Specialized Trigger vs Schwalbe Marathon E Plus

[Nova Haibike]

Once I had a flat in front of a car tire shop and my joy turned to resignation when the guy said his tank was under too much pressure and would explode my tire. I do not know if he was just blowing me off ( pardon the pun) but I ended up walking home.

This is a common fallacy. You can use a gas station's air compressor to inflate bicycle tires. The thing not to do is to hold the chuck on or depress the lever and try to inflate all at once. Inflate in short bursts, checking the seating of the tire before you fully inflate. Then continue to inflate in short bursts until you reach the desired pressure.

 

[Kam1936]

@Rando . See attachments. This is a spare TR tube with presta valve. The red line points to the threaded nut that removes the valve core.
Also, the slime plastic covers the presta Valve in this way after valve core is removed.

 

[steve mercier]

This is a common fallacy. You can use a gas station's air compressor to inflate bicycle tires. The thing not to do is to hold the chuck on or depress the lever and try to inflate all at once. Inflate in short bursts, checking the seating of the tire before you fully inflate. Then continue to inflate in short bursts until you reach the desired pressure.

It was a tire store ,not a gas station. I should add that it is the same store that I have used for 20+ years and the same owner who I talked to.

 

[Over50]

Update. I am getting used to the new Schwalbe tires. I have forgotten the feel of the old Triggers. Things are good. No worries about flat and getting used to the heavy feel.

Things still going well with the new tires?

The Vado SL 5.0 comes with the Nimbus 2 in 700x38c. I originally told the shop I would like them to add Tannus liners which I love on my Trek Allant. But I haven't heard great things about the Nimbus 2. I'm considering switching to the Marathon E-Plus in 700x38c and not adding the Tannus liners. Ideally I'd like to find a tire around 700x42c but most of the Schwalbes jump from 38c to 45c. Continental has some 40c (Contact Plus I think) but their reviews are not so good. My priorities for a commuter are a good road tire that handles wet pavement well and flat protection is paramount. Rolling resistance, weight etc are important but take a back seat to grip and flat protection.

 

[steve mercier]

Things still going well with the new tires?

The Vado SL 5.0 comes with the Nimbus 2 in 700x38c. I originally told the shop I would like them to add Tannus liners which I love on my Trek Allant. But I haven't heard great things about the Nimbus 2. I'm considering switching to the Marathon E-Plus in 700x38c and not adding the Tannus liners. Ideally I'd like to find a tire around 700x42c but most of the Schwalbes jump from 38c to 45c. Continental has some 40c (Contact Plus I think) but their reviews are not so good. My priorities for a commuter are a good road tire that handles wet pavement well and flat protection is paramount. Rolling resistance, weight etc are important but take a back seat to grip and flat protection.

The Schwalbe 38c will surprise you because they will be the at least the full 38. Compared to the Nimbus in the same size they will fit wider. For example I have 2.35 " Schwalbes that are almost the same width as my so called 2.8" Maxxis.

 

[Nxkharra]

Things still going well with the new tires?

The Vado SL 5.0 comes with the Nimbus 2 in 700x38c. I originally told the shop I would like them to add Tannus liners which I love on my Trek Allant. But I haven't heard great things about the Nimbus 2. I'm considering switching to the Marathon E-Plus in 700x38c and not adding the Tannus liners. Ideally I'd like to find a tire around 700x42c but most of the Schwalbes jump from 38c to 45c. Continental has some 40c (Contact Plus I think) but their reviews are not so good. My priorities for a commuter are a good road tire that handles wet pavement well and flat protection is paramount. Rolling resistance, weight etc are important but take a back seat to grip and flat protection.

I really am comfortable with Marathon E+ now. As I mentioned above I have forgotten how Triggers felt like. Peace of mind is now very important.
With the Kinekt 2 suspension seat post ride is much smoother. I am also trying different saddles to increase comfort. Ergon was good but still searching.

 

[Nxkharra]

I know many of you will criticizing me....
I have been neglecting to check the pressure of my Marathon E+ For a while for no particular reason (lazy).
The ride was so smooth and soft.
I checked the pressure the other day and was 25psi. Ok shoot me.
Back on 55psi rear and 50psi front. Fasten your seatbelts it is going to be a bumpy road!!

 

[bellandbottle]

I know many of you will criticizing me....
I have been neglecting to check the pressure of my Marathon E+ For a while for no particular reason (lazy).
The ride was so smooth and soft.
I checked the pressure the other day and was 25psi. Ok shoot me.
Back on 55psi rear and 50psi front. Fasten your seatbelts it is going to be a bumpy road!!

I did exactly the same thing with Marathons - this does not make you a bad person .

I now check every couple of weeks.

 

[Kam1936]

Just ordered Specialized Electrak Armadillos 2.0, 700×51c. $104 total for both tires after promo and taxes. I've got 2200 miles on the triggers but they are already going bald and flat in the middle. I never had a flat or puncture with the triggers. Too bad the tires are not made for longevity. I read a review that one person got 7500 miles before replacing his Armadillos. Spend a little extra for longevity and comfort. I'm all in.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Excellent choice, Kam! You'll be delighted with the Electrak grip, low rolling resistance and puncture protection!

 

[Nxkharra]

Excellent choice, Kam! You'll be delighted with the Electrak grip, low rolling resistance and puncture protection!

Are these the tires that came with Vado 6.0?
They then switched to Trigger!
Wonder why?
@Stefan Mikes ??

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Are these the tires that came with Vado 6.0?
They then switched to Trigger!
Wonder why?
@Stefan Mikes ??

Not exactly "they switched". Vado 6.0 is now the EU S-Pedelec (45 km/h e-bike). As such, it is type-approved as L1e-B vehicle with Certificate of Conformity and bells & whistles on the equipment side. The Electrak 2.0 Armadillo are type-approved and belong to the CoC. In other words, you shall not replace them with any other brand/model if you want to remain strict. (Of course, that's only theory). See the current spec of Vado 6.0:

Turbo Vado 6.0 Step-Through

Kiedy postanowiliśmy dodać kolejny model do rodziny Turbo, naszym motto było "kto ma szybki rower, temu nigdy nie brakuje czasu". Dlatego chcieliśmy mie...

www.specialized.com

P.S. These are excellent tyres with minimal rolling resistance and great road grip (also in 40s F on wet roads). They cannot only be used in harsh off-road terrain or in snow.

 

[Kam1936]

Not exactly "they switched". Vado 6.0 is now the EU S-Pedelec (45 km/h e-bike). As such, it is type-approved as L1e-B vehicle with Certificate of Conformity and bells & whistles on the equipment side. The Electrak 2.0 Armadillo are type-approved and belong to the CoC. In other words, you shall not replace them with any other brand/model if you want to remain strict. (Of course, that's only theory). See the current spec of Vado 6.0:

Turbo Vado 6.0 Step-Through

Kiedy postanowiliśmy dodać kolejny model do rodziny Turbo, naszym motto było "kto ma szybki rower, temu nigdy nie brakuje czasu". Dlatego chcieliśmy mie...

www.specialized.com

P.S. These are excellent tyres with minimal rolling resistance and great road grip (also in 40s F on wet roads). They cannot only be used in harsh off-road terrain or in snow.

Electraks 2.0 are on my Vado now. Noticed riding back from the LBS it seemed to be a little more comfortable ride than the triggers. It was windy out but I didn't hear any noise coming from the tires. Appearance wise 700 x 51, tires' diameter are noticeably larger than the triggers. I couldn't tell the difference in the width just by looking 51 vs 47. As someone suggested back tire 55 Psi front 50 Psi. The LBS suggested I could go as low as 50 back and 40 front.
I was going to have a new chain put on while I was there but LBS said i didn't need a new chain. He said I could get another 1000 miles on the chain before It would need replacing? According to him there was no sign of chain wear. I already have 2200 plus on this chain. I only ride on paved roads. No off road for me. Maybe that's why. When the weather is not forecasting rain I will ride to Specialized LBS in the other valley to get motor, display updates. About 65+ miles round trip. Looking forward to the ride. Said it updates would take about 10 minutes.
@ Stefen Mikes why didn't you get the 700 x 51 Electraks? There is still about 3/4 of inch room to spare between fenders and tires.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I'm so glad you switched to Electraks, Kam! These tyres look big because their rubber occupies the space where normally the tread would be. Visual comparison of Electraks vs Schwalbe Marathon Winter Plus 700 x 50 makes the Schwalbes look skinny

You might be right saying there's still 3/4 inch left between the tyre and the fender; actual riding experience in the rain or mud can be shocking though. The volume left is so small that riding through the puddles makes rainwater leave the fender space so slowly you feel as if water were "boiling" there! With mud, it stays inside the fender. As I understand you live in South California and might never experience that. It is not that dramatic (that's why I love Electraks) but Marathons Winter Plus leave so more volume between the tyre and the fender that riding in harsh winter condition makes snow (or rainwater) leave the fender space far easier.

Regarding the tyre pressure: The figures you have given sound right and allow soft riding. I typically apply 58 psi for both Electraks because I'm paranoiac about the rolling resistance

The chain: Isn't it you're riding with little motor assistance? It might explain the minimal chain wear. (I use a digital calliper to determine the chain wear; with the latest Shimano Ultegra XT CN-HG701-11-138, I was getting less wear than with previous chains).

Ride On!

 

[Kam1936]

I'm so glad you switched to Electraks, Kam! These tyres look big because their rubber occupies the space where normally the tread would be. Visual comparison of Electraks vs Schwalbe Marathon Winter Plus 700 x 50 makes the Schwalbes look skinny

You might be right saying there's still 3/4 inch left between the tyre and the fender; actual riding experience in the rain or mud can be shocking though. The volume left is so small that riding through the puddles makes rainwater leave the fender space so slowly you feel as if water were "boiling" there! With mud, it stays inside the fender. As I understand you live in South California and might never experience that. It is not that dramatic (that's why I love Electraks) but Marathons Winter Plus leave so more volume between the tyre and the fender that riding in harsh winter condition makes snow (or rainwater) leave the fender space far easier.

Regarding the tyre pressure: The figures you have given sound right and allow soft riding. I typically apply 58 psi for both Electraks because I'm paranoiac about the rolling resistance

The chain: Isn't it you're riding with little motor assistance? It might explain the minimal chain wear. (I use a digital calliper to determine the chain wear; with the latest Shimano Ultegra XT CN-HG701-11-138, I was getting less wear than with previous chains).

Ride On!

Cool. The chain you noted is the one he was going to install but said not needed for awhile. He did say it was latest superior to the one I have on there. Correct a lot of those 2200 miles have been in unassisted. I take care when shifting gears as well. Not mashing down on the pedals either. Never ride in mud or dirt, just paved roads in light rain was worst. I had MP tires on my other ebike but I switched to another brand puncture resistant/thorn protection. Got to be careful with the MP in the rain. They are also magnets for gravel . I would use tweezers to pluck them out. No good in soft dirt. Tires would sink like I was in quick sand. Never worried about a flat though. I rode over glass and thorns without giving it a second thought.
The Electraks make the Vado stand up a bit more to be seen.

 

[Nxkharra]

Not exactly "they switched". Vado 6.0 is now the EU S-Pedelec (45 km/h e-bike). As such, it is type-approved as L1e-B vehicle with Certificate of Conformity and bells & whistles on the equipment side. The Electrak 2.0 Armadillo are type-approved and belong to the CoC. In other words, you shall not replace them with any other brand/model if you want to remain strict. (Of course, that's only theory). See the current spec of Vado 6.0:

Turbo Vado 6.0 Step-Through

Kiedy postanowiliśmy dodać kolejny model do rodziny Turbo, naszym motto było "kto ma szybki rower, temu nigdy nie brakuje czasu". Dlatego chcieliśmy mie...

www.specialized.com

P.S. These are excellent tyres with minimal rolling resistance and great road grip (also in 40s F on wet roads). They cannot only be used in harsh off-road terrain or in snow.

I remember I test rode a 2018 Vado 6.0 back in 2019 (love at first sight). This was before I pulled the trigger for my 2020 Vado 5.0 which was on Sept. 2019. By then Specialized did not offer 6.0 and 5.0 was their top of the line.
I remember 6.0 then had Electrak tires. My question is why do you think they put Trigger on their new 5.0 line vs Electrak?
How are the two compare? Trigger vs Electrak.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

My question is why do you think they put Trigger on their new 5.0 line vs Electrak?

To cut corners. The 6.0 is a very expensive e-bike equipped with 1.2s motor (optimized for speed), 48T chainring (for speed), top-end TRP Zurich brakes etc. The 2021 price of the 6.0 in Poland is equivalent to US$6770. (Vado 5.0 sells for US$4350 in the United States). Note: I paid a discounted price of US$4040 in today's dollars for 2017 Vado 5.0, (which is the Vado 6.0 with rigid fork) in November 2019. I got some 30% discount on the list price for the unsold model.

How are the two compare? Trigger vs Electrak.

@Kam1936 can tell you

 

[Nxkharra]

To cut corners. The 6.0 is a very expensive e-bike equipped with 1.2s motor (optimized for speed), 48T chainring (for speed), top-end TRP Zurich brakes etc. The 2021 price of the 6.0 in Poland is equivalent to US$6770. (Vado 5.0 sells for US$4350 in the United States). Note: I paid a discounted price of US$4040 in today's dollars for 2017 Vado 5.0, (which is the Vado 6.0 with rigid fork) in November 2019. I got some 30% discount on the list price for the unsold model.


@Kam1936 can tell you

Are you saying that the 2017 turbo Vado 6.0 which was offered in US then was a better bike with better components vs 2020 turbo Vado 5.0 which replaced it? Motor 1.3s.TCD, and ....

 

[Stefan Mikes]

The 2018 one. It was 5.0 in 2017. The 2018 ver 6.0 had the suspension fork added, that's it.

Now:

• The 1.3 motor is newer. Fact. It has 550 W max power against 520 W (1.2s). The 1.3 amplification is 360%, 1.2s sports 320%. Fact. Both have 90 Nm torque. Fact. The 1.3 is a climber (Brose S Alu), the 1.2s is a racer (Brose TF). Fact.
• Brakes in the 2017 5.0 through 2018 6.0 to 2021 6.0 are better than in 5.0 (TRP Zurich, 2 x 180 mm rotor).
• Older 5.0/newer 6.0 has always had the 48T chainring to get onto high speed at lower cadence.
• Specialized have replaced BLOCKS to TCD-W to all owners of 2017 5.0 through 2019 6.0 at no cost. They have added expensive Supernova M99 Pro headlight and Supernova tail-light with braking indicator to all those EU e-bikes per EU regulations for S-Pedelec. Even the rack was replaced as well as the remote and the horn button.
• Electrak 2.0 Armadillo with Gripton component used since 2017 to the present. (These are in the EU Certificate of Conformity as the only allowed tyres).

To put it simple: Specialized discontinued selling the 6.0 for the U.S. and went with it to Europe, where they can charge a premium price for that e-bike.

Not that I wouldn't like to ride current Vado 5.0 if I lived in the U.S.

Reference:

2017 Specialized Turbo Vado 5.0 Review

Price: $4600 | Model Year: 2017 | A high-speed urban electric bike with premium tubular fenders, minimalist rack with integrated light, 600 Lumen headlight, reflective stickers on fenders and rims Available in four frame sizes but only one style (high-step), rigid alloy fork and thru-axles...

electricbikereview.com

 

[john peck]

I will update you as I ride these tires more for whatever worth. I am sure there are some experts out there who will give us much better review and comparison.
I will creat a new thread on this also so friends can comment.

I just went to a 29¨ x 2.0¨ marathon. I may not be a tire expert, but dammit, I becoming an expert at
dealing with flats. Meaty tread, thick sidewalls, & higher PSI are my reasons. Lo,I´m a big guy riding
thru the valley of many blackberry & rose thorns. It rolls well, & I can pump it up enuff not to bottom out.
Now, except the size, mine is a regular marathon green guard, used ´em on other bikes for years without
a flat. I looked up the M. E-plus, & it is for all purposes Marathon Mondial. I have one on my spare
motored wheel. The con of the mondial was that it was quite squirrelly new & got only maginally better
broken in. I notice on the E+ it is slightly different at the outside edges of the tread. The mondial was
designed as a durable long distance touring tire. THey last forever, but are not the most comfortable ride
I like the looks of the Schwalbe almotion, but golly, $84??? That´ll buy a passel of cheap Kendas.