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

[Kam1936]

So. Much. Bragging.

That's the purpose of this thread. Bragging about our Bikes.

 

[TS25]

@TS25 "Its time to get hold of that customer..." . Seriously, I know nothing. That's why I depend on @Stefan Mikes and @TS25 to put me up on these things? Where's the do and don't videos or tutorials for dummies like me. Man you guys let me down on that one. I fault my Turbo Vado mentors for not putting me up on this stuff. Still, I learned my costly lesson only to have a professional dummy repeat a similar performance. Seriously?!

No way.
We'd miss your stories to blather about.

I'm an autodidact in bike repair too, and I start with reading documentation and (dealer) manuals. You can find a lot of them on the Shimano homepage including how-to's with pictures. It helps to understand how components work as discussing open points helps too. Only after acquiring knowledge I'd put my hands on. And then it's easy learning by doing which includes doing things wrong from time to time (but seldomly).
Learning lessons is costly be it money or time to acquire knowledge for DIY. I stick to the belief: if you want it done properly, DIY.

Now tutorials are a different level. I can't see any responsible amateur bike mechanic do them for real brake maintenance, and nor would a professional do it. You'd be blamed for every mistake that beaten customer makes be it following strictly or not.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I understand your feelings Kam. As I said, I never touch the brakes for maintenance myself as I am able to screw up a simplest thing and the brakes are vital for my safety.
The drive-train is the other department of this kind although I know how to repair a broken chain.

Besides, my Vado has sat at the LBS for two working days now and no signal it has been upgraded. Can bet the guys there cannot figure out how to replace the display.

 

[TS25]

Besides, my Vado has sat at the LBS for two working days now and no signal it has been upgraded. Can bet the guys there cannot figure out how to replace the display.

You could guide them to this Video

The new turbo Vado 2017

This the answer Specialized told me today: 'The Vado app for Andriod has unfortunately been postponed due to the fact that a big mistake has been found. Unfortunately, no clear deadline is currently given when it will become available'.

electricbikereview.com

which would be a fine tutorial for @Kam1936's next rainy afternoon exercise too.
Might need another afternoon to fix it together again.

 

[Nxkharra]

I understand your feelings Kam. As I said, I never touch the brakes for maintenance myself as I am able to screw up a simplest thing and the brakes are vital for my safety.
The drive-train is the other department of this kind although I know how to repair a broken chain.

Besides, my Vado has sat at the LBS for two working days now and no signal it has been upgraded. Can bet the guys there cannot figure out how to replace the display.

@Stefan Mikes may be you should send him the how to video that someone posted here about the changing display just to make sure he is doing it right. That was made for LBS and am sure he has also access to it.
I recall it was very involved although doesn’t seem a display change being that difficult to change.
Yes it was @TS25 who posted this great video.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

TS25: As the authorized Specialized dealer, the Warsaw LBS should have that video in the first place. They are paid to do the work and the bike is on the warranty. I just wait. I'm simply impatient since both my bikes are being serviced now and the Lovelec should be an easy cake for the LBS here.

 

[TS25]

I recall it was very involved although doesn’t seem a display change being that difficult to change.

Yes it is very involved but all it is about is just simply converting the display from BLOKS to TCD-W. No more.

But as there are so many steps to be taken the video is very instructive for other works too.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

That work to replace the display appears to be a massacre. Interestingly, the video does not mention replacing the headlight (and the new headlight is now the part of the conversion set).

Terrible!

 

[Nxkharra]

TS25: As the authorized Specialized dealer, the Warsaw LBS should have that video in the first place. They are paid to do the work and the bike is on the warranty. I just wait. I'm simply impatient since both my bikes are being serviced now and the Lovelec should be an easy cake for the LBS here.

My experience is always good to help professionals (doctors, lawyers, technicians, mechanics,.....) by explaining and guiding with your special situation. One must be careful not to hurt their egos as they all have it BIG. Gingerly!!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

My experience is always good to help professionals (doctors, lawyers, technicians, mechanics,.....) by explaining and guiding with your special situation. One must be careful not to hurt their egos as they all have it BIG. Gingerly!!

We engineers call such people "Besserwisser" (The One Who Knows Better)

 

[Nxkharra]

We engineers call such people "Besserwisser" (The One Who Knows Better)

That is why I said “one must be careful not to hurt these professional’s EGGO”
Apparently Engineers should be included in above list of GODs. Haha.

 

[Nxkharra]

@Stefan Mikes did you change the mirror of your Vado? Or this is the other bike? Down?

 

[Kam1936]

No way.
We'd miss your stories to blather about.

I'm an autodidact in bike repair too, and I start with reading documentation and (dealer) manuals. You can find a lot of them on the Shimano homepage including how-to's with pictures. It helps to understand how components work as discussing open points helps too. Only after acquiring knowledge I'd put my hands on. And then it's easy learning by doing which includes doing things wrong from time to time (but seldomly).
Learning lessons is costly be it money or time to acquire knowledge for DIY. I stick to the belief: if you want it done properly, DIY.

Now tutorials are a different level. I can't see any responsible amateur bike mechanic do them for real brake maintenance, and nor would a professional do it. You'd be blamed for every mistake that beaten customer makes be it following strictly or not.

Are you ready for this? True Story: My brother bought his Electro folding bike down today to go riding with me. We're about .2 miles in our ride, I look back and he's pulled off to the side of the road. I turn around to see what's up and he tells me has no brakes. Seriously? I'm like, what do you mean you have no brakes? So he starts trying to adjust the brakes from the handle bars. No good. He only manages to get slight breaking power in the back. We ride .2 miles to the gas station. He tells me, "all bad I got nothing." I couldn't believe this @#!$% was happening. His bike has mechanical disc brakes. I had a look around and seen that his brake had one hex screw holding the cable in place. I unscrewed it a little so I could pull on the cable to make it tight and then tightened it back up. Guess what? He had front brakes again. I told him to spin the wheel and make sure they're not rubbing. All good. I did the same procedure with the back. All good. It was pure unadulterated luck! I know nothing. I was desperate to ride with my bro and maybe stupid on my part but the temporary fix worked. I used my little Park tool set to make the adjustment. Torque? I just guesstimated. We ended up continuing on our almost 30 mile ride with no further hiccups. He blamed his wife for the brakes malfunctioning. I blamed him. What a day.

Another note: lbs manager called me back this afternoon and told me the mechanic sprayed rubbing alcohol on the rotor and sanded the brakes. She offered to replace my rotor and break pads at no cost to me but honestly whatever he did killed the noise and the brake seems to be working fine. I'm leaning towards just leaving well enough alone.

 

[steve mercier]

Are you ready for this? True Story: My brother bought his Electro folding bike down today to go riding with me. We're about .2 miles in our ride, I look back and he's pulled off to the side of the road. I turn around to see what's up and he tells me has no brakes. Seriously? I'm like, what do you mean you have no brakes? So he starts trying to adjust the brakes from the handle bars. No good. He only manages to get slight breaking power in the back. We ride .2 miles to the gas station. He tells me, "all bad I got nothing." I couldn't believe this @#!$% was happening. His bike has mechanical disc brakes. I had a look around and seen that his brake had one hex screw holding the cable in place. I unscrewed it a little so I could pull on the cable to make it tight and then tightened it back up. Guess what? He had front brakes again. I told him to spin the wheel and make sure they're not rubbing. All good. I did the same procedure with the back. All good. It was pure unadulterated luck! I know nothing. I was desperate to ride with my bro and maybe stupid on my part but the temporary fix worked. I used my little Park tool set to make the adjustment. Torque? I just guesstimated. We ended up continuing on our almost 30 mile ride with no further hiccups. He blamed his wife for the brakes malfunctioning. I blamed him. What a day.

Another note: lbs manager called me back this afternoon and told me the mechanic sprayed rubbing alcohol on the rotor and sanded the brakes. She offered to replace my rotor and break pads at no cost to me but honestly whatever he did killed the noise and the brake seems to be working fine. I'm leaning towards just leaving well enough alone.

Those cables will stretch and sometimes it will happen very quickly almost out of the blue. Good on you to carry the basic tools with you.

 

[Kam1936]

I understand your feelings Kam. As I said, I never touch the brakes for maintenance myself as I am able to screw up a simplest thing and the brakes are vital for my safety.
The drive-train is the other department of this kind although I know how to repair a broken chain.

Besides, my Vado has sat at the LBS for two working days now and no signal it has been upgraded. Can bet the guys there cannot figure out how to replace the display.

Probably due to COVID. They had my bike 4 days for a derailleur adjustment/ tune up/ clean. I was going nuts without my Vado. In normal times, it takes about an hour to change it out. I think mine was done the same day, I picked it up the following day. Hope all goes well.

 

[Sierratim]

[

Are you ready for this? True Story: My brother bought his Electro folding bike down today to go riding with me. We're about .2 miles in our ride, I look back and he's pulled off to the side of the road. I turn around to see what's up and he tells me has no brakes. Seriously? I'm like, what do you mean you have no brakes? So he starts trying to adjust the brakes from the handle bars. No good. He only manages to get slight breaking power in the back. We ride .2 miles to the gas station. He tells me, "all bad I got nothing." I couldn't believe this @#!$% was happening. His bike has mechanical disc brakes. I had a look around and seen that his brake had one hex screw holding the cable in place. I unscrewed it a little so I could pull on the cable to make it tight and then tightened it back up. Guess what? He had front brakes again. I told him to spin the wheel and make sure they're not rubbing. All good. I did the same procedure with the back. All good. It was pure unadulterated luck! I know nothing. I was desperate to ride with my bro and maybe stupid on my part but the temporary fix worked. I used my little Park tool set to make the adjustment. Torque? I just guesstimated. We ended up continuing on our almost 30 mile ride with no further hiccups. He blamed his wife for the brakes malfunctioning. I blamed him. What a day.

Another note: lbs manager called me back this afternoon and told me the mechanic sprayed rubbing alcohol on the rotor and sanded the brakes. She offered to replace my rotor and break pads at no cost to me but honestly whatever he did killed the noise and the brake seems to be working fine. I'm leaning towards just leaving well enough alone.

...and another home bike mechanic is blossoming

 

[TMH]

...I had a look around and seen that his brake had one hex screw holding the cable in place. I unscrewed it a little so I could pull on the cable to make it tight and then tightened it back up. Guess what? He had front brakes again. I told him to spin the wheel and make sure they're not rubbing. All good. I did the same procedure with the back. All good. It was pure unadulterated luck! I know nothing.

Good job!

I sometimes take it for granted how I can fix stuff after having worked on so many of my acoustic bikes and motorcycles over the last 40 years. I guess that I just have to feel lucky that I read the "Repairing Your Bicycle" books and invested in some good bike-specific tools so many years ago!

 

[Kam1936]

[
...and another home bike mechanic is blossoming

. Not even. I remembered seeing a YouTube video on mechanical disc brakes. I wasn't going any further then the cable tightening screw. If that didn't work, we were turning around and heading back. My brother seems to think after he buys his bikes that he doesn't need to get them serviced. Small expense to keep them maintained or incur far greater expenses due to neglect.

 

[Kam1936]

Good job!

I sometimes take it for granted how I can fix stuff after having worked on so many of my acoustic bikes and motorcycles over the last 40 years. I guess that I just have to feel lucky that I read the "Repairing Your Bicycle" books and invested in some good bike-specific tools so many years ago!

Appreciate it! I listen to the vets like yourself. More often than not I'm pointed in the right direction by advice. A lot I don't get yet, that's why i leave it to more capable hands of experience. What I do get, is that bikes have to be kept up in order to perform properly. Whether that's paying someone who knows what they're doing, or learning how to do myself.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

@Stefan Mikes did you change the mirror of your Vado? Or this is the other bike? Down?

I made changes to both bikes. The same Mirrycles. I've changed the grips to Ergon GP5 (Lovelec) and GP3 (Vado) and these Ergons have horns. The only way to make the mirror and a grip horn coexist is to rotate the mirror down and inwards. The bars become narrower, which is good.