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

[2wheelsgood]

So cylinder had gone in the rear brake lever. Not worth fixng as the labour cost could approach replacement cost. Pads were low as well. The staff in the new bike shop were super enthusiastic and gave it a pretty full inspection on the spot. Chain needs replacing and as it is due a service I got it booked in.

The guys also suggested the exact same rotor upgrade as Stefan mentioned a page or two ago. When I mentioned I was never impressed with the brake lever action on the Tektros they directed me to a Cube which had Shimano BL-M8100 XT fitted and after a little go on them I was convinced to go with those with M8110-XT 2 pot callipers and the cool looking Ice rotors.

Truth is, I think I am much harder on my brakes than I probably realised as I often use the bike for speed workouts which often calls for full on brake workouts as well.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

A bucket of bolts no more!
Recently reported a horrid clatter coming from my SL. Thought for sure it was from the motor, but no — it was a dry freehub!

My mechanic cleaned and lubed it up, and now the noise is gone without a trace. Guessing an assembly error that took 2100 mi to show up. Fortunately, no damage done.

The lesson: It can be really hard to tell where bad noises that only occur while riding are actually coming from. These are noises that for one reason or another cannot be reproduced on a work stand. In this case, the threshold pedal force was just too high.

I'm a mechanically minded guy and a careful observer by training. I worked hard to pinpoint the source of this noise.

Paid very close attention to what the rhythm did and didn't sync with. Rode 2-3 miles of neighborhood laps trying (a) to triangulate it from the saddle, and (b) to see what triggered it, what made it better or worse, and what made it go away. Sounded like it was coming from the motor area every time. Besides, what else could make such a sound?

And after all that, I still got it dead wrong! Had a similar experience when my hub-drive's bottom bracket bearings wore out.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

So cylinder had gone in the rear brake lever. Not worth fixng as the labour cost could approach replacement cost. Pads were low as well. The staff in the new bike shop were super enthusiastic and gave it a pretty full inspection on the spot. Chain needs replacing and as it is due a service I got it booked in.

The guys also suggested the exact same rotor upgrade as Stefan mentioned a page or two ago. When I mentioned I was never impressed with the brake lever action on the Tektros they directed me to a Cube which had Shimano BL-M8100 XT fitted and after a little go on them I was convinced to go with those with M8110-XT 2 pot callipers and the cool looking Ice rotors.

Truth is, I think I am much harder on my brakes than I probably realised as I often use the bike for speed workouts which often calls for full on brake workouts as well.

It's good to hear all ended well. Nobody would throw stones at the Deore XT class brakes, and the Ice Tech rotors certainly look beautifully! A nice upgrade indeed. I assume it was expensive, including labour?

The lesson: It can be really hard to tell where bad noises that only occur while riding are actually coming from. These are noises that for one reason or another cannot be reproduced on a work stand. In this case, the threshold pedal force was just too high.

True. I recently described an unpleasant squeaking noise that I thought was coming from the front of my Vado SL. In fact, it was caused by dry suspension seat-post internals! (Sometimes, bad noise can be caused by something banal). Good Jeremy the noise cause was identified and fixed!

It was when I was a freshman on my Giant Trance E+. Once, I was on a forest ride and emerged onto a sand road at the woods edge. I was just thinking 'e-bike motors do certainly break; I wonder when it happens to mine?' when I heard a terrible noise, for sure from the bottom bracket area. Oh no!

It was a dirt motorbike roaring behind the trees

 

[GAJ]

A bucket of bolts no more!
Recently reported a horrid clatter coming from my SL. Thought for sure it was from the motor, but no — it was a dry freebody!

What is a Dry Freebody?

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Sorry, meant freehub. Apparently, not much lube found on the pawls in the ratchet mechanism in my rear hub.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

A freehub body to be precise

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Or,
when you are sure the replacement of your M5100 derailleur pulleys after 15 months and 4,400 km post the new drivetrain installation is necessary. You have bought a new pulley set and diligently work on the replacement. Meanwhile, small parts constantly fall onto the floor, so you have to search them using a torch/flashlight. Eventually, you discover the old pulleys are not worn at all, so you only clean them, and your hands become black

 

[2wheelsgood]

It's good to hear all ended well. Nobody would throw stones at the Deore XT class brakes, and the Ice Tech rotors certainly look beautifully! A nice upgrade indeed. I assume it was expensive, including labour?

It certainly wasn't cheap! along with the full service, labour, new chain, full brake set etc it came to nearly 500 british pounds.

Quick turnaround, they phoned this morning to say all parts are in and I could get it done by the end of the day - I was down there in 20mins. More money than I expected (isn't it always these days?) but I am quite impressed by the result, my index fingers naturally curl around the levers now and a gentle squeeze offers great control of stopping the bike. I am sure they will get better as well when they are bedded in.

It also seems the guy who fitted my AXS upgrade last year did not really know what he was doing and the gear changes now are much smoother and more positive.

Annoyingly the saddle height and angle had been adjusted. it took me ages to get that just right for me so I will have to go through that process again but I guess on a full service they have to check it.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Annoyingly the saddle height and angle had been adjusted. it took me ages to get that just right for me so I will have to go through that process again but I guess on a full service they have to check it.

Glad you have your bike back! Losing a hard-fought seat adjustment is a terrible thing.

But what can you do? It's a violation of the Law of the Conservation of Aggravation for everything to go right. And you don't get to pick what goes wrong.
;^}

 

[Stefan Mikes]

It certainly wasn't cheap! along with the full service, labour, new chain, full brake set etc it came to nearly 500 british pounds.

Quick turnaround, they phoned this morning to say all parts are in and I could get it done by the end of the day - I was down there in 20mins. More money than I expected (isn't it always these days?) but I am quite impressed by the result, my index fingers naturally curl around the levers now and a gentle squeeze offers great control of stopping the bike. I am sure they will get better as well when they are bedded in.

The single brake assembly is at least 100 quids (or more). The Ice Tech rotors are not cheap either! I think the shop has charged a lot for labour, as they had to route new hydraulic lines inside the frame, and that's a lot of work. Well, the brakes you ordered are high end, and I am not surprised you can brake easily with one finger Only exercise care and never pull the levers too strongly! (Sure the brake pads require bedding in).

It also seems the guy who fitted my AXS upgrade last year did not really know what he was doing and the gear changes now are much smoother and more positive.

Brilliant! This is what you paid for! My experience with the AXS is you even do not know when the shift has occurred, such good the drivetrain is!

Annoyingly the saddle height and angle had been adjusted. it took me ages to get that just right for me so I will have to go through that process again but I guess on a full service they have to check it.

I put notes (at least mental) for that. I measure the distance between the centre of the motor spindle to the top edge of the saddle along the seat post (70 cm), the distance between the tip of the saddle nose to the steering tube centre (44 cm), and I always set the saddle angle at 0 deg using the Bubble Level app in my smartphone.

 

[2wheelsgood]

Oh one other thing that was a surprise was that they put a watch notice on the Pathfinder Pro tires, I have only had them 10 months!

Tread is fine but they said they were showing signs of decaying sidewalls