Replacing the drivetrain in Vado SL 4.0: Does it make sense?

[TForan]

This is the Stefan go to. Stay out of MY threads unless you own that bike! Of course, that never applies to him. Next you will need to be a dues-paying member to belong to the club. I’m sure a Specialized-only forum is in the planning stages.

Isn't that special from a guy who tells me about bikes he hasn't never even seen, much less ridden. Pitiful, really..

 

[Dallant]

Dallant, if you think I was wrong just go and replace the motor in your Allant+ with more powerful one (Bafang comes to one's mind instantly). That will certainly improve your cadence

Now, seriously. Will you take advice from ignorants? This thread is specifically on improving performance of the drivetrain of Vado SL.

I‘m quite happy with my cadence. Let’s be honest Stefan, you give advice freely, even when you don’t own the bike being discussed. Secondly you wouldn’t replace a motor, your brother would. And you‘ve recommended things you were ignorant about…a toy kick stand that failed on first use as I recall.
I greatly appreciate your presence and your travelogues!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Secondly you wouldn’t replace a motor, your brother would.

Nobody would. Your and my ebikes are OEM, not DIY. Pedaluma seems to have never ridden an OEM ebike.

And you‘ve recommended things you were ignorant about…a toy kick stand that failed on first use as I recall.

s*it happens. I have informed Forum members about my mistake and apologised for that.

Now, Dallant please tell me. What the best strategy re improving Vado SL drivetrain could you recommend? And enlighten me: What is the common denominator of drivetrain shifting smoothness and of motor power?

 

[Dallant]

Nobody would. Your and my ebikes are OEM, not DIY. Pedaluma seems to have never ridden an OEM ebike.

s*it happens. I have informed Forum members about my mistake and apologised for that.

Now, Dallant please tell me. What the best strategy re improving Vado SL drivetrain could you recommend? And enlighten me: What is the common denominator of drivetrain shifting smoothness and of motor power?

Yes, manure occurs.
Just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Maybe the lesson here is that Specialized isn’t so special. Or maybe it’s your riding that needs work. Awareness and adjustment of one’s riding is certainly one common denominator. If it bothered me as it does you, I’d take it back rather than screw with the new drivetrain.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Maybe the lesson here is that Specialized isn’t so special.

Maybe Trek is not so special, either, as Trek uses the same components as Spesh.

Or maybe it’s your riding that needs work.

It's probably yours. How many miles ridden this year?

Awareness and adjustment of one’s riding is certainly one common denominator.

No, the word is "ignorance".

Dallant: Did you notice you have nothing to say on topic? I have got excellent advice from several users here. You come and make an unprovoked personal assault at me. Feel better?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

The good answers to the questions I asked are:

• Don't replace the whole drivetrain to solve the issue you are experiencing with a single mismatched cog
• Replace the cog in the question (or even cogs for gears 7 through 9) (Not practical).
• Use a 10-34T cassette (losing the granny gear)
• Look for yet another cassette
• You Stefan could have bought Vado SL 5.0 instead (Good advice yet I don't like the bike colour and the carbon fibre fork).

 

[Allan47.7339]

A Shimano CS-HG81-10 11-13-15-17-19-21-24-28-32-36T (bk) might be a good compromise if you don't really need 42 very often.

Or try to customize a cassette per sheldonbrown:

Shimano-compatible 10-speed Cassettes

A listing of 10-speed cassettes compatible with Shimano Freehub bodies, from several brands: Shimano, SRAM, Miche, BBB, IRD, SunRace

www.sheldonbrown.com

I also use bikeforum.net to look for solutions.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

A Shimano CS-HG81-10 11-13-15-17-19-21-24-28-32-36T (bk) might be a good compromise if you don't really need 42 very often.

Thank you Allan! I have to seriously consider this cassette. The most steep incline I meet daily is an overpass... And I could clear it on the 36T in Turbo mode. There happen some rare steep hills in my area but smooth transition between gears matters above all for me.

Dallant: It is the last you hear from me: The drivetrain of your Allant+ 7S is inferior to the one I have on my Vado SL. You have probably even not noticed that as I think you ride very little and don't pay attention to riding technique necessary for long distance trips. I do.

 

[Dallant]

Thank you Allan! I have to seriously consider this cassette. The most steep incline I meet daily is an overpass... And I could clear it on the 36T in Turbo mode. There happen some rare steep hills in my area but smooth transition between gears matters above all for me.

Dallant: It is the last you hear from me: The drivetrain of your Allant+ 7S is inferior to the one I have on my Vado SL. You have probably even not noticed that as I think you ride very little and don't pay attention to riding technique necessary for long distance trips. I do.


Another sound advice.

That’s ok you don’t even know what bike I ride. Wasn’t it you who just said today…
“Maybe Trek is not so special, either, as Trek uses the same components as Spesh.”

 

[TS25]

A Shimano CS-HG81-10 11-13-15-17-19-21-24-28-32-36T (bk) might be a good compromise if you don't really need 42 very often.

Or even Shimano XT CS-M771-10 11-36 T, same cog range.

 

[PedalUma]

Oh, I ride them all. That's how I know. Today it was the new Harley's. The NuVinci automatic Harley sucks in a similar way - it is always searching for a gear that is never quite right. It is best to pick out a good bike to begin with with an adequate motor and appropriate gearing. I often remove delimiters and reprogram torque sensor motors. It is also nice to pick out a bike that you can do this with because the heart of the drivetrain is the motor and if you are stuck with factory settings that paints yourself into a drivetrain corner. You are then stuck with the common settings. Botanists have a term they use for the common.

 

[Allan47.7339]

Or even Shimano XT CS-M771-10 11-36 T, same cog range.

Probably easier to find too.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Or even Shimano XT CS-M771-10 11-36 T, same cog range.

Probably easier to find too.

Thank you, friends! Ordered; should be at the local parcel locker on Tuesday. I really like the range in gears 6th through 10th!
On yesterdays ride, I really suffered being at cadence of 95 or 76, depending on the neighbouring gear. I'd be happy to be at 81-85 rpm.

 

[Allan47.7339]

Thank you, friends! Ordered; should be at the local parcel locker on Tuesday. I really like the range in gears 6th through 10th!
On yesterdays ride, I really suffered being at cadence of 95 or 76, depending on the neighbouring gear. I'd be happy to be at 81-85 rpm.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[BEC111]

I’m gambling that the upcoming Shimano Linkglide system becomes available before i need to replace my SL 4 components.

I’ve ridden about 1600 miles in the 25 months if owned the bike. Not a lot by the standards of many here, but a lot for me. I’ve been conscious of drive train health as the miles rise and the availability of components sink. I’d be really pissed if my chain or drive train needed replacement and the components weren’t available. I almost bought a chain “just-in-case”.

I‘ve noticed the gear gap a few times, but the longer I have the bike the less it appears. I suppose I’ve gotten used to it.

My biggest gearing issue is spinning out when my ride speed exceeds the gear inches range. Happens when I’m in traffic and have to ride slower all of a sudden. Mid gear that tops out at 15 and because of hill or traffic needing to actually ride at 12.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Mid gear that tops out at 15 and because of hill or traffic needing to actually ride at 12.

Meaning, mph? Not sure if I get you but perhaps your assistance is too high?

 

[rochrunner]

My biggest gearing issue is spinning out when my ride speed exceeds the gear inches range. Happens when I’m in traffic and have to ride slower all of a sudden. Mid gear that tops out at 15 and because of hill or traffic needing to actually ride at 12.

I guess I don't understand what you mean. "Spinning out" means that the bike is in its highest (smallest cog) gear and you're at your personal max cadence limit; the bike could go faster but you can't pedal fast enough to do it. In most other situations, you can upshift or downshift to find a gear that matches your preferred cadence.

 

[BEC111]

Meaning, mph? Not sure if I get you but perhaps your assistance is too high?

Actually, I’m in a lower gear just cruising along so I can go as slowly as my fellow senior who are riding analog bikes. I’ve started to use a setting of 35/100 so I can be at too high an assist level, I suppose. But I’m going slowly, using a bit of assist. When I start down a slope though the assist isnt doing anything as I’m going faster than the gear supports.

It‘s happened in almost all the mid to high gears when I get near the maximum assist speed (28 mph) or am going faster than the gear inches support.

You‘re absolutely correct rochrunner. I can shift to resolve the issue, but at the moderate speeds I’m often trying to ride for social or traffic reasons shifting to a harder gear means I’ll be going faster than I want to go. Part of a learning process.

Also, I’ve been working on maintaining a preferred cadence of 75 to 80 rpm. Makes this learning more complicated.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I've been in a similar situation as you BEC, riding together with my senior friend. Reducing the assistance allowed me riding at proper cadence in the right gear at his speed.

 

[BEC111]

I've been in a similar situation as you BEC, riding together with my senior friend. Reducing the assistance allowed me riding at proper cadence in the right gear at his speed.

Yup. I‘m probably doing too many overlapping experiments. Newish rider, I suppose. I have only been riding seriously for about a year and a half now. Started up early last year after a half century layoff