I’ve had my Vado SL2 for a couple of weeks now and have ridden about 133 miles on the same routes I’d ridden my SL1. So far, I’m very impressed with the improvements and capabilities of the new model.
First of all, the obvious: The new bike is bulkier and heavier, but surprisingly, the geometry fits my body better — it seems to have a slightly lower standover height, and it clears my crotch better.
Future Shock in the default configuration seems to do a better job absorbing bumps better than the ShockStop I’d been using. Adding the effects of the wide 47mm tires and the bike is much more comfortable to ride. As Stefan has pointed out, the riding position is more upright than the SL1. Not a lot, but definitely more upright. That said, a more aggressive position is also comfortable.
The other obvious question is how much more powerful is the new bike? It’s taken a few rides to validate the performance settings and different drivetrain. (More on the drivetrain later.) On my first ride around the block, it was obvious that the motor was more powerful. As always with
Specialized, the assist is subtle, but the bike definitely had more zip. I let a neighbor take a ride, and he said it best, “so smooth! Better than any other e-bike” he’d ridden.
On my first serious ride, the bike was quick, but it felt like the wheels were sticking to the road. Pedaling required more effort than I expected. I’d set the tire pressure to 36 psi based on a chart in the Spec literature. I checked recommendations on ebikepsi.com, and it recommended 42 psi, which was close to another forum member’s experience. My floor pump’s analog gauge isn’t precise enough to differentiate psi that closely, so I pumped to between 40 and 45. Close enough.
The subsequent rides felt much better. That small 5 or 6 psi change made a big difference.(It was a 15% change after all.) These rides were terrific. I could ride hard or easily, and it’s always felt great. My speeds were higher than they’d been for a few years, though the difference is only a couple of mph. The extra power didn’t really make me faster, but I found that the real difference was riding ease. I was able to ride further than I had been riding recently with much less physical stress. (I share my rides in the EBR Strava Group if you’re intereste.)
The better riding experience can’t be attributed only to the motor. The Cues 11-speed drivetrain has definitely added to the experience. The slightly different ratio gaps have fit my routes and riding style better than the Deore 10 speeds on my SL1. Shifting is also much smoother, especially when downshifting. Downshifting on the SL1 often took a strong thumb. Not on the SL2. That said, the Cues shifter feels and sounds weird. Shifts click, sound like, and feel cheap. It works well but doesn’t feel premium. Not a big deal, and if I get really annoyed, I know Shimano has one or two better shifters that will work.
I do have a minor pet peeve. The new bike has a MIK bike rack. My issue is I’d put a MTK adapter on my original bike so I could use my MTK trunk bag. I had to buy a new MIK bag. As I said, minor.
My new
Specialized Turbo Vado SL2 Model 5 is a fantastic bike. A significant improvement over its predecessor, itself a terrific bike. I’m glad I traded my old one in and hope to get many years out of it.
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