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

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I lent my Vado SL to a close friend for a week (I'm setting off for a business travel early on Sunday). He is an experienced gravel cyclist who actually inducted me to the sport. I left the SL to him at 33/33, 50/50, and 100/100 assistance.

He instantly rode for 61 km playing with Eco, Sport, and Turbo, 25 km/h restricted or derestricted. His average speed was 27 km/h. For the first of the ride he rode in ECO restricted, then he started riding against headwind and was playing with assistance and the derestrictor. He returned with 13% of the main battery left.

He was absolutely delighted with the ride. He clearly mentioned a drop bar bike would perform better upwind (let him buy a Creo!) :) but the thing that made him exalted was the "fun factor" as he had a big grin on his face when riding. He said: "I'm too young for an e-bike yet (he's 40) but the thing let me decidedly ride faster with the same physical effort".

He will let his wife try the Vado SL, too. And I can see yet another e-biker in her soon! It always works that way...
 
That’s kind of you @Stefan Mikes

Go easy on us under 40s with SL’s! 😂 without my ebike there is no way I would have the a) time or b) energy to go to and from work 3-4 times a week on my 35km round trip. I am however incredibly motived to try and pedal past the motor cutout (25) I don’t have speedometer (don’t think I need on on the trails) and leave the iPhone with specialized app running in my backpack. The bike for me anyway is improving my fitness and gets me out when I otherwise wouldn’t ride!

I also go to the gym most lunch times and didn’t want the commute to stop me doing that! Enjoy your travels don’t miss your bikes too much!
 
My friend is shorter than I am. Surprisingly, the saddle height as set for me fit him ideally! I guess our legs are of equal length only his upper body is shorter.
 
fatshark said:
I'm a bit late to the conversation here I'm afraid ... I've just got the bag shown in the photo from Amazon (UK) where it sells for about £20. There are broadly similar bags for about £14 if you look around; although the size is the same (2.4 litres - enough for a phone and lightweight jacket and a chocolate bar or two) they don't appear to be quite as well finished. The bag straps onto the handlebars (velcro and pretty secure) with an additional strap around the light bracket and cabling. The latter strap isn't tight and carries no weight. The zip claims to be waterproof but I have yet to test it.

View attachment 132225
As you can see, the light is clear of the bag and not obscured.

Hope this might be of some help :)

And now back to your normal service ...
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Do you have the URL to the bag on the Amazon UK website?
 
Stefan Mikes said:
Was your Como on warranty? How was the issue handled?
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Seasider said:
Indeed, and this didn’t put you off diving into a vado SL?
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Unfortunately, I was several months out of the warranty. However, because I was interested in getting another ebike, they offered me a $500 credit if I bought it from that same shop. That seemed like a good deal. And to be honest, I had ridden my Como in turbo most of the time, didn't know the first thing about keeping the chain clean or other aspects of basic maintenance, rode it in all kinds of weather, etc. So I'm sure all that played a role. To be honest, I figured after the pandemic, I'd go back to taking the subway or bus, but I'm really an avid fan of biking now. So I'm looking to take care of my bike for the long haul.

I was hesitant to get another Specialized bike, but after reading a number of the reviews and watching some videos on YouTube about this bike, I felt it was a good bike for the price. And the test ride went really well. Felt like a regular bike compared to the heavy Como. In fact, I'm spending most of my commute in Eco mode except on a couple of steep hills where I use more power.

I didn't see any other bikes in the shop that were light enough and also available in a small size. The waiting list is long if you have to special order something not in the shop.

Hope I didn't make a mistake, but so far, so good!

I'm going to order a bike stand and the chain cleaner tool the mechanic recommended so I can treat this ebike better and hopefully, get a much longer life.
 
I’ve to express a little bit my disappointment about the Vado SL, at least about the European version limited to 25km/h.
While the limited Creo encourages you to pass 25km/h, the limited Vado SL does not or a lot less. At least for a “medium fit” rider like me the gain if it’s flat is often so small, that it’s not worth to push yourself. So instead of cycling 27km/h on your own you often prefer to be lazy with 26km/h and still with motor. While you ride with 29 or 30km/h on your own there with the Creo and would never think of going down to 26km/h.
This way for me the Vado SL is only a nice light eBike, but still has the annoying “25km/h wall” like other ebikes, maybe a little bit less terrible. With the Creo I feel nothing like this.
Of course this effect appears only with the European limited Vado SL versions. Also only for medium fit riders, really fit ones will pass 25km/h by far also on a Vado SL and weaker riders won’t pass 25km/h even on the Creo.
 
jodi2 said:
I’ve to express a little bit my disappointment about the Vado SL, at least about the European version limited to 25km/h.
While the limited Creo encourages you to pass 25km/h, the limited Vado SL does not or a lot less. At least for a “medium fit” rider like me the gain if it’s flat is often so small, that it’s not worth to push yourself. So instead of cycling 27km/h on your own you often prefer to be lazy with 26km/h and still with motor. While you ride with 29 or 30km/h on your own there with the Creo and would never think of going down to 26km/h.
This way for me the Vado SL is only a nice light eBike, but still has the annoying “25km/h wall” like other ebikes, maybe a little bit less terrible. With the Creo I feel nothing like this.
Of course this effect appears only with the European limited Vado SL versions. Also only for medium fit riders, really fit ones will pass 25km/h by far also on a Vado SL and weaker riders won’t pass 25km/h even on the Creo.
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I’m in the USA so share the experience at higher speeds. I bought my Vado SL to be able to ride the longer distances my local routes require. Distances I couldn’t ride one my analog bike. I was riding that analog bike at average speeds of 12-14 mph. I ride the SL at 14-16. This is faster than most of my analog riding neighbors, so more than adequate.

I can go faster, but it does take lots of effort. Most of the time, more effort than I care to expend. I get enough cardio at my average speeds.

I guess my needs may differ from yours.
 
BEC111 said:
I guess my needs may differ from yours.
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I don't think so. Imagine your Vado SL motor turning of always at 14mph. What would happen? You would mostly ride at 14mph with little own effort but rarely go up to 15 or 16mph.
Honestly spoken, my complaint is not against the Vado SL, it's about our stupid 25km/h limit here. The Creo suffers the same restrictions here but due to it's faster character as a racing bike you feel it a lot less.
I'll describe it positive. The Creo has the potential to let you forget the 25km/h limit completely, the Vado SL not for most riders as it's too slow.
 
jodi2 said:
I'll describe it positive. The Creo has the potential to let you forget the 25km/h limit completely, the Vado SL not for most riders as it's too slow.
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I think it‘s situational. The 20km ride to work yesterday, I used 17% battery. Motor was off for 78% of the time. The way home has more uphill, but I had strong headwind too, so that used 52% battery. Usually it only takes 25% but I needed the full assist (70% of the ride) to beat the wind and have some legs left for the ascent (towards the end of a 20km ride).

On other days (with no wind) it‘s easy to hit 30km/h in both directions.

I‘d not complain if the limit got raised though.
 
jodi2 said:
I don't think so. Imagine your Vado SL motor turning of always at 14mph. What would happen? You would mostly ride at 14mph with little own effort but rarely go up to 15 or 16mph.
Honestly spoken, my complaint is not against the Vado SL, it's about our stupid 25km/h limit here. The Creo suffers the same restrictions here but due to it's faster character as a racing bike you feel it a lot less.
I'll describe it positive. The Creo has the potential to let you forget the 25km/h limit completely, the Vado SL not for most riders as it's too slow.
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I hadn’t looked at it that way. 25 km/h is essentially my cruising speed here in Virginia. Not much effort required. The 45 km/h assist limit on cycling trails here in the USA does make more sense since most local road bike riders appear to easily ride at least that fast. I’m only faster up hill. Sometimes. For me, my Vado SL is plenty fast.
 
ronaan said:
I think it‘s situational. The 20km ride to work yesterday, I used 17% battery. Motor was off for 78% of the time. The way home has more uphill, but I had strong headwind too, so that used 52% battery. Usually it only takes 25% but I needed the full assist (70% of the ride) to beat the wind and have some legs left for the ascent (towards the end of a 20km ride).

On other days (with no wind) it‘s easy to hit 30km/h in both directions.
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Maybe you're right and I'm too impatient. If I ride my Vado SL for a longer period and in different areas there my apperar more use cases or situations where it's great.
On the other hand, as my allday bike it has to serve me mostly in our (flat) area here. And with the Creo I never had the "25km/h wall problem" in more than two years, no matter if it's flat or hilly, head or tail winds.

So you're as well under the 25km/h limit?
 
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