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

[rochrunner]

Let me tell you a story @fatshark.

However, my Vado SL has a modified gearing without the granny gear, so the low gear is 44-36T.

Only 36T on the rear? My 5.0 is 44-50 in its lowest gear, which is more than I'd need on anything around here if I were pedaling with zero assist (Hmm...I might have to verify that).

 

[fatshark]

Mine is 44-50T on my SL 5.0 EQ and I've used it and the 42T neighbour, but don't think I've touched the 11T and 13T on the other side of the block. I'm just playing around on gear-calculator.com to see what size chainring gets me the most sprockets in the middle of the block around my average speed. Not sure if there's a more scientific way to work it out ...

 

[ronaan]

that’s a pretty big jump; but with 38 up front and 10-45 in back you’d have some pretty serious climbing ability! i’d go 40t to keep the top end above 4.0:1 but it really depends how much you see super steep grades like that. i do a bit of gravel / off road on my creo SL (very similar to your vado) and 20% is just about my limit.

I don't think I've seen a 40t chainring around, I'd like to not buy some noname stuff and ruin the chain or something, and the often referenced RaceFace chainrings only go up to 38 it seems so I picked that.

 

[fatshark]

Not sure where in Europe you are @ronaan but I think there are a couple of places in the UK listing 40T chainrings ... for example singletrackbikes.

 

[kahn]

You're a roadie by heart...

I have done some mtn biking including Moab and gravel riding on old forest service roads (on both my mtn bike and my road bike with shinny tires). I'm now mostly a pavement kind of old fart!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I don't think I've seen a 40t chainring around, I'd like to not buy some noname stuff and ruin the chain or something, and the often referenced RaceFace chainrings only go up to 38 it seems so I picked that.

Look up the brand name of Garbaruk. They make everything, and at high quality. In the EU.

104 BCD Round

Compatible with all 9,10,11-speed chains, 12-speed SRAM MTB (Eagle&T-Type), KMC, Shimano HG+ chains

garbaruk.com

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I have done some mtn biking including Moab and gravel riding on old forest service roads (on both my mtn bike and my road bike with shinny tires). I'm now mostly a pavement kind of old fart!

"Too warm, too cold, too wet, too windy" is a Roadie Mantra That's because of the specific dress code of roadies

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Only 36T on the rear? My 5.0 is 44-50 in its lowest gear, which is more than I'd need on anything around here if I were pedaling with zero assist (Hmm...I might have to verify that).

Doug:
That was a very well thought modification, for which I got advice from several EBR members including @TS25 in Germany.
The standard cassette on Vado SL 4.0 EQ was (if I can remember correctly) a 42-11T (10-speed) one. That cassette had big jumps in gearing for higher gears. It made me irritated as I could not maintain a constant cadence on my rides (I was spinning in one gear and mashing in the next).

At that time, I asked other users if I should replace my drivetrain with the 11-speed one. And the talk was:

-- Is your aim Stefan a possibly smooth gearing ratio spread? Can you surrender the granny gear?
-- Exactly!
-- Replace the cassette. Use the Shimano CS-M770 (Deore XT), which is 11-36T, no granny gear. It has a very smooth gearing ratio spread for high gears.

And that's what I did and am happy!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Installing Pathfinder Pro Tyres Has Changed My Vado SL Totally

Since not everyone of you is watching the David Berry's thread, let me tell you what happened yesterday.

I wanted to ride for ice-cream to an excellent cafe "nearby" (the round trip is 42 km). There was a 22 km/h headwind on the outbound trip (I believe it was far stronger than that!). I used 100/100% SL Turbo mode for the whole trip. I was pedalling as hard as I could. The shortest distance to the cafe was 18 km, and I completed it in 45 minutes with average speed of 24 km/h (mind you, upwind!).

I decided to beat some Strava E-Bike Segments on my way back with the tailwind as my ally. That made the return trip distance of 24.4 km. On a 7 km Strava Segment, I achieved max speed of 46.8 km/h (29.0 mph!) and the average speed of 38.1 km/h (23.7 mph). On another 4.6 km segment, my average speed was 39.1 km/h (24.3 mph). My own input averaged at 127-129 W only (meaning, I never maxed the motor out on the attempt!) Both segments were totally flat.

I attest I have never been able to achieve such high speed on another tyre make/model. (The Pathfinder Pros were at 4.5 bar inflation pressure).

Let me give a comparison between the performance of two similar rides on two different tyre sets. Almost the same distance. Flat terrain. 100% Turbo mode. The intention to complete the ride as fast as possible. In both cases, it was a loop ride with the wind effect cancelled by the loop.

What could improve the average speed that much if not the tyres?

 

[fatshark]

You need to do a control that involves NOT eating the ice cream

 

[Stefan Mikes]

You need to do a control that involves NOT eating the ice cream

Makes big sense. Who knows what they added to the ice cream?!

 

[kahn]

"Too warm, too cold, too wet, too windy" is a Roadie Mantra That's because of the specific dress code of roadies

I still wear my 20 year old, if not more, Performance Yellow Jerseys, both long and short sleeve. Some of my bike shorts are a bit thread bare. You should see me with my Planet Earth booties, the bulging calf look where the batteries for the electric socks fit, and sometimes, leg warmers over the bike tights. No, I'm not the epitome (many years ago, I thought that word was ep-i-toom, not e-pit-o-me) of roadie bike clothes. I made my own wind shirt from dayglow orange ripstop nylon.

But, yes, rain deters me but I do get caught. Snow and ice - only a number of years ago, as a frolic. When one hip has been replaced twice, you become much more cautious.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I still wear my 20 year old, if not more, Performance Yellow Jerseys, both long and short sleeve. Some of my bike shorts are a bit thread bare. You should see me with my Planet Earth booties, the bulging calf look where the batteries for the electric socks fit, and sometimes, leg warmers over the bike tights. No, I'm not the epitome (many years ago, I thought that word was ep-i-toom, not e-pit-o-me) of roadie bike clothes. I made my own wind shirt from dayglow orange ripstop nylon.

But, yes, rain deters me but I do get caught. Snow and ice - only a number of years ago, as a frolic. When one hip has been replaced twice, you become much more cautious.

Forgive me my jests, kahn. I was not serious!

 

[kahn]

Forgive me my jests, kahn. I was not serious!

Oh, I was not offended but was also indicating that I'm old and some of my wardrobe is almost as old but my bike, well, it is a year this month but not old.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Specialized Tools To Determine The Main Battery/Range Extender State of Charge Are Inaccurate. Battery Health Status Is A Lie.

Think of the following scenario:

1. Your TCD reports 150% of the battery charge, and a Wahoo ELEMNT tells you it is 100/100%
2. You have set "Discharge the Range Extender First" in Mission Control.
3. You are riding for two days, only replacing Range Extenders. The main battery status is still 100%.
4. On the evening of the second day, you decide to set off for a very short ride. Suddenly, the main battery is reported by Wahoo as 97% and the RE is at 100%. How come? The main battery should not be used at all! But your TCD tells you the combined battery charge is 150%. How odd.
5. You start re-charging both batteries. This time, you use BLEvo's Battery Monitor...

• The total capacity of your slightly degraded Main Battery (95% health) is 306, not 320 Wh. OK.
• The battery reported as 100% by TCD is actually at 300 Wh. Surprised Wahoo was telling you that out of sudden the Main Battery charge dropped to 97%?

You have totally recharged both batteries. Now, Battery Monitor tells you it is 306/306 Wh (55 recharges), and the Range Extender is 160/160 Wh (3 recharges).
Mission Control confirms there were 55 recharges on the Main Battery but the Battery Health is reported as 100%.

1. Someone of you was surprised the Battery % significantly dropped some time post-ride. Are you surprised now? I don't.
2. Some of you say "I have ridden for 4000 miles and the Battery Health is still 100%". You are being cheated. (The Odometer on my Vado SL tells me 4,200 km have been ridden, and the real Battery Health is 95%)

No wonder why Specialized has encrypted the Bluetooth for MasterMind TCD-W and TCU...

 

[rochrunner]

I have no idea what Stefan is ranting going on about above -- must be some people as concerned about level of battery charge as I am about weight . For the record, I swapped the cheap sidestand from Amazon today for the one from Specialized and saved 0.5oz (14g). At least it looks better -- not as though it's for holding up a motorcycle!

I also installed the range extender that I picked up at the LBS a couple days ago. I was actually surprised that it doesn't feel as heavy as I was expecting. All went smoothly and afterward I played around with the Mastermind TCU and MC. I notice that there doesn't seem to be a way to display the separate levels on the TCU in any standard or custom screen; it just shows the total charge remaining with a max (I assume) of 150%. I think that the older TCU showed the charges separately. So it appears that the only way to check the (nominal) charge levels separately is to look at them with MC -- correct?

The only slightly weird outcome is that I now have three matching bottle cages mounted on the bike so that I can use the RE and still have room for two bottles. But without the RE installed, it looks a bit odd. One reason for my carrying multiple bottles is that my wife's step-thru bike only has room for one smaller-size bottle, so I always carry the spare water for both of us, and now with three cages available much of the time we are definitely going to stay hydrated!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I have no idea what Stefan is ranting going on about above -- must be some people as concerned about level of battery charge as I am about weight .

Doug: Before I had as many as three Range Extenders, it was vital to me to start at 100% of the main battery. Given the assistance ceases to assist at the 5%, it is important whether you start your big ride at 100 or 95% of the battery

I also installed the range extender that I picked up at the LBS a couple days ago. I was actually surprised that it doesn't feel as heavy as I was expecting.

The RE alone is 1 kg (2.2 lb), and the Road SL Cable adds just 100 grams. I'm capable to carry as many as two range extenders in a small backpack with no pain.

I think that the older TCU showed the charges separately.

Not really. Only Wahoo (and perhaps Garmin Edge) can show the levels individually.

A question: What tyres are installed on your SL? If these are not Pathfinder Pro 2Bliss, I recommend an instant swap. It is incredible how low rolling assistance the Pros offer! And the tyres are so suple! @Roaming50 (who rides a Creo) is of the same opinion. Besides, a tubeless conversion saves the weight!

 

[mschwett]

Installing Pathfinder Pro Tyres Has Changed My Vado SL Totally

Since not everyone of you is watching the David Berry's thread, let me tell you what happened yesterday.

I wanted to ride for ice-cream to an excellent cafe "nearby" (the round trip is 42 km). There was a 22 km/h headwind on the outbound trip (I believe it was far stronger than that!). I used 100/100% SL Turbo mode for the whole trip. I was pedalling as hard as I could. The shortest distance to the cafe was 18 km, and I completed it in 45 minutes with average speed of 24 km/h (mind you, upwind!).

I decided to beat some Strava E-Bike Segments on my way back with the tailwind as my ally. That made the return trip distance of 24.4 km. On a 7 km Strava Segment, I achieved max speed of 46.8 km/h (29.0 mph!) and the average speed of 38.1 km/h (23.7 mph). On another 4.6 km segment, my average speed was 39.1 km/h (24.3 mph). My own input averaged at 127-129 W only (meaning, I never maxed the motor out on the attempt!) Both segments were totally flat.

I attest I have never been able to achieve such high speed on another tyre make/model. (The Pathfinder Pros were at 4.5 bar inflation pressure).

Let me give a comparison between the performance of two similar rides on two different tyre sets. Almost the same distance. Flat terrain. 100% Turbo mode. The intention to complete the ride as fast as possible. In both cases, it was a loop ride with the wind effect cancelled by the loop.

View attachment 118362

What could improve the average speed that much if not the tyres?

subtlety of the wind conditions, battery consumption, your own energy level or riding position, the distribution of higher and lower speeds... there is simply no way supported by physics that tires (of the same size no less) make a bike 17% faster! winds on loops also don't alway cancel, because it takes so much more power to ride fast than slow, there are crosswind effects, trees or hills or buildings shield the wind from some directions, but not others, etc. you consumed 10% more battery on the faster ride, which probably means you also pedaled slightly harder.

as a reference, the rolling resistance (at 28.8km/h) of the 42-622 pathfinder pro at 36psi documented as 24.1 watts. the worst gravel tire they ever documented at a similar size is at 33.9, and the very very worst mountain bike tire they ever tested was at 38.5. fat bike tires, at 12psi (!) are in the 30-45 watt range per tire.

being very optimistic, the rolling resistance of a pair of nimbus sports might be 25-30 watts more, assuming they're as slow as the worst mountain bike tire BRR has ever tested. might be enough to go from 26 to 28kph. to truly compare, ride the bike in a flat loop a few times with one set, then change them and try it again. the difference in feel might be enormous - i agree that the right tires can TOTALLY transform the feel of a bike! - but the difference in actual performance is much, much less.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

i agree that the right tires can TOTALLY transform the feel of a bike! - but the difference in actual performance is much, much less.

I'm sorry to dissapoint you but I ride my Vado SL every day and I have never been able to achieve such high speeds before The e-bike was like stuck at 25-26 km/h, with the maximum speed of 34 km/h. Now, I ride at 31 km/h easily, and my maximum speed (wind assisted) has been 46.8 km/h (the bike is derestricted). My Vado SL was a snail before...

 

[kahn]

I have no idea what Stefan is ranting going on about above -- must be some people as concerned about level of battery charge as I am about weight . For the record, I swapped the cheap sidestand from Amazon today for the one from Specialized and saved 0.5oz (14g). At least it looks better -- not as though it's for holding up a motorcycle!

I also installed the range extender that I picked up at the LBS a couple days ago. I was actually surprised that it doesn't feel as heavy as I was expecting. All went smoothly and afterward I played around with the Mastermind TCU and MC. I notice that there doesn't seem to be a way to display the separate levels on the TCU in any standard or custom screen; it just shows the total charge remaining with a max (I assume) of 150%. I think that the older TCU showed the charges separately. So it appears that the only way to check the (nominal) charge levels separately is to look at them with MC -- correct?

The only slightly weird outcome is that I now have three matching bottle cages mounted on the bike so that I can use the RE and still have room for two bottles. But without the RE installed, it looks a bit odd. One reason for my carrying multiple bottles is that my wife's step-thru bike only has room for one smaller-size bottle, so I always carry the spare water for both of us, and now with three cages available much of the time we are definitely going to stay hydrated!

The older display showed the main and range extender as two side-by-side bar graphs of green and blue or blue and green.