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

[FlatSix911]

In case anyone's interested...

View attachment 71958
Completely worn out TRP Q20.11 front brake pad. It lasted for over 4000 km (2500 mi) only because I mostly ride in the plains

You definitely got your money's worth on the pads!

 

[Marcela]

In perfect shape!

Nice thing about the stock organic pads vs the metallic they don’t tear up the rotors.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Nice thing about the stock organic pads vs the metallic they don’t tear up the rotors.

I understand that Marcela. There must, however, be a reason why the Q20.11 TRP brake pads used with TRP Zurich brakes are semi-metallic. I'm not an expert. Don't know. Perhaps it is something about their performance.

 

[Marcela]

I understand that Marcela. There must, however, be a reason why the Q20.11 TRP brake pads used with TRP Zurich brakes are semi-metallic. I'm not an expert. Don't know. Perhaps it is something about their performance.

Metallic usually do have better braking performance, at a price of tearing up rotors. And it might be a fix for smaller rotors or mechanical brakes, or heavier bikes, cheaper brake components, etc. Better to call it matching components for performance or compensating.

With my 200mm rotors front and back on the 5’s with otherwise stock components i am not wanting for brake performance.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

With my 200mm rotors front and back on the 5’s with otherwise stock components i am not wanting for brake performance.

Actually, the 203 mm brakes in my Trance E+ seem to be hyperactive Had several crashes because of too strong braking!
(The TRP Zurich are top-end brakes and I'm sure Tektro Racing Products have used the semi-metallic brake pads for performance on 180 mm rotors).

P.S. My Vado rides like a dream after the complete yearly maintenance I gave it. Noticeably, the chainring bolts do hold!

 

[Sierratim]

I understand that Marcela. There must, however, be a reason why the Q20.11 TRP brake pads used with TRP Zurich brakes are semi-metallic. I'm not an expert. Don't know. Perhaps it is something about their performance.

This is a nice short ARTICLE that discusses pros & cons for the organic, semi-metallic and metallic brake pad compounds. Semi-metallic pads are a middle ground between the faster wearing but quieter organic pads and the long wearing, potentially noisey, and highly fade resistant metallic pads. I'm running semi-metallic pads on my Vado with 203mm(f) and 180mm(r) rotors with very good wear and braking performance as I detailed at Post in thread 'Disc Brakes and Pads' https://electricbikereview.com/forums/threads/disc-brakes-and-pads.33304/post-351178. So far it looks like I'll also be getting around 2,500 miles on these semi-metallic pads, about the same as @Stefan Mikes reports. I ride steeper terrain but my pads have aggressive heat sink fins potentailly keeping them cooler.

I was curious re rotor wear using the semi-metallic pads so I measured the front rotor thickness this AM (Shimano SM-RT76-L 203mm rotor). This corresponds to the faster wearing brake pad pair. The average rotor thickness in the braking area was 1.74mm compared to the new rotor spec thickness of 1.80mm. This corresponds to a wear rate of 0.049mm per thousand miles. Shimano specs the rotors as worn out at 1.5mm so this wear rate corresponds to 20% of the rotor life after 1,215 miles yielding a projected rotor life of ~6,000 miles under my riding conditions. This is consistent with what my sons report for their mech MTBs on steeper terrain and is more than acceptable to me for the longer life and anti-fade braking characteristics of the semi-metallic pads.

I'm sure I'd get longer rotor life using organic pads, but they just don't last long enough for my local riding conditions, ~500 miles for my first set.

 

[TS25]

Completely worn out TRP Q20.11 front brake pad. It lasted for over 4000 km (2500 mi) only because I mostly ride in the plains

Your brake pad should be changed if it reaches 2.5mm including the backing metal.
In case you're intending to change your brake pads in due time next time, here's the TRP guideline (for bedding in as well):

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Thank you @TS25! (The notification system of these Forums sucks...)
Luckily, I keep spare brake pads in my stock

@Sierratim, I was not notified on your post, either. Thank you!

 

[Sierratim]

Thank you @TS25! (The notification system of these Forums sucks...)
Luckily, I keep spare brake pads in my stock

@Sierratim, I was not notified on your post, either. Thank you!

@Stefan Mikes I have nor gotten any forum notifications for some time now as well.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Friends!
On this Saturday, I'm going to have a test ride on Turbo Vado SL 5.0 EQ! Specialized Warsaw offers test rides for PLN 125 a day (US$ 33). I'm so excited!

 

[JeffC57]

Friends!
On this Saturday, I'm going to have a test ride on Turbo Vado SL 5.0 EQ! Specialized Warsaw offers test rides for PLN 125 a day (US$ 33). I'm so excited!

I think you are going to look good on this!

 

[Art Deco]

That is an inexpensive rental rate for an ebike (in the USA anyway). An inexpensive and fun day out even with a beer stop if you can still do that.

 

[Mulezen]

Friends!
On this Saturday, I'm going to have a test ride on Turbo Vado SL 5.0 EQ! Specialized Warsaw offers test rides for PLN 125 a day (US$ 33). I'm so excited!

I accused you Stefan, in another thread, of working just to get more eBikes. You denied this but I see you’ve changed your mind.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

First of all, I need to determine if I can get on and off the diamond frame Secondly, I need to make me informed on the bike.
My gf has asked a direct question whether I would NOT buy the bike? Of course, I wouldn't There are other expensive needs I need to satisfy if I want to live together with @Brix in the future.

 

[TS25]

An inexpensive and fun day out even with a beer stop if you can still do that.

Yes, a beer stop should be possible definitely, even at the traffic lights, if you get this till saturday:

http://kristitrimmer.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Beer-backpack.jpg

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Yes, a beer stop should be possible definitely

I would love to but...
My plan is to ride my Vado for 36 km in Turbo mode to Specialized Warsaw (they will store my e-bike). Then, up to 4 hours of SL ride, combined with visiting a friend who needs my help nearby (getting into the warm place will be good for me!) Finally, I need to make another 36 km return trip upwind (on spare battery and in Sport mode on my Vado). Unfortunately that prevents me from getting imbibed. Post-ride beer will be the right thing to have!

 

[Sierratim]

First of all, I need to determine if I can get on and off the diamond frame Secondly, I need to make me informed on the bike.
My gf has asked a direct question whether I would NOT buy the bike? Of course, I wouldn't There are other expensive needs I need to satisfy if I want to live together with Ewa in the future.

n+1, just sayin'

 

[vado813]

Friends!
On this Saturday, I'm going to have a test ride on Turbo Vado SL 5.0 EQ! Specialized Warsaw offers test rides for PLN 125 a day (US$ 33). I'm so excited!

i had the vado5.0 SL and gave it back to the dealer in 2 weeks, motor issues. not uncommon on the SL for some reason( thats what i hear neway). glad it happened because i tried a como 5.0 and couldn't believe the difference. way more comfortable and much more powerful, bigger motor and battery but at the expense of more weight.
upon cleaning the derailleur sprockets of caked on gunk @450 miles /3 months old, some of the teeth on the cassette look like fangs. to the shop next week...

 

[Mulezen]

I’m an interloper (Trek Allant XL frame) who is interested in a 2nd bike for guests (Medium...low step) who are fit 60-70 yo’s.
I’m looking to a Specialized Como or Vado 4. This would be for country roads mostly and I wonder if the less aggressive Como might be a more comfortable than the more aggressive Vado.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

i had the vado5.0 SL and gave it back to the dealer in 2 weeks, motor issues. not uncommon on the SL for some reason( thats what i hear neway). glad it happened because i tried a como 5.0 and couldn't believe the difference. way more comfortable and much more powerful, bigger motor and battery but at the expense of more weight.
upon cleaning the derailleur sprockets of caked on gunk @450 miles /3 months old, some of the teeth on the cassette look like fangs. to the shop next week...

The reason I'm taking the demo ride is not to buy the SL but to understand how different an SL would be from my regular Vado. Sorry to hear about your experience with possibly damaged cassette. We've been talking a lot in this and other threads in the Specialized forum on riding techniques, chain, cassette and chainring maintenance. 450 miles is not that much if the drive-train is used properly and taken care of...

@como813: Is your Como equipped with the BLOKS or TCD-W display?

I’m an interloper (Trek Allant XL frame) who is interested in a 2nd bike for guests (Medium...low step) who are fit 60-70 yo’s.
I’m looking to a Specialized Como or Vado 4. This would be for country roads mostly and I wonder if the less aggressive Como might be a more comfortable than the more aggressive Vado.

@Mulezen: The market situation is tough now but a demo ride would make you understand your own needs. If you care of the ride comfort in the first place, Como users here will certainly assure you that's the bike you want!