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Curious How many Vado SL Owners & reviews after several miles riding : I see original comments : Was hoping for some feedback from those who have a month plus riding these > Does anyone wish they had gotten the Original Vado?
Curious How many Vado SL Owners & reviews after several miles riding : I see original comments : Was hoping for some feedback from those who have a month plus riding these > Does anyone wish they had gotten the Original Vado?
Thanks This is the Sort of reply I am looking for : On a regular Bike I've put on almost 600 miles in 2 months : My 3 riding buddies are all 30 years younger : I can keep up on a 25 mile trip but when they go 40 it's just to much. I'm 64 and the oldest of them is 32 : I'm looking for something I can keep up with them once we pass 25 miles : The regular vados just appear to easy. I'm sure they are a blast > My Problem is where I live in Michigan. Not a single Dealer carries these in stock. Closest LBS is 4.5 hrs away > Right in the area Riots are right nowI’ve had my Vado 4 SL (unequipped ) for about 2 months now and nearly 500 miles. I absolutely love the bike and have no regrets. One of my biking partners has the regular more powerful Vado 4 so I had an opportunity to ride his bike several times. Our rides are primarily on scenic bike trails. If anything I think he regrets not getting the SL. The regular Vado is somewhat overkill for trail riding. But there are definitely trails with some challenging hills. The SL handles these easily. I’ve made some changes of course. Shortened the handle bars, installed an adjustable stem to move the bars up and forward a tad. And recently added a Kinekt suspension seat post. One of my better purchases. My only criticism at this point is the 11- 42 cluster. There’s only 3 or 4 cogs that I find useful. I’ll probably switch it out for a 11- 34. Although I have a bike rack on order, its so easy to slide in the back of my SUV. If a person is interested in a recreational urban/fitness bike, this is the one to get.
I would love the 5.0 but it,s just to expensive. Besides i am relatively fit, the eletric part is mostly to aid in the fun and of course the steepest climbsIf you want to do some hill climbing you might consider whether the extra 2 gears in the 5.0 are worth it. I did a couple of hard climbs for all the guys in their tight shorts and even with assist on turbo was still in the lowest gear. That says more about my level of fitness but FYI. I will say I did a nice level ride and turned the assist off totally but since it was gravel the added flex to the handlebars for the 5.0 was also a nice to have.
Hello Recontra. Thanks for posting some thoughts about your Vado SL. I'm looking for a street ebike. I ride an eMTB and it's so rad. It is limited to 20 mph and it will hold at that speed on the road, but it's not easy with the MTB tires. I want perhaps put some slicks on it and commute, but 20 mph isn't super fast and again, it's not easy to hold it at that speed. 18 would be more realistic. I bought my wife a demo Como ebike and I've ridden that on the road. It has a lot power and I think it would sustain a higher speed, but I haven't tried it as it is a bit small for me. But I don't want another 50 lb ebike. The Vado SL intrigues me and I had a chance to ride one for a few minutes once, but I couldn't get a sense of what it could do. I liked that it was pretty light and had a fun geometry. What I wonder is if it could hold a 25-28 mph speed with reasonable input. Back in the day I was able to ride at 20 mph on a regular road bike for long periods, so I wonder if I put in a decent effort if I could get 25-28. Of course the Vado is an upright, wide bar bike, so there is no aerodynamic advantage. The other consideration is the Creo SL, but it starts at $5000 rather than the $3350 for the Vado. I think for me, the Vado SL would be more useful (I don't really use the dropped handlebars position) Why 25-28? That is a speed that is hard for all but the fittest cyclists to achieve over a distance. I simply want to get in street clothes, put in a decent effort, get to a 25-28 mph speed so I can get to work in a reasonable amount of time, and be done with it.I'm still in love with my bike! Vado SL 5.0 EQ. Rode it about 12 miles Saturday down to our local Saturday market with a buddy who has a Trek Verve. I was amazed how many tomatoes, packs of frozen organic meat, sweet onions, radishes, ears of corn, etc. I could get in my RackTime bag w/ folding Paniers (and how much I didn't notice biking it uphill back home). We went 30 miles on Sunday, and would have done about 7 more if my friend's Trek battery hadn't gone to zero--and his Verve is so heavy he doesn't even try to ride it without the battery. I started the mixed hilly/flat ride at 150% battery (main and auxiliary fully charged), and I ended with 103%. I weigh 260 lbs., and we rode hard, especially me (I often pulled over to wait for my buddy, which is funny, because before my Vado SL, he'd often sit on the side of the rode waiting for me to huff and puff up to him on my mechanical bike). Sunday, I used ECO, Sport, and Turbo throughout the ride, rolling flats or downhill was ECO, moderate uphill Sport, and steep uphill Turbo. I can't get up to 30 mph on the rolling flats in ECO, but I can easily get up to 27! Top speed Sunday was 32 dropping off some South Salem hills--I've had the bike up to 40 mph downhill, but the sweet stable safety spot for me is 32-35, at which point I now either back off or start braking.
Several times Sunday I got the "Zoomies." You know, that insatiable itch we sometimes get in your legs to just rip it up a long moderate hill or "zoom it!" along some rolling flats. LOL. My wife started calling those the "Zoomies," named after our golden retriever, Kevin, who occasionally gets the Zoomies when he's outside--the uncontrollable desire to just sprint at full speed around and around our large back yard. And the few times I got the Zoomies, I just took off--and both times it happened going uphill--I just felt the need for some speed And my bike delivered.
I'm now fully an e-biker, and am so over the idea that less assist is always better, or that no assist adds a visible halo to your helmet. Nope! Not me. I'm now an e-biker. Riding without any assist is for sucks!
Did I mention that I'm still in love with my bike?
Try Schwalbe Smart Sam tyres and ride your e-MTB. Very good for road, good enough off-road (if your tyres are within 2.6" limit, you can find Smart Sams for you).but it's not easy with the MTB tires. I want perhaps put some slicks on it and commute,
I'm interested with the answer myself. I ride the 45 km/h (28 mph) "full" Vado 5.0. It is possible to maintain 23-25 mph in Turbo mode and with considerable effort. It is very hard to get at 28 mph and it is hardly possible to maintain such a speed unless it is at least slightly downhill and it is downwind or no wind. So I wonder if that's possible at all with the Vado SL. Creo SL? Possibly, in the aero position...so I wonder if I put in a decent effort if I could get 25-28. Of course the Vado is an upright, wide bar bike, so there is no aerodynamic advantage. The other consideration is the Creo SL, but it starts at $5000 rather than the $3350 for the Vado. I think for me, the Vado SL would be more useful (I don't really use the dropped handlebars position) Why 25-28? That is a speed that is hard for all but the fittest cyclists to achieve over a distance. I simply want to get in street clothes, put in a decent effort, get to a 25-28 mph speed so I can get to work in a reasonable amount of time, and be done with it.