Larger a chain Ring for Vado

MAPC

MAPC

Active Member
I have determined that I would prefer a 48t chain ring vs the 40t on my Vado. I asked my LBS to give me a price. Since the Como has a 48t I thought that This would be easy. His response got me very confused. This is what he emailed:

The largest available third party ring is 38T; your 40T is a standard OEM direct from the manufacturer.

If you can source a 104 BCD, 48T optimimized for 12 speed, we can install it for you.

First- why can’t the Como ring work? Second- what is the relevance of the 12 speed reference when my bike has 10 speeds.

I admit that I know very little about bike components so maybe I’m being an idiot.

Help!
 
It's very interesting what would happen if you were an owner of Vado 5.0 and requested replacing the chainring...
 
Stefan Mikes said:
It's very interesting what would happen if you were an owner of Vado 5.0 and requested replacing the chainring...
Click to expand...

The OP's LBS is misinformed (like totally).
  • The Vado 4.0 (NOT SL) has a 10-speed Shimano mech with 11-42T cluster and 40T chainring. For comfortable cruising above 20 mph it really could use a 44T to 48T chain ring. The constant 40x11T cruising tends to put a lot of wear on the chain and the cluster and was the cause of a number of chain and cluster failures at low mileage on the original Vado 3.0, Vado 4.0, and Turbo Comos similarly equipped.
  • When I bought my original Turbo in 2015, it came with 10 speed 11-36T cluster and 48T chain ring. I sourced a 44T BCD-104 chain ring and guard and an 11-40T rear cluster that worked just fine to give me a better cruising and low range compromise.
  • The Turbo Vado 5.0 comes with an 11 speed (not 12 speed) Shimano XT-8000 mech (same as I now have on my older Turbo). It DOES have a 48T chainring and 11-42T cluster. A Vado 5.0 chain ring and guard should be a direct bolt on to a Vado 3.0 or Vado 4.0 and for all intents and purposes, the 11 speed ring is otherwise identical to the 10 speed 40T ring.
OTOH...
  • The Turbo Vado SL 5.0( and EQ) has the 12 speed Shimano mech with 44T front sprocket. It has a 10-45T cluster. The 44x10T high gear provides gearing similar to the regular Vado 5.0, but adds a lower low gear at 44x45T. This is needed due to its lower power motor.
For a 3rd Party 44T setup:
 
Last edited:
Douglas Ruby said:
The OP's LBS is misinformed (like totally).
  • The Vado 4.0 (NOT SL) has a 10-speed Shimano mech with 11-42T cluster and 40T chainring. For comfortable cruising above 20 mph it really could use a 44T to 48T chain ring. The constant 40x11T cruising tends to put a lot of wear on the chain and the cluster and was the cause of a number of chain and cluster failures at low mileage on the original Vado 3.0, Vado 4.0, and Turbo Comos similarly equipped.
  • When I bought my original Turbo in 2015, it came with 10 speed 11-36T cluster and 48T chain ring. I sourced a 44T BCD-104 chain ring and guard and an 11-40T rear cluster that worked just fine to give me a better cruising and low range compromise.
  • The Turbo Vado 5.0 comes with an 11 speed (not 12 speed) Shimano XT-8000 mech (same as I now have on my older Turbo). It DOES have a 48T chainring and 11-42T cluster. A Vado 5.0 chain ring and guard should be a direct bolt on to a Vado 3.0 or Vado 4.0 and for all intents and purposes, the 11 speed ring is otherwise identical to the 10 speed 40T ring.
OTOH...
  • The Turbo Vado SL 5.0( and EQ) has the 12 speed Shimano mech with 44T front sprocket. It has a 10-45T cluster. The 44x10T high gear provides gearing similar gearing to the regular Vado 5.0, but adds a lower low gear at 44x45T. This is needed due to its lower power motor.
For a 3rd Party 44T setup:
Click to expand...
Your first bullet is what I was holding- and i assumes that the LBS would have options to make the change. Maybe I need to try another LBS.
 
MAPC said:
I have determined that I would prefer a 48t chain ring vs the 40t on my Vado. I asked my LBS to give me a price. Since the Como has a 48t I thought that This would be easy. His response got me very confused. This is what he emailed:

The largest available third party ring is 38T; your 40T is a standard OEM direct from the manufacturer.

If you can source a 104 BCD, 48T optimimized for 12 speed, we can install it for you.

First- why can’t the Como ring work? Second- what is the relevance of the 12 speed reference when my bike has 10 speeds.

I admit that I know very little about bike components so maybe I’m being an idiot.

Help!
Click to expand...
Recently @Nxkharra needed a 48t chain ring for his Vado 5 and was quoted 2 week delivery by his LBS.

This thread has suggestions on replacement chain rings; https://electricbikereview.com/forums/threads/chain-ring-tooth-selection.33187/ . Deckas rings are suggested in several posts. You're looking for a wide-narrow 104 bcd 48t ring. The wide-narrow feature is very important to minimize chain drops.

Some posts reported long lead times on these rings.
 
I think I am going to stay the course with the 40 it’s all too complicated for me at this stage of my bike expertise. I thought it was going to be simpler but I’m not up for the coordination that it seems like it will take if my LBS can’t figure it out for me.
 
MAPC said:
Why? Pardon my cycle-ignorance.
Click to expand...
@Douglas Ruby gave the informed answer. The point is, the Vado 5.0 comes with the 48T chainring so there should be no problem to source such a chainring (and the chainguard) for the Vado 4.0 unless the LBS is incompetent or there is a lack of Specialized 48T chainrings in the market.
 
This offer

Specialized Vado Chainring - 104mm - S171400001/S171400002

Specialized Equipment ▶ Specialized Vado Chainring - 104mm BCD.Available with 40 and 48 teeth. For 10,11 speed. S171400001 (40 teeth), S171400002 (48 teeth)
www.bike24.com www.bike24.com
gives you the manufacturer item code of the Specialized 48T chainring and further information. Your well misinformed LBS could order it using that item code.
It fits any Vado with 10speed or 11speed gearing. There is no "heavy" Vado with 12speed gearing.

I think the Specialized chainring (which is third party as well) is overpriced for the offered quality and that is why I prefer the Deckas chainrings where you can choose any size from 40T to 52T for the Vado. See my comments in the thread Sierratim had linked in #007.

Snail offers 104BCT 48T narrow-wide chainrings as well.
 
MAPC said:
I think I am going to stay the course with the 40 it’s all too complicated for me at this stage of my bike expertise. I thought it was going to be simpler but I’m not up for the coordination that it seems like it will take if my LBS can’t figure it out for me.
Click to expand...

Having just completed the change of my Vado 4 chainring from 40T to 44T, I can empathise with your situation. I changed in order to move up the cassette as @Douglas Ruby has mentioned - I was operating on the bottom three cogs all the time.

My LBS, who are normally very helpful, really did not want to know, and I can understand why now - sourcing the narrow-wide chainring, a 44T bashguard, and the appropriate chainring bolts took a lot of perseverance, and the shop really does not have the time to do this.

I am amazed that Specialized, which seems a very go-ahead company to me, is not providing more help in this area for users with different regulations in place, though the UK support folks (plus the people here of course :)) guided me towards the after-market solution to my needs.
 
TS25 said:
This offer

Specialized Vado Chainring - 104mm - S171400001/S171400002

Specialized Equipment ▶ Specialized Vado Chainring - 104mm BCD.Available with 40 and 48 teeth. For 10,11 speed. S171400001 (40 teeth), S171400002 (48 teeth)
www.bike24.com www.bike24.com
gives you the manufacturer item code of the Specialized 48T chainring and further information. Your well misinformed LBS could order it using that item code.
It fits any Vado with 10speed or 11speed gearing. There is no "heavy" Vado with 12speed gearing.

I think the Specialized chainring (which is third party as well) is overpriced for the offered quality and that is why I prefer the Deckas chainrings where you can choose any size from 40T to 52T for the Vado. See my comments in the thread Sierratim had linked in #007.

Snail offers 104BCT 48T narrow-wide chainrings as well.
Click to expand...
Nice find on the Snail chain rings. The 48t is in stock at amazon for $31 incl ship; https://www.amazon.com/Chainring-Mo...=1590765639&sr=8-5&srs=19831739011&th=1&psc=1 If you ignore ratings from buyers that thought this wide-narrow ring was for a multi-ring setup, the ratings are quite good.

Perhaps @MAPC could order one and take it to his LBS for the install. Best of all, it's available in, you guessed it, red...🤣
 
MAPC said:
I have determined that I would prefer a 48t chain ring vs the 40t on my Vado. I asked my LBS to give me a price. Since the Como has a 48t I thought that This would be easy. His response got me very confused. This is what he emailed:

The largest available third party ring is 38T; your 40T is a standard OEM direct from the manufacturer.

If you can source a 104 BCD, 48T optimimized for 12 speed, we can install it for you.

First- why can’t the Como ring work? Second- what is the relevance of the 12 speed reference when my bike has 10 speeds.

I admit that I know very little about bike components so maybe I’m being an idiot.

Help!
Click to expand...
Thank you for posting this. I am going to do the same for the exact same reason when my first chain wears out. If anyone has North American Specialized part numbers for the ring and bash guard I would really appreciate them to make it easier for the LBS.
 
Cyklefanatic said:
Thank you for posting this. I am going to do the same for the exact same reason when my first chain wears out. If anyone has North American Specialized part numbers for the ring and bash guard I would really appreciate them to make it easier for the LBS.
Click to expand...

I think you have hit the nail on the head - the part numbers are the key.

I could find a Specialized chainring at double the price of the Deckas, but not from Specialized. I could not find a bashguard of the same type anywhere, I'm afraid - you may be luckier in the US with stocks there.
 
Cyklefanatic said:
If anyone has North American Specialized part numbers for the ring and bash guard I would really appreciate them to make it easier for the LBS.
Click to expand...
If there is an international manufacturer code (see #10) of an international company like Specialized why do you expect a special code for certain markets? Had it tested yet?
 
Strange you should mention this. Iwas thinking about ordering the 38t vado ring for my new como to make hills easier ? Care to swap? Will it work?
 
My LBS has been less than helpful about helping me figure out what would work and what won’t. Can you see what your LBS has to say? If it could work I’d do it.
 
MAPC said:
My LBS has been less than helpful about helping me figure out what would work and what won’t. Can you see what your LBS has to say? If it could work I’d do it.
Click to expand...
My response was half in jest after failing to climb a very steep hill with my new toy. It doesn't seem like it could be that simple. However, I'll certainty call my lbs and ask, maybe it is . My como has no chain guard.
 
MAPC said:
My LBS has been less than helpful about helping me figure out what would work and what won’t. Can you see what your LBS has to say? If it could work I’d do it.
Click to expand...
Sorry it me so long to reply. Problems with my bike and my brain ...Will see my lbs again Wednesday and will try to remember to ask him. If you have already found something, that's fine, but I will still probably go ahead with a chainring swap if he's agreeable.
 
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