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

[Igor M]

Igor,
I managed to forget where you lived: is your area very hilly?

Yes it is hilly.
But I also ride on flat sections most of the time. The house is on a hill and with a small height difference of about 150m.

 

[Marcela]

Had a creaking noise on the Como for a while. A bike is hard to tell where the sound is coming from I guess because they all sound similar. I thought it was the headset bearings being loose so checked them and they were tight. Would just make the noise and I could feel it in the handlebars when turning abruptly.

Talked to the mechanic at the lbs about it and also asked him about ebike hub drives. He didn't have anything good to say about them but they were a Spec dealer.

So had an idea and checked the spokes. They were loose. The Como has 900 miles on it and hasn't been abused and rider weight is 185# just an fyi. So tightened them up and no more creak! So far. I noticed also the Vado has grommets on the rims for the spokes while the Como does not, don't think this lent to the looseness just an fyi. Imagine they saved a lot of money there. When tightening the spokes if you fill the tires to max psi it takes some of the tension off the spokes and may make it easier to adjust.

Also the kickstand on the Como was loose. Long enough time the screws were bent. So if you replace the screws be careful, they are M6 and come in 15 & 20mm lengths at the hardware store, but the one used is between these values. And if you use one too long it may get into the brake rotor, too short and not enough thread engagement gets into other problems. Blue loctite is your friend here.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Blue loctite is your friend here.

Totally agree.

Regarding the spokes, I had a single one snapped on one of my Vado rides. Luckily, I could complete that metric century. The spoke was replaced by the most local bike shop, and the wheel got trued there, too.

 

[Onimaru]

When I replaced the radar bolt that vibrates loose, I went for the blue loctite in my drawer as well. Always a good idea on vibration prone fasteners.

 

[PSm]

Thanks for the input! Maybe I'm spoiled with the Specialized bikes and don't know it. I probably need to ride one first. Looked like a cool bike to ride, the Juiced bike he had. He told me he paid $2k for it, I was really surprised, that's half of what the Spec bikes cost.

Been a lurker here, and have unresolved GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) for a Specialized ebike, but can't quite get over the price and some of the other aspects...one of which, I hear that the motor is pretty noisy? Otherwise, seem like awesome bikes that ride well also like a regular bike with the assist off.

I've been really spoiled with my Ride1Up Roadster v2 (bike+extended battery, total cost ~$1500, ~33 lbs stock, ~38 lbs including extender battery), which is almost silent with the carbon belt, and has an unequaled elegance and simplicity with only a single speed. Definitely for my fitness, regularly do long rides, and so far max range single ride a 150+ km ride with 2000+m elevation gain. But took me studying and listening to podcasts (highly recommend the "performance cycling podcast" including ones about riding out of the saddle, climbing, nutrition & fueling during rides, cadence, aerodynamics, etc) to be able to push myself to be able to do the long (metric century +) rides.

Has anyone else used both Specialized and carbon belt drive ebikes, and can give their perspective? I'm still tempted to add another ebike, but might be too spoiled by the quiet, simplicity and lower cost of the Roadster.

TIA.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Many riders say the SL motor is noisy (I do not subscribe to that group). The full power Specialized motors are quiet.
Have you had a chance to demo ride a Specialized e-bike, PSm?

 

[PSm]

Many riders say the SL motor is noisy (I do not subscribe to that group). The full power Specialized motors are quiet.
Have you had a chance to demo ride a Specialized e-bike, PSm?

Haven't been able to locate a dealer that will let me do a demo ride, maybe Covid related, but haven't checked recently. How have others gotten demo rides?

 

[PSm]

P.s. - other bike on my "GAS" list, is the Lemond Prolog. Looks like a work of art, IMO. https://lemond.com/prolog

 

[Stefan Mikes]

P.s. - other bike on my "GAS" list, is the Lemond Prolog. Looks like a work of art, IMO. https://lemond.com/prolog

But hey, have you ever ridden a Mahle X35 motor e-bike?

 

[PSm]

But hey, have you ever ridden a Mahle X35 motor e-bike?

No. Tell me all about it! I just took a look, and looks like the assist level with X35 is quite a bit lower than some others. hmm...

 

[Stefan Mikes]

No. Tell me all about it!

Mahle X35 is a lightweight low power hub-drive motor powered by a battery which has a capacity of 3/4 of the Specialized SL one, and only PAS sensing (no torque). As the X35 is widely available to manufacturers, many of them (including several big brands) make "electrified" versions of their traditional models. On the positive side, the X35 e-bikes remain quite lightweight. That's why many road e-bikes are X35 powered. On the negative side, the hub motor does not take the leverage of the bike's gearing. The riding nature is binary: either full assistance (per assist level) or no assistance; it is not like in mid-drives where your pedalling is rewarded with assistance (where it is variable). Also, the rear of the bike is heavier.

Greg is a carbon fibre producer and he wanted to utilise the excess for his own manufacturing. I'm surprised he hasn't come with a road e-bike. He could not also get anything better than the X35.

Specialized own the (Mahle) Specialized SL1.1 mid-drive motor and the system (including the battery). Another lightweight mid-drive is the Fazua, which is expensive, rarely used, and its reputation is spotty.

Perhaps you could demo ride an Orbea, or some Cannondale X35 powered e-bike to learn yourself. (In all honesty, many people are delighted with X35 e-bikes but that's because they have never ridden a Specialized SL e-bike)

 

[Stefan Mikes]

- Vado SL easier to start (up to 25km / h), but the final speed is lower and harder to maintain. (60% support)

@Igor M, please give your Vado SL this try: Instead of using 60/60% assistance, set your e-bike to 40/100%. You might be positively surprised! While using similar amount of the battery charge, it will reward your effort with increased assistance. @Nubnub has been talking about it a lot but only now I believed him

 

[kahn]

Haven't been able to locate a dealer that will let me do a demo ride, maybe Covid related, but haven't checked recently. How have others gotten demo rides?

I went to the local shop and asked to test ride the Creo. A week later I asked to do another ride to see if it really had sufficient power for our local hills. I decided I would "push" it up hills with umpffff and purchased it.

 

[BioWheel]

Had a creaking noise on the Como for a while. A bike is hard to tell where the sound is coming from I guess because they all sound similar. I thought it was the headset bearings being loose so checked them and they were tight. Would just make the noise and I could feel it in the handlebars when turning abruptly.

Talked to the mechanic at the lbs about it and also asked him about ebike hub drives. He didn't have anything good to say about them but they were a Spec dealer.

So had an idea and checked the spokes. They were loose. The Como has 900 miles on it and hasn't been abused and rider weight is 185# just an fyi. So tightened them up and no more creak! So far. I noticed also the Vado has grommets on the rims for the spokes while the Como does not, don't think this lent to the looseness just an fyi. Imagine they saved a lot of money there. When tightening the spokes if you fill the tires to max psi it takes some of the tension off the spokes and may make it easier to adjust.

Also the kickstand on the Como was loose. Long enough time the screws were bent. So if you replace the screws be careful, they are M6 and come in 15 & 20mm lengths at the hardware store, but the one used is between these values. And if you use one too long it may get into the brake rotor, too short and not enough thread engagement gets into other problems. Blue loctite is your friend here.

Another symptom of a loose spoke is the wheel will not be true. Typically pretty noticeable. Good find Marcela.

 

[PSm]

I went to the local shop and asked to test ride the Creo. A week later I asked to do another ride to see if it really had sufficient power for our local hills. I decided I would "push" it up hills with umpffff and purchased it.

Thanks. I'll have to try LBS again. Might have been Covid restrictions at the time.

 

[Marcela]

Wish somebody would come up with a floating brake caliper. Hello Specialized?!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Wish somebody would come up with a floating brake caliper. Hello Specialized?!

Why would you need that?
Besides, Specialized doesn't make bike brakes. Address Shimano and SRAM

 

[CodyDog]

Wish somebody would come up with a floating brake caliper. Hello Specialized?!

What is the benefit of a floating brake caliber? I'm not familiar with that set up.

 

[Marcela]

What is the benefit of a floating brake caliber? I'm not familiar with that set up.

They self center on the disc. No brake pads rubbing. No brake pads to center. Brake pads wear better and last longer. Better brake feel. Work much better than the fixed caliper.

I tried to float mine by leaving the fastener loose but it is off center so the caliper is pulled down at an angle by the disc and doesn't work, the fastener or rail the caliper rides on needs to be centered over the disc to make it work, or fasteners on both sides of the disc.

Floating discs are meant for heating of the disc and having the ability to expand without being fixed to the spider and warping.

You might be unfamiliar with them because automobiles have used them for a long time and the issues of fixed calipers is long past.

You can have all the electronic gadgetry, give me some meat and potatoes!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

They self center on the disc. No brake pads rubbing. No brake pads to center. Brake pads wear better and last longer. Better brake feel. Work much better than the fixed caliper.

I tried to float mine by leaving the fastener loose but it is off center so the caliper is pulled down at an angle by the disc and doesn't work, the fastener or rail the caliper rides on needs to be centered over the disc to make it work, or fasteners on both sides of the disc.

Floating discs are meant for heating of the disc and having the ability to expand without being fixed to the spider and warping.

You might be unfamiliar with them because automobiles have used them for a long time and the issues of fixed calipers is long past.

You can have all the electronic gadgetry, give me some meat and potatoes!

I don't pretend I'm smarter than Shimano and SRAM; or Magura, Tektro, and TRP too; they know their brakes.

Some hydraulic disk brakes can be centered by loosening the caliper bolt, squeezing the brake lever and re-tightening the bolt. High end brakes such as TRP Zurich are totally fixed. As the matching wheel must come on a thru-axle, the central position of the rotor between the pads is guaranteed.

Why reinvent the wheel? Bikes are not cars.