New Specialized Como SL

[Art Deco]

very unfortunate for an “SL” bike to weigh almost 50 pounds lol!!

Or to weigh as much as the non SL version of the same bike yet cost $1000 more. I guess that's what the IGH and internal battery does for controlling weight and cost.

 

[mschwett]

Or to weigh as much as the non SL version of the same bike yet cost $1000 more. I guess that's what the IGH and internal battery does for controlling weight and cost.

true, many IGH are heavy. but not that heavy, considering how much lighter the battery and motor are. some very strange design choices going on! obviously weight isn’t an issue for many but for smaller riders in an urban environment it certainly is. i just carried two of our bikes down four flights of stairs into the subway, not happening with something that heavy!

 

[Art Deco]

true, many IGH are heavy. but not that heavy, considering how much lighter the battery and motor are. some very strange design choices going on! obviously weight isn’t an issue for many but for smaller riders in an urban environment it certainly is. i just carried two of our bikes down four flights of stairs into the subway, not happening with something that heavy!

Weight matters for most riders. Lifting a bike into a pick up truck or van for riders in rural areas or onto a train rack in urban areas is always bad ... something that can ruin a trip for a small rider.

 

[kahn]

true, many IGH are heavy. but not that heavy, considering how much lighter the battery and motor are. some very strange design choices going on! obviously weight isn’t an issue for many but for smaller riders in an urban environment it certainly is. i just carried two of our bikes down four flights of stairs into the subway, not happening with something that heavy!

I want to see you carry them both out again!!!

 

[Allan47.7339]

I've been on group rides where a couple of people needed help getting the bike on a bumper rack. One was a 80's male and the other a small female. Thule has a new rack with a ramp but it's a problem for some riders. Four flights of stairs would be difficult for a small rider even with a "light" 30lb ebike if the elevator was out of order.

 

[mschwett]

I want to see you carry them both out again!!!

i’ve had to do that before, one at a time. no bueno! in this case we got on underground, got off aboveground, down the stairs both ways lol. and took the ferry back

i think for me 45lb is the absolute limit. for my wife probably more like 35.

 

[mschwett]

I've been on group rides where a couple of people needed help getting the bike on a bumper rack. One was a 80's male and the other a small female. Thule has a new rack with a ramp but it's a problem for some riders. Four flights of stairs would be difficult for a small rider even with a "light" 30lb ebike if the elevator was out of order.

no doubt. but at 30lb with a correctly sized bike a small rider could put their arm through it and put the tub tube on their shoulder. not happening at 50+ for most smaller people. step through frame …. hmmmmmmmm hadn’t really thought about that.

 

[mschwett]

back on topic,

the comparison of these two bikes is interesting. i love my SL drive creo and would like to keep it “in the family” but i’m not seeing much justification for that.

lemond dutch
$4870
27lb
250w rear hub motor
245wh integrated battery
208wh range extender avail
integrated front basket
integrated rear rack
500 lumen front light
dual 70 lumen tail lights
11 speed GRX
594mm reach, 691mm stack

como sl
$4800
47.6lb
250-300w mid-drive motor
320wh integrated battery
240wh range extender avail
integrated front basket
rear rack avail but extra
8 speed IGH w/belt drive
unknown stack/reach

so… basically, is an IGH and belt worth 20lb of extra weight to lug around.

 

[Marcela]

Both my Vado and Como size L weigh 57#.

 

[Allan47.7339]

back on topic,

the comparison of these two bikes is interesting. i love my SL drive creo and would like to keep it “in the family” but i’m not seeing much justification for that.

Your kicking your Creo out of the family?? Does it know yet?

 

[kahn]

back on topic,

the comparison of these two bikes is interesting. i love my SL drive creo and would like to keep it “in the family” but i’m not seeing much justification for that.

lemond dutch
$4870
27lb
250w rear hub motor
245wh integrated battery
208wh range extender avail
integrated front basket
integrated rear rack
500 lumen front light
dual 70 lumen tail lights
11 speed GRX
594mm reach, 691mm stack

como sl
$4800
47.6lb
250-300w mid-drive motor
320wh integrated battery
240wh range extender avail
integrated front basket
rear rack avail but extra
8 speed IGH w/belt drive
unknown stack/reach

so… basically, is an IGH and belt worth 20lb of extra weight to lug around.

Any reviews of the range of that Dutch? It does have a range extender battery? Step through might be nice within the next year or two - or two or three months! While the site mentions carbon wheels, I don't see that on the upgrade options. But it probably kicks it up to $7000 or more. Wow, Shimano gets quite the upcharge for the electronic shifting!!!

 

[mschwett]

Your kicking your Creo out of the family?? Does it know yet?

Haha lol, the Creo isn’t going anywhere. I have a just-a-bike from specialized on order, so I meant that I’d like to keep the wife’s bike “in the family,” meaning a specialized

 

[mschwett]

Any reviews of the range of that Dutch? It does have a range extender battery? Step through might be nice within the next year or two - or two or three months! While the site mentions carbon wheels, I don't see that on the upgrade options. But it probably kicks it up to $7000 or more. Wow, Shimano gets quite the upcharge for the electronic shifting!!!

i haven’t seen any in-depth reviews really, to be honest it seems like vaporware. I have never seen one in person, either. I doubt the range will be much different than a specialized SL bike, similar power and battery, a bit lighter. probably 10 to 20% less or something?

the carbon wheels used to show up as an upgrade choice. Don’t see them now for either of the bikes, maybe they’re out of stock or just a web glitch? I think it was $1500 or so.

 

[Art Deco]

Both my Vado and Como size L weigh 57#.

That is a bit more than my USA spec Comos . Does your Como have a front suspension ?

 

[Allan47.7339]

Any reviews of the range of that Dutch? It does have a range extender battery? Step through might be nice within the next year or two - or two or three months! While the site mentions carbon wheels, I don't see that on the upgrade options. But it probably kicks it up to $7000 or more. Wow, Shimano gets quite the upcharge for the electronic shifting!!!

Here is a report on the Prolog:

LeMond Prolog e-Bike Review (e-Assist): A Week with an E-bike – Two Bikes Knoxville – Two Bikes Knoxville

How I ended up writing this review of the LeMond Prolog is a bit surreal. I’ve lived in Knoxville, Tennessee for the past ten years, where I’ve managed to carve out a career in the nonprofit bike space at Two Bikes Knoxville. About a year ago, my pal Matt Zingg and I started a nonprofit bike...

theradavist.com

 

[Marcela]

That is a bit more than my USA spec Comos . Does your Como have a front suspension ?

No it does not.

 

[Art Deco]

No it does not.

Seems like the weight must jump from medium to large frame as well as from my E type motor and small battery to the full power Como. Mine is just under 50 pounds including a few accessories.

 

[Marcela]

Seems like the weight must jump from medium to large frame as well as from my E type motor and small battery to the full power Como. Mine is just under 50 pounds including a few accessories.

I was surprised the Como and Vado weigh the same even though the Vado has the front shocks.

IMO unless one has to pick up their bike the SL doesn't seem to make sense. The 57# is awkward in a bike package.

 

[Art Deco]

I was surprised the Como and Vado weigh the same even though the Vado has the front shocks.

IMO unless one has to pick up their bike the SL doesn't seem to make sense. The 57# is awkward in a bike package.

Also airports and terminals seem to be set up for a 50 pound maxium package weight; IDK if that is enforced much.

 

[jodi2]

About the same weight as my wife's Como 3 small step thru.

Are you sure? "about" or "almost" is a little bit to rough when looking on weight. I don't know the normal Como personally an I don't found a source yet for the weight of the Como 3. But I found weigth for the higher Como 4 or 5 and these are around 24.5 kg. I guess the Como3 won't weigh less then it's better equipped brothers, so it's weight should be about 3kg more than the Como SL. Not that much but quiet noticeable also far from the same. Also we should look at the components, a geared hub causes always 1-2 lbs more, so a Como 3 with a geared hub would weigh 3.5-4kg more than the Como SL. If one really wants the comfort of a geared hub, if not...

Of course it's also not useful to compare the Como L with vaporware bikes. But even if this Lemond is available, it's not the same as a Como, it's more like a less comfortable Vado SL with carbon frame and thinner tires. Also I'm sure 27lbs is the minimum weight without front basket and without mudguards and rear rack. Please think before believing in miracles, 27 lbs is the weight of an S-Works road Creo. There's now functional fully equipped city ebike with 27lbs in the world for $4800.
Also the rear hub motor in the Lemond is nothing special like the SL drive but cheap standard (for the producer). And it doesn't like mountains/much or longer uphills, depending on the rider. For my wife it would be ok, for me (or you) not.

I don't want to recommend or defend the Como SL, it has it strengths and it's weaknesses. But when comparing with others we should look exactly at the weight and at the components.
And if you prefer the weight and the more sportive look of the Vado SL like we (I...) did, go ahead... ;-)