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

[BioWheel]

@Stefan Mikes “ . . . I even didn't need the soapy water!“

Try Windex or a Euro equivalent window cleaning spray Instead.
Easy to apply, spray the rim and the tire bead, no messy cleanup.
(Also useful for applying frame protection material.)

Like everyone - I've struggled with mounting a tire to a rim. I've learned one trick that has helped me. There's a small well (indentation) in a rim. Runs down the middle. After getting one side of the tire mounted, put that side into the small well. Seems like only a small indentation but if you can keep most of the tire in it, makes it easier to put on the remaining side. No soap. Just red hands.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Like everyone - I've struggled with mounting a tire to a rim. I've learned one trick that has helped me. There's a small well (indentation) in a rim. Runs down the middle. After getting one side of the tire mounted, put that side into the small well. Seems like only a small indentation but if you can keep most of the tire in it, makes it easier to put on the remaining side. No soap. Just red hands.

Yes Karl! That is one of the good points to do. The part of the rim is called a "channel" or "well" I think. However, what Ollie Alex also said was: "Work slowly, in small increments. Hold the already inserted tyre bead with one hand and work with the tyre lever bit by bit on the other side". He also said "start opposite of the valve". My big surprise was the last piece of the bead jumped into the place with a minimal effort of my thumbs!

It was Alex!

 

[Base]

Most rim types have that dent in the middle for exact that reason.

 

[Rás Cnoic]

My trick is to slowly push both sides of tyre around the rim, starting at the valve, it doesn't feel like it's doing much as you go, but when you get to the final foot or so, the awkward bit this constant smoothing usually create just enough 'give' in the tyre to pop it over the rim. Might take a couple of go's but I find it pretty much works every time now.

 

[Palmthree]

Hello,

I don't really understand “how” the Specialized app works to unlock my bike (Android 16).

* Sometimes it doesn't work. I have to pick up my phone and launch the app. Especially after a long break.
* The app sometimes needs an internet connection (but why? It's not clear).


After a few months, I really appreciate my bikes (the AutomatiQ and the manual bike). What I miss:


* Battery life. I recharge my Como 5 every day (15 km = 20%, and I do this four times a day; I can't ride more than 40 km if I want to get back home).
* Energy recovery with brakes/downhill riding (if possible)
* ABS could be an improvement?
* A suspension rack
* Brake lights
* A front rack that doesn't cost €150 (it's shameful at this point). It's a city bike, of course I need to carry things.

To be honest, I didn't pay full price for the Como 5 (it ended up costing me less than €2,000), so I'm more than satisfied...!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

* Battery life. I recharge my Como 5 every day (15 km = 20%, and I do this four times a day; I can't ride more than 40 km if I want to get back home).

Don't you ride in TURBO mode all the time? The battery consumption factor for ECO never exceeds 1% battery per 1 km.

* Energy recovery with brakes/downhill riding (if possible)

Energy recovery has been tried and found impractical for e-bikes as the e-bike + rider are simply too lightweight (it is not a car). Besides, energy recovery would require a very heavy Direct Drive hub-drive (think of 11 kg for the motor itself) just to recover the 5% of battery charge or less.

* ABS could be an improvement?

Please buy yourself one of Riese & Muller e-bikes such as Homage 5 for EUR9000 and then you can have the ABS.

* A suspension rack

Please buy yourself one of Riese & Muller e-bikes such as Homage 5 for EUR9000 and then you can have the suspension rack.

* Brake lights

Please buy yourself a Specialized Turbo Vado S and then you will have brake lights. Unfortunately, you need to register your Vado S as a moped, carry a number plate and also pay the Third Party Liability insurance. You need to carry a driving license and do the MOT after the 3 years post the purchase.

Brake lights are only available on European L1e-B or S-Pedelec e-bikes (45 km/h), which are treated as mopeds by the law.

* A front rack that doesn't cost €150 (it's shameful at this point). It's a city bike, of course I need to carry things.

(Really, please check what a Riese & Muller front rack sells for).

Palmthree: The features you are asking for are only available on a very few e-bikes that cost and arm and a leg. Seriously.

 

[Palmthree]

Don't you ride in TURBO mode all the time? The battery consumption factor for ECO never exceeds 1% battery per 1 km.

No, more in Sport mode. In Eco, you're right ; it's about 1% per km.

Energy recovery has been tried and found impractical for e-bikes as the e-bike + rider are simply too lightweight (it is not a car). Besides, energy recovery would require a very heavy Direct Drive hub-drive (think of 11 kg for the motor itself) just to recover the 5% of battery charge or less.

Thanks for the explanation.

Please buy yourself one of Riese & Muller e-bikes such as Homage 5 for EUR9000 and then you can have the suspension rack.

A friend of mine (living in Switzerland) have bought a €2000 e-bike with ABS, but I don't know how useful it is. But you're probably right for the suspension rack, I've only seen this on very expensive e-bikes (like the Moustache J ?).

Please buy yourself a Specialized Turbo Vado S and then you will have brake lights. Unfortunately, you need to register your Vado S as a moped, carry a number plate and also pay the Third Party Liability insurance. You need to carry a driving license and do the MOT after the 3 years post the purchase.

My friend got braking lights on a city bike, which seems pretty normal. I didn't know the feature existed when I've bought my e-bikes.

DIY

How please ?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

No, more in Sport mode. In Eco, you're right ; it's about 1% per km.

The Sport mode on my older Vado (which has probably a smaller battery than your Como) allows me riding for some 60 km. Do you live in a very hilly area? (Hills eat the battery charge alive!)

A friend of mine (living in Switzerland) have bought a €2000 e-bike with ABS, but I don't know how useful it is.

I need to know that e-bike brand and model. €2000 sounds weirdly low for a new e-bike in Europe.

But you're probably right for the suspension rack, I've only seen this on very expensive e-bikes (like the Moustache J ?).

Moustache is a very expensive brand. Riese & Muller or Moustache make so called SUV e-bikes and these are insanely expensive.

My friend got braking lights on a city bike, which seems pretty normal. I didn't know the feature existed when I've bought my e-bikes.

I'd like to hear the name of the lighting. Is it powered from the e-bike?

How please ?

I edited my post to be serious, sorry. You cannot expect anything inexpensive from Specialized but other brands can be even more expensive.

 

[Palmthree]

Do you live in a very hilly area? (Hills eat the battery charge alive! )

The secure paths are hilly ! One particular hill (less than 1km) uses 6% of battery when it's cold.^^
The bike seems to be less powerful as soon as I reach 14% or lower and I can't really limit the battery charge to 80% (it's okay to fully use the battery but I feel a little bit limited in my routes). I don't think it's better with other brands by the way but that's one of the things that will matter to me in the future.

I need to know that e-bike brand and model. €2000 sounds weirdly low for a new e-bike in Europe.

I'll ask. I can't remember the brand (I didn't know it before). The motor is a Bosch 75Nm.

I'd like to hear the name of the lighting. Is it powered from the e-bike?

Hmm. Good question.
Can't really say. It may be an installation by the bicycle shop actually.

You cannot expect anything inexpensive from Specialized but other brands can be even more expensive.

I shouldn't have focused on the price of the rack, but on its design:

* Proprietary mounting system / not widely used
* Lamp cord too short (you have to use an extension cord, but this has been corrected in more recent versions)
* Plate not very useful / unnecessary half the time / should be sold separately
* Basket must be mounted with a MIK mounting plate that must be purchased separately (not practical).

The features you are asking for are only available on a very few e-bikes that cost and arm and a leg. Seriously.

Of course ! I'm very happy with my two e-bikes (especially at these prices...like €3500 for both, I can't complain.)

 

[rochrunner]

My trick is to slowly push both sides of tyre around the rim, starting at the valve, it doesn't feel like it's doing much as you go, but when you get to the final foot or so, the awkward bit this constant smoothing usually create just enough 'give' in the tyre to pop it over the rim. Might take a couple of go's but I find it pretty much works every time now.

I've always started opposite the valve stem because the stem itself -- especially a tubeless one -- keeps the bead from seating fully down into the middle channel. I find that the only time I need tire tools, at least on a skinnier tire as opposed to MTB size, is to get the initial part of the bead over the rim when removing the tire.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

The secure paths are hilly ! One particular hill (less than 1km) uses 6% of battery when it's cold.^^
The bike seems to be less powerful as soon as I reach 14% or lower and I can't really limit the battery charge to 80% (it's okay to fully use the battery but I feel a little bit limited in my routes). I don't think it's better with other brands by the way but that's one of the things that will matter to me in the future.

OK, I get it. The hills reduce the range significantly. If you ride your Como at a cold weather then the range additionally drops, and the drop is significant. Are you pedalling at a cadence over 70 rpm? The motor becomes very inefficient if you pedal slowly!

A personal story:
I bought an expensive Giant electric mountain bike in 2020. On one of the first trips, I transported my e-bike to low mountains in my country Poland. As soon as I started my ride, I could notice a percent of the battery disappearing every minute of my first climb! It was when I first realised what the hills meant for an e-bike! The whole trip was below 40 km and I was scared I might have not made it on the battery!

I'll ask. I can't remember the brand (I didn't know it before). The motor is a Bosch 75Nm.

Please do. The ABS is one of pretty unusual features available on only some Bosch E-Bikes (no other e-bike motor brand has the ABS!)

Hmm. Good question.
Can't really say. It may be an installation by the bicycle shop actually.

There are tail lights that I describe as ones with an inertial STOP indicator. These are a battery powered lights with a sensor that detects the bike deceleration to make the bike signal the stopping. Such light can be pretty inexpensive and can be used on any bike but are not the part of regular e-bikes. Now, so called S-Pedelecs (pedalled Euro mopeds) must have the STOP indicator activated by the brake lever. Regular e-bikes have regular tail lights powered from the e-bike battery.

I shouldn't have focused on the price of the rack, but on its design:

* Proprietary mounting system / not widely used
* Lamp cord too short (you have to use an extension cord, but this has been corrected in more recent versions)
* Plate not very useful / unnecessary half the time / should be sold separately
* Basket must be mounted with a MIK mounting plate that must be purchased separately (not practical).

It is called Ye Goode Olde Specialized Trust me, you would meet more surprises in the extremely expensive e-bikes such as R&M or Moustache

 

[rochrunner]

It is called Ye Goode Olde Specialized Trust me, you would meet more surprises in the extremely expensive e-bikes such as R&M or Moustache

I always found that Trek is the king of proprietary "solutions", which is the main reason I ended up with the NOS SL 4.0 instead of the FX+ 7S that I'd been eyeing. First off, they made the bike with the assumption that you want to use your smartphone as the central controller, requiring you to get a Quadlock case to mount it on the cockpit area. I really wouldn't want my smartphone out in the open like that. Then, they have a proprietary integrated handlebar design that I didn't care for and it would take a good bit of work to change it over to a conventional (or Redshift) stem.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

First off, they made the bike with the assumption that you want to use your smartphone as the central controller, requiring you to get a Quadlock case to mount it on the cockpit area.

That's unfortunate, cuz there's now good reason to believe that the delicate image stabilization (and perhaps auto-focus) mechanisms in at least some high-end phone cameras can be damaged by handlebar vibrations on bicycles.

I had the telephoto cameras on 3 top of the line Samsungs in a row lose their originally excellent focus this way. And my wife found an official Apple warning about this risk for her iPhone 17 Pro.

Per QuadLock, their motorcycle-specific handlebar vibration damper does NOT address the damaging frequencies occuring on bicycles.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I always found that Trek is the king of proprietary "solutions", which is the main reason I ended up with the NOS SL 4.0 instead of the FX+ 7S that I'd been eyeing. First off, they made the bike with the assumption that you want to use your smartphone as the central controller, requiring you to get a Quadlock case to mount it on the cockpit area. I really wouldn't want my smartphone out in the open like that. Then, they have a proprietary integrated handlebar design that I didn't care for and it would take a good bit of work to change it over to a conventional (or Redshift) stem.

Watch the latest Orbea Muga for the total proprietary integration

Well, Specialized is very open and easy on the electronic front while the brand doesn't stop coming up with many exotic hardware solutions...

 

[Palmthree]

Are you pedalling at a cadence over 70 rpm?

No, it's about 67-68 (the Slow mode of the AutomatiQ).