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

[Stefan Mikes]

A renowned member of this Forum (not sure whether he allowed me to mention his name) has just sent me spare cogs for my Vado from his great country. Impossible has become possible! There are fantastic people in this world...

 

[Sierratim]

Fair enough, I can certainly hear my 1.3, but I only ride it in Turbo going to the shop and you can believe it's working hard!

I get some noise from my 1.3 motor as well. It increases with the assist level, but never to,the point that I can't hear the world around me; wind, tire noise, oncoming cars.... The 1.3 motor is quite a bit quieter than other ebikes I encounter on my rides.

 

[Brendon@OEB]

A renowned member of this Forum (not sure whether he allowed me to mention his name) has just sent me spare cogs for my Vado from his great country. Impossible has become possible! There are fantastic people in this world...

View attachment 69432

What do you need the cogs for? Are you thinking of replacing those instead of the entire cassette?

Wind noise is what I notice more than motor noise, doesn't interrupt the NPR podcasts though!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

What do you need the cogs for? Are you thinking of replacing those instead of the entire cassette?

Exactly this. Already done for the 12-speed cassette in Trance E+, now it's the time to do the same for Vado. (Me & brother have been able to ignore the chain wear, and now we're paying the price for the negligence...)

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Now, the brake pads!!!

Jacek The Mechanic (full story)

 

[Marci jo]

Exactly this. Already done for the 12-speed cassette in Trance E+, now it's the time to do the same for Vado. (Me & brother have been able to ignore the chain wear, and now we're paying the price for the negligence...)

I’m curious, what were the symptoms that caused you to replace the cogs? I haven’t noticed any noise or problems shifting. I’m pretty careful; back off pedaling, click it in gear, resume pedaling. And regularly clean the chain.
During the off season I usually get the brakes bled so I’ll have them look at the cogs. Needed new chain this past Spring but the bike had zero symptoms.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

There are no symptoms, and that's the worst of all. The stretched chain gradually makes damage to the cogs. It is actually grinding them to adjust them to its new, stretched length. The effect is the most pronounced on the smallest cogs as these have few teeth and are least tolerant. On some day, the chain starts slipping on the cogs during the ride. If so happens, not only the chain but also cassette are damaged, and the expensive and hard-to-buy chainring might be already worn, too.

There is some car analogy: the timing belt. The timing belt is to be replaced at scheduled intervals. If not replaced, the belt will break, making severe damage to the engine.

P.S. @TS25 taught me to take a digital caliper, stretch the chain on the bike, and precisely measure the pin-to-pin distance on 10 consecutive links. New chain is at 5" sharp. The chain should be replaced at 5.04", and 5.08" typically indicates the damage to the cassette has already occured.

 

[Marcela]

P.S. @TS25 taught me to take a digital caliper, stretch the chain on the bike, and precisely measure the pin-to-pin distance on 10 consecutive links. New chain is at 5" sharp. The chain should be replaced at 5.04", and 5.08" typically indicates the damage to the cassette has already occured.

Since the chain rings and cogs see the rollers also, would it be better to measure that distance which would take into effect the wear of the rollers and everything else? Rather than just the pins theirselves?

 

[TS25]

Since the chain rings and cogs see the rollers also, would it be better to measure that distance which would take into effect the wear of the rollers and everything else? Rather than just the pins theirselves?

It's exactly the other way round.
You want to judge the real wear of the chain (the lengthening) and to take the wear of the rollers out of the equation. As the chain gauge measures the rollers wear too (sometimes doubled as it pushes them apart) it is less precise (and possibly just tells you: it's too late).

Another point: the roller diameter varies between chain manufacturers. So you should use a Shimano chain gauge for Shimano chains, and another chain gauge for Wippermann connex chains f.e. You don't need that using a digital caliper as recommended.

 

[Sierratim]

Measuring pin to pin distance is the 'tried and true' method to monitor chain wear, but this lengthy article on Checking for Chain Wear claims that on average 2-point chain checkers like the Park Tool CC-3.2 measure 19% earlier chain wear rates than the pin to pin method. This graphic from Sheldon Brown's Chain and Sprocket Wear article illustrates why;

The link pin of this badly worn chain has been worn away allowing the the roller to visibly move out of position. Bad news for all the other drive components!

Pin to pin measurements miss the wear of the rollers against their pins. Since it's the rollers that wear against the cogs and chain rings, I would agree with these articles that it should be taken into account when checking chain wear either by measuring changes in roller to roller wear over time or by using a modern 2-point gauge. The first approach takes into account the differences in roller diameters between chain brands that TS25 mentioned. The 2nd works for me as I use Shimano chains. YRMV.

With that said, I replace my ebike chains more frequently than even my 2-point gauge would indicate. That 11-speed XT cassette and the wide-narrow chain ring are just too expensive (and hard to get now) to try and save a few $ by pushing the chain to the 0.5% limit.

 

[Marcela]

I think terminology needs to be used carefully here also. The chains wear and due to that wear they elongate. To stretch a chain is another matter.

 

[Marci jo]

There are no symptoms, and that's the worst of all. The stretched chain gradually makes damage to the cogs. It is actually grinding them to adjust them to its new, stretched length. The effect is the most pronounced on the smallest cogs as these have few teeth and are least tolerant. On some day, the chain starts slipping on the cogs during the ride. If so happens, not only the chain but also cassette are damaged, and the expensive and hard-to-buy chainring might be already worn, too.

There is some car analogy: the timing belt. The timing belt is to be replaced at scheduled intervals. If not replaced, the belt will break, making severe damage to the engine.

P.S. @TS25 taught me to take a digital caliper, stretch the chain on the bike, and precisely measure the pin-to-pin distance on 10 consecutive links. New chain is at 5" sharp. The chain should be replaced at 5.04", and 5.08" typically indicates the damage to the cassette has already occured.

Thanks Stefan,
I will for sure be examining the cogs. It's going to the lbs in a couple months. They have a winter special each year for bleeding the hydraulic brakes. I suspect the front brakes may need new parts, roughly 4000 km on them. So I will have them examine the cogs too.

Side note: here in Upper Midwest we got nailed with a very early cold snap and some snow. I was hoping for a few more cycling days but the temps have been around 30F (0 C). And I have been very crabby to live with. Poor hubby!! lol, it will all be fine.

 

[Taylor57]

Majority of EBR Forum owners of Specialized e-bikes ride either a Turbo Vado or a Como. This is natural, as these two major models have been designed for an average cyclist. Turbo Levo and Kenevo are technical ride stuff, discussed on e-MTB fora. Creo is for road cycling fanatics

It is quite interesting American versions of Vado are in the majority Class 3 bikes, while the only speed Vado model for Europe is Vado 6.0. Does anybody own the 6.0? Canadians have to be content with the 32 km/h versions, unluckily. (The Australian have to be content with 25 km/h).

I'd like you friends to talk more about your experiences with your Specialized e-bikes, for good and for bad. Please post pictures if you like.

I fell in love with my 2017 Specialized Turbo Vado 5.0, which I bought in Autumn 2019. (I thought of buying a 2019 or 2020 model that would have stretched my budget too far). There are four components and a feature I am extremely happy with in my 2017 model:

1. Rigid fork - (2020 update: married with Baramind BAM suspension handlebars; and the Kinekt 2.1 suspension seatpost)
2. 29x2" Elektrak tyres (Autumn 2020: Replaced with Schwalbe Smart Sam 47-622 for some off-road capability while staying silent on-road)
3. TRP Zurich brakes (the top of the class)
4. 600 lm headlight and very strong rear light, illuminating the number plate as well. (2020 update: Following the overhaul from the BLOKS to the TCD-W display, the headlight was replaced by Specialized with a 1700 lm Supernova M99 Pro).

The feature is the beautiful grey colour.
View attachment 45130

When I first mounted the Vado, I was positively shocked with the bike's geometry. So sporty! What I love about my Vado is the agility and the acceleration, both being fantastic, especially in the Sport mode. It is a lot of fun to ride fast!

Now, it is your turn to brag about your Specialized e-bikes!

Out on my walk today (cant drive bike due to surgery) I met my neighbor who was riding this very bike. He said he rarely even uses pedal assist and loves it so much he bought 2 of them from our LBS. Look at me and the "ebike bug" meeting neighbors and scoping out Ebikes! That was my opening line- "Is that an Ebike" Then a 15 minute conversation broke out. He rides all over the desert and has been riding bikes for 50 years. Great guy named Peter...

 

[Stefan Mikes]

He said he rarely even uses pedal assist

Quite strange. PAS is the essence of the Vado

 

[Taylor57]

Quite strange. PAS is the essence of the Vado

And he mentioned he only had 3 levels of PAS. Does that sound right? He was in very good shape by the way...

 

[Sierratim]

And he mentioned he only had 3 levels of PAS. Does that sound right? He was in very good shape by the way...

The Vado/Como ebikes have 3 levels of assist, not counting 0... The assist levels are user programmable through the Mission Control app. You might program lower assist levels to conserve battery power on a long ride on more level terrain; more aggressive assist levels for steep hills. Very nice setup.

 

[Sierratim]

Thanks Stefan,
I will for sure be examining the cogs. It's going to the lbs in a couple months. They have a winter special each year for bleeding the hydraulic brakes. I suspect the front brakes may need new parts, roughly 4000 km on them. So I will have them examine the cogs too.

Side note: here in Upper Midwest we got nailed with a very early cold snap and some snow. I was hoping for a few more cycling days but the temps have been around 30F (0 C). And I have been very crabby to live with. Poor hubby!! lol, it will all be fine.

Marci jo, when was the last time you had a new chain put on? 4000km is a lot for a mid-drive chain. I change mine every 2000km, or less. Helps protect the more expensive drive train components.

 

[Marci jo]

Marci jo, when was the last time you had a new chain put on? 4000km is a lot for a mid-drive chain. I change mine every 2000km, or less. Helps protect the more expensive drive train components.

Got a new chain Spring of 2020. Here's the story, even if it's a little long:

During the covid shut down last Spring (April?) I decided to "pimp-out" the Vado a little by adding neon pink accents. So my lbs switched the pedals to neon pink (yes, I know pedal swapping is easy but I messed up another bike). At the time I asked the mechanic to check the chain for stretch and he showed me the caliber numbers. At first I was surprised to see it was a little stretched because the bike was shifting flawlessly and smooth as butter. But it made sense because of the additional stress on the drive train. Sometimes it's easy to forget how quickly the miles add up on an ebike. At the time there was 2600 miles (4200 km) on the bike. For sure will be keeping an eye on the chain and other drive train parts.

All my previous bikes (non-powered) I never, ever, thought of replacing a chain. I'm grateful to all the comments on this forum for the maintenance pointers.

 

[Sierratim]

Got a new chain Spring of 2020. Here's the story, even if it's a little long:

During the covid shut down last Spring (April?) I decided to "pimp-out" the Vado a little by adding neon pink accents. So my lbs switched the pedals to neon pink (yes, I know pedal swapping is easy but I messed up another bike). At the time I asked the mechanic to check the chain for stretch and he showed me the caliber numbers. At first I was surprised to see it was a little stretched because the bike was shifting flawlessly and smooth as butter. But it made sense because of the additional stress on the drive train. Sometimes it's easy to forget how quickly the miles add up on an ebike. At the time there was 2600 miles (4200 km) on the bike. For sure will be keeping an eye on the chain and other drive train parts.

All my previous bikes (non-powered) I never, ever, thought of replacing a chain. I'm grateful to all the comments on this forum for the maintenance pointers.

Ride On!

BTW - My mother was from Bemidji, MN. Had relatives in the Twin Cities for some years. Bicycling capital of the US, even in the winter!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

@Marci jo: Take care!

Bemidji, MN

There was a famous movie with the setting in Bemidji MN...