Just ordered one of these and anxious to use it both as my first e-bike and with the automatiq / IGH. I’ll post weight when delivered. They’ve been out of stock online for my size (XL) for a long time, and the closest store with stock is over 2 hours away, but they got a few including my preferred color this morning through their website. Local stores were telling me it would likely be December before they saw them in stock.
New : Turbo Vado 5.0 IGH Belt Drive
- Thread starter e-boy
- Start date
I have the new Vado 5 with IGH and it is really something with the Automatiq shifting. It weighs more than my older Vado 6 by pretty close to 10lbs or so. As I remember my Vado 6 weighted pretty close to 52 or 53 lbs. The rear rack, the suspension up front and under the saddle , along with a larger battery and the Enviolo hub all add weight. The tires and rims are really strong. The radar in it is something special when out in traffic. It is a great improvement even though the added weight makes it a bit tougher to put up on my rack, but taking the battery out helps that immensely...
Looks like the battery weighs 8.4 lbs per the battery specs. Was your Vado 6 weight with or without the battery? I‘m looking at hitch bike racks and many have a 60 lb per bike limit. Want to make sure the bike weighs less than that, at least without the battery in it. They told me another week or so to get the bike built and delivered…
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The us1-USA makes a great bike rack and it turns out is so easy to load kit by simply loading the front bike in a fixed position, then simply lift the rear supported by the front wheel) and there you have it. they are extremely well built and so easy to load them very quickly as opposed to running around and hitching things to secure the bike. This rack takes less than a minute to rack it an drive off.
Ok - just got the bike today.
I have the XL - with battery, it was 64.3 lbs. Battery is 8.4 lbs per specs (I didn’t double check this). So it should be good on most of the hitch racks I’ve seen only with the battery removed!
My bike shop hadn’t seen one of these yet. On assembly, they identified an issue with the magnet system used for the speedometer (and also impacts the turbo / motor input) - the magnet was too far away from the sensor. Evidently this is/was an issue for the model - the local shop made an adjustment that works. Specialized also got back to them today (day of delivery to me) to let them know they’ve modified the magnet and/or sensor to account for this going forward. Specialized was shipping them the updated part, and I’ll have that changed the first time I take it in for service.
I’ve taken this for two short rides today… I love it. I started with the full Turbo mode on, and going up hills is a breeze. Riding mostly flat paths, I was lowering down the power, even turning it to Off for a while (I haven‘t really ridden in years and am out of shape - this really surprised me). I haven’t had a chance yet to do any fine-tuning in the Mission Control app, but out of the box works great to start.
The guy who delivered the bike was going on and on about how much they liked it in the shop. So far, the reviews I’ve been reading on this model with the IGH and Automatiq seem accurate (they’ve all been great reviews). It’s not a cheap bike, but I’m very happy with it on Day 1!
I have the XL - with battery, it was 64.3 lbs. Battery is 8.4 lbs per specs (I didn’t double check this). So it should be good on most of the hitch racks I’ve seen only with the battery removed!
My bike shop hadn’t seen one of these yet. On assembly, they identified an issue with the magnet system used for the speedometer (and also impacts the turbo / motor input) - the magnet was too far away from the sensor. Evidently this is/was an issue for the model - the local shop made an adjustment that works. Specialized also got back to them today (day of delivery to me) to let them know they’ve modified the magnet and/or sensor to account for this going forward. Specialized was shipping them the updated part, and I’ll have that changed the first time I take it in for service.
I’ve taken this for two short rides today… I love it. I started with the full Turbo mode on, and going up hills is a breeze. Riding mostly flat paths, I was lowering down the power, even turning it to Off for a while (I haven‘t really ridden in years and am out of shape - this really surprised me). I haven’t had a chance yet to do any fine-tuning in the Mission Control app, but out of the box works great to start.
The guy who delivered the bike was going on and on about how much they liked it in the shop. So far, the reviews I’ve been reading on this model with the IGH and Automatiq seem accurate (they’ve all been great reviews). It’s not a cheap bike, but I’m very happy with it on Day 1!
GuruUno
Well-Known Member
On assembly, they identified an issue with the magnet system used for the speedometer (and also impacts the turbo/motor input) - the magnet was too far away from the sensor. Evidently, this is/was an issue for the model - the local shop made an adjustment that works. Specialized also got back to them today (day of delivery to me) to let them know they’ve modified the magnet and/or sensor to account for this going forward. Specialized was shipping them the updated part, and I’ll have that changed the first time I take it in for service.
Can you provide a photo or be extremely descriptive as to the exact nature of the rectified issue?
Were there any performance issues or indications of a problem prior to the finding of the defect?
Normally, as far as I remember, the magnet was in the brake rotor on past models.
mschwett
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
in the rotor lock ring, to be more precise. i’ve never actually been quite able to tell what the other half of the sensor looks like. this is the same for vado sl, como, creo… would be interesting if vado was different!
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BioWheel
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
On my SL the magnet is flush to the assembly. On new it sticks out a bit. Not sure if that matters but being a proximity sensor - might.
I have given there as much technical info as I got - the magnet and sensor were on the rear wheel. The distance between them was the issue - it was a difference of mm, and before they adjusted it, I understood that the motor wasn’t usable for riding. They identified this during the build, so I never experienced it, and the info I’m giving here was what they described to me as they were working on it and when they delivered it. The magnet they showed me was a small round black one on the inside of the back wheel. I believe the image I attached shows it.
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mschwett
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
ah, that’s more like what the levo has; a magnet holder attached to the rotor itself. sensor must be in a different position on the frame too.
I’ll just add that after a little over a week and over 100 miles in (which is probably more than I’ve ridden the past 20 years combined), this is just a joy to ride. I haven’t had any issues with the speedometer (assuming it reads correctly), and everything about the IGH and automatiq have been as good as I expected or better. The only issue I’ve had was the carbon fiber belt is pretty sharp on the edge and I’ve cut my ankle in the same place twice now, from me awkwardly trying to turn or move the bike while straddling on foot (user error).
EBR did a review of the Vado 4 with derailleur https://electricbikereview.com/specialized/turbo-vado-4-0-step-through/ - came in at 26kg
Years ago I was into mountain biking. Bought an Intense bike after tons of research. Then, as now, the #1 obsession amongst bike enthusiasts was and is weight. Weight weenies I think some used to call them. As with much in life, nothing changes. When you have 70+ nm of torque coming from a motor who cares how much the bike weighs. It's pretty irrelevant! 
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
It does for the technical trail riding. Not the case of Vado IGH of course.Years ago I was into mountain biking. Bought an Intense bike after tons of research. Then, as now, the #1 obsession amongst bike enthusiasts was and is weight. Weight weenies I think some used to call them. As with much in life, nothing changes. When you have 70+ nm of torque coming from a motor who cares how much the bike weighs. It's pretty irrelevant!
However carrying a heavy e-bike upstairs or over an obstacle could be painful
That torque is at the chainring on a mid-drive, and torque drops as RPMs increase. Don't get too caught up in those mostly useless torque specs. There's a thread here that goes into some detail about those ebike torque specs.Years ago I was into mountain biking. Bought an Intense bike after tons of research. Then, as now, the #1 obsession amongst bike enthusiasts was and is weight. Weight weenies I think some used to call them. As with much in life, nothing changes. When you have 70+ nm of torque coming from a motor who cares how much the bike weighs. It's pretty irrelevant!
CodyDog
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Colorado
A while back when I was riding very technical MTB trails in Colorado I purchased a Specialized Turbo Levo Comp with a lot of torque. My friend purchased the lighter Levo SL model. at the same time. In hindsight, I wished I had purchased the lighter SL model. For technical riding, I prefer a lighter bike regardless of big amounts of torque. I now have a Vado SL which is light and less powerful and find it to be very nimble and very easy to handle. So for me, weight is relevant.Years ago I was into mountain biking. Bought an Intense bike after tons of research. Then, as now, the #1 obsession amongst bike enthusiasts was and is weight. Weight weenies I think some used to call them. As with much in life, nothing changes. When you have 70+ nm of torque coming from a motor who cares how much the bike weighs. It's pretty irrelevant!
Now with that being said, My wife has a heavier Como 3 with lots of torque (rides decent roads) and the weight doesn't bother her at all.
BioWheel
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
The Vado SL is the most fun bike ever made. It's super light for E and powered perfectly. It's like being 20 years old - forever.
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
What actually matters is the power transmitted over the drivetrain to the rear wheel. Power is torque * RPM. The value of torque given by motor manufacturers is related to the motor's maximum power. That said, a mid-drive motor with greater rated torque is more powerful. For instance, the maximum mechanical power of the current Levo motor is 560 W (90 Nm) while it is 240 W (35 Nm) for the SL motor. (Just to clarify).
CodyDog
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Colorado
You said it right! I'm having a blast riding my SL.The Vado SL is the most fun bike ever made. It's super light for E and powered perfectly. It's like being 20 years old - forever.
I'll just point to this thread as to why you should take those bike torque specs with a grain of salt.
Torque rating on E-bikes - marketing gimmick?
I have been studying E-bike drive systems for sometime now. I find it amusing that so many people just go by what they read in the brochures. Especially, the Torque ratings! Yet the subjective experience is nowhere near to the corresponding values. To put in crude, vulgar terms, It is like...
electricbikereview.com
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