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

[Rás Cnoic]

Decided to look up what Amflows sales for 25 internationally were like, given it was launched in Europe last summer (24) but low and behold the wonderful dysfunctional bike industry does not issue annual sales lists, unlike the car industry say, preferring to keep things tight lipped (its such a paranoid jittery basket case of an industry as the last few boom to bust cycles have shown) so you can't tell how big the Amflow/Dji actual inroads to the industry has been. But certainly in UK, it's the bike & motor system that's been getting all the press. I'd love to actually know if it translates to sales, or is a nice journey type bubble with most EMTBs still being Giant, Trek Spesh etc.

or is a nice journey type

Groan - niche, journo, type bubble.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Wait, are you saying that narrow thinking in rigid categories doesn't actually get the job done? Some of our members will be very disappointed.

There was a GCN Tech video recently. Two guys started in a Cyclocross race and they had to share a CX as well as a gravel bike. Turned out, changing to the gravel bike made one of the guys lose the race he could have won. Every tool has its purpose.

 

[stompandgo]

Decided to look up what Amflows sales for 25 internationally were like, given it was launched in Europe last summer (24) but low and behold the wonderful dysfunctional bike industry does not issue annual sales lists, unlike the car industry say, preferring to keep things tight lipped (its such a paranoid jittery basket case of an industry as the last few boom to bust cycles have shown) so you can't tell how big the Amflow/Dji actual inroads to the industry has been. But certainly in UK, it's the bike & motor system that's been getting all the press. I'd love to actually know if it translates to sales, or is a nice journey type bubble with most EMTBs still being Giant, Trek Spesh etc.

Admittedly, our market is skewed towards the high end, where a lot of customers just want what they want or what they perceive, or are told, is best for them. The three main competitors to AMFLOW that we sell are Orbea, Mondraker, and Cannondale. Many of the owners of these bikes want a DJI bike ASAP.

Another niche market that we cater to is E-MTB racing. We have a shop sponsored team that race all over New England. Two of the riders are really good. One is on a Moterra, and the other is on a Levo (Specialized forum reference ). They are racing against two AMFLOW bikes and cannot beat them. They take 3rd and 5th, or 3rd and 4th, at every race. They can hang with them on the flats and on rolling terrain, but when there's a sustained climb, the AMFLOW guys hit the button and the race is over.

 

[BioWheel]

It would be wildly impractical to design and mfr a bike with batteries stuck all over the place along with the wiring, charging control logic, etc. that goes along with them, not to mention how you'd get to the inside of places like the top tube for service.

Maybe but I was at a bike dealer recently and frames now have small compartments near the motor or even in the top and bottom tubes built in. And batteries don't need that much service. Mine has never been removed and bike has 13000m.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Maybe but I was at a bike dealer recently and frames now have small compartments near the motor or even in the top and bottom tubes built in. And batteries don't need that much service. Mine has never been removed and bike has 13000m.

Any battery has its end of service. It must be removed and properly disposed.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Levo

Gen 4?

 

[stompandgo]

Gen 4?

Unknown. I'll check. The next meeting is in January.

 

[BioWheel]

What I wanted to say was @BioWheel's wish for a possibly lightweight low power XC e-bike could be just satified with a carbon Levo SL Yes, the rear suspension/big fork add to the weight same as big tyres.
I had an opportunity to demo ride an alloy Levo SL and was disappointed. Singletrack? Sand? Yes, yes, yes! Pavement? Deadly slow. I could ride a way more efficiently on my Vado SL!

Vado SL Gen 1 was one of its kind and it wouldn't return. The Pinarello Stomp rides could be an answer.

I own a Levo SL and it's big and heavy compared to Vado. Love it but not a road bike.

What I wanted to say was @BioWheel's wish for a possibly lightweight low power XC e-bike could be just satified with a carbon Levo SL Yes, the rear suspension/big fork add to the weight same as big tyres.
I had an opportunity to demo ride an alloy Levo SL and was disappointed. Singletrack? Sand? Yes, yes, yes! Pavement? Deadly slow. I could ride a way more efficiently on my Vado SL!

Vado SL Gen 1 was one of its kind and it wouldn't return. The Pinarello Stomp rides could be an answer.

I own a Levo SL and it's not a road machine - hardly. And agree with your fork comment - I don't like the weight in the front. With the Epic Specy though - they use a light fork in the front and back with a lot less travel than say, a levo. But it still could function in some more difficult MTB terrain than the setup on my current Vado SL. And - be sub 30lb easily. But the Levo - it's just a big bike and not for lightly tooling around imo.

 

[Nubnub]

I own a Levo SL and it's big and heavy compared to Vado. Love it but not a road bike.


I own a Levo SL and it's not a road machine - hardly. And agree with your fork comment - I don't like the weight in the front. With the Epic Specy though - they use a light fork in the front and back with a lot less travel than say, a levo. But it still could function in some more difficult MTB terrain than the setup on my current Vado SL. And - be sub 30lb easily. But the Levo - it's just a big bike and not for lightly tooling around imo.

I had a Levo SL as well and agree it is much more unwieldly than the Vado SL - tho more trail capable. I switched to the original Tero which is also heavier but has the much more powerful motor - which I would rather have if a bike is gonna be big and heavy. My dream bike would be a hardtail version of the Amflow with gravel wheels/tires. Would easily get it down to the 30's lb range and with enough $$$ probably sub/low 30's. DJI is expert at batteries/motors so I would expect if such a bike is ever offered, it will come with their motor/battery.

 

[Rás Cnoic]

I had a Levo SL as well and agree it is much more unwieldly than the Vado SL - tho more trail capable. I switched to the original Tero which is also heavier but has the much more powerful motor - which I would rather have if a bike is gonna be big and heavy. My dream bike would be a hardtail version of the Amflow with gravel wheels/tires. Would easily get it down to the 30's lb range and with enough $$$ probably sub/low 30's. DJI is expert at batteries/motors so I would expect if such a bike is ever offered, it will come with their motor/battery.

Well there's this Kiwi Avinox equipped gravel bike that came out last year & got some good reviews. Bound to more like this in '26.