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

[Stefan Mikes]

I bought a Lezyne Strip Drive Pro 400+ for my "de-equipped" Vado SL. Now, I start regretting the choice! The tail-light is terribly bright! I intend to use it in the two lowest modes: blinking for the daylight and Economic for the night.

There is an interesting text in the instruction: 'This product must not be sold in Germany'. Guess why. Too bright, not StVZO. I miss my lost Knog Road Blinder R70 so much! The advantage of Lezyne, however, is that its rubber mount is very solid and holds securely!

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

I bought a Lezyne Strip Drive Pro 400+ for my "de-equipped" Vado SL. Now, I start regretting the choice! The tail-light is terribly bright! I intend to use it in the two lowest modes: blinking for the daylight and Economic for the night.

There is an interesting text in the instruction: 'This product must not be sold in Germany'. Guess why. Too bright, not StVZO. I miss my lost Knog Road Blinder R70 so much! The advantage of Lezyne, however, is that its rubber mount is very solid and holds securely!

So a Lezyne Strip Drive Pro 400+ can't be sold in Germany cuz it's too bright, but a Knog Road Blinder's OK?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

So a Lezyne Strip Drive Pro 400+ can't be sold in Germany cuz it's too bright, but a Knog Road Blinder's OK?

The old Road Blinder had the maximum light output of 70 lm, while Lezyne can produce 400 lumens. Actually, the Economic mode on the Lezyne is 80 lumens!
With the Knog, I was using the most delicate flashing mode for daytime, and only two of four LEDs for the night. Lezyne has an array of many LEDs, four of them used for Economic.

 

[JoeDirt]

Well today I got a chance to test ride the new vato SL 6.0 EQ full carbon.
I'm not qualified to give a full review so I will make this short. On flat surface in eco mode starting out and going through all assist levels up to Turbo I was pushing 25 26 mph with a very nice assist. I ran out of my quarter mile so I turned around and started the test over this time feeling the torque assist in each mode shifting into higher years. One thing that I will say this bike feels like riding a regular bicycle the sensors are very smooth in that respect.

I'm not sure if this is the lightest Vado made, but I can pick it up with one hand and easily lift it up sideways.

I will say that the Bosch performance line speed motor for my buck has a little more thrill.

If specialized put the performance line speed in this Frame, the bike it would be stellar and I would definitely spend the $6,500 on it.

Just seemed a little lackluster on the torque curve and it reminded me so much of the Trek Verve + 3 that I returned only lighter.

One last note the cassette is very large designed for serious climbing and that might be where the lightness of the bike excels. Most likely mountainous areas this would be great.

 

[Lee F]

I like the stock pedals. When they eventually kick back there's less pain than the MTB type. Seem to last.

The other day when we stopped at the bike shop I asked the manager about aluminum flat MTB pedals for Debbie's Vado SL and he mentioned with E Bikes it was easy to skin your legs until you got used to them.

 

[BEC111]

I like the stock pedals. When they eventually kick back there's less pain than the MTB type. Seem to last.

I agree. Sort of. When I ride in DC on a day of high tourism - almost any nice day - it is impossible to not have to stop to avoid injuring said tourists. Especially since I’m being a tourist myself.

When I switched from the OEM pedals to Stamps my shins cultivated new scars.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

The other day when we stopped at the bike shop I asked the manager about aluminum flat MTB pedals for Debbie's Vado SL and he mentioned with E Bikes it was easy to skin your legs until you got used to them.

Not just easy to do, but in my case guaranteed. And my shins have the scars to prove it. After 2 years, the pedal spikes still bite me now and then, but WAY less often than at first. Yet I still use them.

With rare exception, all of my pedal bites have come around 2 events — starting off and coming to a stop, especially on uneven ground.

If ebikes really do exacerbate the problem, it might be through their added weight, which makes bike handling in all situations that much clumsier. My 70 lb hub-drive and 38 lb mid-drive have the same spiked MTB pedals. Pedal bites are less frequent on the latter simply because I can pretty much have my way with it.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

If specialized put the performance line speed in this Frame, the bike it would be stellar and I would definitely spend the $6,500 on it.

They wouldn't.
An e-bike with a Bosch Performance Speed motor and an appropriate battery would weigh as much as a regular Vado. You might research the market for an e-bike with a Bosch SX motor and a 400 Wh battery though; such e-bikes exist and are not particularly heavy.

Thank you for your short review!

 

[JoeDirt]

Yeah it's a bummer because I really liked the overall build of the new vado.

I think I've made my choice. I'm going to go with the Dutch bike called gazelle ultimate T10+. It has the Bosch performance speed motor with 80 NM of torque. And all the accrushaments that the Vado sl 2.0 EQ has.
The Vado weighs in at 41 lbs and the gazelle weighs in at 51 lbs. And of course the Vado is exceptionally styled with exceptional componentry. I cant spend $3,200 more for a bike that is not as powerful. But perhaps in a few years they'll up the torque.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

It has the Bosch performance speed motor with 80 NM of torque.

Joe,
I'm talking about VADO 5.0 that has a 90 Nm of torque

Turbo Vado 5.0

Consider Vado your high-performance transportation bike, getting you where you’re going with an unmatched combination of speed, reliability, and confide...

www.specialized.com

You saw and/or rode SL (Super Lightweight) e-bikes. Vado is not Vado SL

 

[JoeDirt]

No I didn't ride that one, I rode the standard Vado photo attached... it had 700c tires. I was not interested in the other turbovado.. one you showed , I don't like the 27.5 wheel set.

The black Vado SL 2.0 EQ shown below's also of the one I rode.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

standard Vado

It is not the standard Vado. It is a Vado SL with 35 Nm 240 W motor.

Vado 5.0 that indeed has 27.5" in wheels is the standard Vado with a 90 Nm 565 W motor and 710Wh battery.

Gazelle Ultimate T10+ has an 85 Nm motor but only a 500 Wh battery.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Really appreciating the ability to carry my 38 lb SL up and down stairs and similar obstructions. My upper body strength isn't what it used to be, so I wouldn't say stairs are easy. But they're easy enough for the SL to boldly go where no 70 lb ebike has gone before.

Case in point: The Alila Marea resort hotel sits atop the bluff at the south end of South Ponto Beach. The stairway below it eventually leads down to the water.

But halfway down is a bluff overlook decorated with an accurate compass rose. Wonderful place to sit/read/take in the scenery/commune with the ocean. Accessible to the SL but not to my 70 lb commuter.

Stairway down from the overlook to beach level. The bike balances nicely on the very aft end of the top tube. I just hold that grip to my right shoulder and use the rail as needed with my free left hand.

Some views from the overlook...

Looking southwest toward Tasmania, some 8,000 mi away. Our biggest summer swell typically comes from big Southern Ocean winter storms in that part of the world.

Looking NNW toward Oceanside and beyond to Saddleback Ridge (1,340 ft) in Camp Pendleton, some 19 mi distant.

Looking ENE to Palomar Mountain (6,142 ft) some 31 mi away. This is the correct name for Mt. Palomar of observatory fame.

Looking east to the Bataquitos Lagoon rail bridge replacement project. That's a mighty big crane.