-tier vendor like Lectric is that I could get an XL for proper fitting. I'll try to adapt to the bike instead of adapting it to me, possibly knocking the balance/handling out of whack.

 

[decooney]

I'll try to adapt to the bike instead of adapting it to me, possibly knocking the balance/handling out of whack.

@GaryInCO do you have a LBS to work with who can do a proper sitting and fitting with you on your new bike? Or have you been down that path already?

The reason I ask is my local Specialized retailer did this for me when I picked up my bike. A few things stood out to them immediately looking at me seated on the bike, and them watching me pedal it around the store some. While I had ideas of small changes I was going to make, they helped me tweak it a little bit more.

After I rode for a while, 3-4 times, I then made more minor adjustments myself, moving the seat back where it was when I started, and rotating the bars up a tad after I replaced them, cut/narrowed them a tad, and moving controls slightly for better hand/control positioning. All subtle changes that did help it feel more natural. In your case, maybe adjustments in different directions being its a different model and geometry. I had two different people at the shop looking at me, alignments, seating, seating to leg extension, bars, width, elbows, sight angle, and more.

 

[GaryInCO]

My LBS is a Specialized store, but it's a small shop. Just converted to Specialized this summer. I haven't been terribly impressed with their bike-fitting skillz. The only sizing comment I got before I bought my bike was "Yeah I saw you ride away on that Large Vado and I said, oooh that guy needs an XL ..." And that was after I'd said I wanted an XL.

One guy today did have some concrete suggestions -- maybe rotate the handlebars backwards, towards the rider, as that would bring them nearer. But they would also move down so I'm not sure that's gonna help. He also suggested moving the seat forward, which I agreed with & had planned to do.

I took the Red Beast out for a quick shakedown cruise, just 15 leisurely miles putting along, getting a feel for things. Some observations:
* I couldn't get the battery out last night. Today the LBS guy said they're often tight when they're new, and he recommended I pry out the bottom with a flat-head screwdriver. Sure enough, it popped right out. But then I tried to remove it again after my ride today, and no luck. It comes out maybe 3-4mm and no more. I think I've gouged a scratch in the bottom end of the battery case trying to pry it out. Any suggestions?
* Like I suspected, this thing has way more power than I need. I did the whole ride in ECO mode. Granted, it was a short flat ride, but I still felt a bit smug -- until the app rudely pointed out I'd only been putting out 47 W, or 63 W "adjusted" rider power. Well I said it was a laid-back ride ... But I even took the steep-ish hill up to my house in 3rd-4th gear ECO.
* The forward position doesn't feel too comfortable. Maybe moving the seat will help, or maybe I'll just get used to it.
* Supposedly the seat post is suspended, but it has about as much give as my driveway. I.e. not much. If I jump on it with my entire weight I can barely budge it. LBS guy says it's not adjustable. I'm not sure why they bothered, because that's not going to soften the ride at all. Unless my butt gets used to the abuse, I'll be looking for a suspended seat next spring.
* I haven't had a bike with fenders since junior high! Or elementary school ?? It was kinda fun to splash through puddles and not get soaked. They're a bit noisy though, picking up leaves and sticks and rubbing them on the tire. I also rode through some snow, which was a little squirrelly -- those are not snow tires!! -- but it worked.
* I need a small USB-C cable! I see there's a jack on the display. I'm glad somebody was thinking! Any favorite phone holders?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

* Like I suspected, this thing has way more power than I need. I did the whole ride in ECO mode. Granted, it was a short flat ride, but I still felt a bit smug -- until the app rudely pointed out I'd only been putting out 47 W, or 63 W "adjusted" rider power. Well I said it was a laid-back ride ... But I even took the steep-ish hill up to my house in 3rd-4th gear ECO.

I consider myself a weak cyclist, especially with my leg medical condition. Reducing the assistance will only make you ride slower. You could consider setting the Vado to 20/20% assistance/max motor power to feel the difference.

* The forward position doesn't feel too comfortable. Maybe moving the seat will help, or maybe I'll just get used to it.

It is not to be comfortable. It is to be efficient And cause no butt pain when you ride for >25 miles It was precisely my wrong thinking when I started riding my Vado: make the riding position more upright. I changed my views after 3 years of riding, my groin ruined, and with very long rides behind me. You think you need to ride upright. Spare yourself my lesson please

* I haven't had a bike with fenders since junior high! Or elementary school ?? It was kinda fun to splash through puddles and not get soaked. They're a bit noisy though, picking up leaves and sticks and rubbing them on the tire. I also rode through some snow, which was a little squirrelly -- those are not snow tires!! -- but it worked.

After you have ridden enough to decide you hated the fenders, remove the long mudflaps.

 

[Ebikelife72]

The suspension seat post IS adjustable. Take the post out and you'll see the adjustment screw on the bottom

 

[GaryInCO]

It is not to be comfortable. It is to be efficient

I don't CARE about efficiency. I have an overpowered motor that will drive me faster and farther than I need to go. Efficiency is a non-issue. Comfort, though, is HUGE. I'm not likely to ride many miles if I'm in pain the whole time, and aching (like I am now) for a day or two after a ride.

Some of that comfort issue comes from the seat, and yes, a more-upright position would make it worse. But some of it comes from the forward position, and the strain that puts on my shoulders/elbows/wrists.

It's weird. Today I rode only 15 miles, and I was fairly uncomfortable, and I'm aching now. But when I test-rode the Large Vado 15 miles, I don't remember any discomfort during or after. That's why I bought it.

@Ebikelife72, thanks! I'll look into that. And "educate" the LBS mechanic if he's wrong. That'll be a huge help if it can reduce the pounding on my butt bones.

 

[Ebikelife72]

I don't CARE about efficiency. I have an overpowered motor that will drive me faster and farther than I need to go. Efficiency is a non-issue. Comfort, though, is HUGE. I'm not likely to ride many miles if I'm in pain the whole time, and aching (like I am now) for a day or two after a ride.

Some of that comfort issue comes from the seat, and yes, a more-upright position would make it worse. But some of it comes from the forward position, and the strain that puts on my shoulders/elbows/wrists.

It's weird. Today I rode only 15 miles, and I was fairly uncomfortable, and I'm aching now. But when I test-rode the Large Vado 15 miles, I don't remember any discomfort during or after. That's why I bought it.

@Ebikelife72, thanks! I'll look into that. And "educate" the LBS mechanic if he's wrong. That'll be a huge help if it can reduce the pounding on my butt bones.

I have a Vado 3 with the same post and it's actually not bad. I think the Suntour suspension post is better. My wife has the Vado 4 and its post was super stiff when we got it. It adjusted to be comfortable but I ended putting on the Suntour because I had one and hadn't yet bought my Vado. I may get another Suntour but might just live with the stock for awhile.

 

[BEC111]

@GaryInCO do you have a LBS to work with who can do a proper sitting and fitting with you on your new bike? Or have you been down that path already?

The reason I ask is my local Specialized retailer did this for me when I picked up my bike. A few things stood out to them immediately looking at me seated on the bike, and them watching me pedal it around the store some. While I had ideas of small changes I was going to make, they helped me tweak it a little bit more.

After I rode for a while, 3-4 times, I then made more minor adjustments myself, moving the seat back where it was when I started, and rotating the bars up a tad after I replaced them, cut/narrowed them a tad, and moving controls slightly for better hand/control positioning. All subtle changes that did help it feel more natural. In your case, maybe adjustments in different directions being its a different model and geometry. I had two different people at the shop looking at me, alignments, seating, seating to leg extension, bars, width, elbows, sight angle, and more.

I find I’m regularly making small fit-based changes over the year. Sometimes because my handlebar got whacked carrying the bike. Other times my saddle slipped and it took several (on going) attempts to get right. (This saddle/seat post saga is for another thread.) I’ve also had to make adjustments as I’ve aged. I need to be slightly more upright - to a position where it feels as if I’m putting no weight on my handlebars. I try to ride with almost no tension in my hands.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Comfort, though, is HUGE. I'm not likely to ride many miles if I'm in pain the whole time, and aching (like I am now) for a day or two after a ride.

Some of that comfort issue comes from the seat, and yes, a more-upright position would make it worse. But some of it comes from the forward position, and the strain that puts on my shoulders/elbows/wrists.

The human body is a whole, not the sum of individual body parts. The bike-fitter might indeed quickly resolve your comfort issues. No bike-fitter would, however, even think of installing the SQlab Innerbarends that were a game changer for me.

The photo from my happiest e-biking time (August 10th, 2023) taken by a friend on a 59-mile (total) road racing workout. My riding position might be described as moderate, and I get a lot of the ride comfort from the Innerbarends. Note the human body has as many as three contact areas -- hands, butt and feet -- and the bike-fit also takes the legs into the equation. (If I need to assume more aggressive riding position -- as when riding against a strong headwind -- I just bend my arms at elbows).

As any bike-fitter I tried to ask for help demanded I should use cleated shoes and clipless pedals (to which I would never agree!), I had to find the ideal bike-fit myself based on many thousand of kilometres ridden.

 

[Bavi]

@GaryInCO you don’t NEED concern yourself with the power your outputting for the moment (unless you really want to). I found that just the simple cadence motion combined with the duration (you say you rode 15 miles, well you don’t do that in 15 minutes… unless you’re on a motorbike ) yielded significant improvements in my strength, endurance and leg flexibility very quickly . The key is getting enjoyment of out of it, so I think you’re right to concentrate on making things as comfortable as possible for yourself. I know there’s a lot of talk about on here about getting into a forward position to relieve the impact on the butt & wrists etc. but some of us just aren’t able to cope with the back and other pains that that brings with it. In my case, I have to be in a very upright position to and I have to make everything else work around that as best I can.
Anyway, it looks like you’re off to a good start… I wish you many enjoyable miles of peddling on your new steed (pain free of course) and that you get the strength benefits you’re seeking
Lovely bike BTW, and cracking colour!