DJRib
Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Columbus OH
Glad to discover this great forum! Looking at picking up a Vado SL to replace my 2006 carbon Roubaix. Even before hearing the phrase "2X You" I was telling some long-time riding friends that sometimes I want to ride 50-60 miles but only do 25-30 miles of work. I'm 58 and do mostly road riding with people of a similar age - we typically will do 16-18 mph. I also have an older Charge Mixer upright with 8sp internal hub I use for errands and casual riding. The Vado SL seems like a great way to bridge the two. I recently test rode both the 4.0 and the 5.0 (non-EQs) in size L. I believe I need a M, which is the size Roubaix I have. Creo looks awesome, but is more than I want to spend. I was amazed at how well the Vado SL handled and did part of both test rides unassisted. The Future Shock sealed the deal for me on the 5.0. Wow.
So now I'm wondering about EQ vs non-EQ. For me the EQ has better gearing and comes with more road-friendly tires. I'm not sure how I feel about the fenders, especially on a road bike ride. Should I even care? And, when available, it comes with a better paint job (bike snob?). Not sure I should if I should worry about the rack either. Seems a little limited, but I'm not carrying stuff consistently on my Mixer (although I did pick up beer and some groceries with it yesterday).
If I want non-EQ, it looks like the tires are more versatile. I generally don't ride unpaved roads, but maybe I should start! Maybe I take the price difference and apply it to a different seat post and add a rack. However I'm not a fan of the brushed aluminum. Seems so 2005, like the Specialized Sequoia I gave my daughter.
I'm prepared to jump in with my road bike friends and accept the trash talking that will almost certainly follow. Part of me says I'm overthinking it. I'd appreciate any other considerations or perspective that anyone wishes to share. Thanks!
So now I'm wondering about EQ vs non-EQ. For me the EQ has better gearing and comes with more road-friendly tires. I'm not sure how I feel about the fenders, especially on a road bike ride. Should I even care? And, when available, it comes with a better paint job (bike snob?). Not sure I should if I should worry about the rack either. Seems a little limited, but I'm not carrying stuff consistently on my Mixer (although I did pick up beer and some groceries with it yesterday).
If I want non-EQ, it looks like the tires are more versatile. I generally don't ride unpaved roads, but maybe I should start! Maybe I take the price difference and apply it to a different seat post and add a rack. However I'm not a fan of the brushed aluminum. Seems so 2005, like the Specialized Sequoia I gave my daughter.
I'm prepared to jump in with my road bike friends and accept the trash talking that will almost certainly follow. Part of me says I'm overthinking it. I'd appreciate any other considerations or perspective that anyone wishes to share. Thanks!