Specialized Turbo Vado/Como/Tero/Tero X User Club

[Dallant]

@Brendon@TBSM: The Racktime rack of Vado SL is obviously narrower than the one found on the "full" Vado. What would you recommend for reusing existing RackTime accessories?

My Allant+7 has the narrow Light-It rack. If you have the Snap-It adapter you can adjust the prongs from narrow to wide. Hope that helps.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

My Allant+7 has the narrow Light-It rack. If you have the Snap-It adapter you can adjust the prongs from narrow to wide. Hope that helps.

Thank you, D!

 

[Dallant]

Thank you, D!

I used a crescent wrench but a 12mm should work. It’s kind of a tight thing to move.

 

[JeffC57]

I used a crescent wrench but a 12mm should work. It’s kind of a tight thing to move.

I got an Odin trunk bag for my Vado SL 5 EQ. I did get the mounting prongs moved inward and it mounts fine. However, because the rack is narrow, the bag tends lean in the direction of the rails. It is securely attached, but I'm not too fond of the floppy look.

 

[Dallant]

I got an Odin trunk bag for my Vado SL 5 EQ. I did get the mounting prongs moved inward and it mounts fine. However, because the rack is narrow, the bag tends lean in the direction of the rails. It is securely attached, but I'm not too fond of the floppy look.

It helps to adjust the prongs evenly. My Odin is relatively full with a light rain jacket, air pump, patch kit, extra tube, etc, which evens the load for the most part.

 

[kahn]

I got an Odin trunk bag for my Vado SL 5 EQ. I did get the mounting prongs moved inward and it mounts fine. However, because the rack is narrow, the bag tends lean in the direction of the rails. It is securely attached, but I'm not too fond of the floppy look.

I don't know your rack shape/configuration but I had a Jandd rear bag on a too narrow rack on my road bike. I cut a small aluminum rod the width of the bag and attached it to a cross piece on the rack to support it where it overlapped the rack (and was floppy). I attached the aluminum rod with a metal tape meant to tape seams on heating duct work in my basement. More secure than regular duct tape. It worked fine. I rounded off the sawed ends with a file.

 

[JeffC57]

I have studied this a little more. The mounting pins under the bag are evenly spaced. The seams between the bottom and sides of my Odin bag are not very stiff, especially at the corners. When the bike is leaning on the kickstand, gravity takes over and the bag flops a bit to the side. Even when the bike is perfectly upright, the bag tends to lean because the corners are not very stiff and the bag is wider than the rack. I'll look for some thin plastic to insert around the inside perimeter of the bag to stiffen the sides at the corners. @kahn's fix would probably work too. A wooden paint stirring stick jammed diagonally between the bottom of the bag and the rack seems to help

 

[Marcela]

2k posts! Too bad the Spech is not more popular!

 

[Brendon@OEB]

@Brendon@TBSM: The Racktime rack of Vado SL is obviously narrower than the one found on the "full" Vado. What would you recommend for reusing existing RackTime accessories?

Yep, just use a wrench for leverage to move the prongs over. That said there are some Racktime bags and baskets that are only offered in the wide setting.

 

[Brendon@OEB]

Interesting, hadn't seen that about the wheels. Anything special there to accomplish this or just plug and play? I love the wider tires. Although if I stick with Como I had though about swapping to something with a bit more grip.

You can run a pretty wide tire on the stock 700c rim, before coming with the Trigger tires they cam with the huge Electrak. The stock Como wheels with stock 2.3 tires are, as a whole, smaller overall, there's room to run even a larger tire, maybe 2.6?

 

[rochrunner]

Yep, just use a wrench for leverage to move the prongs over. That said there are some Racktime bags and baskets that are only offered in the wide setting.

The racktime adapter that I use on my Vado 4.0 is already set to the narrow position. Are you saying that the SL's rack is even narrower?

 

[rochrunner]

@Brendon@TBSM: The Racktime rack of Vado SL is obviously narrower than the one found on the "full" Vado. What would you recommend for reusing existing RackTime accessories?

@Stefan Mikes It is? The adapter for my Vado 4.0 is already set to the narrow position. If the SL is indeed narrower, it's not compatible with what I have and one more reason for me to remove the rack & fender and get a rack that works with my stuff.

 

[Brendon@OEB]

The racktime adapter that I use on my Vado 4.0 is already set to the narrow position. Are you saying that the SL's rack is even narrower?

I'll have to double check when I get home, didn't ride the Vado today but I'm pretty sure they're wide and the Vado SL's rear rack is narrow

 

[Brendon@OEB]

@Stefan Mikes It is? The adapter for my Vado 4.0 is already set to the narrow position. If the SL is indeed narrower, it's not compatible with what I have and one more reason for me to remove the rack & fender and get a rack that works with my stuff.

Don't forget figuring out what to do about a rear light and associated wiring including possible dropping the motor to fish the wire out.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

If the SL is indeed narrower, it's not compatible with what I have and one more reason for me to remove the rack & fender and get a rack that works with my stuff.

Why didn't you go with the non-EQ?
If I lived in dry climate, I would have done that myself.

P.S. Vado SL Racktime is 3.5" wide.

 

[rochrunner]

Don't forget figuring out what to do about a rear light and associated wiring including possible dropping the motor to fish the wire out.

I don't need the rear light so it would be a matter of removal, at a minimum cutting and taping off the wires and sealing the hole where they come out.

 

[rochrunner]

Why didn't you go with the non-EQ?
If I lived in dry climate, I would have done that myself.

P.S. Vado SL Racktime is 3.5" wide.

I don't have the bike yet, but the 5.0 ST only comes as EQ.

 

[Sierratim]

I don't have the bike yet, but the 5.0 ST only comes as EQ.

Our US 2020 Vado 5's are equipped with narrow Racktime racks. Our mech bikes have standard/wider Racktime racks. We can use our Racktime accessories on either rack width by moving the prongs/pins as detailed by @Dallant . Perhaps @Stefan Mikes Euro Vado is equipped with the wider rack?

 

[robbin]

Well that went... Half decent! He didn't manage to find the right cylinder but he helped with open and remove the lock.

Here's the cylinder I'm looking for, it seems.to be pretty common on US stores but I haven't yet found a european reseller that offers just the cylinder, not the whole reciever.

Huh. Whaddya know. I called the local specialized store, e-mailed the picture and they talked to ABUS who sent a replacement, should be here any day now. 30 EUR instead of the 110+ EUR option of replacing the whole top battery reciever.

As soon as I have the new cylinder and card I'll order a cafe lock and chain with matching keys. My plan is to do café lock and chain in combination with a D-lock for longer stays.

I've also been looking at ABUS alarms, anyone with experience on those?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Huh. Whaddya know. I called the local specialized store, e-mailed the picture and they talked to ABUS who sent a replacement, should be here any day now. 30 EUR instead of the 110+ EUR option of replacing the whole top battery reciever.

As soon as I have the new cylinder and card I'll order a cafe lock and chain with matching keys. My plan is to do café lock and chain in combination with a D-lock for longer stays.

I've also been looking at ABUS alarms, anyone with experience on those?

Good news, Robbin! Being owners of a Specialized e-bikes, we should always talk to a Specialized dealer. They are there to help.

Regarding your question on security: I own Abus Alarm 440 U-lock and use it. It works, although web reviews clearly demonstrate it is easy for the thief to muffle the alarm unless he's taken by surprise and escapes.