First let me say hi, Hank, lifelong avid cyclist. 7500mi/year analog for decades. I've spent a lot of time on a lot of bikes.
Secondly, the Vado SL 4.0, for what it is, at the current USD 2.5k price ...AFAIK can't be touched. I am minorly in love with the thing. It really perfectly fits my active family's needs. I looked at the Orbea competitor too, but so expensive in comparison for an essentially competitive product. It's the right bike for us for sure!
Third, I'm a bike nerd in the sense of wrenching and upgrading and optimizing. If I rent a bike in Europe it can be a heap and I'll happily ride it for weeks. But at home all bikes are obsessively dialed to optimal for their rider and purpose.
All that in mind (and understand I find little to no fault elsewhere), as it comes stock the Turbo Vado SL 4.0 is a harsh, jarring ride, the likes of which I haven't ridden since the brutal stiff alu trend of the late 1980's/early 1990's. Its ride reminds me of a Cannondale Beast of the East with pumped up tires. I don't like riding off curbs on the Vado, much less gravel tracks.
I'm sure this doesn't have to be the way this bike is. My most recent cheap frame (most of my bike are expensive) -- an $900 euro full bike, alu frame and fork Diamant 136 -- rides LIGHTYEARS smooth. The Diamant 136 is essentially a Trek, and probably made from the 1120 alu tubeset. It's not as smooth as my Salsa Cutthroat (which is insanely smooth riding in rough) but is similar to my ti hardtail with a rigid carbon fork. It is wildly impress how nicely tuned and smooth the dirt cheap all alu Diamant 136 is.
Man is the Vado Sl 4.0 the opposite! Particularly in the front end. The fork is a vibration amplification and transmission device, the wheels, tires and thick tubes all really hard and stiff, the stem and bar chunky and profoundly rigid.
I am going to fix it.
First step is upgraded wheelset and larger volume, plusher tubeless tires.
Change out seat to something that absorbs vibration and shock better (Terry Butterfly ti probably - my wife will ride this bike a lot).
Then damp carbon handlebar (I love the FSA carbon wrapped over thin aluminum bar - it's incredibly damp, more than any all-carbon bar I've ridden).
And then assess.
Add carbon seatpost if back end still jittery on gravel.
Add thinner-walled stem if front end still not optimal.
Add a quiet carbon fork if need be (I suspect a lot of the jangling is a poorly tuned OEM alu fork).
Last step look at my back balance and cry a little (I kid - most parts in "use me" bin already![Smile :) :)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
SO anyway, if you have any experience/advice/tips to help smooth my journey to smooth, glad to hear it.
AND again, stoked on the Vado SL - ticks all the right boxes, particularly the weight - just outstandingly light for the price out of the box, and I'll sweat another 4lbs off it no problem![Smile :) :)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Secondly, the Vado SL 4.0, for what it is, at the current USD 2.5k price ...AFAIK can't be touched. I am minorly in love with the thing. It really perfectly fits my active family's needs. I looked at the Orbea competitor too, but so expensive in comparison for an essentially competitive product. It's the right bike for us for sure!
Third, I'm a bike nerd in the sense of wrenching and upgrading and optimizing. If I rent a bike in Europe it can be a heap and I'll happily ride it for weeks. But at home all bikes are obsessively dialed to optimal for their rider and purpose.
All that in mind (and understand I find little to no fault elsewhere), as it comes stock the Turbo Vado SL 4.0 is a harsh, jarring ride, the likes of which I haven't ridden since the brutal stiff alu trend of the late 1980's/early 1990's. Its ride reminds me of a Cannondale Beast of the East with pumped up tires. I don't like riding off curbs on the Vado, much less gravel tracks.
I'm sure this doesn't have to be the way this bike is. My most recent cheap frame (most of my bike are expensive) -- an $900 euro full bike, alu frame and fork Diamant 136 -- rides LIGHTYEARS smooth. The Diamant 136 is essentially a Trek, and probably made from the 1120 alu tubeset. It's not as smooth as my Salsa Cutthroat (which is insanely smooth riding in rough) but is similar to my ti hardtail with a rigid carbon fork. It is wildly impress how nicely tuned and smooth the dirt cheap all alu Diamant 136 is.
Man is the Vado Sl 4.0 the opposite! Particularly in the front end. The fork is a vibration amplification and transmission device, the wheels, tires and thick tubes all really hard and stiff, the stem and bar chunky and profoundly rigid.
I am going to fix it.
First step is upgraded wheelset and larger volume, plusher tubeless tires.
Change out seat to something that absorbs vibration and shock better (Terry Butterfly ti probably - my wife will ride this bike a lot).
Then damp carbon handlebar (I love the FSA carbon wrapped over thin aluminum bar - it's incredibly damp, more than any all-carbon bar I've ridden).
And then assess.
Add carbon seatpost if back end still jittery on gravel.
Add thinner-walled stem if front end still not optimal.
Add a quiet carbon fork if need be (I suspect a lot of the jangling is a poorly tuned OEM alu fork).
Last step look at my back balance and cry a little (I kid - most parts in "use me" bin already
SO anyway, if you have any experience/advice/tips to help smooth my journey to smooth, glad to hear it.
AND again, stoked on the Vado SL - ticks all the right boxes, particularly the weight - just outstandingly light for the price out of the box, and I'll sweat another 4lbs off it no problem