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

[Gee_Whiz]

Hey All, Few questions; Can a larger chainring be fit to the SL? 48t for example? Can the extended battery be used to charge the main battery? Also, if you were to stop halfway on whatever you would deem a moderate hill, would you be able to bike up it with assist? Fitness level varies of course, but just curious in general if its a bear to stop and start on hills like some heavier bikes.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Can a larger chainring be fit to the SL? 48t for example?

Yes, a 48T 104 BCD chainring will fit Vado SL. The diameter of the 48T chainring is exactly of the size of a 44T chainguard. (I own a spare 48T chainring and have just checked the fit).

Can the extended battery be used to charge the main battery?

No, and nobody does it that way. If one wants to use a RE on the ride, the RE is just being put into a vertical water-bottle-cage (Specialized Zee Cage II Left) and then you connect the battery to the e-bike's charging socket with the 220 mm SL Road Cable. Two scenarios are possible: a. Discharge the Range Extender first or b. Discharge both batteries equally.

The RE alone weighs just 2.2 lbs and it can be easily carried in a backpack in case of multiple Range Extenders.

Also, if you were to stop halfway on whatever you would deem a moderate hill, would you be able to bike up it with assist? Fitness level varies of course, but just curious in general if its a bear to stop and start on hills like some heavier bikes.

It is perfectly doable. There is an easy technique to: a. Use the shifter to downshift thrice on a stationary bike b. Raise the rear of the bike a little by the saddle with right hand and activate Walk Mode with the left hand. The crank will spin, the rear wheel will spin, too, and the downshift will occur on a stationary bike. It is possible to downshift all the way to the granny gear! (I was doing that on my mountain rides after he stop in the middle of the hill to take a photo).

Of course, the lighter weight of the e-bike helps. (I must be very honest: Vado 5.0 with a small chainring has always been my mountain road choice because of twice as powerful motor).

If you are planning to ride Vado SL in montane area, I recommend replacing the standard 44T chainring with a 38T or even a 36T one. Forum member @Rás Cnoic can share his experiences.

After climbing the sixth mountain pass on the day. Full power Vado 5.0, 38T chainring.

 

[Gee_Whiz]

Yes, a 48T 104 BCD chainring will fit Vado SL. The diameter of the 48T chainring is exactly of the size of a 44T chainguard. (I own a spare 48T chainring and have just checked the fit).


No, and nobody does it that way. If one wants to use a RE on the ride, the RE is just being put into a vertical water-bottle-cage (Specialized Zee Cage II Left) and connect the battery to the e-bike's charging socket with the 220 mm SL Road Cable. Two scenarios are possible: a. Discharge the Range Extender first or b. Discharge both batteries equally.

The RE alone weighs just 2.2 lbs and it can be easily carried in a backpack in case of multiple Range Extenders.


It is perfectly doable. There is an easy technique to: a. Use the shifter to downshift thrice on a stationary bike b. Raise the rear of the bike a little by the saddle with right hand and activate Walk Mode. The crank will spin, the rear wheel will spin, too, and the downshift will occur on a stationary bike. It is possible to downshift all the way to the granny gear! (I was doing that on my mountain rides after he stop in the middle of the hill to take a photo).

Of course, the lighter weight of the e-bike helps. (I must be very honest: Vado 5.0 with a small chainring has always been my mountain road choice because of twice as powerful motor).

If you are planning to ride Vado SL in montane area, I recommend replacing the standard 44T chainring with a 38T or even a 36T one. Forum member @Rás Cnoic can share his experiences. Oh interesting RE smaller chainring.. Thank you @Stefan Mikes!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

@Gee_Whiz, some additional comments:
Traditional cyclists have somewhat easier life, as they can use double- or triple chainrings. A roadie uses a huge 50T chainring on the flat or downhill, and, e.g., a 36T chainring uphill. We cannot do it with most of mid-drive e-bikes as we are bound to 1x drive-train.

Therefore, there's a lot to think of and decide. For instance, I'm pretty happy with the 44T chainring on my Vado SL as I ride it in a flat area, with overpasses being the most significant climbs here in Central Mazovia, Poland. Oh, no. There is ONE significant hill here with 10% grade: I really struggled to climb it in SL Turbo Mode and 44-36T gearing

Using my full power Vado, I can use anything from 42T to 48T for chainring in my area. I prefer the 42T as it gives me a good climbing capability (these overpasses!), great acceleration, and max assisted speed of 45 km/h (28 mph) at high but manageable cadence.

However, mountain rides with even 19% grade climbs called for the full power Vado with the chainring reduced to 38T. On such trips, I was either climbing or coasting downhill -- nothing in between really

Replacing a chainring is easy if you have done it at least once but I would not do it everyday

 

[kahn]

Hey All, Few questions; Can a larger chainring be fit to the SL? 48t for example? Can the extended battery be used to charge the main battery? Also, if you were to stop halfway on whatever you would deem a moderate hill, would you be able to bike up it with assist? Fitness level varies of course, but just curious in general if its a bear to stop and start on hills like some heavier bikes.

I liked Stefan's answer. But I will admit that on my "light" Creo I personally have trouble re-starting on a hill. There's a wobble factor to overcome as I try getting sufficient momentum to get my bike going uphill from a stop. A few weeks ago, I firmly planted me and the bike on the ground as I lost momentum after a stop.

 

[Gee_Whiz]

@Gee_Whiz, some additional comments:
Traditional cyclists have somewhat easier life, as they can use double- or triple chainrings. A roadie uses a huge 50T chainring on the flat or downhill, and, e.g., a 36T chainring uphill. We cannot do it with most of mid-drive e-bikes as we are bound to 1x drive-train.

Therefore, there's a lot to think of and decide. For instance, I'm pretty happy with the 44T chainring on my Vado SL as I ride it in a flat area, with overpasses being the most significant climbs here in Central Mazovia, Poland. Oh, no. There is ONE significant hill here with 10% grade: I really struggled to climb it in SL Turbo Mode and 44-36T gearing

Using my full power Vado, I can use anything from 42T to 48T for chainring in my area. I prefer the 42T as it gives me a good climbing capability (these overpasses!), great acceleration, and max assisted speed of 45 km/h (28 mph) at high but manageable cadence.

However, mountain rides with even 19% grade climbs called for the full power Vado with the chainring reduced to 38T. On such trips, I was either climbing or coasting downhill -- nothing in between really

Replacing a chainring is easy if you have done it at least once but I would not do it everyday

Lol I was always curious why roadie bikes are always flying up hills..figured it was the lightweightness of the bike and the driver had no idea there were multiple gearsets and that ebikes only have the single.. Ive never ridden a road bike but they look sooooo fun

 

[Stefan Mikes]

But I will admit that on my "light" Creo I personally have trouble re-starting on a hill. There's a wobble factor to overcome as I try getting sufficient momentum to get my bike going uphill from a stop. A few weeks ago, I firmly planted me and the bike on the ground as I lost momentum after a stop.

That's why Vado SL won't be my "mountain road e-bike". I really need a peak power of 520 W and 36-48T gearing to start in the middle of a 19% grade hill. And that's what big Vado gives me on my summer rides.

I love showing this photo. To take it, I had to stop my "big" Vado before the road-sign, then restart the ride I actually was singing on the climb. Only possible with full-power e-bikes, and preferably: e-MTBs.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I wonder whether a non-FB user can watch that video?
It was when I was climbing the 19% hill and singing

https://www.facebook.com/stefanmikesmikulski/posts/4151057851668896

"Let me sing a song for you...

(Singing)
Aliens are after us but I don't care about it
Let Obi-Wan Kenobi be always with you
Let all the Force be with you
Checking my Vado, I'm returning via a different route!

People, that's a 19% grade road ascent!"

 

[BEC111]

I wonder whether a non-FB user can watch that video?
It was when I was climbing the 19% hill and singing

https://www.facebook.com/stefanmikesmikulski/posts/4151057851668896

"Let me sing a song for you...

(Singing)
Aliens are after us but I don't care about it
Let Obi-Wan Kenobi be always with you
Let all the Force be with you
Checking my Vado, I'm returning via a different route!

People, that's a 19% grade road ascent!"

The song comes from oxygen deprivation.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

The song comes from oxygen deprivation.

If you ride a Vado SL perhaps

 

[kahn]

I wonder whether a non-FB user can watch that video?
It was when I was climbing the 19% hill and singing

https://www.facebook.com/stefanmikesmikulski/posts/4151057851668896

"Let me sing a song for you...

(Singing)
Aliens are after us but I don't care about it
Let Obi-Wan Kenobi be always with you
Let all the Force be with you
Checking my Vado, I'm returning via a different route!

People, that's a 19% grade road ascent!"

FB would NOT let me see the video. Occasionally, I've been asked "continue as guest" on FB and been able to see the video or picture or post. I don't know if it is a setting you can control or some universal limit on some aspects.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

FB would NOT let me see the video. Occasionally, I've been asked "continue as guest" on FB and been able to see the video or picture or post. I don't know if it is a setting you can control or some universal limit on some aspects.

I set it as Public but cannot save the video to publish it on YT or elsewhere...

 

[fatshark]

I finally took delivery of my '22 Vado SL 5.0 EQ today in the ever-so-subtle yellow finish.

These are few and far between in the UK, but one appeared in XL. I've only used it to ride down and back up the 25% unmetalled track to our house which it coped with admirably (and wasn't something I could do without rupturing something when on my non-eBike Cannondale), so first impressions are very positive. Longer trip planned for the end of the week.

Does anyone have experience of bags (not panniers) for the rack? Something big enough for a camera, jacket, lunch etc.

Spec appears as currently listed on the Specialized website as far as I can tell. It's got the top bar-mounted display for mode/settings/distance/altitude which I have yet to find mention of in the manual. The current iteration of the software appears to list ECO-TRAIL-TURBO modes rather than SPORT.

With thanks for helpful comments back in November when I was asking about sizing and 'fenders' and the like.

 

[Gee_Whiz]

I finally took delivery of my '22 Vado SL 5.0 EQ today in the ever-so-subtle yellow finish.

View attachment 115723

These are few and far between in the UK, but one appeared in XL. I've only used it to ride down and back up the 25% unmetalled track to our house which it coped with admirably (and wasn't something I could do without rupturing something when on my non-eBike Cannondale), so first impressions are very positive. Longer trip planned for the end of the week.

Does anyone have experience of bags (not panniers) for the rack? Something big enough for a camera, jacket, lunch etc.

Spec appears as currently listed on the Specialized website as far as I can tell. It's got the top bar-mounted display for mode/settings/distance/altitude which I have yet to find mention of in the manual. The current iteration of the software appears to list ECO-TRAIL-TURBO modes rather than SPORT.

With thanks for helpful comments back in November when I was asking about sizing and 'fenders' and the like.

That bike is GORGEOUS

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I finally took delivery of my '22 Vado SL 5.0 EQ today in the ever-so-subtle yellow finish.

[picture]

These are few and far between in the UK, but one appeared in XL. I've only used it to ride down and back up the 25% unmetalled track to our house which it coped with admirably (and wasn't something I could do without rupturing something when on my non-eBike Cannondale), so first impressions are very positive. Longer trip planned for the end of the week.

Does anyone have experience of bags (not panniers) for the rack? Something big enough for a camera, jacket, lunch etc.

Spec appears as currently listed on the Specialized website as far as I can tell. It's got the top bar-mounted display for mode/settings/distance/altitude which I have yet to find mention of in the manual. The current iteration of the software appears to list ECO-TRAIL-TURBO modes rather than SPORT.

With thanks for helpful comments back in November when I was asking about sizing and 'fenders' and the like.

What a gorgeous colour! (I wish I owned one). Sincere congratulations!

I can understand you have got the Mastermind TCU. Interesting! You seem to be the first EBR member to have got it!

If you really need a bag, find something Racktime compatible -- with SnapIt 2.0 adapter (I do not use Racktime gear so I cannot be of any help). Have look at "System Bags" here:

Racktime-Products - racktime

www.racktime.com

P.S. Was the regular TCD display the part of the deal?

 

[fatshark]

If "the regular TCD" is the unit that clips to the stem then it's not included. Or, if it was, I have yet to find it! There is a mount on the stem that looks like it would take the Garmin Edge 25 or similar ... a 90° turn to lock. There's a bag of all sort of extra bits, but they look like springs for the headset unit, odd little spanners and plastic covers for goodness knows what.

My exploration of the Mastermind TCU has been limited (I didn't actually know what it was called), but it appears you can customise what is displayed. I'll have a play over the next few days, though I'm really more interested in riding than seeing my heart rate stats or whatever. I've set up the App to sync with Strava and tend to look - if ever - at the information after the trip, not during it.

Thanks for the rack info. I'll see what's available.

PS And yes, the colour is lovely

 

[Stefan Mikes]

There is a mount on the stem that looks like it would take the Garmin Edge 25 or similar ... a 90° turn to lock.

That is for TCD if you buy it. The TCD is practical as I do not think it is easy to peek between your legs at the TCU Mastermind However, Vado SL also connects to Garmin Edge and Wahoo ELEMNT (just saying).

My exploration of the Mastermind TCU has been limited (I didn't actually know what it was called), but it appears you can customise what is displayed.

There are many things you can achieve by F1 and F2 buttons as well as by + and - combinations. I think operating the Mastermind TCU from the handlebar remote works the same way as operating Mastermind TCD-w does.

PS And yes, the colour is lovely

Oh, my! As nice as celadon for other Vado SL models!

 

[kahn]

I finally took delivery of my '22 Vado SL 5.0 EQ today in the ever-so-subtle yellow finish.

View attachment 115723

These are few and far between in the UK, but one appeared in XL. I've only used it to ride down and back up the 25% unmetalled track to our house which it coped with admirably (and wasn't something I could do without rupturing something when on my non-eBike Cannondale), so first impressions are very positive. Longer trip planned for the end of the week.

Does anyone have experience of bags (not panniers) for the rack? Something big enough for a camera, jacket, lunch etc.

Spec appears as currently listed on the Specialized website as far as I can tell. It's got the top bar-mounted display for mode/settings/distance/altitude which I have yet to find mention of in the manual. The current iteration of the software appears to list ECO-TRAIL-TURBO modes rather than SPORT.

With thanks for helpful comments back in November when I was asking about sizing and 'fenders' and the like.

Nice looking machine. Too bad that the red charging plug's red clashes so terribly with that yellow color/colour!

Enjoy it immensely.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Too bad that the red charging plug's red clashes so terribly with that yellow color/colour!

"oi tam oi tam" (A Polish slang to express you are picking on something without a good reason) /written: ojtamojtam/

 

[fatshark]

I'm colourblind ... I can see red/green but can't necessarily tell them apart. I didn't know what colour the charging plug was.

Now I know it clashes I'll obviously be selling the bike