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

[Richard Stallard]

I will try the 2-way feature on my next ride, but I don’t think it will be any great advantage My previous bike - Giant Toughroad SLR2 - had more basic Shimano shifters. My wife’s 5.0 which is on order will have SRAM gears.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

@Richard Stallard: Pleased to meet you! You're probably the first Australian in these Fora riding a Vado SL!

 

[Richard Stallard]

@Richard Stallard: Pleased to meet you! You're probably the first Australian in these Fora riding a Vado SL!

Hi Stefan. I joined the forum a few weeks ago and posted then. I met another person recently with a Vado SL Stepthrough and I know 3 people with Creo SL’s. However, there have been hardly any SL bikes available to buy in the last 6 months.

You might be interested to know I filmed two rides for FulGaz virtual cycling app on my Vado SL in the Margaret River region of Western Australia which have recently been published. You can see previews of the rides using the links below. Both rides are a mixture of rail trail and rural roads.

The Rides - FulGaz

fulgaz.com

The Rides - FulGaz

fulgaz.com

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Hi Stefan. I joined the forum a few weeks ago and posted then. I met another person recently with a Vado SL Stepthrough and I know 3 people with Creo SL’s. However, there have been hardly any SL bikes available to buy in the last 6 months.

You might be interested to know I filmed two rides for FulGaz virtual cycling app on my Vado SL in the Margaret River region of Western Australia which have recently been published. You can see previews of the rides using the links below. Both rides are a mixture of rail trail and rural roads.

The Rides - FulGaz

fulgaz.com

The Rides - FulGaz

fulgaz.com

Richard! You must join the David Berry's thread with this material!

 

[rochrunner]

You might be interested to know I filmed two rides for FulGaz virtual cycling app on my Vado SL in the Margaret River region of Western Australia which have recently been published. You can see previews of the rides using the links below. Both rides are a mixture of rail trail and rural roads.

I thought I recognized your name. I've ridden a couple of those (road bike on Kickr CORE) since I like to do virtual rides in places that are especially interesting. I've also seen your posts in the FulGaz Riders group on FB.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Hi Stefan. I joined the forum a few weeks ago and posted then.

I didn't realise you were from Australia

 

[Richard Stallard]

I thought I recognized your name. I've ridden a couple of those (road bike on Kickr CORE) since I like to do virtual rides in places that are especially interesting. I've also seen your posts in the FulGaz Riders group on FB.

I have my former road touring bike (Kona Sutra 2013) dedicated to Fulgaz on a Kickr Core. Its last major outing was in 2018 on a 7 week tour in Switzerland, Austria and Germany.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

What is great about SL e-bikes is the fact you can observe the progress of charging of the e-bike on TCD, MC, Garmin/Wahoo or BLEvo as long as the SL is on during charging, Makes it easy to charge the internal battery to 80% and stop there.

My plan for the working days is to ride on Range Extenders only, to give the internal battery some rest at 80% of charge. Owning as many as three Range Extenders gives a lot of options, including rotating them as well.

 

[kahn]

What is great about SL e-bikes is the fact you can observe the progress of charging of the e-bike on TCD, MC, Garmin/Wahoo or BLEvo as long as the SL is on during charging, Makes it easy to charge the internal battery to 80% and stop there.

My plan for the working days is to ride on Range Extenders only, to give the internal battery some rest at 80% of charge. Owning as many as three Range Extenders gives a lot of options, including rotating them as well.

I've got to start using my Range Extenders (RE) that way. Many of my "early season" rides are between 15 and 20 miles and the RE might work, but possibly come up a bit short. I've got TWO RE's. But it will also allow me to figure out how the switch-over occurs. The one time I used "Exhaust Range Extender" first, the bike just pretty much stopped on a long uphill while I was expecting a smooth transition. And I never gave that method (RE first) another trial after that experience.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I've got to start using my Range Extenders (RE) that way. Many of my "early season" rides are between 15 and 20 miles and the RE might work, but possibly come up a bit short. I've got TWO RE's. But it will also allow me to figure out how the switch-over occurs. The one time I used "Exhaust Range Extender" first, the bike just pretty much stopped on a long uphill while I was expecting a smooth transition. And I never gave that method (RE first) another trial after that experience.

Right.
I was on a 28 km ride today. The first 10 kms were against strong wind, and 70% of RE were consumed because of Turbo mode. If I just returned home, the single RE would easily do, especially as I was riding back in 50/50% "Eco". However, I had to ride farther for some extra shopping. At the 24th kilometre (at the store) the RE reported 8% but I had to ride for 4 km more upwind. So I disconnected the RE plug at the top and eventually returned on the main battery (14% used).

 

[kahn]

Right.
I was on a 28 km ride today. The first 10 kms were against strong wind, and 70% of RE were consumed because of Turbo mode. If I just returned home, the single RE would easily do, especially as I was riding back in 50/50% "Eco". However, I had to ride farther for some extra shopping. At the 24th kilometre (at the store) the RE reported 8% but I had to ride for 4 km more upwind. So I disconnected the RE plug at the top and eventually returned on the main battery (14% used).

So, it does not do it automatically?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

So, it does not do it automatically?

It does. Between 10 and 5% of RE charge, the battery is very weak. If you need tons of assistance, you won't get it. Between 6 and 5%, the assistance is so weak you almost pedal yourself. At 5%, there is a short period when the system decides what to do. Suddenly, Wahoo reports 0% of the RE charge (the battery is switched off), and the main battery kicks in with its full power. Therefore, I preferred to disconnect the RE at 8% to avoid any trouble later.

 

[PDX Sid]

Hey everyone. Newbie here. Like to start by thanking Stefan Mikes and everyone here sharing their rides. You encouraged me from near and far to buy my first e-bike, a Vado 4.0 SL EQ. So far, so good. Looks great, very light and engine plenty powerful enough for Portland’s east side hills. Fun, fun ride.
Modifying with new gel seat, handlebar with bit more rise on a new suspension stem. Seat post suspension next?
Anyway, big thanks to all on this forum for great info and the entire staff at River City Bikes in Portland for keeping me rolling.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

handlebar with bit more rise on a new suspension stem. Seat post suspension next?

Do you want to replace handlebars? There exists a Redshift ShockStop suspension stem with 30 degrees rise; it's worth considering.
A suspension seat-post? Nothing was better in my life than the Redshift Shockstop seatpost I use on my Vado SL 4.0 EQ!

 

[PDX Sid]

Do you want to replace handlebars? There exists a Redshift ShockStop suspension stem with 30 degrees rise; it's worth considering.
A suspension seat-post? Nothing was better in my life than the Redshift Shockstop seatpost I use on my Vado SL 4.0 EQ!

Appreciate the thought. My bike shop thinks the six-degree RSS stem is best and yes, I just ordered the Redshift Shockstop Suspension Seatpost.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

My bike shop thinks the six-degree RSS stem is best

I agree with them totally!

 

[Richard Stallard]

Someone was asking about panniers for the rack on the Vado SL EQ. I have been using Vaude panniers which have very flexible options for securing them at the top and lower down. The top clips latch on securely and delatch when the handle is pulled. The lower arm can be moved to any position within the roughly oval-shaped track and rotated to any angle.

I used these panniers, on a different bike, for a 5-week hotel-based cycle tour in 2019 with them loaded to about 12 kg. I wouldn’t hesitate to carry these panniers similarly loaded on the Vado’s Racktime rack, even though it is more lightly constructed than a typical touring rack. I purchased the panniers online from Germany.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I purchased the panniers online from Germany.

Interesting! By reading posts of Austrialian EBR members, I can see there are many things to be easily imported from Europe to Australia!

 

[Richard Stallard]

Interesting! By reading posts of Austrialian EBR members, I can see there are many things to be easily imported from Europe to Australia!

Yes, Stefan, there are some good online shops which are happy to send things to Australia and the shipping cost is usually not too expensive. Most of the panniers sold in shops here are pretty basic, for example not having fittings which latch onto the rack.

 

[kahn]

Someone was asking about panniers for the rack on the Vado SL EQ. I have been using Vaude panniers which have very flexible options for securing them at the top and lower down. The top clips latch on securely and delatch when the handle is pulled. The lower arm can be moved to any position within the roughly oval-shaped track and rotated to any angle.

I used these panniers, on a different bike, for a 5-week hotel-based cycle tour in 2019 with them loaded to about 12 kg. I wouldn’t hesitate to carry these panniers similarly loaded on the Vado’s Racktime rack, even though it is more lightly constructed than a typical touring rack. I purchased the panniers online from Germany.

View attachment 118965View attachment 118966

That attachment system you describe sounds very much like Ortlieb's system. I don't do bike packing anymore but got Ortlieb's smaller front roller bags to use on my rear rack. A trunk bag was too tall and interfered with my foot as I swing it over the rear of the saddle