Mission Control App - Turbo Vado Solution Now Available

Bengt A said:
i have the new diaplay and I'm using a phone as a display, you can change everything you want to show on the display. One thing is missing, the heartrate i hope they get this on further updates.
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How does it perform under direct sunlight?

I wonder if it's compatible with the BLEvo app:
 
Drewtaylor said:
Well the good news is that the Mission Control App really does work. Factory settings for Eco Sport and Turbo are 35%, 75% and 100% assist.
Reducing the power settings gives a completely different feel to the ride and a better work out. I'm not sure exactly how things work but I think the bike detects the power you are putting in and then adds power to pedals. Now if I reduce the power to the pedals, to keep the same average speed I have to put in more power myself. This will be detected and so the bike will increase power input so I'm not really convinced reducing the power setting will automatically increase range.

I went out today and did a 39mile loop. mainly flat with a couple of short steep bits. Miles 39.12, Elevation gain 968 feet, average speed13.2 mph. I adjusted settings to Eco 25%. Sport 50% and Turbo 100%. I kept to power on all the time and rode 95% Eco, 4% Sport and 1% Turbo (approximations). Battery charge left was 34%. My estimation is that with the changes to the power settings my total range would have been 60 miles. My usual total range estimation is 50 miles so that is a 20% increase with the reduction in power for Eco and Sport.

I will reset the powers to factory settings and do the same loop in the next few days to see if my assumptions are correct. It is difficult to be exact as although the bike weight and my weight remain constant the wind and temperature make a significant difference to range. Still I will give it a go.
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Do you know the difference between peak power and support power settings when inside of each assist level?
 
Drewtaylor said:
I really did have fun. The formatting of the data seems to be a bit lost but main response is 18% (nine mile) increase in range from dialling down eco from 35% to 25%. I think that is the only change I will make and even then only for longer runs. I need to give Smart Control a proper trial Maybe next time I'll turn it on and say Im cycling for 3 hours and see what happens.

Vado is a great bike for urban environment and also rural lanes. Ive used it on tracks and ok as well but not an off road machine really.

Just a heads up. After about 6 weeks of regular use I thought the motor was packing in as i was not reliably able to engage sport and turbo modes. It was due to a dirty speed sensor which is a magnet attached to the rear brake rotor. Gets excessively dirty and I think picks up iron dust. Anyway keep it clean after every ride to avoid problems.
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So I got my bike yesterday and it feels great. Managed to get the Mission Control app running and connect to my bike. Don’t feel an immediate need to change the power settings as my new bike has the 1.3 motor and I’d like to ride at least a few days to get a feel for what kind of range I can expect.
I wanted to check and adjust wheel circumference.
No luck with that. The app just doesn’t respond to any tapping on that data field. I have an iPhone.
 
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Regarding upgrading to TCD-W on my 2019 Como 5.0 (November 2018 purchase,) I've had further communications with RiderCare and my LBS. They say my bike is compatible but my purchase is not eligible for free upgrade. I was told the TCD-W kit retails for $230 and they estimate about an hour of labor to install. A popular item right now, the part is backordered and may take several weeks to acquire. I'm deliberating the upgrade.
 
Thanks for the link, Mr. Coffee :). I think you're right. The $80 display is the wireless version. Apparently my Como 5.0 needs the wired version, TCD-W. I have a feeling there's more than the cabling involved in TCD-W to bring compatibility to these models, not sure. My dealer received the TCD-W unexpectedly early so I may move forward this week.

Unfortunately I've broken a couple spokes over the last month so and at the same time the LBS is going to rebuild the wheel with stronger spokes and nipples and put on Schwalbe Super Moto X tires.
 
Setting wheel circumference is not possible in Sweden :((maybe all EU countries, I don’t know)
I emailed ( yesterday, Sunday) Specialized Rider Care Nordic and asked about the non working function in the Mission Control app.
Got an answer 10.00 today. They explained that there is a new law forcing manufacturers to make sure you can’t tune your bike to go faster than what they are classified for. I don’t know if that means the manufacturers should not themselves provide any tuning possibilities or if they have to try to stop all possilibilities for third party suppliers to make the bike go faster than classification.
The dealers can still do the minor adjustments that could be necessary after a tire change.
Rider Care Nordic also said that they understand it’s awkward going to a dealer to do these adjustments and that they are working on a way to implement the function in some form.
My Vado 5.0/TCD indicates about 1kph more than my gps at 25kph but trip distance for a 10km ride was not off by more than 1% compared to the gps (an old Garmin Gpsmap 60csx).
 
Burkes Cycles just replaced the old BLOKS display on my May 2017 Vado3 with the new model, no charge. I really like the more accurate battery% readout but Eco seems to be more powerful than I remember.

The bike stopped working as a e-bike on the way to work last week, which made for a good workout to get there and home again. Electric assist just disappeared, along with the lights and display. Switching the bike on would momentarily flash the headlight before it extinguished. The LEDs were up on the battery but nothing at home on the display. So happy to get it back from the shop today. They also fitted a new driveline; chainring, chain, cassette and rear tyre at the same time.

So now I've got the App to pair with the bike this afternoon and I'm off for a ride to try out the ECO setting changes I've made. Down to 25% instead of the default 35%.

Other recent Vado news is I've had 2 broken spokes now in the last 800km. ODO is now at 4,866km. Might have to follow my own advice and get the rear wheel rebuilt :(
 
Rod Jets said:
Burkes Cycles just replaced the old BLOKS display on my May 2017 Vado3 with the new model, no charge. I really like the more accurate battery% readout but Eco seems to be more powerful than I remember.

The bike stopped working as a e-bike on the way to work last week, which made for a good workout to get there and home again. Electric assist just disappeared, along with the lights and display. Switching the bike on would momentarily flash the headlight before it extinguished. The LEDs were up on the battery but nothing at home on the display. So happy to get it back from the shop today. They also fitted a new driveline; chainring, chain, cassette and rear tyre at the same time.

So now I've got the App to pair with the bike this afternoon and I'm off for a ride to try out the ECO setting changes I've made. Down to 25% instead of the default 35%.

Other recent Vado news is I've had 2 broken spokes now in the last 800km. ODO is now at 4,866km. Might have to follow my own advice and get the rear wheel rebuilt :(
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Great you had your display replaced without cost.
Interesting you find the Eco mode with new software to be more powereful. I bought a new Vado 5.0 three weeks ago and I’ve been thinking Eco mode is a little less powerful compared to my Vado 4.0 last year. But I’m not at all sure.
I am however getting a better range and that the range improvement is more then the 20% bigger battery ( from 500 to 600Wh) Reducing power in Eco mode was something I had planned to try with this new display/software but for me that is not of immediate interest as I’m satisfied with the range I’ve gotten this far.
 
I emailed Specialized again on May 30, 2019 to see if I could bug them into giving me an update on the missing bluetooth and no connectivity of my Bloks display. I have a 2018 Como 2.0. and I was very disappointed after my purchase, to learn I had no connectivity and contacted the company and LBS several times over the last year. Today, June the 3rd I received an email with the good news that the TCD-W kit is the answer. They said just get a hold of your LBS and they will order the part and get the process rolling. I've read over every post about the new upgrade and I am looking forward to having the control and information at my finger tips that I was promised. I'll report back once I get the display installed and keep watching the posts for any new info everyone has to offer.
 
My husband and I both have Vado 2.0's - purchased just under a year ago. When we found out about the TCD-W kit (from this forum) I contacted Specialized and they were no help at all. I then contacted the bike shop (GlobalBikes) that we purchased our bikes from, and they had to contact Specialized to get info on the update. I contacted them initially in early March, and in mid March they heard from Specialized that they could get the replacement head units at no charge, but Specialized would not cover their labor to install. They gave us 1/2 price on the labor - so we had them go ahead. It took over 2 months for them to get the parts, and then a weekend to do the install. We now have both bikes with the updated display. Went on a few long bike rides in San Diego last week, and they worked great. Mission Control app did seem to drain my phones battery, so probably won't be using it to track my rides.
 
Has anyone managed to upgrade their Vado 6.0? I left a message with my bike shop some weeks ago, but they have failed to get back to me (I'll bug them again).
I found this on the Specialized web-site:

WHICH BIKES ARE SUPPORTED?

We support all Specialized Turbo bikes supporting Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) connectivity technology. More specifically:
  • All Turbo, Turbo S, and Turbo X with BLE connectivity
  • All Turbo Levo bikes
  • All Turbo Kenevo bikes
  • All Turbo Vado/Como bikes with a TCD-w (display on handlebars).
What About My Turbo Vado Or Como with a BLOKS display?

Due to the type of Bluetooth® connectivity on Turbo Vado/Como BLOKS displays, Mission Control cannot connect to these bikes. If you would still like to use the Mission Control App, please contact your local Specialized retailer to enquire about converting your bike to the App-compatible TCD-w.
 
You just need the dealer to update you to the new TCD-w display.
My dealer did it no charge as I hear most are doing.
Some people have had difficulty getting the dealer to do it.
When you have the new display unit, the app works fine.
Also the new display has a power meter built in and connects to a heart rate strap.
Makes it a much better bike.
 
Bought two Comos September last year. Were informed recently by our dealer that Specialized would replace our computers to make our mission control apps work. Took our bikes in for the work. After keeping them for a week the dealer called and said that the parts are back ordered and Specialized is not accepting any additional orders at this time. So, I am having doubts that this is ever going to rectified.
 
@Johno these kits are in plentiful stock in Europe - where are you in the world? Suggest you ring Specialized and check this retailer is telling you the truth.
 
MrBritton said:
Has anyone managed to upgrade their Vado 6.0? I left a message with my bike shop some weeks ago, but they have failed to get back to me (I'll bug them again).
I found this on the Specialized web-site:

WHICH BIKES ARE SUPPORTED?

We support all Specialized Turbo bikes supporting Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) connectivity technology. More specifically:
  • All Turbo, Turbo S, and Turbo X with BLE connectivity
  • All Turbo Levo bikes
  • All Turbo Kenevo bikes
  • All Turbo Vado/Como bikes with a TCD-w (display on handlebars).
What About My Turbo Vado Or Como with a BLOKS display?

Due to the type of Bluetooth® connectivity on Turbo Vado/Como BLOKS displays, Mission Control cannot connect to these bikes. If you would still like to use the Mission Control App, please contact your local Specialized retailer to enquire about converting your bike to the App-compatible TCD-w.
Click to expand...

I have a Vado 6 as well. I was told by my shop "The Bike Source" Vado 6.0 is not supported due to the brake lever/light functionality. If you wanted to upgrade shop would need to change some wiring which eliminates this functionality.
 
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