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

[mfgrep]

Anyone have rusty rotors ? Bit surprised after only 7 months use whereas my Scott rotors are still good after 4 years and similar use ??

No

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Anyone have rusty rotors ?

No... and I'm riding in any conditions!

 

[mschwett]

Anyone have rusty rotors ? Bit surprised after only 7 months use whereas my Scott rotors are still good after 4 years and similar use ??

coastal environment? salty air?

 

[Cary W]

My decision to go tubeless came after I punctured the same tyre three times in a row (I decided something must have been wrong, so I poured a good dose of sealant into the tube, which temporarily helped). Another factor is that tubeless allows me to ride at a lower pressure, which is a good thing in gravel cycling. Last but not least: having both tubeless tyres and rims, I wouldn't hesitate to use them!

P.S. Gravel cyclists who converted to tubeless make funny faces when the group is waiting for the wretches repairing punctured tubed wheels

After a rash of flats I decided to give these (maybe not the exact same brand) a try and I've had good luck with them; knock on wood.

Amazon.com

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Amazon.com

These should not be used as the principal inner tubes. They are meant as a quick replacement tubes in case of puncturing your proper inner tube on a ride. Such lightweight tubes are to be carried "just in case" as they do not make your tool bag heavy.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

After a rash of flats

If your inner tube valve cores are removable, it is a good idea just to pour an amount of a sealant such as Stans into each tube then replacing the valve core. Then spin the wheel or go for a ride to distribute the sealant inside the inner tube.

 

[BioWheel]

After a rash of flats I decided to give these (maybe not the exact same brand) a try and I've had good luck with them; knock on wood.

Amazon.com

i run liners in my tires to prevent flats - extra weight really doesn't matter given e-power. also - if you don't have a flat during a season periodically replace tube anyway becuase after time they can start having leaks at the seams imo

 

[Howie7]

I have had a rather strange message come up on my specialised app following my recent rides. There is a warning triangle and the message reads “we’ve detected inaccuracies in your ride recording data.Tap for more information” when I tap for more information the message is “missing authentication code”.
Does anyone else receive this message or know what this refers to?
Thank you.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I have had a rather strange message come up on my specialised app following my recent rides. There is a warning triangle and the message reads “we’ve detected in actresses in your ride recording data.Tap for more information” when I tap for more information the message is “missing authentication code”.
Does anyone else receive this message or know what this refers to?
Thank you.

Don't worry. Let me tell you what: I use a Wahoo ELEMNT connected to either of my Spec e-bikes and do not care about the Spec App at all...

 

[2wheelsgood]

Hi everybody, new to the forum and having a Vado SL 5.0 delivered this week.

This is my first e-bike and while I am still plenty fit enough to tackle hills I just quite liked the idea of an e-bike this time. 90% of my journeys have been by bike rather than car in the last few years as traffic and parking means it is quicker and much less stressful on two wheels. The addition of a motor will mean I can travel just that little bit further out and perhaps put that percentage up a bit higher.

So I decided to treat myself and quickly applied man maths to move from a 4.0 to a 5.0 as I will no doubt want to upgrade the Pathfinder Sports to a tubeless setup fairly quickly. The Pathfinder Pros in either a 38 or 42 could be an option as I see they get a lot of love on this forum.

One question: I hated the godawful stock pedals when I looked at the bike (I test rode a 4.0) does anyone have a recommendation for decent flat pedals that complement the look of the bike? I am thinking of some DMR V12 pedals but I am open to opinion.

 

[jason.flood]

I have had a rather strange message come up on my specialised app following my recent rides. There is a warning triangle and the message reads “we’ve detected in actresses in your ride recording data.Tap for more information” when I tap for more information the message is “missing authentication code”.
Does anyone else receive this message or know what this refers to?
Thank you.

Since the app is relying on your phones gps, perhaps the app makes a note when the gps accuracy drops - such as when line line of sight to too few satellites reduces the accuracy of the triangulation.
Maybe it’s a newish feature in the app that hasn’t been fully tested yet. I’ve not noticed that same message but I’ll keep an eye out

One way to check could be to open google maps when you see the message and check if your location, indicated by the blue dot is surrounded by a much larger light blue outer circle. This out circle gives an indication of the gps accuracy. You will see the outer circle reduce in size as the gps locks on to more satellites

Turning WiFi and Bluetooth off during this test will also ensure you are only relying on GPS and not assisted GPS

 

[Stefan Mikes]

So I decided to treat myself and quickly applied man maths to move from a 4.0 to a 5.0 as I will no doubt want to upgrade the Pathfinder Sports to a tubeless setup fairly quickly. The Pathfinder Pros in either a 38 or 42 could be an option as I see they get a lot of love on this forum.

I really recommend you try Pathfinder Pro 2Bliss size 700x42 in the tubeless setup if your 4.0 is unequipped. I assume you would mostly be riding paved roads? I keep Pathfinders Pro on my bigger Vado non-SL for a low rolling resistance, suppleness, and silence (a tubed setup). I chose Tracer Pro 42 mm (tubeless) for my Vado SL on purpose, as I'm riding a lot of gravel and dirt, so I need more grip at the cost of the tyre noise on road. However, I really recommend Pathifinders Pro for a more general use. (Tubeless, PPs can be ridden at a reduced pressure, greatly adding to the ride comfort).

One question: I hated the godawful stock pedals when I looked at the bike (I test rode a 4.0) does anyone have a recommendation for decent flat pedals that complement the look of the bike? I am thinking of some DMR V12 pedals but I am open to opinion.

DMR V12 belong to the wide family of "traction pin flat pedals" (made by Race Face and many others). Crankbrothers Stamp 3 Large have been my ultimate selection for several years. I especially like the fact the large pedals allow me for alternating the foot position on long rides. Bear in mind the traction pin pedals need to be (at best) paired with proper shoes, and I have found there's nothing better than Adidas FiveTen Freerider Pro.

 

[2wheelsgood]

I really recommend you try Pathfinder Pro 2Bliss size 700x42 in the tubeless setup if your 4.0 is unequipped. I assume you would mostly be riding paved roads? I keep Pathfinders Pro on my bigger Vado non-SL for a low rolling resistance, suppleness, and silence (a tubed setup). I chose Tracer Pro 42 mm (tubeless) for my Vado SL for purpose, as I'm riding a lot of gravel and dirt, so I need more grip at the cost of the tyre noise on road. However, I really recommend Pathifinders Pro for a more general use.


DMR V12 belong to the wide family of "traction pin flat pedals" (made by Race Face and many others). Crankbrothers Stamp 3 Large have been my ultimate selection for several years. I especially like the fact the large pedals allow me for alternating the foot position on long rides. Bear in mind the traction pin pedals need to be (at best) paired with proper shoes, and I have found there's nothing better than Adidas FiveTen Freerider Pro.

Thanks Stefan

Yes I will be riding mainly roads and the occasional forest path and tracks and canal paths in the summer (when its dry!) I will evaluate the stock tyres when I get the bike (as I write this it is on the delivery truck!) and then most probably order the Pro tubeless 42 after that - road surfaces around here are very poor so I think I will need the bigger size!

I need the pedals to work with everyday footwear so will re-evaluate my choice there as well. Crankbrothers tend to be expensive in the UK though.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Yes I will be riding mainly roads and the occasional forest path and tracks and canal paths in the summer (when its dry!) I will evaluate the stock tyres when I get the bike (as I write this it is on the delivery truck!) and then most probably order the Pro tubeless 42 after that - road surfaces around here are very poor so I think I will need the bigger size!

PPs will absolutely meet your needs, and it is a great pleasure to ride on tubeless 42 mm wheels, reduced pressure. Not that the stock tyres are really bad but if you intend to go tubeless then you are going to have something substantially better?

My choice of Tracers was for riding in the sand... The curse of my province in the Summer!

I need the pedals to work with everyday footwear so will re-evaluate my choice there as well. Crankbrothers tend to be expensive in the UK though.

DMRs look adequate. Only have a look at the price of Crankbrother Stamp 1 Large first. The 1's are made of composite, are less expensive than 3's yet still adequate. There is a safe choice available: RaceFace 'Ride' pedals. The latter have traction areas instead of pins, are OK for regular shoes, and would not hurt your legs! (Traction pin pedals are notorious of hurting shins and calves if the rider has become less careful!)

 

[2wheelsgood]

Got my 5.0 delivered earlier today. First thoughts:

I might have made an expensive mistake. I had a 15 min test ride on a 4.0 two weeks ago and was initially impressed but a couple of hours on my 5.0 today and I am distinctly underwhelmed at present.

Likes:
- I like the way it looks.
- Power is plenty, motor noise is not nearly as annoying as I thought it would be.

Dislikes:
- First and foremost is the saddle, I know saddles are subjective but this one is horrendous for me. my last bike had no suspension at all and I could happily sit on the WTB Volt saddle all day - the seat on the 5.0 was uncomfortable in the first 10 mins. As the rear light is connected to the seat I am not sure how easy this is to change.
- Tyres, I knew these would have to go before I got the bike, the stock ones just do not suit the bike and give it a wooden, uncomfortable ride.
- The GX Eagle 1x12 is supposedly 2 levels above the SRAM Apex 1x11 I had on my last bike but feels cheaper and the gear change is harsh and noisy - this could be setup of course.
- The brakes are also supposedly better than the SRAM Level on my last bike but again feel cheaper in both action and feel.
- The bike feels very heavy and nowhere near as light, fast, supple or enjoyable to ride as my last bike (which although not motorised was a 1/4 of the price and 5 kg lighter)
- Handlebars do not feel like the ones I had on the test ride with the 4.0 - these feel awkwardly wide and also a bit high with too much of an upsweep.
- 28 kph limit really is much too low, so much so that if you live in a relatively flat area then I just cannot see the point of the bike. I can reach that limit in half a dozen rotations on a normal bike and from then there is no assist.
- Bike does not feel well put together and I detect an annoying rattle from somewhere past the limit on the flat, I fully expect this to drive me mad in the next few weeks attempting to locate it.

Reading all that back it sounds like a bit of a vent and I suppose it is at this stage but I will counteract it with the fact that it usually it takes me a while to gel with a bike and a lot of the above is fixable I suspect in one way or another.

I didn't even mention the pedals! what I thought would be an immediate change finds itself a long way down the priority list

 

[jason.flood]

Got my 5.0 delivered earlier today. First thoughts:

I might have made an expensive mistake. I had a 15 min test ride on a 4.0 two weeks ago and was initially impressed but a couple of hours on my 5.0 today and I am distinctly underwhelmed at present.

Likes:
- I like the way it looks.
- Power is plenty, motor noise is not nearly as annoying as I thought it would be.

Dislikes:
- First and foremost is the saddle, I know saddles are subjective but this one is horrendous for me. my last bike had no suspension at all and I could happily sit on the WTB Volt saddle all day - the seat on the 5.0 was uncomfortable in the first 10 mins. As the rear light is connected to the seat I am not sure how easy this is to change.
- Tyres, I knew these would have to go before I got the bike, the stock ones just do not suit the bike and give it a wooden, uncomfortable ride.
- The GX Eagle 1x12 is supposedly 2 levels above the SRAM Apex 1x11 I had on my last bike but feels cheaper and the gear change is harsh and noisy - this could be setup of course.
- The brakes are also supposedly better than the SRAM Level on my last bike but again feel cheaper in both action and feel.
- The bike feels very heavy and nowhere near as light, fast, supple or enjoyable to ride as my last bike (which although not motorised was a 1/4 of the price and 5 kg lighter)
- Handlebars do not feel like the ones I had on the test ride with the 4.0 - these feel awkwardly wide and also a bit high with too much of an upsweep.
- 28 kph limit really is much too low, so much so that if you live in a relatively flat area then I just cannot see the point of the bike. I can reach that limit in half a dozen rotations on a normal bike and from then there is no assist.
- Bike does not feel well put together and I detect an annoying rattle from somewhere past the limit on the flat, I fully expect this to drive me mad in the next few weeks attempting to locate it.

Reading all that back it sounds like a bit of a vent and I suppose it is at this stage but I will counteract it with the fact that it usually it takes me a while to gel with a bike and a lot of the above is fixable I suspect in one way or another.

I didn't even mention the pedals! what I thought would be an immediate change finds itself a long way down the priority list

I can relate to some of your experiences. I got mine 6 months ago and also thought the saddle was awful and the ride harsh. However after a few good rides I soon got used to the saddle and actually find it more comfortable than the one I’ve had on my old bike for 28 years. I would give it some time for you body to get used to it.

I did a 100milr ride at the weekend and was amazed how un-sore my backside was the next day. (I was wearing cycle shorts tho)

The 38mm nimbus tyres on mine also felt really harsh but I dropped the pressure a bit and I find them fine now. Also really fast. I found myself freewheeling past lots of people on road bikes with skinny tyres.

I think your drivechain has not been setup properly. I also have the eagle GX and find it very smooth with incredibly accurate and positive shifting.

If you find the handlebars too high the stem can be flipped upside down really easily and drops the bars by a good amount. I did this last week and it feels much sportier.

If you have euro/uk speed limit bike I would agree that it does not buy you anything on the flat unless you have very weak legs. However if you find yourself on the flat with a syrong headwind - I promise you will appreciate the assistance

I’d give it a bit of time unless you were really under the impression you were getting something like they have in the US which is restricted to a much higher speed limit.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Regarding the Vado 4.0 SL saddle: it is the best I own, only I put a lot of effort to fit the e-bike to my body...

 

[jason.flood]

I also found my back to be quite sore during the first few weeks but again my body just needed to get used to the very different riding position to my old 1990s mountain bike

 

[BioWheel]

Got my 5.0 delivered earlier today. First thoughts:

I might have made an expensive mistake. I had a 15 min test ride on a 4.0 two weeks ago and was initially impressed but a couple of hours on my 5.0 today and I am distinctly underwhelmed at present.

Likes:
- I like the way it looks.
- Power is plenty, motor noise is not nearly as annoying as I thought it would be.

Dislikes:
- First and foremost is the saddle, I know saddles are subjective but this one is horrendous for me. my last bike had no suspension at all and I could happily sit on the WTB Volt saddle all day - the seat on the 5.0 was uncomfortable in the first 10 mins. As the rear light is connected to the seat I am not sure how easy this is to change.
- Tyres, I knew these would have to go before I got the bike, the stock ones just do not suit the bike and give it a wooden, uncomfortable ride.
- The GX Eagle 1x12 is supposedly 2 levels above the SRAM Apex 1x11 I had on my last bike but feels cheaper and the gear change is harsh and noisy - this could be setup of course.
- The brakes are also supposedly better than the SRAM Level on my last bike but again feel cheaper in both action and feel.
- The bike feels very heavy and nowhere near as light, fast, supple or enjoyable to ride as my last bike (which although not motorised was a 1/4 of the price and 5 kg lighter)
- Handlebars do not feel like the ones I had on the test ride with the 4.0 - these feel awkwardly wide and also a bit high with too much of an upsweep.
- 28 kph limit really is much too low, so much so that if you live in a relatively flat area then I just cannot see the point of the bike. I can reach that limit in half a dozen rotations on a normal bike and from then there is no assist.
- Bike does not feel well put together and I detect an annoying rattle from somewhere past the limit on the flat, I fully expect this to drive me mad in the next few weeks attempting to locate it.

Reading all that back it sounds like a bit of a vent and I suppose it is at this stage but I will counteract it with the fact that it usually it takes me a while to gel with a bike and a lot of the above is fixable I suspect in one way or another.

I didn't even mention the pedals! what I thought would be an immediate change finds itself a long way down the priority list

I have nearly 10k miles on my SL4 and except for SRAM (Shimano here) and have had the exact opposite experience than you on every point you make. Really sorry to hear about your mostly bad experience.

I'll be doing a 10k mile review when I hit that number probably next month. I hope you comment

 

[Stefan Mikes]

If you find the handlebars too high the stem can be flipped upside down really easily and drops the bars by a good amount. I did this last week and it feels much sportier.

It is a very correct observation. The bike that is configured for riding upright (which has a lot to do with the bike-fitting) puts most of the rider's weight onto their butt, making the impression of a harsh saddle.

I hate showing pictures of me where you can see how obese I am However, here is the proper riding position on a Vado SL: a great part of the body weight rests on the legs and arms, relieving the butt.

(I was wearing cycle shorts tho)

Padded shorts or bibs indeed help. For me, riding for 120 km (75 mi) in the summer on Vado SL is just a pleasure. I rode my Vado SL for 140 km on Saturday 15th June this year, and never thought of my butt

If you have euro/uk speed limit bike I would agree that it does not buy you anything on the flat unless you have very weak legs. However if you find yourself on the flat with a syrong headwind - I promise you will appreciate the assistance

That is also true. It is possible to hack the e-bike with a mechanical or electronical device. I actually did the electronic hack to discover later I actually did not need doing that. The assistance limited to 25 km/h (15.5 mph) puts the rider in a far better position than your typical traditional cyclist. Now, I even avoid pushing the derestriction button...

Thinking a Vado SL is a 28 mph (45 km/h) e-bike in the U.S. is incorrect. A typical speed achieved on a derestricted Vado SL in Turbo under average conditions can rarely exceed 34 km/h (21 mph), and the battery charge disappears veery quickly then. Vado SL is made to be pedalled, not being a motorcycle.