New Vados, Comos, and TERA!

[ava1ar]

At least it doesn't come with the frame lock, like Gazelle, where it requires a captive key.

Can somebody explain why this pre-installes lock and captive key are considered a problem? I like this lock a lot! I bought matching chain extension for it, so now I can not only lock the rear wheel, but also attach the bike to something securely - this is not secure enough for the NYC streets, but I am normally not leaving bike there for any long period of time and it is perfectly enough for the aubarba area where I leave and ride mostly.

Captive key doean't bother me at all and gives one nice benefit - I can't leave home without key for my lock and this is great (it is always in same place!). What do I miss? Why people complain about these frame locks so much?

 

[Onimaru]

Can somebody explain why this pre-installes lock and captive key are considered a problem?

Personal preference. I would lose the key. I’d prefer one on my keychain in my pocket that I take out to use. Nothing inherently bad with it. Just not for me.

edit - also for Abus vs AXA. Does AXA offer keyed alike? Unless supplied from the OEM, I haven’t seen the option advertised. I’ll have multiple locks for bike + trailer and would like to keep it to 1 key.

 

[kahn]

Can somebody explain why this pre-installes lock and captive key are considered a problem? I like this lock a lot! I bought matching chain extension for it, so now I can not only lock the rear wheel, but also attach the bike to something securely - this is not secure enough for the NYC streets, but I am normally not leaving bike there for any long period of time and it is perfectly enough for the aubarba area where I leave and ride mostly.

Captive key doean't bother me at all and gives one nice benefit - I can't leave home without key for my lock and this is great (it is always in same place!). What do I miss? Why people complain about these frame locks so much?

Some people prefer total control of their locks and rather have the key on a chain with other keys (as mentioned in the following post). Also as quirky as it might be, I've read that some people did not engage the lock when they arrived somewhere and used a chain or ulock. Someone else can stroll along, engage the lock and make off with the key.

I for one already have too many keys on my key "chain". Also, I secure my keys in my pannier (which may not be smart) so I keep the Cafe Lock key in my small handlebar bag. The key is on one of those springy (slinky) colored bracelets and I have another colored springy that I can attach to my saddle or handlebar to remind me that the Cafe Lock is engaged - so that I don't roll the bike and damage the spokes if I forget.

 

[kahn]

42 made a very noticeable difference for me. 38 is pretty extreme - if you're not also changing the rear cassette (which i did) that's going to kill your top speed. you'll be spinning out on any downhill!!

I can imagine it might be frustrating to spin out and want to power the bike forward but the gearing is just not there. But easing the strain on the knees might be worth the tradeoff. And IF (big IF) replacement goes as easy as you suggest (you're ready for blame, right? ) then it can be undone and will be charged as another experiment and one less minute of care in the nursing home!!!!!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Let me tell you one thing. Taken into account I even don't try to pedal at speeds exceeding 40 km/h (25 mph) on steep downhill rides, the day I replaced the 48T chainring of my Vado with a 38T one was one of the best spent. No return to the big ring for the full power Vado in my case. Easy to climb, a demon of acceleration, and I can get at 48.2 km/h given my good cadence.

My personal record of a segment today:

 

[Marcela]

Let me tell you one thing. Taken into account I even don't try to pedal at speeds exceeding 40 km/h (25 mph) on steep downhill rides, the day I replaced the 48T chainring of my Vado with a 38T one was one of the best spent. No return to the big ring for the full power Vado in my case. Easy to climb, a demon of acceleration, and I can get at 48.2 km/h given my good cadence.

My personal record of a segment today:
View attachment 101967

I might have to try something like that. Go to a smaller chain ring just for giggles. I usually cruise in the high teens when under power, be interesting to see if I miss anything above 20 mph. Looks like the Como Class 1 uses a 40t and the Tera goes even lower to a 36t. Or maybe not such a good idea running on the smaller cogs considering wear.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I might have to try something like that. Go to a smaller chain ring just for giggles. I usually cruise in the high teens when under power, be interesting to see if I miss anything above 20 mph. Looks like the Como Class 1 uses a 40t and the Tera goes even lower to a 36t. Or maybe not such a good idea running on the smaller cogs considering wear.

The chainring of the Tero is typical of offroad bikes, and Tero is Class 1. Advanced e-MTB such as Levo come with 32T chainring and are meant for trail only. My brother beats e-bike KOMs on a Giant e-MTB with 38T chainring.

 

[Camasonian]

Interesting to find this thread. I was looking at Vados today at my local bike shop and am interested in the 5.0 or 5.0 SL. Not exactly sure yet. It looks like the 2022 models are almost entirely new bikes. Especially with the 5.0 model. The SL is less changed apparently. Just studying the specs on the Specialized page I see the following changes in the Vado 5.0

• Shimano drive train and brakes on the 2021 vs Sram componentry and brakes on the 2022. I haven't studied the differences to know if this is an upgrade, downgrade, or equivalent.
• 700c wheels with narrower tires on the 2021, 650B wheels with wider tires on the 2022
• New motor on the 2022. Apparently improved internal belt and perhaps a bit quieter? Lots of discussion of this new motor in the mountain bike world where it came out first on the new high-end mountain bikes this spring. This is what one review said:" "To address this issue, the new 2.2 motor features an improved belt design that is wider, stiffer and sturdier to purportedly improve its lifespan, particularly when ridden in a more abusive manner. In a bid to further reduce wear and tear, the programming boffins have developed the new ‘MasterMind’ firmware, which aims to reduce power spikes from the motor and provide smoother assistance for the rider. On top of that, Specialized has improved the motor’s sealing to better protect the electrics against naughty owners who still pressure-wash their bikes despite being advised not to. There are now triple seals around the charge point along with a much sturdier hatch mechanism."
• Bigger batteries
• New forks on the 2022 (not sure if this is an improvement or not).
• Backward swept handlebars on the 2022 vs more of a straight bar on the 2021
• Much more robust and larger rear rack on the 2022 vs small lightweight rack on the 2021
• Larger rack-integrated tail light on 2022 vs smaller fender mounted tail light on 2021
• Lower fork mounted headlight on 2022 vs handlebar mounted headlight on 2021 (I expect this is anticipation of putting a front rack and bag on the bike. They say a front rack is coming in 2022. I have an Ortlieb front bag on my road bike and I'll probably get a second mount so I can swap between bikes which will be possible if there is no headlight on the bars. Hopefully the Ortlieb front bag won't block the headlight.
• Improved electronics. I haven't studied the e-bike electronics much since I don't own one. But the display looks different and there are new theft and motion control features.
• Rear radar on the 2022 (not sure how useful this will be in traffic as I want to know if cars are about to rear-end me, not that they are back there as they always will be on suburban commuting roads)

My local shop seems to have a few 2021 models so the question is do I want the 2021 model or wait for the 2022? They are so different it is a hard call. Hardly even the same bike. I think I would prefer the 700 c wheels on the 2021 and more aggressive bar position. The handlebar is easily swapped. The wheels not so much. I assume that the 2022 is using the same frame for the Vado and Vado SL so we can probably put on the larger wheels if we want but that would mean buying a new wheelset and that's not cheap. I very much like the more robust and higher capacity rack that looks like it will take a lot more pannier and trunk options than the very petite 2021 rack. And I like the much bigger and integrated tail light.

If I decide on the SL model then there seems to be far fewer changes from 2021 to 2022 but I really do like the blue and black color scheme on the 2022 5.0 SL. That is really a sweet color.

Any other comments on the 2022 changes or anything I missed? Is it worth waiting for the 2022 model? I tend to think so if I can get one in the spring. I really don't absolutely need a new bike until May.

 

[TubbyBeast]

If I decide on the SL model then there seems to be far fewer changes from 2021 to 2022 but I really do like the blue and black color scheme on the 2022 5.0 SL. That is really a sweet color.

The 2021 Vado 5.0 SL has the same color scheme, BTW.

 

[Camasonian]

The 2021 Vado 5.0 SL has the same color scheme, BTW.

OK, so it's really basically the same bike then as far as I can tell. I haven't seen the 2021 5.0 in the wild. I only test-rode a 4.0 SL which was nice too.

 

[TubbyBeast]

OK, so it's really basically the same bike then as far as I can tell. I haven't seen the 2021 5.0 in the wild. I only test-rode a 4.0 SL which was nice too.

It looks exactly the same.

 

[specialized_dc]

That was to be expected. Why worry? Yes, everybody would like to own the latest and greatest but the pre-2022 Specialized e-bikes have already been excellent! The 2022 Vado SL is not any better than the 2020/2021 ones; it is just different. I'm not excited with the new colour display that sits between your legs; or with encrypted data transmission.

In June, I could have placed a pre-order for a 2022 Vado SL that I would get in December or January. I decided to buy the older model on the spot and that let me spend a wonderful summer with a 2020 SL that serves me everyday. (And it is easy to derestrict unlike the 2022 models). Some people prefer to own but other prefer to ride.

Now, fancy an MTB aficionado who's just bought a 2021 Turbo Levo to discover Specialized announced a new 2022 model that is totally different from the 2021 one: he might be sick from the buyer's remorse. But it was the same earlier when the 27.5" wheel Levos were replaced with 29" ones. Why worry?

View attachment 101729

I agree, apart from digital lock. I almost ended up with a VanMoof because of this feature alone. Having some extra insurance in the event of theft is a huge issue in my city when you're spending this much on a bike.

It's really a shame it's taken so long to get this feature into the line-up, and I can't hide my disappointment or buyer's remorse.

 

[Igor M]

hi,
I read the whole post and am a little confused. Vado 6.0 is not on offer, top model becomes 5.0?
I own a vado 6.0 from 2019 and I am more than satisfied, and I would especially like to point out the wheels and tires (700x51 very comfortable), TRP brakes, support for 45 km / h, I love BLOKS, it gives me enough info, lights, rear stop light .. ..
However, I am still thinking about purchasing a new one solely because of the size of the frame. namely I am 187cm tall and I would like to buy XL size, currently M (used was very affordable) ...
Now this 5.0 is slightly cheaper than the previous price of 6.0, but I'm not sure if these components will meet the above criteria that I stated? What do you say?

 

[Marcela]

Anybody know what the line is on Stefan buying s new bike?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

perhaps a bit quieter

Vado/Como motors cannot be made any quieter. They have been silent since the beginning

I assume that the 2022 is using the same frame for the Vado and Vado SL

These are completely different. That's why Vado SL is so lightweight and Vado is so powerful but heavy.

New forks on the 2022 (not sure if this is an improvement or not).

It's tremendous improvement.

Shimano drive train and brakes on the 2021 vs Sram componentry and brakes on the 2022. I haven't studied the differences to know if this is an upgrade, downgrade, or equivalent.

SRAM is more expensive to maintain.

Any other comments on the 2022 changes or anything I missed?

You seem to miss the difference between Vado and Vado SL. Two totally different ebikes for completely different purposes.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

hi,
I read the whole post and am a little confused. Vado 6.0 is not on offer, top model becomes 5.0?
I own a vado 6.0 from 2019 and I am more than satisfied, and I would especially like to point out the wheels and tires (700x51 very comfortable), TRP brakes, support for 45 km / h, I love BLOKS, it gives me enough info, lights, rear stop light .. ..
However, I am still thinking about purchasing a new one solely because of the size of the frame. namely I am 187cm tall and I would like to buy XL size, currently M (used was very affordable) ...
Now this 5.0 is slightly cheaper than the previous price of 6.0, but I'm not sure if these components will meet the above criteria that I stated? What do you say?

Igor - Specialized will not offer the new 6.0 soon if ever. The demand for S-Pedelecs in the EU is low. To release a new L1e-B type e-bike, Specialized would not only need to design the new ebike but also equip it according to the EU demands for mopeds and go through long and expensive type approval process. That's way only the older 6.0 is offered, only with TCD-w (L1e-B version) display and newer safety equipment.

Will you buy a 25 km/h Vado 5.0 that you could not derestrict? (That's the 2022 Vado 5.0). The 2020/2021 version 6.0 is still available (because so little people are buying that: expensive, and a moped).

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Anybody know what the line is on Stefan buying s new bike?

That's going to happen 4 years from now earliest. After my purchase of SL 4.0, Spesh don't have anything exciting enough for me

Neither any other brand.

 

[Onimaru]

Also, if the only reason you would want 2021 over 2022 comes down to something like tires, you can go smaller.

For me, I liked Brose being quieter (albeit nervous on the reliability a few models ago), and having the LBS 5 miles away being almost solely a Specialized dealer. The things they added in 2022 were what I was missing that was steering me to Bosch, so for me, this is a big win. I only wish they had a Como high step, but honestly, I plan to use mine to commute and the Vado is the better frame for that.

 

[GenXrider]

It is very interesting to see Specialized introducing new Vado and Vado step-through to replace the current models but it's confusing with the Como. They only introduced the new Como as a step-through model and I wonder if they will come out with another Como "high-step" like in the current generation.

That would be very disappointing if they didn't offer the Como in high step anymore. I wouldn't purchase a step-through.

 

[Camasonian]

You seem to miss the difference between Vado and Vado SL. Two totally different ebikes for completely different purposes.

No, I don't miss the difference between them. The differences are pretty obvious. I'm just not sure which one is most suited to my uses. If I'm honest with myself it is the bike that will most likely get me on it at 6:30 am on a dark, cold, rainy, Pacific Northwest morning to ride 11 miles to work. And then ride home again in the rain, picking up some groceries on the way home. In other words, which bike will do a better job of getting me on it when I DON'T really want to ride, not on a bright sunny Saturday afternoon when I do want to ride. Probably my optimal bike would be a blend of the two. The lighter weight motor, wheels, etc. of the Vado SL combined with the more robust and versatile racks and lighting system of the Vado.

And if I'm going to customize either bike in the direction that I want, which one is the better platform to start with? I'm thinking probably the Vado. I can swap on some lightweight high-performance 650B tires: https://www.renehersecycles.com/product-category/components/tires/650b/ and put on handlebars more to my liking and lighten the bike up a bit while still having better and more versatile cargo capacity. On the other hand, with the Vado SL it looks more complicated to swap out the rear rack for something more robust and versatile because it is integrated into the rear fender. And front racks/bags are more problematic because I would need to move the front light to a new location and I'm not sure how easy it would be to rig up a front light off the fork. On the Vado they mount it directly on the stabilizer bar that spans across the fork arms. On the Vado SL you can't do that because of the different style fork and it doesn't appear that the fork crown on the Vado SL is drilled out for mounting of accessories so one likely have to put a mounting bracket on the one of the fork arms, which could be problematic with a carbon fork. So a decent front bag could be problematic on the Vado SL without some serious mods.

Essentially what I'm looking for is an ebike version of a traditional Randonneur Bike that is set up for both efficient riding and cargo. Something like this

NEW Swabia - Vivente Bikes

The Swabia touring and adventure bike designed by Vivente Bikes. A touring bike with integrated lighting, Rohloff gears and drop bars.

viventebikes.com

Haro Bikes - Masi - Speciale Randonneur Elite 2020

Official Haro archive site.

archive.harobikes.com

Looking at the 2022 models side by side it is clear that these two bikes are really diverging. The frames are substantially different as well. The Vado is beefier all around with larger seat stays and chain stays and beefier downtube for larger batteries.