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

"No Vado SL For Ailing People" (Extended Vado SL Ride Report)

Abstract
Although I'm referring to the movie by title "No Country For Old People", it is a jest. Yes, you better be a person of healthy legs to ride Vado SL. Yet, I'm an ailing person with bad legs, and I still enjoy riding my new TurboSnaiL :) The 4th e-bike in my stable is the first vehicle that deserves naming it bike because it is a bike. (All other are e-bikes to me).

I have been spoilt by my full power, Euro-style (250 W nominal, far more of peak power) e-bikes. Yes, these allow me travelling long distances fast, and spend a long time in the saddle (5 h 50 minutes net ride time not being unusual). Yet, they give me too little of workout so I have to spend many hours on a single ride to get fit. Suffice to say, my average contribution to a full-power Vado ride is around 27%: The rest is done by the motor. Vado SL instantly forced me to work out more in shorter time.

Now, fancy how much of workout a North American riding a 750 W (or more) Chinese e-bike gets: None or very little (unless they throttle the motor down almost completely).

Purpose
Vado SL seems to scream: "I'm a fitness e-bike!" Indeed. Especially the non-EQ version (no mudguards, no rack) is a pure fitness/recreation e-bike; the EQ version makes the bike better suited for more rainy climate and allows carrying some stuff on the ride. Still, Vado SL is a fitness/recreation e-bike that can also be used for general purposes, as any typical traditional bike. The light weight makes Vado SL priceless in urban environment, especially if you live in a block of flats. For me, my TurboSnail is going to become my everyday e-bike, especially as I live in a block of flats now.

Design & Engineering
Specialized engineers seem to have done everything to shave the weight off the aluminium bike. Vado SL appears a small bike, so small that straddling the top tube of the diamond frame in size M poses no issues for my bad legs; nor, dismounting the bike. Small frame means less weight, of course. A light weight internal battery and small motor reduce the weight further, and again, less frame material is required for structural strength. Rigid fork and relatively narrow tyres (38-622) are next factors in the bike weight equation ("and we can remove fenders and the rack in the non-EQ", Specialized says). Why should you need bigger brake rotors than 160 mm in a lightweight bike? Is the heavy drivetrain really necessary? (heavier drivetrain is used in the 5.0 but again carbon fibre fork has been provided to compensate).

Bike Handling
It is delightful when you walk or carry a Vado SL. All other e-bikes of mine are so heavy by comparison they feel like an airliner standing on the ground. Once a Dreamliner or an Airbus get airborne, they become fast and manoeuvrable. Same with full power e-bikes: these are disgrace when stationary. Stopping a heavy e-bike at a junction and restarting the ride is painful: an aware cyclist would have actively used the derailleur, yet the cold start of any heavy e-bike hurts. Same with walking a heavy e-bike, not saying anything of lifting or carrying it. Vado SL feels nimble even if walked; and ride start is so natural and easy, even with no gear shifting; lifting or carrying the SL goes without saying.

Vado SL makes U-turns far easier than any heavy e-bike (an e-MTB might be an exception). Braking Vado SL is easier and very predictable.

Motor Assistance
To keep the matters simple: Vado SL provides exactly 56% of assistance and 46% of peak motor power compared to my Vado 5.0 equipped with Specialized 1.2s motor. In practical terms:

As an ailing person, I am dependent on solid motor assistance, thus:
  • I need 45% of Eco assistance with Vado SL, making it equivalent to 25% assistance with Vado 5.0. That's the minimum support for me, making me ride at speeds expected from an elderly but healthy traditional cyclist
  • I require 70% of Sport mode to get what I'm getting at 40% of full power e-bike. That's what I call "proper moderate assistance e-bike feeling". It allows me breaking the 25 km/h speed limit (needs a derestrictor to ride any faster).
  • The 100% Turbo mode is 56% of maximum "full" Vado assistance. Climbing an overpass is no sweat but I don't feel I'm "lifted" onto the flyover. Otherwise, 100% of SL assistance feels too much, and it is artificial.
Let me reiterate: I use the derailleur far less on the Vado SL. It is like riding a traditional bike, where use of the derailleur is mostly limited to changes in road inclination.

Batteries, Range Considerations

Bear in mind the internal Vado SL battery has 53% of the capacity of one found on Vado 5.0 but Vado SL assistance is just 56% of the full power sibling. The battery range of SL is great, which might be attributed to lower cruising and average speed I'm getting. The greater range of SL can also be attributed to its light weight (less power is needed to gain potential and kinetic energy for the SL, and the biker's contribution is far higher for the SL).

Add the Range Extender, and you can enjoy incredible battery range on the Vado SL. If you are a fit rider, expect minimal battery consumption for the SL while it is never low for the full power e-bike.

You need to charge the battery on the bike for SL (it is a drawback; on the other hand, you never need to worry of the battery lock key, as there is none in the SL). The Range Extender is extremely well thought. It stays in the water-bottle cage at the seat-tube tightly, and the RE Cable plug is secured with an elastic band. The other plug fits the socket in the frame snugly, and is secured with a rotating latch. Charging of both batteries can be done separately, or in parallel, using the RE Y Cable. It works very well.

If Range Extender is used, the preferred discharging scheme is to discharge the main battery and RE at the same percentage together. (The option to discharge the RE first requires disconnecting the RE when it is almost empty).

The Effect of Vado SL on the Rider's Fitness

As Vado SL provides so little of assistance, the rider tends to work out more to maintain decent cruising speed. Therefore, the rider's leg power increases, and calories are burnt far better than with a full power e-bike:

View attachment 91224
Vado SL is the first e-bike I own that made me input more leg power than the motor assistance (1.23x). The 24 km ride was done at 45% of SL assistance. My usual leg contribution rose from 26 to 54%. My leg power increased from 70-80 to 101.7 W (BLEvo tells me it was 109 W but my analysis in Excel gave a lower figure). The meters in SL and BLEvo tell me I burnt 450 kcal on that short ride, while only 78 kcal were drawn from the bike battery! (Think of different efficiencies of the human body and of the electric motor).

A fitness e-bike, eh? :)

Vado SL Is Very Different To The Full Power Vado
Full power Vado is display-centric (with the TCD-w, or wired display), while the TCD display in SL e-bikes is optional, not required at all. Moreover, an SL e-bike may have no handlebar remote at all (think of road Creo SL). SL e-bikes are TCU-centric: Turbo Control Unit is a panel mounted in the top tube of SL e-bikes by which you can control an SL, and use its connectivity capabilities.

Regarding the connectivity: It is Specialized with (in my opinion) the best e-bike connectivity in the market. Full power Vado, or any SL e-bike share the same connectivity concept:
  • TCD or TCD-w display, or
  • A Garmin, or
  • A smartphone with Mission Control or BLEvo, and
  • Heart Rate Monitor (chest-strap or wrist-band).
In full power Vado/Como, the wired display pages can be flipped with a handlebar remote button. As Vado/Como SL are so different, two distinctive buttons exist in the handlebar remote: Walk Mode (very effective) and Specialized Lightning: You get into Turbo mode instantly.

View attachment 91232
The S-button.

The status of the SL bike is reported on the TCU. The 10-bar battery indicator is impressive. If you connect a Range Extender, you can see two sets of flashy indicators! And you can see the current Assist Mode there (and even set it). When the optional TCD display is connected, the TCU display becomes redundant. The Stealth Mode can be turned on; the mode hides the TCU diodes that only re-appear when really necessary.

The wireless TCD display can be removed from the bike at any time. It is operated by own buttons and is totally independent of the SL bike.

Would I Derestrict My Vado SL?
With my bad legs, riding past 25 km/h requires 60-70% of assistance. Yes, I would derestrict the bike for my own safety: Sometimes you need to escape from the jam.

What Would I Replace?
Contact points:
  • Handlebar grips: to Ergon GP2
  • Pedals: to Race Face Chester
  • Saddle: To Ergon ST Core Prime Men
And I'm adding a Mirrycle.

My Own Impression
I need to work harder. I need to re-learn what the notion of "bike" really means :D I like the bike a lot and intend to use it on daily basis.

Impression of People Around
People around don't realize they see an e-bike. Instead, they see a posh traditional bike.


View attachment 91229
Cannot agree more.

View attachment 91227
View attachment 91228
Saddle and pedals already replaced. Waiting for grips and the rear-view mirror.


180% of You is that SL e-bike motor revenges rewards you with up to 180 W of power for every 100 W you can produce with your own legs. It is the figure for 100% Turbo mode. (The assistance limit is 240 W0.

I like the comparison!
Are you going to add lights? I don't see any, and I thought they were stock on SLs.
 
Are you going to add lights? I don't see any, and I thought they were stock on SLs.
I totally misjudged the lights! The ones that are provided with any version of Vado SL are excellent! Bear in mind, I'm riding a 25 km/h e-bike. The lights on the bike are totally adequate for that speed (might not be adequate for Class 3 version though).

1624585718181.png

The virgin ride of my TurboSnail ended at the sunset.
 
agreed! nice review. @Stefan Mikes give it a few more years, and you'll be riding a slammed carbon creo in circles around the heavyweight e-bikes :D
It's rather not going to happen, yet the thought is really comforting :D Yes, I can fancy I could buy and derestrict a Creo if the Fortune allows it :)
I need to tell you it has been Mateusz Mielczarek of Specialized Warsaw that reassured me to buy more products from Specialized. What an unassuming, polite and professional person!

Anecdote:
I left for a cigarette outside while my brother and Mateusz were talking. Upon my return I heard Jacek saying:
-- He must ride every day for his own health...

When I joined the conversation, Mateusz said:
-- Are you aware sir you need to visit us after some 200 kilometres ridden, for obligatory service?
To which Jacek replied:
-- Expect him in a week!

:D
 
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"No Vado SL For Ailing People" (Extended Vado SL Ride Report)

Abstract
Although I'm referring to the movie by title "No Country For Old People", it is a jest. Yes, you better be a person of healthy legs to ride Vado SL. Yet, I'm an ailing person with bad legs, and I still enjoy riding my new TurboSnaiL :) The 4th e-bike in my stable is the first vehicle that deserves naming it bike because it is a bike. (All other are e-bikes to me).

I have been spoilt by my full power, Euro-style (250 W nominal, far more of peak power) e-bikes. Yes, these allow me travelling long distances fast, and spend a long time in the saddle (5 h 50 minutes net ride time not being unusual). Yet, they give me too little of workout so I have to spend many hours on a single ride to get fit. Suffice to say, my average contribution to a full-power Vado ride is around 27%: The rest is done by the motor. Vado SL instantly forced me to work out more in shorter time.

Now, fancy how much of workout a North American riding a 750 W (or more) Chinese e-bike gets: None or very little (unless they throttle the motor down almost completely).

Purpose
Vado SL seems to scream: "I'm a fitness e-bike!" Indeed. Especially the non-EQ version (no mudguards, no rack) is a pure fitness/recreation e-bike; the EQ version makes the bike better suited for more rainy climate and allows carrying some stuff on the ride. Still, Vado SL is a fitness/recreation e-bike that can also be used for general purposes, as any typical traditional bike. The light weight makes Vado SL priceless in urban environment, especially if you live in a block of flats. For me, my TurboSnail is going to become my everyday e-bike, especially as I live in a block of flats now.

Design & Engineering
Specialized engineers seem to have done everything to shave the weight off the aluminium bike. Vado SL appears a small bike, so small that straddling the top tube of the diamond frame in size M poses no issues for my bad legs; nor, dismounting the bike. Small frame means less weight, of course. A light weight internal battery and small motor reduce the weight further, and again, less frame material is required for structural strength. Rigid fork and relatively narrow tyres (38-622) are next factors in the bike weight equation ("and we can remove fenders and the rack in the non-EQ", Specialized says). Why should you need bigger brake rotors than 160 mm in a lightweight bike? Is the heavy drivetrain really necessary? (heavier drivetrain is used in the SL 5.0 but again carbon fibre fork has been provided to compensate).

Bike Handling
It is delightful when you walk or carry a Vado SL. All other e-bikes of mine are so heavy by comparison they feel like an airliner standing on the ground. Once a Dreamliner or an Airbus get airborne, they become fast and manoeuvrable. Same with full power e-bikes: these are disgrace when stationary. Stopping a heavy e-bike at a junction and restarting the ride is painful: an aware cyclist would have actively used the derailleur, yet the cold start of any heavy e-bike hurts. Same with walking a heavy e-bike, not saying anything of lifting or carrying it. Vado SL feels nimble even if walked; and ride start is so natural and easy, even with no gear shifting; lifting or carrying the SL goes without saying.

Vado SL makes U-turns far easier than any heavy e-bike (an e-MTB might be an exception). Braking Vado SL is easier and very predictable.

Motor Assistance
To keep the matters simple: Vado SL provides exactly 56% of assistance and 46% of peak motor power compared to my Vado 5.0 equipped with Specialized 1.2s motor. In practical terms:

As an ailing person, I am dependent on solid motor assistance, thus:
  • I need 45% of Eco assistance with Vado SL, making it equivalent to 25% assistance with Vado 5.0. That's the minimum support for me, making me ride at speeds expected from an elderly but healthy traditional cyclist
  • I require 70% of Sport mode to get what I'm getting at 40% of full power e-bike. That's what I call "proper moderate assistance e-bike feeling". It allows me breaking the 25 km/h speed limit (needs a derestrictor to ride any faster).
  • The 100% Turbo mode is 56% of maximum "full" Vado assistance. Climbing an overpass is no sweat but I don't feel I'm "lifted" onto the flyover. Otherwise, 100% of SL assistance feels too much, and it is artificial.
Let me reiterate: I use the derailleur far less on the Vado SL. It is like riding a traditional bike, where use of the derailleur is mostly limited to changes in road inclination.

Batteries, Range Considerations

Bear in mind the internal Vado SL battery has 53% of the capacity of the one found on Vado 5.0 but Vado SL assistance is just 56% of the full power sibling. The battery range of SL is great, which might be attributed to lower cruising and average speed I'm getting. The greater range of SL can also be attributed to its light weight (less power is needed to gain potential and kinetic energy for the SL, and the biker's contribution is far higher for the SL).

Add the Range Extender, and you can enjoy incredible battery range on the Vado SL. If you are a fit rider, expect minimal battery consumption for the SL while it is never low for the full power e-bike.

You need to charge the battery on the bike for SL (it is a drawback; on the other hand, you never need to worry of the battery lock key, as there is none in the SL). The Range Extender is extremely well thought. It stays in the water-bottle cage at the seat-tube tightly, and the RE Cable plug is secured with an elastic band. The other plug fits the socket in the frame snugly, and is secured with a rotating latch. Charging of both batteries can be done separately, or in parallel, using the RE Y Cable. It works very well.

If Range Extender is used, the preferred discharging scheme is to discharge the main battery and RE at the same percentage together. (The option to discharge the RE first requires disconnecting the RE when it is almost empty).

Note: SL bikes are the 48 V system. Meaning, less Ah is needed to reach the same 320Wh capacity, and the current during the bike use means less amperes than it is with 36 V systems. (Specialized has used more cells in series but less in parallel, making a long but narrow battery).

The Effect of Vado SL on the Rider's Fitness

As Vado SL provides so little of assistance, the rider tends to work out more to maintain decent cruising speed. Therefore, the rider's leg power increases, and calories are burnt far better than with a full power e-bike:

View attachment 91224
Vado SL is the first e-bike I own that made me input more leg power than the motor assistance (1.23x). The 24 km ride was done at 45% of SL assistance. My usual leg contribution rose from 26 to 54%. My leg power increased from 70-80 to 101.7 W (BLEvo tells me it was 109 W but my analysis in Excel gave a lower figure). The meters in SL and BLEvo tell me I burnt 450 kcal on that short ride, while only 78 kcal were drawn from the bike battery! (Think of different efficiencies of the human body and of the electric motor).

A fitness e-bike, eh? :)

Vado SL Is Very Different To The Full Power Vado
Full power Vado is display-centric (with the TCD-w, or wired display), while the TCD display in SL e-bikes is optional, not required at all. Moreover, an SL e-bike may have no handlebar remote at all (think of road Creo SL). SL e-bikes are TCU-centric: Turbo Control Unit is a panel mounted in the top tube of SL e-bikes by which you can control an SL, and use its connectivity capabilities.

Regarding the connectivity: It is Specialized with (in my opinion) the best e-bike connectivity in the market. Full power Vado, or any SL e-bike share the same connectivity concept:
  • TCD or TCD-w display, or
  • A Garmin, or
  • A smartphone with Mission Control or BLEvo, and
  • Heart Rate Monitor (chest-strap or wrist-band).
In full power Vado/Como, the wired display pages can be flipped with a handlebar remote button. As Vado/Como SL are so different, two distinctive buttons exist in the handlebar remote: Walk Mode (very effective) and Specialized Lightning: You get into Turbo mode instantly.

View attachment 91232
The S-button.

The status of the SL bike is reported on the TCU. The 10-bar battery indicator is impressive. If you connect a Range Extender, you can see two sets of flashy indicators! And you can see the current Assist Mode there (and even set it). When the optional TCD display is connected, the TCU display becomes redundant. The Stealth Mode can be turned on; the mode hides the TCU diodes that only re-appear when really necessary.

The wireless TCD display can be removed from the bike at any time. It is operated by own buttons and is totally independent of the SL bike.

Would I Derestrict My Vado SL?
With my bad legs, riding past 25 km/h requires 60-70% of assistance. Yes, I would derestrict the bike for my own safety: Sometimes you need to escape from the jam.

What Would I Replace?
Contact points:
  • Handlebar grips: to Ergon GP2
  • Pedals: to Race Face Chester
  • Saddle: To Ergon ST Core Prime Men
And I'm adding a Mirrycle.

My Own Impression
I need to work harder. I need to re-learn what the notion of "bike" really means :D I like the bike a lot and intend to use it on daily basis.

Impression of People Around
People around don't realize they see an e-bike. Instead, they see a posh traditional bike.


View attachment 91229
Cannot agree more.

View attachment 91227
View attachment 91228
Saddle and pedals already replaced. Waiting for grips and the rear-view mirror.


180% of You is that SL e-bike motor revenges rewards you with up to 180 W of power for every 100 W you can produce with your own legs. The figure is for 100% Turbo mode. (The assistance limit is 240 W).

I like the comparison!
This is an excellent in-depth review Stefan. Far better then many 'official' reviews you read on review sites. Because of your experience with many different e bikes it's very interesting to hear your insightful view on the SL. I think you need to do a follow up, perhaps after a month of riding? To see how you then feel about things like comfort, range, speed and your own fitness once you've got used to the SL on a number of different rides. That would be very helpful & interesting. One aspect that makes me feel less guilty about my own 20 to 30 mile rides is that when I started reading EBR forums I was amazed at the 100km and 100 mile rides people were doing and I expected to be doing that too! Not having owned any e bike before the SL, at first I wasn't sure why I was tired after 20 to 30 miles. I now see it is a combination of the hills here, my poor fitness levels (far worse then I realised - good cyclist long gone to seed!) and of course that the SL is not the same as the big beast, full fat e bikes like the Vado and Trek Allants. Hearing you compare both from your knowledge base is fascinating. Hope you have some thrilling rides.
 
I bought my ebike well before lockdown and was able to test ride maybe 10 different makes and models. The most important thing to me is the torque for hills. Much more important than speed. I live on a hill which discouraged me from riding any bike for years and years. I selected my bike based on how it felt to ride and how much power it gave me going up hills. It is rated at 90Nm, so I know what that means - - it is not abstract to me. So my husband wants an upgraded ebike and wants at least as much torque for hills as the Vado 2.0 he has right now. And as we all know, it is best not to go backwards on an ebike...
Ironically I have been going backwards and loving it! A few years ago I had a Juiced CCS with a 650 watt hub motor, then Feb 2020 I bought a Creo, and last month I got my Aethos which doesn't have a motor. I love riding the Aethos more than any bike I've ever owned. It's so nice to ride and the years on the Juiced and lesser extent the Creo helped me ride much more frequently. This led to me losing weight and a winter of Zwift helped me increase my power.

10 years ago I weighed a fair bit more and my FTP was probably about 1.5 watts/kg, now with all the riding I've lost about 35 lbs, increased my power significantly and I'm at about 3.1-3.2 watts/kg, and riding the Aethos is amazing. Much better than my Juiced or Creo.
 
Stefan congrats on the bike (2nd time) but this time you actually have it! Great write up.

I'm curious, that graph of the motor and biker power. Is that from BLevo software?
 
This is an excellent in-depth review Stefan. Far better then many 'official' reviews you read on review sites. Because of your experience with many different e bikes it's very interesting to hear your insightful view on the SL. I think you need to do a follow up, perhaps after a month of riding? To see how you then feel about things like comfort, range, speed and your own fitness once you've got used to the SL on a number of different rides. That would be very helpful & interesting. One aspect that makes me feel less guilty about my own 20 to 30 mile rides is that when I started reading EBR forums I was amazed at the 100km and 100 mile rides people were doing and I expected to be doing that too! Not having owned any e bike before the SL, at first I wasn't sure why I was tired after 20 to 30 miles. I now see it is a combination of the hills here, my poor fitness levels (far worse then I realised - good cyclist long gone to seed!) and of course that the SL is not the same as the big beast, full fat e bikes like the Vado and Trek Allants. Hearing you compare both from your knowledge base is fascinating. Hope you have some thrilling rides.
I‘ll add that I found that your early experiences, Stefan, on the SL mirror my experiences from the first several months I owned mine. Prior to the ebike, I’d ridden an analog bike of similar architecture but was wiped out after a 10 mile ride. My first 10 miler on the SL was invigorating rather than exhausting.

For most of the last year I’ve been experimenting with physical fit adjustments and ride tuning in similar direction to your explorations. I have healthier legs than you though I have a more cranky prostate and an arythmic heart. The more I’ve ridden the healthier and stronger I get. (Within the limits of my 73 year old body.) Thus I’ve changed my settings to the ones we’ve discussed on a different thread. Currently, ECO is 35/100, Sport 45/100 (I’m going to change that to 50 or 55 /100) and Turbo 100/100. I ride Eco and if I pedal harder get some peak assist but mostly ride at the lower level. I may turn ECO down to 25/100 for my usual routes.

I am looking forward to hearing how your experiences evolve.

Happy cycling
 
I'm curious, that graph of the motor and biker power. Is that from BLevo software?
Indeed! You record your ride in BLEvo, and post-ride you can display more details and eventually "share" a CSV file (I send it to myself by Gmail). As CSV is an Excel file, I do a post-ride analysis in Excel. For instance, the "average biker power" reported by BLEvo is a true average including coasting. I'm not interested in such an "average". I'm interested in my average leg power when I'm pedalling. Or, "average cadence". My pedalling cadence is decidedly higher than 60! (Because again, the overall average involves coasting).
Ironically I have been going backwards and loving it!
The same here. I of course love riding my full power Vado but enjoy the new SL as it is as closely to a traditional bike as it can be; I cannot pedal a traditional bike though.

Why did you replace the pedals? I'm curious to know what's better (besides the colour, which is great :) )
The stock pedals, however nice they are, are city pedals. As I'm riding a lot, all year round and at any weather conditions, I believe in MTB platform pedals equipped with traction pins; and matching MTB shoes (Adidas FiveTen FreeRider Pro). I'm getting pedal grip equivalent to clipless pedals/cleated shoes, with all benefits from using platform pedals (ride safety, multiple foot positions).

One aspect that makes me feel less guilty about my own 20 to 30 mile rides is that when I started reading EBR forums I was amazed at the 100km and 100 mile rides people were doing and I expected to be doing that too!
People riding 100 km or 100 mi typically do it on full power e-bikes, often with a spare battery or two (and you said it yourself). Riding a Vado SL requires much more of effort, and getting past the limiter means you're pedalling a traditional bike. Honestly, I have not ridden even for 40 km on the SL yet! I burn far more calories on the SL, and hope to lose some more weight :)

I ride Eco and if I pedal harder get some peak assist but mostly ride at the lower level. I may turn ECO down to 25/100 for my usual routes.
I can only hope my fitness would improve. My general benefit from riding e-bikes is that now I know I can pedal for many hours...
 
I left for a cigarette outside while my brother and Mateusz were talking.
Hmmm...

Thanks for continuing your SL story. By the way, how are you able to mount and dismount the bike? Can you swing your leg over the seat without having to lean the bike too much? It might be my years of distance running making my hips very tight, but there is no way that I can get my leg over a bike that way from standing on the ground. On a pedal, yes -- from the ground, no way. That's why I'm looking at the ST version.

I live in a basically flat area where there is no such thing as an actual "climb". There are definitely hills, but they are either long and gentle (<3% grade) or steep but fairly short. One such is the one near our house that we have to climb when returning from a common route. It is about 500m long and starts at a 3-4% grade and kicks up to 7% near the top (as reported on my Garmin Edge). This is now my wife's favorite part of riding her (Trek) e-bike as she enjoys engaging Turbo mode just to zoom up a hill that she used to fear. ;)

I am still a fairly strong "40s era" rider -- although fading with age -- and can climb anything that I am likely to encounter these days even though it does take more out of me than it used to. By feel the SL does not weigh much more than my Crosstrail hybrid, although the SL that I was comparing to was of course unloaded vs. the Crosstrail that had my trunk bag, tools, mirror, etc. on it. Equipped and packed as I usually ride, it will be heavier but not by that much, and that's the main thing I'm looking forward to. I'll even be interested in seeing how much riding I can do with the assistance off, such as when riding on one of the flat, paved rail-trails in my area.

In about a week I'll be putting a deposit with my dealer on a Vado SL 5.0 ST EQ, but it is probably going to take so long to get it that I'll be able to read your further posts about your experiences with your SL. Keep it going!
 
Doug,
I simply raise my leg above the top tube and straddle the frame. I don't know the proper English name for my action. I do a "step over".
 
Back from Arizona to find that the n+1 ebike bug is alive and well within @Stefan Mikes !

Congrats on your new ebike, and your conditioning. Well done my friend.
It's getting worse than you think, friend :) My girlfriend saw the Vado SL and loved it, including its low speed. So I promised to her she would be riding the SL when she can come to Poland. (I would be riding the Vado at low assistance level to emulate the SL performance). Yet, why not another N+1? :D
 
Doug,
I simply raise my leg above the top tube and straddle the frame. I don't know the proper English name for my action. I do a "step over".
I swing my leg over the rear of the saddle. That's why I finally went with panniers. I would sometimes hit the rear luggage on the rack. I will try to find some deep, thick grass and try stepping over the top tube. I recall as a kid (and seen some others do it), placing one foot on the pedal, thereby being whatever inches off the ground and swinging over then. But with cleats and narrow shoes I'm not sure that would work without body damage!
 
I recall as a kid (and seen some others do it), placing one foot on the pedal, thereby being whatever inches off the ground and swinging over then. But with cleats and narrow shoes I'm not sure that would work without body damage!
That's still the way I do it (and I do use SPD cleats), but will admit that it's not real comfortable on the Vado 4 since I do sometimes hit the trunk bag with my foot (due to the longer wheelbase?) and have worried about losing my balance and falling, which seems more likely on such a heavy bike. Thus the plan to get the step-thru SL.
 
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