EBR made me do it! (new Vado SL 5.0 EQ)

[Jeremy McCreary]

Price is high...

https://www.modernbike.com/racktime-yoshi-2.0-bag-grey-snapit-2.0

Thanks! If the Yoshi were the right color, I'd pay the price for the Racktime compatibility. But gray is their only offering, and I recall some complaints about shipping times (at least on Amazon).

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Just to follow up on the Specialized app's phone battery consumption:

1. The black-icon v. 1.29.0 downloaded 2 weeks ago has a dark mode applying to all but the map.

2. Battery consumption is more than acceptable (maybe 1%/mile) on the 20-mile rides done thus far. Way less hungry than RideWithGPS.

3. Understanding that battery consumption is a nonlinear process, if I set out with my Note20 fully charged, the battery should be good for 50 mi or more.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

2. Battery consumption is more than acceptable (maybe 1%/mile) on the 20-mile rides done thus far. Way less hungry than RideWithGPS.

You could now set up a free Strava account and connect it with your Vado SL via Spec App, so I could enjoy your rides there!

 

[mschwett]

Just to follow up on the Specialized app's phone battery consumption:

1. The black-icon v. 1.29.0 downloaded 2 weeks ago has a dark mode applying to all but the map.

2. Battery consumption is more than acceptable (maybe 1%/mile) on the 20-mile rides done thus far. Way less hungry than RideWithGPS.

3. Understanding that battery consumption is a nonlinear process, if I set out with my Note20 fully charged, the battery should be good for 50 mi or more.

that's great, 1%/mile is my general observation on an OLED iPhone with a dark background cycling app. back when i was doing 80+ mile rides i would either turn it off for a bit while cruising, or stick a little battery in my pocket. i'd plug it in on the snack/hydration stop for those rides, and get a quick 30% boost. rarely any need to plug it in while riding.

 

[mschwett]

@DaveMatthews: I have got a Lezyne CO2 Blaster repair kit, similar to yours. Only I have never had to use it

Now, anyone of you who could fix the tubeless with a spare tube: please tell me how you do it, starting from how you remove the tubeless valve, exactly?

it's just messy and time consuming. and as you have experienced virtually never necessary. but here is the process :

remove the wheel from the bike. if your through axles have levers, no tools required, if not, you'll need the 6mm hex key, which any multitool has.
remove the tire from the wheel using a tire lever.
unscrew the knurled nut on the exterior surface of the rim / tubeless valve.
if the valve is sticky, remove the valve core with the valve core tool. (i don't use caps on my valves but there are caps that have the tool built in)
push down on the valve from the center side and it will probably fall right out. if not, put something hard on it (with the valve core removed!!!) and use both thumbs with fingers around the rim.
put the tube in. partially inflate.
put the tire on. use the tire lever to seat both sides of the tire.
inflate and put back on the bike.

so, tool wise, it doesn't really require anything much more than repairing a bad tubed flat... but again, nobody should have to do this often. in my case, never, but i did it at home in my early tubeless days when i couldn't get a tire to hold air above 40psi for reasons unknown.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

remove the tire from the wheel using a tire lever.
unscrew the knurled nut on the exterior surface of the rim / tubeless valve.
if the valve is sticky, remove the valve core with the valve core tool. (i don't use caps on my valves but there are caps that have the tool built in)
push down on the valve from the center side and it will probably fall right out. if not, put something hard on it (with the valve core removed!!!) and use both thumbs with fingers around the rim.

Thank you! That is the part I needed to know. It must be terribly messy!

 

[J.R.]

Congratulations, Jeremy! These are the good old days.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Congratulations, Jeremy! These are the good old days.

Exactly.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

CORRECTION: Early in this thread, I referred several times to a 30-day "100% satisfaction guarantee" with full refund. Turns out I was totally misinformed by an LBS employee on this matter.

The full refund applies only to unused and unmodified bikes. Ultimately had to decide to keep or not based on a 5-mile test ride on a long, moderate hill near the shop. Fortunately, that was enough.

Sorry for any confusion.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

This is like with cars or motorbikes, isn't it?

Almost unrelated but I have a little bit of a grudge against CentrumRowerowe.pl. Once, I ordered "waterproof bibs" in a promised very large size there (they were not cheap!) Upon unpacking, I clearly saw those bibs were not waterproof at all. I had to try the bibs on anyway. Once done, I realized those "XXL" bibs were absolutely too small. So I returned them, as there is a clear legal rule you can return any item bought online in a good shape in a specified amount of time.

CR has denied the full return of money. They said the bibs "got stained" in the process, so I could be compensated with 1/5 of the money or would need to accept the shipment! The online store even didn't comment the "waterproof" matter!

I still keep the bibs in an unpacked envelope. Either I give it to someone, or use it for rags! I will never buy any cycling clothes at CR.pl! They even do not let people try clothes on in their physical store!

 

[DaveMatthews]

CORRECTION: Early in this thread, I referred several times to a 30-day "100% satisfaction guarantee" with full refund. Turns out I was totally misinformed by an LBS employee on this matter.

The full refund applies only to unused and unmodified bikes. Ultimately had to decide to keep or not based on a 5-mile test ride on a long, moderate hill near the shop. Fortunately, that was enough.

Sorry for any confusion.

That was worth clearing up!
Good on ya mate!

 

[Seventysomething]

CORRECTION: Early in this thread, I referred several times to a 30-day "100% satisfaction guarantee" with full refund. Turns out I was totally misinformed by an LBS employee on this matter.

The full refund applies only to unused and unmodified bikes. Ultimately had to decide to keep or not based on a 5-mile test ride on a long, moderate hill near the shop. Fortunately, that was enough.

Sorry for any confusion.

Several members on this forum have received 100% refund in the past some after 30 days, one I can remember was between 60-90 days

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Several members on this forum have received 100% refund in the past some after 30 days, one I can remember was between 60-90 days

On a bike that had been used or modified?

Since a risk-free 30-day trial of an expensive bike sounded a little too good to be true, I must've asked the employee I worked with (their service manager no less) to confirm a dozen times. The conversation went something like,

"I need to prove that I can ride this expensive low-power ebike up a few days-worth of local test hills without killing my knees. Still returnable for a full refund, right?"
"Right."
"Still returnable if we put on a bell and better pedals first?"
"Yes."

And so on. But when pickup day came, that guy was "on vacation", and I was left to deal with the manager, who seemed baffled that I'd been told such a thing. Said he'd honor what I'd been told if I insisted, but it wasn't official policy. In fact, policy was only a store credit if the bike came back unused and unmodified within 30 days.

We compromised on a 5-mile test climb on a nearby hill — maybe 6-8%. Didn't prove long-term knee friendliness, but I took a chance, and it worked out.

Makes me wonder now which guy was either ill-informed or trying to con me. Needless to say, not going back there. Good thing I have an excellent alternative nearby.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Good thing I have an excellent alternative nearby.

Exactly my situation. The LBS that cheated on me by selling a 2017 Vado as MY 2019 eventually went belly up. I happily switched to a new excellent Specialized store and am with them since 2021.

 

[Seventysomething]

On a bike that had been used or modified?

Since a risk-free 30-day trial of an expensive bike sounded a little too good to be true, I must've asked the employee I worked with (their service manager no less) to confirm a dozen times. The conversation went something like,

"I need to prove that I can ride this expensive low-power ebike up a few days-worth of local test hills without killing my knees. Still returnable for a full refund, right?"
"Right."
"Still returnable if we put on a bell and better pedals first?"
"Yes."

And so on. But when pickup day came, that guy was "on vacation", and I was left to deal with the manager, who seemed baffled that I'd been told such a thing. Said he'd honor what I'd been told if I insisted, but it wasn't official policy. In fact, policy was only a store credit if the bike came back unused and unmodified within 30 days.

We compromised on a 5-mile test climb on a nearby hill — maybe 6-8%. Didn't prove long-term knee friendliness, but I took a chance, and it worked out.

Makes me wonder now which guy was either ill-informed or trying to con me. Needless to say, not going back there. Good thing I have an excellent alternative nearby.

Most of the bikes I remember involved the turbo vado 5.0 auto shift like mine .. maybe a unique situation, a lot of customers didn’t like this bike or were having problems, I’ve had mine 21/2 years with no issues ( just a little on the heavy side)

 

[DaveMatthews]

CORRECTION: Early in this thread, I referred several times to a 30-day "100% satisfaction guarantee" with full refund. Turns out I was totally misinformed by an LBS employee on this matter.

The full refund applies only to unused and unmodified bikes. Ultimately had to decide to keep or not based on a 5-mile test ride on a long, moderate hill near the shop. Fortunately, that was enough.

Sorry for any confusion.

That was worth clearing up!
Good on ya mate!

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

After 6 days and 90 delightful miles on the SL, I just don't understand it.

Compared to my 61 lb (bare), nominally 500W, 65Nm torque-sensing hub-drive, the 36 lb (bare) mid-drive SL has — on paper — 1/3 the peak power, significantly less torque, and has only reduced gross weight by 10%.

And yet the SL climbs every hill better! Yes, the SL's motor and I have the same cadence happy place (80-90 RPM), and the SL is well-geared to keep me there. And yes, the SL's more aero with significantly lower rolling resistance.

But stock rider position on the SL is only sIightly less upright, and I know how to get the most from this hub-drive on hills.

Please explain to me how this can be?
Technical specifics, please — no "mid-drives just climb better" platitudes.

One thing's for sure: Motor specs are even more meaningless than I ever imagined.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I'm even afraid to think what you would say if it were a Turbo Vado 5.0 (full-power)

Vado 6.0 is the Euro version of the American Vado 5.0. Both rides in comparable conditions, 70 mile rides in an undulated area.

 

[JGcycle]

After 6 days and 90 delightful miles on the SL, I just don't understand it.

Compared to my 61 lb (bare), nominally 500W, 65Nm torque-sensing hub-drive, the 36 lb (bare) mid-drive SL has — on paper — 1/3 the peak power, significantly less torque, and has only reduced gross weight by 10%.

And yet the SL climbs every hill better! Yes, the motor and I have the same cadence happy place (80-90 RPM), and the SL is well-geared to keep me there. And yes, the SL's more aero with significantly lower rolling resistance.

But stock rider position is only sIightly less upright, and I know how to get the most from this hub-drive on hills.

Please explain to me how this can be?
Technical specifics, please — no "mid-drives just climb better" platitudes.

One thing's for sure: Motor specs are even more meaningless than I ever imagined.

A mid-drive takes advantage of the bike's gears--a hub-drive does not.

 

[gromike]

If you want a hub drive to climb a steep hill with less leg effort you just need to feed it more watts.

Yes, the mid-drive motor can be placed in an advantageous drive ratio, so the motor can turn at an ideal rpm, but Jeremy's ebike is also a highly evolved electrically assisted bicycle. So, if you truly want a bicycle riding experience ride, but need or want some push to help, get a well balanced torque-sensing mid-drive.