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

[Gmanx]

I'm good with things getting lighter, that means they can go longer. I don't think we have to justify ebikes to anyone. Who cares if analog bike riders don't like ebikes? Whatever you like, there will be people that don't like it, so i just don't care what other bike riders think is me or machine. Riding bikes (motorcycles too for that matter) is a spiritual thing, so I never judge how others engage spiritually.

In my opinion, too much is spent on justifying ebikes to those who are afraid of change, which is ok, its human nature coming out.

 

[kahn]

@Stefan Mikes

Walk mode sounds interesting. Creo does not have it.

 

[Rincon]

Yes, I needed to walk the SL up a difficult single-track climb;

Interesting. You’re talking about the Vado SL. I haven’t tried mine on a really steep single track climb yet. I have taken the Creo SL up single tracks so steep and rocky that MTBs only come down them. Same SL motor. My Creo has a 50t granny gear. It will climb walls if you stand up and lean out over the handlebars far enough to keep it from falling over backwards. Stefan, you just need lower gears. Don’t sell the Vado SL short.

By the way, I would never ride down that trail that I rode up. Way too steep for me. Lol

 

[Stefan Mikes]

@Stefan Mikes

Walk mode sounds interesting. Creo does not have it.

Ya, because Creos are not expected to be walked; and there is no handlebar remote (as I can understand) there.

The Vado SL Walk Mode is the best thought and made option of all e-bikes I've owned. Typical vices of Walk Mode:

• The Walk button is located in the wrong position, or activating the mode is illogical. For instance, Giant e-bikes require that you press the Walk Mode Activate button first, and the + button next: Some idiot at Giant Corp. must have experienced bad nights.
• The Walk mode often requires getting e-bike in motion first (so the speed sensor can detect the motion). The point is: if you need to use the Walk Mode it typically means you are unable to get the bike in motion in the first place!
• Once activated, the Walk Mode on most of my bikes is such it drags you on the flat, so you need to chase your bike; but it works hopelessly uphill. The Trance E+ Walk Mode drags you uphill, which is overly stupid...

In Vado SL, the Walk Mode button (identified with a foot icon) resides under your thumb when you stand left to your bike. It is convenient to keep the button depressed in any position, either on the flat or uphill. Depressing the button makes the motor engage immediately (even if the bike is stationary). The power delivered and the rotational speed are tuned so well that Vado SL walks together with you like a good dog. The experience of walking my Vado SL up a sandy, tree-root packed climb was exhilarating.

It would be too hard to walk the bike up directly from the sand patch visible at the botom. I had to walk behind the tree visible here. It was as easy as an ABC. (In all honesty, my big Vado could climb it in Turbo mode).

@Stefan, you just need lower gears.

Rincon, I live in the flatland, and hitting a hilly single-track is a rarity here No need to change the gearing as for me!

 

[kahn]

Interesting. You’re talking about the Vado SL. I haven’t tried mine on a really steep single track climb yet. I have taken the Creo SL up single tracks so steep and rocky that MTBs only come down them. Same SL motor. My Creo has a 50t granny gear. It will climb walls if you stand up and lean out over the handlebars far enough to keep it from falling over backwards. Stefan, you just need lower gears. Don’t sell the Vado SL short.

By the way, I would never ride down that trail that I rode up. Way too steep for me. Lol

I'd be interested in knowing what you did? Did you change all of the gears or just the largest?

 

[Rincon]

I'd be interested in knowing what you did? Did you change all of the gears or just the largest?

I bought the S-Works Creo. It comes with a SRAM Eagle 12-speed mullet setup: 10-50t cassette, eTap AXS shifting, 46t chainring. I already had this setup on my Salsa Warroad, so it was an easy decision. (The Warroad didn’t come with the SRAM Eagle setup though. I upgraded the whole drivetrain. Anything is possible.)

 

[mschwett]

I bought the S-Works Creo. It comes with a SRAM Eagle 12-speed mullet setup: 10-50t cassette, eTap AXS shifting, 46t chainring. I already had this setup on my Salsa Warroad, so it was an easy decision. (The Warroad didn’t come with the SRAM Eagle setup though. I upgraded the whole drivetrain. Anything is possible.)

that’s strange, the current s-works creo seems to come with di2, with 40 up front and 11-42 in the back. 46 and 10-50 sounds great!

aha - that’s the EVO/gravel spec. interesting how different they are. many shops will tell you the difference is just tires and the dropper, ignoring the bars and apparently the drivetrain lol !

 

[ActionJackson]

@Stefan Mikes

Walk mode sounds interesting. Creo does not have it.

Yes it does have it, it’s just marked in German - “OFF”

 

[Rincon]

aha - that’s the EVO/gravel spec. interesting how different they are. many shops will tell you the difference is just tires and the dropper, ignoring the bars and apparently the drivetrain lol !

It’s a little more complicated than that. The 2020 S-Works Creos came with Shimano Di2. The 2021 bikes, EVO and road, both come with SRAM Eagle. Both years are listed on the Specialized website side-by-side, you can only tell them apart by price and paint.

So the shops are correct, the bikes have the same drivetrain for the same model year.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Vado SL 4 owners only:

How would you describe the front brake noise that you can hear on energetic braking?

 

[Rás Cnoic]

Vado SL 4 owners only:

How would you describe the front brake noise that you can hear on energetic braking?

I’ll check next time I’m out on it. I’ve definitely had squeals and wails on it in the past. So many vertical descents here I’m always on the brakes. But I think I’m deaf and oblivious to any noise now. About to change the brake pads for the second time since I got the bike back last October. I must also check Walk mode again. Got stuck on an incredible rocky path a few months back and had to walk and occasionally carry the bike. Not fun. But I couldn’t figure out walk mode. Do you need to keep the button pressed to activate it? It was awkward where I got stuck as it was so rocky I was clambering over rocks and using bike to lean on occasionally. Probably not ideal to use walk mode. I learnt my lesson- the map says there is a path there, that does not mean bikes can go up it!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I must also check Walk mode again. Got stuck on an incredible rocky path a few months back and had to walk and occasionally carry the bike. Not fun. But I couldn’t figure out walk mode. Do you need to keep the button pressed to activate it?

You need to keep the Walk button depressed for the whole time you need the assistance.

I was asking about the brake noise because it is normally silent, except violent braking. Other brakes used to squeal or produce other type of sound. With the Vado SL 4 Tektros it is similar in sound to what car ABS system produces.

 

[kahn]

Yes it does have it, it’s just marked in German - “OFF”

"AUS"? What about US Creo's? I wonder if one added the remote buttons walk mode would be available? Or maybe one more difference between the different Creo models? Although, right now I just press on the pedals HARDER.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

@Rás Cnoic: Adding the Future Shock suspension requires replacing the fork with the carbon fibre one as well. Approximate cost is £600. Note: the CF fork is only available in black.

 

[rochrunner]

I bought the S-Works Creo. It comes with a SRAM Eagle 12-speed mullet setup: 10-50t cassette, eTap AXS shifting, 46t chainring. I already had this setup on my Salsa Warroad, so it was an easy decision. (The Warroad didn’t come with the SRAM Eagle setup though. I upgraded the whole drivetrain. Anything is possible.)

This was the same thinking when I decided on the SL 5.0 vs 4.0. The 5.0 uses Shimano SLX components with a 44t chainring and 12-speed 10-45 cassette. This isn't as low as your Creo, but it's lower than the SL 4.0 and with 12 speeds will have better gear spacing. The 10-tooth small cog will also help keep it from spinning out on fast descents.

Of course it means that if I keep both of my analog bikes, I'll have to stock quick-links for 10, 11, and 12-speed chains.

 

[Rás Cnoic]

@Rás Cnoic: Adding the Future Shock suspension requires replacing the fork with the carbon fibre one as well. Approximate cost is £600. Note: the CF fork is only available in black.

Well my Vado SL is black so thats ok. Unfortunately I don't have another £600 to hand over to Specialized! Yikes. I'll suffer the bumps I think. Character building...

 

[Rincon]

Well my Vado SL is black so thats ok. Unfortunately I don't have another £600 to hand over to Specialized! Yikes. I'll suffer the bumps I think. Character building...

Redshift makes a shock absorbing stem with good reviews. There are a couple of other options as well.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Redshift makes a shock absorbing stem with good reviews. There are a couple of other options as well.

Rincon: Have you seen how the headlight of Vado SL is mounted?

If you show me how you replaced the Specialized stem with RedShift one and retained the lamp, I'm bought on your idea.

 

[Rincon]

Rincon: Have you seen how the headlight of Vado SL is mounted?

View attachment 92572
If you show me how you replaced the Specialized stem with RedShift one and retained the lamp, I'm bought on your idea.

Oh, sorry for any miscommunication. My Vado SL 5.0 EQ came with the unadjustable FutureShock preinstalled. The Creo’s FS is adjustable.

I was just saying that people in general are also happy with the other shock absorbing stems. The FS is my first and only experience with the device. I agree lights are a question that needs an answer. The TCD will attach to any Garmin compatible mount.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Oh, sorry for any miscommunication. My Vado SL 5.0 EQ came with the unadjustable FutureShock preinstalled. The Creo’s FS is adjustable.

I was just saying that people in general are also happy with the other shock absorbing stems. The FS is my first and only experience with the device. I agree lights are a question that needs an answer. The TDU will attach to any Garmin compatible mount.

Thank you again Rincon for the answer.
The FutureShock + CF fork (because Spesh won't offer the FS alone!) is a costly upgrade, that's why I was asking.