Need opinions from Creo and Vado SL riders

[Calcoaster]

I’m looking for opinions and comments from anyone who has experience riding both the Creo and the Vado SL. I’m trying to decide between the two, and want to be sure the Vado SL would fit my needs if that’s the one I choose. Here’s my situation:

I ride a Specialized Roubaix now, strictly on road rides, usually 15 - 35 miles or so. My typical ride is a loop with rolling hills and a few short climbs, often with an 8 -10 mph headwind for part of the ride, and I average around 14 mph. My neck has been giving me problems for several years now and I have had a good bike fit and use a stem that puts the bars about saddle height. Because of the neck issue, I’m considering moving on to a flat bar bike and the Vado SL looks like the best.

My question for those of you who ride both the Creo and the Vado SL is if you use the Vado SL for road rides and how it compares with the Creo for those same rides. So, is the Vado SL a viable alternative to the Creo for road rides, and how do you rate, compare, opine the differences for the same ride? I know there are tricks I could try with a Creo fit, and that might make the difference I need, but I think the Vado SL would have more fit options.

Thanks for the help! I test rode an XL Vado SL and it did feel like a good fit. Almost anything would feel good on a five minute ride on flat ground though.

 

[Oberst]

If you have neck issues bending i would say vado and i have a creo and vado.

 

[Rincon]

I own both. Same motor. Same mileage and power, though the Vado SL weighs a few pounds more. Aside from the geometry, the experience and capabilities are nearly identical. As you note, the Creo is a drop bar road bike and the Vado is a flat bar, upright ride, but I ride the Creo mostly on the tops or the hoods anyway. You can certainly go faster on the Creo in the drops due to lower wind resistance. I would describe both as more sure footed than highly responsive road bikes.

With your neck issues, it sounds like the Vado SL is your new bike. They’re both great bikes. They’re both a whole lot of fun.

 

[JeffC57]

Dave
I posted my comments in our PM string before I saw this thread….looks like there is consensus here.

Enjoy the ride.

Jeff C

 

[eddief]

I only own the Creo and I too have neck problems and my bars are higher than my saddle. I tried flat bar bikes but never found bars or hand/bar combination that felt right. So many more hand positions on drop bars. Maybe go even higher with stem on Creo. It might look dorky but you might be more comfortable and with more hand comfort.

 

[kahn]

I only own the Creo and I too have neck problems and my bars are higher than my saddle. I tried flat bar bikes but never found bars or hand/bar combination that felt right. So many more hand positions on drop bars. Maybe go even higher with stem on Creo. It might look dorky but you might be more comfortable and with more hand comfort.

I, too, only have the Creo, the aluminum model. I did use the three spacers to raise the handle bars. I might still go higher with a stem. I rarely use the drop position but am constantly moving hand positions on the bars and prefer the various options that a drop bar provides. I have a much extended steerer tube on my custom bike. I did/do have a pinched nerve and too much craning of my neck upward can lead to some vertigo.

I am a bit sorry that I did not test and compare models when I was buying but I wanted a light bike with drops. Now shops are pretty thin with inventory.

 

[Calcoaster]

Thanks for the input everyone. I’m stuck in the thought that drop bar bikes are for road riding, flat bar for shorter urban rides, and I want a bile for road rides. I really only use the bar tops on my road bike so I wonder if adding bar ends to a flat bar would give the extra hand position needed for variety. Ergo grips with their various ends look good on paper. Any other experiences with either bike or with bar ends that might help with my decision?

 

[kahn]

Thanks for the input everyone. I’m stuck in the thought that drop bar bikes are for road riding, flat bar for shorter urban rides, and I want a bile for road rides. I really only use the bar tops on my road bike so I wonder if adding bar ends to a flat bar would give the extra hand position needed for variety. Ergo grips with their various ends look good on paper. Any other experiences with either bike or with bar ends that might help with my decision?

I can only give my experiences. In the past I commuted 17 miles each way on roads with both my mt bike (straight handlebars with some bar ends) and on my road bike. It was not a real issue but I was younger. I generally preferred the road bike for those commutes but the mt bike's tougher tires were nice on the glassy stretches. I also know quite a few riders who used mt bikes on long rides including Seattle to Portland and this was before hybrids and the like.

I think there's still a stigma to uprights. But definitely tend to your neck issues.

Off for a 37 mile Creo, hilly ride...

 

[Deacon Blues]

I don't own a Vado SL or Creo, but I have a light drop-bar road bike and an e-gravel bike with a flat handle bar.
My e-gravel bike came with a drop bar, but because of finger numbness I switched to a flat bar setup.
I like my drop bar bike, but I like riding my flat bar setup more. Sometimes, on longer rides, I get neck pain on my road bike, but I've never had any neck pain while riding my flat bar bike.
The flat bar that I purchased has horns, which allows me to get more aero when I want to. I end up in about the same position as when I have my hands on the hoods of my road bike.

Here's a photo of my handlebar:

 

[kahn]

I don't own a Vado SL or Creo, but I have a light drop-bar road bike and an e-gravel bike with a flat handle bar.
My e-gravel bike came with a drop bar, but because of finger numbness I switched to a flat bar setup.
I like my drop bar bike, but I like riding my flat bar setup more. Sometimes, on longer rides, I get neck pain on my road bike, but I've never had any neck pain while riding my flat bar bike.
The flat bar that I purchased has horns, which allows me to get more aero when I want to. I end up in about the same position as when I have my hands on the hoods of my road bike.

Here's a photo of my handlebar:

What do you have WAY out there on the front extension bar?

 

[Deacon Blues]

I call that my RV mirror.
Recently I took off some bar tape and move it outwards, for better visibility.
It looks weird, but I love it. Best mirror I've ever used....by a long shot.
I have one on my road bike too.

 

[Amoto65]

Love the bars what are they?

 

[mschwett]

Thanks for the input everyone. I’m stuck in the thought that drop bar bikes are for road riding, flat bar for shorter urban rides, and I want a bile for road rides. I really only use the bar tops on my road bike so I wonder if adding bar ends to a flat bar would give the extra hand position needed for variety. Ergo grips with their various ends look good on paper. Any other experiences with either bike or with bar ends that might help with my decision?

i had a 17 degree up stem on my creo initially, thinking it would be an easier transition from my upright flat bar city bike.

a proper bike fit disabused me of that, higher saddle lower bar (still not slammed) turns out to be much better for all parts of my body. for very long rides, the higher bar position hurt my lower back and butt, discouraging proper riding technique.

any way you can rent/demo a creo for a long ride? they're both beautiful bikes, but for really long road rides with a headwind, i wouldn't pick a flat bar bike.

 

[TYJ]

My Vote = Turbo Vado SL with SQ Labs bars + inner bar ends

 

[ActionJackson]

Here's a photo of my handlebar:

Where do I get the L shaped thing-a-ma-jigee??

 

[Deacon Blues]

Love the bars what are they?

The bar was designed by world touring cyclist Alee Denham.
Here's a link comparing his handlebar with other similar touring bars: https://www.cyclingabout.com/comparing-koga-denham-bar-shape-with-alt-bars/

 

[Deacon Blues]

Where do I get the L shaped thing-a-ma-jigee??

Made by a local bike shop.

 

[jodi2]

I’m stuck in the thought that drop bar bikes are for road riding, flat bar for shorter urban rides, and I want a bile for road rides.

15-35 miles you can do with almost ANY bike, with much worse bikes then these two. Where drop bar starts to count is 2-3 times the milage, frequent tours above 100 miles...
Even if I have a creo and like it's drop bar, most of the riders in the world ride flat bars, also for long tours, even around the world...

I really only use the bar tops on my road bike

I don's see much advantage in a drop bar, if you never don't use the lower position anymore.
But even then, you should definitely try both before buying one!

 

[stw]

Most of your replies are from people happy with flat bars / upright bars and that's great, and is most common handlebar type world-wide as Jodi points out. I'll comment as some one who is most comfortable on dropbars for even short rides. I really like the way the hoods position puts my hand in the natural "handshake" position; the "ramps" are the part of a drop bar right behind the hood and that's a second position that gives that handshake comfort, and has almost as good access to the brakes; in the hoods position brake levers are right at your finger tips.

I would get small aches an pains in my wrists with a conventional flat bar / upright bar because it put my wrist more at right angle--that's not a problem if you keep your bar height above saddle height, or if you find a good flat bar with lots of backsweep, even with ends that come back toward you like the Albatross handlebar.

Once I was in my 50s I noticed I was not using the drops position much anymore, and realized my bar could be raised a bit. After a few raises, my dropbar is now 2" below saddle height. Now in my 60s, I found I got the drops position back once my bar was just the 2" below saddle height and I'm in the drops for a third to half of my riding.

I've ridden flat bars / upright bars various times over the years, and I can manage them ok on a rental while traveling if I have to, but my bikes always come back to drop bars. Here is one that's not particular lightweight like the Creo or Vado but is very comfortable after its dropbar conversion, and it's my only e-bike so that's the one to post...

 

[kahn]

Most of your replies are from people happy with flat bars / upright bars and that's great, and is most common handlebar type world-wide as Jodi points out. I'll comment as some one who is most comfortable on dropbars for even short rides. I really like the way the hoods position puts my hand in the natural "handshake" position; the "ramps" are the part of a drop bar right behind the hood and that's a second position that gives that handshake comfort, and has almost as good access to the brakes; in the hoods position brake levers are right at your finger tips.

I would get small aches an pains in my wrists with a conventional flat bar / upright bar because it put my wrist more at right angle--that's not a problem if you keep your bar height above saddle height, or if you find a good flat bar with lots of backsweep, even with ends that come back toward you like the Albatross handlebar.

Once I was in my 50s I noticed I was not using the drops position much anymore, and realized my bar could be raised a bit. After a few raises, my dropbar is now 2" below saddle height. Now in my 60s, I found I got the drops position back once my bar was just the 2" below saddle height and I'm in the drops for a third to half of my riding.

I've ridden flat bars / upright bars various times over the years, and I can manage them ok on a rental while traveling if I have to, but my bikes always come back to drop bars. Here is one that's not particular lightweight like the Creo or Vado but is very comfortable after its dropbar conversion, and it's my only e-bike so that's the one to post...

I think that I need to raise the handlebars on my Creo. I've had a pinched nerve in my neck in the past and the last few rides I've been getting a touch of vertigo. I think I'm craning my head/neck up too much. Any suggestions for an easy method to raise my ALUMINUM (not sure that makes any difference) Creo's handlebars? That means taking into account that it has Future Shock as part of its setup. I don't know the dimensions/diameter of the bars where the stem attaches.