stompandgo
Well-Known Member
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- USA
I'm not saying that he should get the Mt5's, just that I love them. And no stoppies for me so far, just smooth, fast, predictable braking.
Specialized Turbo Vado SL: An Incredible E-Bike (User Club)
- Thread starter Stefan Mikes
- Start date
2wheelsgood
Active Member
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- United Kingdom
I don't really like mountain bikes. Too soft, slow and heavy for me. And any track that a hybrid would struggle with would have no interest for me, I would find a more pleasant route. 
Maybe my Tektros are just setup wrong as they have never been particularly good.
I am due an annual service so I will certainly upgrade the front rotor and perhaps the brake pads as well.
Maybe my Tektros are just setup wrong as they have never been particularly good.
I am due an annual service so I will certainly upgrade the front rotor and perhaps the brake pads as well.
GAJ
Active Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Santa Rosa, CA
Some folks love to modify their cars, motorcycles etc.
Other than suspension, and I have spent four gran on a suspension for my road Mazda Miata I bought in 1994, and my motorcycle has Race Tech cartridge emulators on the front forks but that is pretty much it.
I don't see any mods needed to the SL1 to be honest though I see folks doing them all the time.
I added a kickstand, inclinometer, bottle cage, kickstand, Foldylock and that's it.
I could see how a heavier than 200lb person could want better brakes on 20 percent grade descents or even a suspension upgrade/addition for bumpy roads though.
Other than suspension, and I have spent four gran on a suspension for my road Mazda Miata I bought in 1994, and my motorcycle has Race Tech cartridge emulators on the front forks but that is pretty much it.
I don't see any mods needed to the SL1 to be honest though I see folks doing them all the time.
I added a kickstand, inclinometer, bottle cage, kickstand, Foldylock and that's it.
I could see how a heavier than 200lb person could want better brakes on 20 percent grade descents or even a suspension upgrade/addition for bumpy roads though.
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
The same as II don't really like mountain bikes. Too soft, slow and heavy for me. And any track that a hybrid would struggle with would have no interest for me, I would find a more pleasant route.
The fact is these have extreme brakes as the downhill riding conditions are extreme. However, these can be even dangerous on paved surfaces. It was me and several other people that crashed with the 203 mm brake rotors in the city because these brakes do stop the e-bike instantly instead of slowing it down first if you pull the brake lever too hard. All these situations happened at low speed and trust me: the zero speed crash hurts the most Once, I rented a Levo SL with 203 mm brakes for a demo ride. It was all fine off-road. However, we rode onto a street and my friend in the front of me got an idea to stop (to manipulate his Go Pro). As I was just behind him, I pulled the brake levers. The suspension fork collapsed, and I flew over the bars in the most picturesque way
My luck was it was a pretty long flight so I had time to rotate my body mid-air to fall onto my back and helmet No injuries!Perhaps. With the almost ordinary RT-64, my braking action improved (but the original Tektro rotor might have been somewhat worn since). I also use organic Swiss Stop Disc 34E brake pads (these require a single longer ride with some braking to bed in).
My Tektros are cheaper than yours (HD-RD290) but these have saved myself as well as many kids and animals since
Just recently, I had a descent on asphalt at speed of 61.8 km/h and could slow down easily. There were even steeper descents where I had to brake to slow down during the ride and dramatically slow down at the dead-end. No issues! (I'm a heavy person and always carry a heavy pannier).Certainly. Your brake pads could be severely worn. The brake calipers might not be centred. And who knows in what shape the rotors are?
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2wheelsgood
Active Member
- Region
- United Kingdom
I am a bit different to most I guess. I like to make improvements but nothing that weighs the bike down by much. I have changed the saddle, the pedals, added a lightweight rear mud guard, upgraded to 42mm Pathfinder Pro tubeless (easily the best upgrade!) and upgraded to SRAM AXS (still not convinced this one was worth the money)
As to the brakes, I am only 80kg and I have nearly been caught out on the flat a few times in recent months where I assumed I had plenty of time to stop and the bike just kept moving forward - clearly something is not right. There is a new bike shop in town so I will go check them out and have a chat.
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
I won't throw stones at you
My mods on Vado SL involved a rebuild from the EQ version to non-EQ, converting the e-bike for gravel cycling, and then adding better (temporary) equipment I was shortly thinking of AXS but decided my 38T 11-51T 11-speed customised M5100 mechanical drivetrain was practical and inexpensive (AXS would hardly contribute with anything better).
You are a way more lightweight than I am. Your descriptions tells me your brakes are in a poor shape. Just recently, a little doggie jumped in the front of my wheel (I rode at a slow speed) and the Tektros stopped the bike immediately. Please treat the brake overhaul/repair as top priority!
To cheer you up: In previous years, my brother was trying the TRP brakes on my big Vado whenever we met and cheerfully declared: "You have no brakes"
Indeed, the brake pads on my heavy Vado need to be regularly replaced. However the brake pads replacement on Vado SL only happened three times in four years or 10,000 miles! (No significant hills around though). TRP is the racing division of Tektro with presumably premium brakes.
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Not completely true Stefan. I know you live in a flat region. Braking on steep hills is completely different and there are plenty of 160 or 140 flat mount adapters to 180mm rotors. Bike packing or traditional touring on hills for example, the 160 rotor is not enough with a heavily laden bike and prone to overheating and damaging the pads.The same as I
Once, I rented a Levo SL with 203 mm brakes for a demo ride. It was all fine off-road. However, we rode onto a street and my friend in the front of me got an idea to stop (to manipulate his Go Pro). As I was just behind him, I pulled the brake levers. The suspension fork collapsed, and I flew over the bars in the most picturesque way
Perhaps. With the almost ordinary RT-64, my braking action improved (but the original Tektro rotor might have been somewhat worn since). I also use organic Swiss Stop Disc 34E brake pads (these require a single longer ride with some braking to bed in).
My Tektros are cheaper than yours (HD-RD290) but these have saved myself as well as many kids and animals since
Certainly. Your brake pads could be severely worn. The brake calipers might not be centred. And who knows in what shape the rotors are?
I get through pads 3 times a year depending on amount of riding and have been looking into adding an adapter to help with braking on steep hills. And it's not just they are steep- narrow cracked pavement roads are frequently twisting so going downhill a 20% hill with many blind corners you have to sit on the brakes to stop the build of of momentum on the Vado SL, releasing when you can to prevent overheating. A normal 20 mile loop around here will have 3 or 4 such hills and 2 to 3000 feet of climbing & descending. It takes a toll on the brakes.
My new Cairn bike with 180mm rotors and Tektro HD-M275 calipers has been a revelation on these same steep descents. Stopping or slowing beautifully with much less pressure & no danger of going over the bars. And in MTB terms these 2 piston Tektro brakes are just considered average compared to 4 pot XT or Magura for example. Lot to be said for bigger rotors.
Here's one of many Youtube vids showing how to install an adapter. XLC make one for under ten quid; XLC X107 front & X106 rear mount.
GAJ
Active Member
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- USA
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- Santa Rosa, CA
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
Disputable. I do agree brake pads wear faster in the hilly area, I also do agree it is possible to install an adapter and a larger rotor for Flat Mount brakes. However, it is not true I only ride in a flat area because I sometimes travel around Poland. I found no issues with braking on a -17.1% descent recently, and I + my Vado SL + pannier/rucksack weighed 128 kg together; I didn't miss the stopping power with my Tektros.
3th May 2025, Land of Lublin.
Roadies usually have 140 mm rotors on their racing machines, and they do not avoid even high mountains. (They and their bikes are lightweight though). My Vado 6.0 has 180 mm rotors and Post Mount TRP 4-piston brakes but the e-bike is 10 kg heavier than my Vado SL, and Vado 6.0 is a 45 km/h e-bike. It does not need anything bigger, and trust me I rode it fully equipped in high mountains.
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
Post Mount. That's why it has 4 pistons and 180 mm rotors. Have you thought a little before you wrote that sentence, Ras?
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
An interesting country, the Netherlands, high mountains et al
stompandgo
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
Is that an ABS controller?
Base
Bike nerd
- Region
- Europe
- City
- in the exact center of the Netherlands
FM adapter from stock to 180 rotor size.
Like with any discbrake mounting system there are adapters to use different sizes of rotors (as long as the fork/stay has room and the manufacturor gives clearance for the rotor size depending on the strength).
And indeed, even for the Kleinmount (the former flatmount standard) are til today different sources who create different sizes adapters.
Like with any discbrake mounting system there are adapters to use different sizes of rotors (as long as the fork/stay has room and the manufacturor gives clearance for the rotor size depending on the strength).
And indeed, even for the Kleinmount (the former flatmount standard) are til today different sources who create different sizes adapters.
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
No rotor size helps if the brake pads are ruined A bigger rotor doesn't add two more pistons, either.
A bigger rotor doesn't add two more pistons, either.Eh? I know it's post mount. I own the bike!!
What has that got to do with the price of chips?
The Tektro HD-M275 are 2 pot not 4. Also maybe lay off the emoji use, makes you look terribly passive aggressive.No rotor size helps if the brake pads are ruined
Base
Bike nerd
- Region
- Europe
- City
- in the exact center of the Netherlands
Sure, bigger is not always better. A correctly moubnted set with the brake pads for that siutation and propperly bed-in brakes is equally important as the material itself. I could say that the combo of good pads with a quality rotor and correct setup and correct bed-in procedure does create the difference between a failed ENxxxx test and a propper braking brakes which get a very good result at the test center (bot Hanse control and EFBE) with the same brake system (calliper/levers etc).
Biggest advantage of a bigger rotor size is that when the system is correclty set-up the modulation wil be better, so if the bite point of the brake is clear you can brake in a more predictable way and with more trust since you could have more margin.
And indeed, I ride 160 rotors on my e-bikes, and for certain situations I choose a faster wairing brake pad for more control.
Biggest advantage of a bigger rotor size is that when the system is correclty set-up the modulation wil be better, so if the bite point of the brake is clear you can brake in a more predictable way and with more trust since you could have more margin.
And indeed, I ride 160 rotors on my e-bikes, and for certain situations I choose a faster wairing brake pad for more control.
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
A post mount brake can hold 4 pistons. It is a pity yours has only two, because this brake could serve you better:
TRP Slate EVO
As the Post Mount brakes are bigger (and heavier), they are naturally suited for bigger rotors. I uphold my statement the HD-R510 or even my HD-R290 with a 160 mm rotor are totally adequate for a lightweight e-bike such as Vado SL unless someone lives in high mountains.
I also said @2wheelsgood should first service his HD-R510s (because I think his brake pads are ruined) instead of thinking of installing "something better". Tektro brakes used on Vado SL are just excellent.
If you cycle all the time in steep hills then brakes become v important - obviously. For 4 years+ I've used the stock brakes on my Vado SL. They've been ok. They stop me when I need to. But there are better brakes out there. Tektro as a brand are ok, again no real issue with the brand but there are better brands out there. And as Base says a larger rotor means more modulation- on steep hills that is v important as the R290s can lock up too easily on the steep stuff which is not great a feeling at all. I get much better modulation with the Tektro HD-M275 & the 180 rotors on my Brave. This was a revelation. Bike weighs about just 6 pounds more than the Vado SL (approx 43lbs) so not as much as a 50lbs full sus emtb for instance. But the M275s feel much better. Which was my point & why I am exploring alternatives for the Vado SL once I discovered this. Better modulation and as a by product, longer lasting pads.
Just because you ride the odd hill once every few months is not the same as daily hill riding & the wear your pads endure on those steep descents.
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