specialized creo 2

[charleyt]

I know some of you own or owned the Creo 1. Maybe this question has been asked and answered so please point me in the right direction. Is it expected behavior when the battery gets down to the last approx. 13% that the assist drops of very significantly? I had two miles left to go on a ride with a little climb in the middle and felt like there was no assistance. There was some minimal assist but only bc I could hear it working. From there it dropped to 11% at the finish. When I checked the bike later to plug it in, the battery was at zero percent. Is that to be expected when limits are pushed?

I had the RE plugged in and started at 150%. Rode 44 miles, 3300 ft climbed, 80% gravel, some headwinds to start. Carrying all water and snacks. I'm 6'4 210#. My wife weighs 40 pounds less and finished with 35%, also starting at 150%.

 

[themongooseman]

This Creo 2 is my first carbon bike. I'm typically not bothered by my bike bags rubbing on by steel frames and dulling the finish. When I brought my carbon bike in for it's complimentary first tune-up, I had a couple of bags on it. The mechanic was like, "you need to cover these areas where the bags touch the frame with helicopter tape. Those bags can rub the frame, thereby weakening the layup in those areas and could cause the frame to buckle or fail in those areas where its rubbing." I told him I appreciated the information but thinking to myself, I've never heard of that. Has anyone else here heard of bags rubbing on a carbon frame creating potential failure points? I did end up covering the headtube where a strap goes around it as I'd rather be safe than have the headtube weakened and fracture on a bumpy ride.

I’d only worry about grit and whatnot getting trapped and wrecking my paintwork. Not sure I’d worry about anything more structural.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I know some of you own or owned the Creo 1. Maybe this question has been asked and answered so please point me in the right direction. Is it expected behavior when the battery gets down to the last approx. 13% that the assist drops of very significantly? I had two miles left to go on a ride with a little climb in the middle and felt like there was no assistance. There was some minimal assist but only bc I could hear it working. From there it dropped to 11% at the finish. When I checked the bike later to plug it in, the battery was at zero percent. Is that to be expected when limits are pushed?

I had the RE plugged in and started at 150%. Rode 44 miles, 3300 ft climbed, 80% gravel, some headwinds to start. Carrying all water and snacks. I'm 6'4 210#. My wife weighs 40 pounds less and finished with 35%, also starting at 150%.

This behaviour is common to all SL e-bikes. If you use a Range Extender and are at 13% total battery level, the main battery is at 8.6%. Below 10% of the main battery (15% including the RE), the SL system goes into the minimal assistance to protect the batteries against the damage.

The system should shut the assistance off at the 5% of the main battery or 7.5% total. Hovewer, the main battery is more heavily used than the RE at low battery levels (because it allows for a higher current). For that reason, your main battery level might have fallen below the actual 5%. In such a situation, the main battery is cut off, and reported as 0%. (There probably was some life left in the RE though).

So I can say everything went as expected and there's nothing to worry about.

As your wife is significantly more lightweight than you are and we are talking significant climbing, it is to be expected she used less battery charge than you did.

Did you both use the identical assistance? What was it?

Ride on!

 

[charleyt]

This behaviour is common to all SL e-bikes. If you use a Range Extender and are at 13% total battery level, the main battery is at 8.6%. Below 10% of the main battery (15% including the RE), the SL system goes into the minimal assistance to protect the batteries against the damage.

The system should shut the assistance off at the 5% of the main battery or 7.5% total. Hovewer, the main battery is more heavily used than the RE at low battery levels (because it allows for a higher current). For that reason, your main battery level might have fallen below the actual 5%. In such a situation, the main battery is cut off, and reported as 0%. (There probably was some life left in the RE though).

So I can say everything went as expected and there's nothing to worry about.

As your wife is significantly more lightweight than you are and we are talking significant climbing, it is to be expected she used less battery charge than you did.

Did you both use the identical assistance? What was it?

Ride on!

Excellent explanation, much appreciated @Stefan Mikes !

Her assistance metric was 48% eco, 47% sport and 5% turbo. Mine was 64% sport and 36% eco, no turbo. Our bikes are 'tuned' similar in the app. If the terrain was flattish, and I'm in sport she would have to stay in eco because if she went to sport she would simply ride away from me. We have discussed switching REs if it came to that, but thankfully on this ride, I just made it.

This weekend we have a 48 mile, 2500ft, 85% paved road ride planned. So I feel confident I'll be able to go the distance with less climbing and lots more pavement. I do believe that rougher dirt terrain taxes the battery more.

 

[mschwett]

Excellent explanation, much appreciated @Stefan Mikes !

Her assistance metric was 48% eco, 47% sport and 5% turbo. Mine was 64% sport and 36% eco, no turbo. Our bikes are 'tuned' similar in the app. If the terrain was flattish, and I'm in sport she would have to stay in eco because if she went to sport she would simply ride away from me. We have discussed switching REs if it came to that, but thankfully on this ride, I just made it.

This weekend we have a 48 mile, 2500ft, 85% paved road ride planned. So I feel confident I'll be able to go the distance with less climbing and lots more pavement. I do believe that rougher dirt terrain taxes the battery more.

since you had to use sport so much more often to keep up, maybe lower her assist factor in both eco and sport by 5% for the next gravel ride - and maybe up your eco by 5% !

 

[AvalancheRun]

Pretty common to have a big drop there for electric vehicles in general.

 

[AvalancheRun]

Anyone size differently coming from a Creo 1 to a Creo 2?

They really want to put me on a 56 Creo 2 (and I bought a 56 Diverge), but upon testing a 58 Diverge I felt more at home. 185 cm, with an 89.5 cm inseam. Geometry is ever so slightly different between the two.

 

[charleyt]

since you had to use sport so much more often to keep up, maybe lower her assist factor in both eco and sport by 5% for the next gravel ride - and maybe up your eco by 5% !

Good idea! When will the new spesh app support multiple tuning profiles I wonder. I know the old one did but new app is unhappy if I have both installed on my android phone.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Her assistance metric was 48% eco, 47% sport and 5% turbo. Mine was 64% sport and 36% eco, no turbo. Our bikes are 'tuned' similar in the app. If the terrain was flattish, and I'm in sport she would have to stay in eco because if she went to sport she would simply ride away from me. We have discussed switching REs if it came to that, but thankfully on this ride, I just made it.

That was what I thought: Your wife being sportier than you are. My brother who has been an ebiker since 2021 and now intends to ride a traditional gravel bike if far far far stronger than I am. He often rides his e-bike in the OFF mode, goes to the lowest Giant/Yamaha assistance possible when he needs some assistance, and never exceeds Level 2 of 5 on steep climbs. He could make 146 km with a whooping 7,135 ft elevation gain in our steep mountains, and did it on a single 625 Wh battery. Meaning, he put mostly his own contribution into that ride!

I do believe that rougher dirt terrain taxes the battery more.

Yes, it does.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Good idea! When will the new spesh app support multiple tuning profiles I wonder. I know the old one did but new app is unhappy if I have both installed on my android phone.

Charley: Use MicroTune mode on both e-bikes. No need to use the app.

Oh no. It is the Creo 1?

 

[charleyt]

Charley: Use MicroTune mode on both e-bikes. No need to use the app.

Oh no. It is the Creo 1?

We have the Creo 2. I've tried microtune but haven't used it that much.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

We have the Creo 2. I've tried microtune but haven't used it that much.

The beauty of MicroTune (which is a distint assistance mode -- such as, say, Sport is) is your wife can set her own assistance to say 30/30% as she is riding, and then you adjust your own MT mode until your riding speed becomes equal with hers. It is a beautiful capability which I dream to have on my group rides with traditional cyclists!

Note: MT advances the Max Motor Power % (the second parameter) to be equal to the Assist % (the first parameter). It is very effective!

 

[charleyt]

The beauty of MicroTune (which is a distint assistance mode -- such as, say, Sport is) is your wife can set her own assistance to say 30/30% as she is riding, and then you adjust your own MT mode until your riding speed becomes equal with hers. It is a beautiful capability which I dream to have on my group rides with traditional cyclists!

Note: MT advances the Max Motor Power % (the second parameter) to be equal to the Assist % (the first parameter). It is very effective!

Yes on MT as a distinct mode accessed by long pressing the control button on right side of the bars. I'll try both suggestions for the balance of power: tuning using the app and MT on the fly.

I'm experimenting with the parameter ratios and how cool it is to dial that in. Really enjoying the technology features of this bike which seems pretty unique to specialized.

 

[Amazer98]

Anyone size differently coming from a Creo 1 to a Creo 2?

They really want to put me on a 56 Creo 2 (and I bought a 56 Diverge), but upon testing a 58 Diverge I felt more at home. 185 cm, with an 89.5 cm inseam. Geometry is ever so slightly different between the two.

I’m in the same situation as you. I normally ride a size 56. My Bike Shop suggested that I go with a size 58 Creo 2 because the reach is only about 9 mm more than the 56, but the stack height is 31 mm taller. If needed, I can install a shorter stem to make up for the extra reach, but the added stack height will benefit me by reducing the amount I have to crane my neck.

The bottom line is that it may be helpful to actually compare frame geometry between the different size Creos as well as other competing ebike models like the Domane+ and Skitch. I determined that the Creo 2 has more relaxed geometry than these other models.

If the Creo 2 size 58 had a lot more reach to it, it would not be a contender for me.. But since the main geometry difference moving from a 56 to a 58 is a lot more stack height than reach, it seems to be a good way for me to go.

 

[AvalancheRun]

I’m in the same situation as you. I normally ride a size 56. My Bike Shop suggested that I go with a size 58 Creo 2 because the reach is only about 9 mm more than the 56, but the stack height is 31 mm taller. If needed, I can install a shorter stem to make up for the extra reach, but the added stack height will benefit me by reducing the amount I have to crane my neck.

The bottom line is that it may be helpful to actually compare frame geometry between the different size Creos as well as other competing ebike models like the Domane+ and Skitch. I determined that the Creo 2 has more relaxed geometry than these other models.

If the Creo 2 size 58 had a lot more reach to it, it would not be a contender for me.. But since the main geometry difference moving from a 56 to a 58 is a lot more stack height than reach, it seems to be a good way for me to go.

Great input, thanks! The geometry comparisons are interesting. SC puts me firmly on an XL Skitch, which is -28mm stack and +34mm reach from the 58 Creo 2.
58 just felt more relaxed, more upright, and less scrunched than my 56. As you said, 9mm reach is easy to change with a stem.

 

[Amazer98]

Great input, thanks! The geometry comparisons are interesting. SC puts me firmly on an XL Skitch, which is -28mm stack and +34mm reach from the 58 Creo 2.
58 just felt more relaxed, more upright, and less scrunched than my 56. As you said, 9mm reach is easy to change with a stem.

Yeah, initially I was a bit taken aback by the suggestion to move to a 58. But the devil is in the details, and the geometry chart showed that it might be a good idea. I’ll let you know how it worked out after I take delivery of my bike in about a month.

 

[gpburdell]

I’m in the same situation as you. I normally ride a size 56. My Bike Shop suggested that I go with a size 58 Creo 2 because the reach is only about 9 mm more than the 56, but the stack height is 31 mm taller. If needed, I can install a shorter stem to make up for the extra reach, but the added stack height will benefit me by reducing the amount I have to crane my neck.

The bottom line is that it may be helpful to actually compare frame geometry between the different size Creos as well as other competing ebike models like the Domane+ and Skitch. I determined that the Creo 2 has more relaxed geometry than these other models.

If the Creo 2 size 58 had a lot more reach to it, it would not be a contender for me.. But since the main geometry difference moving from a 56 to a 58 is a lot more stack height than reach, it seems to be a good way for me to go.

Don’t forget to factor in the wider handlebars (44cm vs 42cm), and 10 mm longer stem on the 58 versus 56. It’s also worth noting that the stem comes angled down, so you can easily flip it for more handlebar height. Some other differences in the two sizes are crank length, stand over height, and wheelbase. They might or might not be an issue, depends on what you’re already used to.

 

[mschwett]

Yeah, initially I was a bit taken aback by the suggestion to move to a 58. But the devil is in the details, and the geometry chart showed that it might be a good idea. I’ll let you know how it worked out after I take delivery of my bike in about a month.

if you're looking for a more upright ride, the creo 2 in 58 with a 10-20mm shorter stem should work nicely. the longer cranks will lower you a few mm, allowing the seat to be lower that much or maybe even a bit more, making the bars effectively even a little bit higher. you'll also scoot the seat forward quite a bit (73 degree seat tube angle and 30mm longer seat tube = 9mm further back at the clamp) making the reach even more reduced from the geometry specs. just make sure the seat goes low enough for your leg length, which ought not be a problem with the creo's sloping top tube.

 

[Amazer98]

if you're looking for a more upright ride, the creo 2 in 58 with a 10-20mm shorter stem should work nicely. the longer cranks will lower you a few mm, allowing the seat to be lower that much or maybe even a bit more, making the bars effectively even a little bit higher. you'll also scoot the seat forward quite a bit (73 degree seat tube angle and 30mm longer seat tube = 9mm further back at the clamp) making the reach even more reduced from the geometry specs. just make sure the seat goes low enough for your leg length, which ought not be a problem with the creo's sloping top tube.

Those are all good points that you mentioned, which I hadn't given any thought to. I’m not too worried about the 58 being too big for me, as the Bike Shop said they would order in a 56 if I felt the 58 was oversized. I’ll probably just have to swap the stem to something like a 90 mm, perhaps angled up at 17° or so.

 

[pete1967]

They really want to put me on a 56 Creo 2 (and I bought a 56 Diverge), but upon testing a 58 Diverge I felt more at home. 185 cm, with an 89.5 cm inseam. Geometry is ever so slightly different between the two.

I´m 180 cm with 86,5 cm inseam. My Expert was size 58. I felt too strechted out on the bike and couldn´t reach the brakes comfortably. On my Expert was a 110 mm stem (not 100 mm like in the spec). Swapped it out against one with 100 mm, but this was still too long. Last week I got my S-Works Creo 2. Now in size 56 (with a 100 mm stem). Much better! Made a blind order with the Expert in 58, because my Specialized MTBs are all S4. That was a wrong decision, obviously! You are 185 cm and with your inseam of 89,5 cm I would say you can ride both, with a tendency to the 58 frame.