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

[jodi2]

I'm not a member of the Vado/Como set. I opted for an Aluminum Creo. But I'm still trying to figure out what's what. So be easy on me. I come from mostly a road bike history and have not used the mt bike in quite a while and have not done anything really gnarly since Moab many years ago.

Is the Vado pretty much a similar (same) geometry as the Creo but aimed at those wanting a more upright position or are there other things or am I completely offbase. I also realize that there are more powerful motor options in both the Vado and Como families. There have been hills where I've wanted a bit more oomph and maybe I should consider one of these other options.

You should try all types yourself. So "normal/heavy" drives/ebikes against SL and as well Vado SL against Creo.

How different are Vado SL and Creo/ist the geometry similar? I'm not sure about the prices in other countries/continents. Here in Germany the Vado prices are ok for me and for Specialized and compared to ebikes with other light assist drives like Fazua. The Creo is quite prizy and costs a lot more than the Vado SL, even the alloy Creo, looking on the components. That's why I was thinking a short time about buying a Vado SL and changing it to the race handle bars. But I have never done this before and felt to unsure if the result would be good or terrible. Several people with more race bike experience told me "You can't be sure about the result. If you have already have an old bike with straight handle bars and the race bar and the components, just try. But if you have to buy everything new and also the Vado SL and you don't want the bike with straight handle bar, better stay out of it."
So my advice, if you really want race handle bar, take a Creo. If your prefer straight bars, take a Vado SL.
But of course try both (and normal ebike) before ordering!

The last question

 

[Papa G]

Why not? I own too many e-bikes anyway... On the other way, I could buy a similar but High-Step SL even today. I'd prefer to have exactly what I want though.

Stefan. Due to your long extended experience in riding a traditional Brose powered Vado, I look forward to hearing your experience with the Vado SL? I think it will give a perspective to traditional Vado riders that we really haven’t heard before?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Stefan. Due to your long extended experience in riding a traditional Brose powered Vado, I look forward to hearing your experience with the Vado SL? I think it will give a perspective to traditional Vado riders that we really haven’t heard before?

Here it is, @Papa G

Specialized Turbo Vado SL: An Incredible E-Bike (User Club)

I had never believed in the whole Specialized SL thing until I could ride an SL myself. My bad legs can deliver 70-80 W on average (with short burst of far more if I have to). I have got used to the "full power" modern e-bikes, the 24 kg (or heavier), mid-motor, and integrated removable battery...

electricbikereview.com

 

[Stefan Mikes]

interestingly the creo and vado SL both seem readily available here in northern california

The Step-Through version?

 

[mschwett]

The Step-Through version?

yep, interestingly stock of a lot of turbo bikes seems to have opened up. in some cases i've found these to already be spoken for, but when i was looking for a particular creo it was accurate, still in the box, and i ended up buying it. the stock finder is dangerous, it's telling me there's a beautiful blue sram aethos nearby....

if you come to north america to buy a bike, say hi!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

if you come to north america to buy a bike, say hi!

If the life were that simple, and you could indeed buy an e-bike in any country...
As I say, the SL 4.0 EQ Step-Over size M Dove Gray is waiting to be bought here. If I were in real need for an e-bike, I would buy it on the spot. And probably regretted that, as there are not that many warm months ahead. On the other hand, I would get a newly produced ST in nice colour in December, ready for the next season.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

An update:
I have booked a Vado SL 4.0 EQ (High-Step, Size M, color Dove Gray) for the coming Thursday The store has a matching kickstand, they have TCD display and Range Extender in stock

 

[Rás Cnoic]

That's great news Stefan + buying it now you'll get great use of it over the summer!

 

[Sunshine2021]

@Stefan Mikes : You mean like like this…. Good Choice !

 

[Igor M]

Hello
i have a problem with the rear stop light on the Vado 6.0
Namely, it doesn't work occasionally, that is, it stays on as if I'm braking.
Is there a similar problem, suggestions?

 

[GaleL]

I just picked up my new Specialized Como 3.0 Low-Step from a bike shop in Vancouver, BC. I was so excited... until I entered the shop. From that time forth, I was treated with disdain and neglect by the manager. I had to request that the seat height be adjusted. The manager scratched an inch of the seat post when he was wriggling the seat from back and forth to raise it. A more diligent shop might check the seat post receptacle for burrs before inserting the seat post. He has since agreed to replace the seat and post.

Worse...

I took my first ride on my new e-bike was yesterday (Saturday) evening. To my horror, shifting the gears made terrible clunking noises, so I returned home not knowing what else to do. The shop is closed Sundays and Mondays, so I have to wait two more full days before my bike will receive any attention, and then it will likely be in the shop for a week or so because they're so "busy." I'm peeved.

Is it expecting too much to ask that a brand new e-bike be in pristine and working condition before it is presented to the buyer?

Was I right to stop using the bike upon hearing the clunking sounds?

All advice will be deeply appreciated. Thank you!

 

[ActionJackson]

Maybe this forum needs a thread called “Specialized Dealers Who Suck” ?

Sorry to hear for your troubles. Thank you for the post though. I too will pick up my new bike in about a weeks time. It better be perfect because they’ve had it for more than a week already. Two weeks is enough time to prepare a bicycle.

In my opinion, at a minimum I think the manager should not have let you taken the bike home after the seat post issue. Further to that they should’ve had you done a test ride in front of the shop to check your fitment and familiarize you with the bike. We should get that kind of minimal service for the crazy money that we pay. Specialized is supposedly known for its individual treatment of the customer, they should live up to it. I believe, but I don’t know, that you can change your service shop to another dealer. I would be contacting Specialized if it were me. Also I don’t know about the clunking sound, I assume that you’ve heard gears change before - it’s kind of an intuitive thing for the sound I guess. I understand that the rear hub is supposed to be a bit noisy, and that’s also what I observed, but no more than my first 10 speed when I was a kid.

 

[ActionJackson]

Hello
i have a problem with the rear stop light on the Vado 6.0
Namely, it doesn't work occasionally, that is, it stays on as if I'm braking.
Is there a similar problem, suggestions?

Hello, I don’t have the bike yet, but everything I know about it, the light stays on all the time. It’s not connected to the brake lever, at least not in Japan.

 

[GaleL]

Maybe this forum needs a thread called “Specialized Dealers Who Suck” ?

Sorry to hear for your troubles. Thank you for the post though. I too will pick up my new bike in about a weeks time. It better be perfect because they’ve had it for more than a week already. Two weeks is enough time to prepare a bicycle.

In my opinion, at a minimum I think the manager should not have let you taken the bike home after the seat post issue. Further to that they should’ve had you done a test ride in front of the shop to check your fitment and familiarize you with the bike. We should get that kind of minimal service for the crazy money that we pay. Specialized is supposedly known for its individual treatment of the customer, they should live up to it. I believe, but I don’t know, that you can change your service shop to another dealer. I would be contacting Specialized if it were me. Also I don’t know about the clunking sound, I assume that you’ve heard gears change before - it’s kind of an intuitive thing for the sound I guess. I understand that the rear hub is supposed to be a bit noisy, and that’s also what I observed, but no more than my first 10 speed when I was a kid.

Thank you for your reply, Voltman99.

I sincerely hope your new bike is in better condition when you pick it up than mine was.

The store had the bike for two weeks to ensure that the bike worked properly.

Before purchasing, I test rode the exact same year and model of bike at another of this dealer's stores. I also test rode the same year and model of bike at another dealer's store. No noisy gear shifting on either of those bikes. Absolute silence!

I completely agree with you that at the absolute minimum level of customer service, the bike store manager should have insisted that I - and every other customer - test ride it before taking it home, which at that point would reveal any issues or problems.

Actually, he treated me much worse than described. And, also, he neglected to ensure that I took the manual and charger kit home, so I had to make two return trips to and from the store, through the centre of the city, on the same day to a total of 60+ KM and about 3 hours driving time instead of half that. Yeah, I'm peeved.

I will speak to Specialized, but what can they do about it?

 

[ActionJackson]

I will speak to Specialized, but what can they do about it?

At a minimum they should change you over immediately to another bike shop! That’s why I’m suggesting there should be some forum somewheres where we can call them out. Some of these bikes they sell cost more than a new car, albeit an economical one. We should hold their feet to the fire. I live in Japan so usually services quite well done here. For example I could reject the bike entirely and request a refund if I were to find scratches like that on the bike brand new. But once it’s in our hands and you’ve driven off with it, the ball is in our park. Also I think these days you really have to be a hawk to extract good value for your money. The other day I left a 20 somethings girl in hard tears bawling after she just basically said “You owe $1500 and no we don’t give an itemized invoice”. After my calm but good rage I walked out with a smile, and didn’t even pay the supposed balance on my account. A day later, by post, my wife received a 30 page itemized invoice for my account.

 

[rochrunner]

You do need to be a bit careful when shifting most e-bikes. If you shift with the pedals "under load" it will often make a clunking noise, which is also hard on the drivetrain. I always try to let up on my pedaling effort when shifting and that usually makes things smoother. Some brands of e-bike actually have a shift detection mechanism that automatically cuts out the motor when you shift. Since our bikes don't have that feature, I try to do the equivalent myself.

By the way, conventional bikes will also do this, and I've had it happen when I have to downshift while I'm pedaling hard on a steep climb -- a good reason to get into the correct gear before you hit the steep part!

 

[GuruUno]

Maybe this forum needs a thread called “Specialized Dealers Who Suck” ?

Then LET'S START A SUB FORUM!

It's disgusting the level of incompetence that exists.
I too can attest to the fact, just go read some of my posts.
WE are the customers, WE should expect a level of professionalism from those whom we give money and expect service along with the purchase of a product.

 

[GaleL]

You do need to be a bit careful when shifting most e-bikes. If you shift with the pedals "under load" it will often make a clunking noise, which is also hard on the drivetrain. I always try to let up on my pedaling effort when shifting and that usually makes things smoother. Some brands of e-bike actually have a shift detection mechanism that automatically cuts out the motor when you shift. Since our bikes don't have that feature, I try to do the equivalent myself.

By the way, conventional bikes will also do this, and I've had it happen when I have to downshift while I'm pedaling hard on a steep climb -- a good reason to get into the correct gear before you hit the steep part!

I currently own a 1986 Miyata 310, which I bought brand new in 1986 have ridden a lot over the past 35 years. The gears shift almost silently. It's been professionally serviced every few years, though.

The pedals were not under load at any time during the total of 15 minutes of my first ride on the bike. The clunking was so bad that I decided to not ride it.

The shifting does not work well. I tried the exact same model at THREE other stores before I bought at this one. All three were silent when shifted. I had to order it from this dealer's store because the dealer's store closest to me was not allowed to sell that make because of dealer competition.

This bike shop didn't and doesn't care about me. What I experienced may have been misogyny.

This is a new e-bike. There should be no clunking in regular riding. After I mounted the bike for my very first ride on it yesterday evening, I realized they had left it in the highest gear!

I think that the store's behaviour and the scratching of the post and the gear shifting problem was all intentional because the manager took a dislike to me. Why, I don't know.

When I first spoke to the manager of the store, his words to me were, "Are you that woman who wrote a bad review of us?" I was like, "I've never been to your store before. I've never talked to you before." Sheesh! But due to my experience on Friday at the store and my realization that the gears or shifter is faulty, just today I wrote a bad review of that store on that store's Google page, detailing everything I experienced!

The manager has a very bad attitude, and there are a lot of complaints on the store's Google page - specifically about his attitude - to prove it. They all say the same thing about him - either using his name or the word "manager": rude, disrespectful, disdainful, disinterested, arrogant, and abusive.

 

[ActionJackson]

I think that the store's behaviour and the scratching of the post and the gear shifting problem was all intentional because the manager took a dislike to me. Why, I don't know.

That’s something you should report to Specialized via an email, and perhaps a post on their social media! They should be changing your service location immediately. I think Canada might have a reasonable Consumer Affairs bureau too.

 

[rochrunner]

I currently own a 1986 Miyata 310, which I bought brand new in 1986 have ridden a lot over the past 35 years. The gears shift almost silently. It's been professionally serviced every few years, though.

The pedals were not under load at any time during the total of 15 minutes of my first ride on the bike. The clunking was so bad that I decided to not ride it.

The shifting does not work well. I tried the exact same model at THREE other stores before I bought at this one. All three were silent when shifted. I had to order it from this dealer's store because the dealer's store closest to me was not allowed to sell that make because of dealer competition.

When I responded I had no way to know your level of experience, which is obviously very high. It's just that a lot of people buying e-bikes haven't ridden a bike in years (maybe since they were a kid) and seem unfamiliar with what to do. These are some of the people that I see with their seats way too low that I always want to stop and explain why that's a bad idea.

That said, I agree that your dealer's behavior is inexcusable and he should be reported to a higher level.

As for misogyny being a factor, when I went with my wife, who has owned a bike most of her life, to a local Trek store when she was ready to buy her first e-bike, the salesman kept looking at me when he was talking up the bike and I had to say to him "talk to her -- it's her decision!" That said, this was an isolated incident by an older part-time employee (happened to be ex-military) and everyone else we've dealt with there couldn't be nicer to both of us.