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

[Stefan Mikes]

is it common for the spacers to be a bit loose after stem has been tightened down?

Not. Loosen the stem bolts. With feeling, tighten the main bolt that goes through the cap so there is no play of the fork in the steerer bearings. Straighten the bars and tighten the stem bolts again. The bars should still rotate easily. You'll notice no play of spacers.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I and brother are planning a five-day e-bike trip over Polish and Czech Sudety Mts (credit-card tourism type). Roads and easy MTB trails. According to our arrangement, Jacek now owns the Trance E+, and I would be riding my "big" Vado. Therefore, I'm upgrading my Vado for that vacation trip only:

• 38T, 104 BCD Narrow-Wide steel chainring good for 10 and 11-speed drivetrains.
• New SLX CS-M7000-11, 11-46T cassette (the existing one was last replaced in May 2020, and it was repaired in October last year).
• Chain adjusted by length.

The temporary MTB gearing will certainly be a good match to my brother's 38/10-51T drive-train

 

[Stefan Mikes]

(This story is dedicated to @Sierratim)

Cheating LBS, Cheating Mechanic

Tim may recollect our lengthy discussion on how many chain links should be used on 2017 Vado 5.0 (now Vado 6.0). Because the stock chain had 132 links but we have determined together 126 was the proper number. How possible?

May 2020. I leave my Vado at that LBS (disclosing the name makes no sense here) for the warranty based electronics upgrade, and for paid yearly servicing. I'm told I would need to wait for 2 weeks (Specialized Warsaw do such things overnight but that store didn't open yet at that time). Two weeks have passed. I'm getting a phone call from the mechanic:

-- I'm sorry I keep you waiting but I thought your cassette was M7000 11-42t. In fact, your Vado is specified for the 11-46t cassette. Will you wait? The right cassette needs to be brought from our warehouse. Will you wait?

I decided the man knew what he was doing so I waited. Not suspecting anything wrong, I collected the bike.

August 2020. Jacek and I clear a steep climb in Jizera Mts. I'm riding in the granny gear and Turbo mode. I hardly made it.

Autumn 2020. Tim and I discuss the chain length. Eventually we agreed 126 chain links was the proper figure.

Today, Jacek is to replace the existing cassette with CS-M7000-11 11-46t. To our surprise, the two cassettes are quite different...

Top-right: The cassette as installed by the cheating LBS. That asshole eventually used the 11-42t even if he was aware it should have been the 11-46t.
Bottom: The specified cassette, 11-46t. Notice the two black aluminium granny gears. The wrong cassette has a single Alu granny gear.

All that effectively means I need to replace the chain again, and trust me: Long, e-bike specific chain is very expensive. Luckily for me, I'm temporarily replacing the chainring with a 38T one to make my Vado mountain-ready for this year's vacation. I will worry for the new chain later.

 

[GuruUno]

Help me out here. I'm not understanding. If the OEM cassette specs are 42T and are you saying that 46T is what it should be, yet you are going to use a 38T?
Better or worse, benefit or detriment of 38T vs 42T vs 46T?
Reference: http://gears.mtbcrosscountry.com
How to know without spending a fortune and swapping out over and over?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Help me out here. I'm not understanding. If the OEM cassette specs are 42T and are you saying that 46T is what it should be, yet you are going to use a 38T?
Better or worse, benefit or detriment of 38T vs 42T vs 46T?
Reference: http://gears.mtbcrosscountry.com
How to know without spending a fortune and swapping out over and over?

Guru,

I was talking about two different things: the largest cassette cog size; and the chainring (chainwheel) size.

The specifications of MY 2018-2021 Vado 6.0, (and of MY 2017 Vado 5.0) have been:

• Chainring (front sprocket): 48T (it is a large one!)
• Cassette (rear cogs): 11-46T (it is a wide-gear-range, expensive cogset)
• Long cage derailleur (to fit the large 46T granny gear in the cassette).

The design intentions were:

1. In the top gear (48 teeth front, 11 teeth rear), you are getting the top gear ratio >4 meaning you can get at 45 km/h (28 mph) at reasonable cadence of 76-78 rpm (Turbo mode, hard pedalling)
2. In the granny gear (48 teeth front, 46 teeth rear), the gear ratio is slightly above 1, which is pretty low, and it allows climbing very steep hills on road.

To summarize the design: Focused on high speed, and giving the rider a honest break in the hilly area as long as the rider takes paved roads.

If we talk about gearing in terms of gear-inches, the granny gear of Vado 6.0 is equivalent to 30 gear-inches. The granny gear of a premium MTB should be 20 gear-inches or less. It is because a mountain bike is expected to climb extreme hills off-road, on technical single track. However, an MTB is never a speed bike (all premium e-MTBs are Class 1) because the focus is on the climbing capabilities not on speed.

My Vado was specified with the costly 11-46t cassette, and with the long cage derailleur. The mechanic cheated me by replacing that cassette with a 11-42T, and I had at least one steep road climb where I was struggling. I have restored the originally specified cassette to my Vado now.

It is never expected from the owner of a bike to change the chainring size unless a good reason is given. For instance, you are free to swap your 40T chainring with the 48T (11-speed) Praxis one (and replace the chainguard, too) for easier getting at high speed but losing some climbing capabilities. You will also need a longer chain.

My specific need is to temporarily improve the climbing capability of my Vado at the cost of reduced road speed. Therefore, I have bought a 38T, 11-speed, Narrow-Wide, 104 BCD Shimano chainring (SM-CRE80), and standard aluminium MTB chainring bolts with nuts. The setup required removing the motor cover and using a special wrench to keep the nut in place when tightening the chainring bolt.

The large 11-46t cassette in the rear, and the small 38T chainring in the front. I had to shorten the chain, too. See the huge Deore XT SGS (long cage) derailleur.

The outcome: The bike speed decreased to Class 1 range but its climbing capabilities increased to such level that 19-20% grade climbs could be (almost for sure) cleared. (The current granny gear is less than 24 gear-inches). After my mountain vacation is over, I'm swapping the 38T chainring for the 48T back.

See this calculator: https://www.bikecalc.com/gear_inches

 

[Jim in Central CA]

I look forward to hearing all about it when you return. It sounds like a great trip and I would like to be able to do something like that. Due to COVID I did not take any real vacation last year, so I am very much looking forward to one!

 

[Nwr2339]

Had a Flat the other day, changed the tube without issue. looked all over the tire (inside and out) and couldn't find a puncture. Looked all over the tube including spraying some soapy water on it while inflated and couldn't find a leak. Figured it the valve stem got stuck or something. Next day, took it for a ride. No issues. Went out this morning and the new tube is flat. I didn't tear it apart yet but but this time it's actively leaking once I fill it back up...but only after I did a quick test ride. Kind of confused as to what is causing the leak.

I'll obviously know more (hopefully) once I pop the wheel back off and inspect this new tube but....Any unobvious things any of you have experienced that could cause this? I couldn't find a puncture in the tire this second time either, BTW. Air is actively coming out around Valve Stem this time but I assume that is because its easiest place for air to escape between the tube and tire without a large hole in the tire.

 

[kahn]

Had a Flat the other day, changed the tube without issue. looked all over the tire (inside and out) and couldn't find a puncture. Looked all over the tube including spraying some soapy water on it while inflated and couldn't find a leak. Figured it the valve stem got stuck or something. Next day, took it for a ride. No issues. Went out this morning and the new tube is flat. I didn't tear it apart yet but but this time it's actively leaking once I fill it back up...but only after I did a quick test ride. Kind of confused as to what is causing the leak.

I'll obviously know more (hopefully) once I pop the wheel back off and inspect this new tube but....Any unobvious things any of you have experienced that could cause this? I couldn't find a puncture in the tire this second time either, BTW. Air is actively coming out around Valve Stem this time but I assume that is because its easiest place for air to escape between the tube and tire without a large hole in the tire.

Does that tube have a removable presta valve core? Sometimes those loosen when using a pump. Back to materials that can cause flats - I've found very tiny pieces of glass that were very hard to see causing the flat. Some suggestions are to rub a cotton ball along the inside of the tire and see if it gets snagged on something. Also make sure a spoke is not punching the tire.

Good luck finding it.

 

[Nwr2339]

Does that tube have a removable presta valve core? Sometimes those loosen when using a pump. Back to materials that can cause flats - I've found very tiny pieces of glass that were very hard to see causing the flat. Some suggestions are to rub a cotton ball along the inside of the tire and see if it gets snagged on something. Also make sure a spoke is not punching the tire.

Good luck finding it.

Shrader Valve. I'll try the cotton ball trick though. Thanks!

 

[Marcela]

Anybody come across a published torque value for the mounting bolts on the Brose 2.1? Been searching for a while haven’t found anything.

 

[Nwr2339]

Does that tube have a removable presta valve core? Sometimes those loosen when using a pump. Back to materials that can cause flats - I've found very tiny pieces of glass that were very hard to see causing the flat. Some suggestions are to rub a cotton ball along the inside of the tire and see if it gets snagged on something. Also make sure a spoke is not punching the tire.

Good luck finding it.

Ended up being 2 unrelated incidents. First one was a valve issue. Second one was a hair width steel sliver that barley pierced the tire and into the tube. Just bad luck I guess. All good now though.

 

[TS25]

Anybody come across a published torque value for the mounting bolts on the Brose 2.1? Been searching for a while haven’t found anything.

The motor bolts? 18 Nm said LBS. So not `´published´´.

 

[Marcela]

The motor bolts? 18 Nm said LBS. So not `´published´´.

That’s pretty good. Equates to 13 ft lb and I used 10 so I’ll see if it holds.

 

[Marcela]

I emailed Spec about the above and they wouldn’t give me the number saying that is something the lbs should handle.

 

[kahn]

I emailed Spec about the above and they wouldn’t give me the number saying that is something the lbs should handle.

How to make sure your dealers make more than sufficient profit.

What is irritating in this time of covid is that bike shops are already backed up and repairs take longer than usual.

 

[Marcela]

I look at it as the idea and thought of breeding the idea of incompetence.

 

[kahn]

I look at it as the idea and thought of breeding the idea of incompetence.

There's an idea out there that people should be able to repair and maintain their own "toys" and that manufacturers should not be able to limit owner access to parts or repair. I guess I've read more about this in terms of cell phones and tablets and laptops. There tend to be welded or glued seams on many of those items making it hard/impossible to gain access.

There are videos on how to get to the Specialized internal batteries and drop the motor. I don't know if they go into specifics on torque values.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I don't know if they go into specifics on torque values.

If TS25 says it is 18 Nm then just trust that guy

 

[lewes5]

Installed a new TCD-w in my 2018 Vado 3.0 ??????? But . . . .
I am 78 years old and have been riding my Vado 3 for three years, after trading up from a Trek road bike. Love the Vodo, have gone about 6 to 8k miles over the last several years Recently Specialized replaced my motor as the bearings wore out at the left crank. Subsequently, LBS also replace the BLOKS with a TCD-w. Now, be darned if I can figure how to change the options on each of the five screens.. I should note that I received NO printed materials for the TCD-w from the LBS!

My TCD-w has no buttons below the display, nope, nothing. Unless these two switches are heat or touch sensitive, nothing clicks or moves below the display. What I do have is a "SET" button on top of the Power Assist switch. See photo.
If I hit the SET button, the display cycles through the five screens, That's good. BUT . . . How do I change the options within each screen???? That's the question.

None of the YouTube "how to" vids show this particular TCD-W. Does anyone else have this model. Can anyone send me printed material showing me how to program each of the five screens?

Thank you so much!!

 

[kahn]

Installed a new TCD-w in my 2018 Vado 3.0 ??????? But . . . .
I am 78 years old and have been riding my Vado 3 for three years, after trading up from a Trek road bike. Love the Vodo, have gone about 6 to 8k miles over the last several years Recently Specialized replaced my motor as the bearings wore out at the left crank. Subsequently, LBS also replace the BLOKS with a TCD-w. Now, be darned if I can figure how to change the options on each of the five screens.. I should note that I received NO printed materials for the TCD-w from the LBS!

My TCD-w has no buttons below the display, nope, nothing. Unless these two switches are heat or touch sensitive, nothing clicks or moves below the display. What I do have is a "SET" button on top of the Power Assist switch. See photo.
If I hit the SET button, the display cycles through the five screens, That's good. BUT . . . How do I change the options within each screen???? That's the question.

None of the YouTube "how to" vids show this particular TCD-W. Does anyone else have this model. Can anyone send me printed material showing me how to program each of the five screens?

Thank you so much!!

Even if it had come with the printed instructions, it would have been nearly useless unless you have a micro-fiche reader. Seriously, way too small. I did find the instructions on the Specialized site some where. I believe it was a pdf.

Your picture is dark in that area. So yours does not look like this with that "split" in the middle:

I purchased mine separately and it does have barely moveable bars and is not very sensitive. I have a heck of a time resetting it back to "zero" after a ride. If you HOLD the switch that changes screens or hold its main and one of the other buttons does it maybe go into a new setting mode?