Specialized Vado 4 or Ride1Up Prodigy V2

[BINY]

Hello EBR!
Hoping the experts in this forum can help break my decision impasse.

I was all set on getting the Ride1Up Prodigy V2 with the belt drive/Enviolo hub. The IGH is my preferred set up, so I wasn't really considering any bikes with derailleurs. But now I find myself seriously questioning if the Specialized Vado 4 sale is too good to pass up.

Both bikes are similarly priced. So the question is whether the Specialized experience (engineering, brand, etc) outweighs the benefits of the belt drive/Enviolo hub. There is also a Specialized store nearby. The specs on the Ride1Up seem good, and reviews seem positive, but it is still a DTC brand and I can't test ride the bike.

Background:
Currently ride a Vanmoof S3. I love this bike and hope to keep it for years to come, but with 4k plus miles and its serviceable future in limbo, I'm looking for a second ebike to take some of the load off the S3. I generally much prefer biking to driving (weather permitting), so almost all non commute trips and errands around town are by bike unless longer distance or I have passengers. I have a 15 mile roundtrip commute to work, and currently bike that 1 to 2 days per week. I'm thinking with a class 3 ebike, I could increase bike commuting to 2 or 3 days per week. I have owned several bikes now with an IGH, and I'm a big fan of that setup for city biking.

Other bikes considered (almost all more expensive):
Priority Current - competitive on price, but prefer the look/specs of the Prodigy V2
Gazelle Ultimate C380+ - perfect accept for price
Gazelle Eclipse C380+ - even more expensive than the Ultimate
Specialized Vado 3.0 IGH - more expensive and not sure class 3 speeds are feasible with the IGH
Specialized Vado 5.0 IGH - even more expensive and not crazy about the AutomatiQ
Serial 1 RUSH/CTY SPEED - more expensive and not crazy about the AutomatiQ

 

[mfgrep]

I can't offer direct comparison but can likely offer some information:

(1) I have been riding a Vado SL 4.0 for the last year. While shopping for a bike for someone else I came upon the current Vado 4.0 sale 10 days ago and I couldn't resist and impulsively purchased one. I only have 60 miles on it thus far but man it is a comfortable, powerful, Cadillac of a bicycle. Super fun. I wasn't planning on the Vado 4.0 (or any new bike for that matter) but at $2750....count me in! It now is outfitted with panniers, a quadlock, and ergon grips....so comfortable and powerful compared to my Vado SL.
(2) IMO the current sale price on the Vado 4.0 is a "steal me" price on a great bike. It is hard to match the quality, brand, features, equipment, power, battery for $2750. Who knows what will happen with the bike market this summer....but it is hard for me to imagine that the Vado 4.0 will go on sale for < $2750 again.
(3) One of my riding buddies has had a Van Moof S3 for a long time. When Van Moof declared bankruptcy my friend immediately decided that he needed another bike in the garage just in case his S3 failed him (which it occasionally did). He asked me to find the bike 'for him' and I immediately directed him to the Vado 5.0 IGH which he promptly purchased on sale for $4K. Coming from the Moof S3 he absolutely LOVES his Vado 5.0 IGH....loves loves loves it. He rides his 5.0 IGH everywhere and hasn't had a problem....and if he did need something sorted....the Specialized dealer is about 5 blocks away (important differentiation from the Moof).
(3a) I have ridden his S3 and imo his Vado 5.0 and my Vado 4.0 are superior in every single way possible. Not to mention the Vado will be FAR more comfortable when compared to the S3...at least for me.

If you are a big fan on the Enviolo hub (IGH) and do not wish to maintain your derailleur and chain.....then you have answered your own question....and you must purchase a bike with IGH. I could not possibly maintain an igh system and as a do-it-yourselfer type vastly prefer a derailleur.
I personally prefer the manual control of the more standard derailleur system...and the full power Vado 4.0 is FAR more forgiving when compared to my Vado SL (by this I mean that the SL requires a lot of shifting up/down to find the sweet spot at any given time while the full power Vado 4.0 more effortlessly powers you so long as you are within 2-3 gears of the ideal gear thus reducing the frequency of shifting).

If you can deal with having a derailleur and money is an object look no further than the Vado 4.0. It seems, however, that you have your heart set on IGH and if so....shifting will be unpleasant for you. For me I would not want the Ride1Up with the Enviolo hub....for many reasons....not the least of which is that you will be unable to get local service on that bike and you are going to require service sooner or later. Right?

 

[Sefutau2020]

Hello EBR!
Hoping the experts in this forum can help break my decision impasse.

I was all set on getting the Ride1Up Prodigy V2 with the belt drive/Enviolo hub. The IGH is my preferred set up, so I wasn't really considering any bikes with derailleurs. But now I find myself seriously questioning if the Specialized Vado 4 sale is too good to pass up.

Both bikes are similarly priced. So the question is whether the Specialized experience (engineering, brand, etc) outweighs the benefits of the belt drive/Enviolo hub. There is also a Specialized store nearby. The specs on the Ride1Up seem good, and reviews seem positive, but it is still a DTC brand and I can't test ride the bike.

Background:
Currently ride a Vanmoof S3. I love this bike and hope to keep it for years to come, but with 4k plus miles and its serviceable future in limbo, I'm looking for a second ebike to take some of the load off the S3. I generally much prefer biking to driving (weather permitting), so almost all non commute trips and errands around town are by bike unless longer distance or I have passengers. I have a 15 mile roundtrip commute to work, and currently bike that 1 to 2 days per week. I'm thinking with a class 3 ebike, I could increase bike commuting to 2 or 3 days per week. I have owned several bikes now with an IGH, and I'm a big fan of that setup for city biking.

Other bikes considered (almost all more expensive):
Priority Current - competitive on price, but prefer the look/specs of the Prodigy V2
Gazelle Ultimate C380+ - perfect accept for price
Gazelle Eclipse C380+ - even more expensive than the Ultimate
Specialized Vado 3.0 IGH - more expensive and not sure class 3 speeds are feasible with the IGH
Specialized Vado 5.0 IGH - even more expensive and not crazy about the AutomatiQ
Serial 1 RUSH/CTY SPEED - more expensive and not crazy about the AutomatiQ

I own both bikes, and a Trek 8s. Minus the current sale price with the Vado 4, I would choose the Prodigy over both the Trek 8s and the Vado 4.....but, since the Vado 4 is roughly $2750, it is the clear winner...and twice on Sundays. The Brose motor is quiet and smooth on both the Prodigy and Vado. Although the Vado only has 70nm it is still very fast. The 710 watt battery is what makes the Vado 4 the choice for me if I could only have one bike. Plus you would have the Specialized LBS support, which you don't receive with Ride1Up. Hope this helps.

 

[AvalancheRun]

1000% the Vado 4.0. I’m thinking about trading my Gazelle C380 for the 4.0.

 

[rcdanner]

I bought another Ride1Up bike. I've had very good customer support in the past. I like the value that DTC offers. I purchased Prodigy V2 XR. The lower efficiency factor of IGH persuaded me to go traditional derailleur route. The simplicity of chain/cassette matters to me. I also liked the cost of spare battery of only $400 compared to Vado $1000. I need spare because of the long rides exceeding 50 miles I often ride.

 

[mfgrep]

I bought another Ride1Up bike. I've had very good customer support in the past. I like the value that DTC offers. I purchased Prodigy V2 XR. The lower efficiency factor of IGH persuaded me to go traditional derailleur route. The simplicity of chain/cassette matters to me. I also liked the cost of spare battery of only $400 compared to Vado $1000. I need spare because of the long rides exceeding 50 miles I often ride.

Yup. I sleep with my Vado battery and place it on a silk pillow each night while I sing sweet lullaby's to it.

 

[Sefutau2020]

I bought another Ride1Up bike. I've had very good customer support in the past. I like the value that DTC offers. I purchased Prodigy V2 XR. The lower efficiency factor of IGH persuaded me to go traditional derailleur route. The simplicity of chain/cassette matters to me. I also liked the cost of spare battery of only $400 compared to Vado $1000. I need spare because of the long rides exceeding 50 miles I often ride.

I do like my Prodigy V2 XR (chain) a lot. I purchased it after reviewing some YouTube videos that claimed 73 miles in Tour mode, which is roughly 95% of the total (380%). This was truly a great accomplishment for a 500w battery, as my former Giant Fastroad EX Pro could cover 50 miles at 100% support with a similar 500w battery

. I find myself getting a little over 50 miles in Tour mode, which is fine, but I too like to take rides longer than 50 miles and hate range anxiety. You are correct, the Prodigy V2 offers a second battery for just $400 bucks, but since I removed my fenders, I will probably have to find a backpack if I want to travel with a second battery on really long rides. So far, if I ride in BOOST mode, I can clock a tick over 20 miles, not bad considering. The Vado 4 set at 35/35 (Eco) which is equivalent to 112% of total support (320% max), and I can ride all day in that mode, and easily eclipse 60 miles, arriving home with more than 32% of battery remaining. On one trip last fall, I rode for 40 miles and arrived at my home with 58% battery left...impressive for the 710w battery that Specialized has tuned perfectly.

 

[tgianco]

Take a look at the Evelo Omega. To me, it's a better version of the Priority Current with great customer service & LONG warranty (4 yr, 20,000 miles).

 

[BINY]

I finally got a chance to test both bikes, and decided...
I'm going to stick with the Vanmoof for now.

The main issue for me was the weight - I'm just not used to riding a 60lbs bike.
Both bikes are really well built and feel very solid at speed. But I ride enough without assistance that I definitely noticed the extra weight with the motor off. It was particularly noticeable with the Prodigy V2 and the Enviolo hub. Works beautifully with assistance, but the drag is real with no support. I think i also prefer discrete gear changes over the CVT. Probably would get used to it over time, but in the end i didn't feel like either ride was right for me at the moment.

I guess I'm more of an SL kind of rider. I'll be first in line if/when Specialized offers the Vado SL with an IGH (non CVT!).
Anyway, wanted to share my experience and thank everyone for their thoughtful replies.

 

[mfgrep]

I finally got a chance to test both bikes, and decided...
I'm going to stick with the Vanmoof for now.

The main issue for me was the weight - I'm just not used to riding a 60lbs bike.
Both bikes are really well built and feel very solid at speed. But I ride enough without assistance that I definitely noticed the extra weight with the motor off. It was particularly noticeable with the Prodigy V2 and the Enviolo hub. Works beautifully with assistance, but the drag is real with no support. I think i also prefer discrete gear changes over the CVT. Probably would get used to it over time, but in the end i didn't feel like either ride was right for me at the moment.

I guess I'm more of an SL kind of rider. I'll be first in line if/when Specialized offers the Vado SL with an IGH (non CVT!).
Anyway, wanted to share my experience and thank everyone for their thoughtful replies.

I'm a bit confused. How much does your S3 weigh? as I recall they weigh a ton!!.... And cannot be easily ridden without motor assists whatsoever?

 

[BINY]

I'm a bit confused. How much does your S3 weigh? as I recall they weigh a ton!!.... And cannot be easily ridden without motor assists whatsoever?

I think the S3 weighs about 45lbs. Not super light, but a noticeable difference from 60lbs.
And it rides well without the motor, which I like to do when riding with people on non-electric bikes.

 

[mfgrep]

I think the S3 weighs about 45lbs. Not super light, but a noticeable difference from 60lbs.
And it rides well without the motor, which I like to do when riding with people on non-electric bikes.

It appear that you are correct. My Vado 4.0 sure feels more nimble when compared to my friend's S3....at least to me. The S3 sizing is, as I recall, somewhat limited. If I recall correctly they only offered 2 sizes?....resulting in many riders being truly mismatched to the frame.
Anywhoodles....good luck on the hunt.

 

[Kayakguy]

I can't offer direct comparison but can likely offer some information:

(1) I have been riding a Vado SL 4.0 for the last year. While shopping for a bike for someone else I came upon the current Vado 4.0 sale 10 days ago and I couldn't resist and impulsively purchased one. I only have 60 miles on it thus far but man it is a comfortable, powerful, Cadillac of a bicycle. Super fun. I wasn't planning on the Vado 4.0 (or any new bike for that matter) but at $2750....count me in! It now is outfitted with panniers, a quadlock, and ergon grips....so comfortable and powerful compared to my Vado SL.
(2) IMO the current sale price on the Vado 4.0 is a "steal me" price on a great bike. It is hard to match the quality, brand, features, equipment, power, battery for $2750. Who knows what will happen with the bike market this summer....but it is hard for me to imagine that the Vado 4.0 will go on sale for < $2750 again.
(3) One of my riding buddies has had a Van Moof S3 for a long time. When Van Moof declared bankruptcy my friend immediately decided that he needed another bike in the garage just in case his S3 failed him (which it occasionally did). He asked me to find the bike 'for him' and I immediately directed him to the Vado 5.0 IGH which he promptly purchased on sale for $4K. Coming from the Moof S3 he absolutely LOVES his Vado 5.0 IGH....loves loves loves it. He rides his 5.0 IGH everywhere and hasn't had a problem....and if he did need something sorted....the Specialized dealer is about 5 blocks away (important differentiation from the Moof).
(3a) I have ridden his S3 and imo his Vado 5.0 and my Vado 4.0 are superior in every single way possible. Not to mention the Vado will be FAR more comfortable when compared to the S3...at least for me.

If you are a big fan on the Enviolo hub (IGH) and do not wish to maintain your derailleur and chain.....then you have answered your own question....and you must purchase a bike with IGH. I could not possibly maintain an igh system and as a do-it-yourselfer type vastly prefer a derailleur.
I personally prefer the manual control of the more standard derailleur system...and the full power Vado 4.0 is FAR more forgiving when compared to my Vado SL (by this I mean that the SL requires a lot of shifting up/down to find the sweet spot at any given time while the full power Vado 4.0 more effortlessly powers you so long as you are within 2-3 gears of the ideal gear thus reducing the frequency of shifting).

If you can deal with having a derailleur and money is an object look no further than the Vado 4.0. It seems, however, that you have your heart set on IGH and if so....shifting will be unpleasant for you. For me I would not want the Ride1Up with the Enviolo hub....for many reasons....not the least of which is that you will be unable to get local service on that bike and you are going to require service sooner or later. Right?

My Ariel Rider C class has an IGH, and I find shifting not at all unpleasant. I really don't understand your statement. If I shift into 3rd gear, but decide 4th is better, it takes just a flick of the wrist to make the change, instantly. And I can skip over intermediate gears if I want. So far, after about 2600 miles (I'm an old guy and don't ride as much as you youngsters.) I have had no maintenance issues whatsoever. It's a Nexus 7 with a chain. I suspect that chains are so often problematic because as you shift up and down the gears with a derailleur, the chain has to flex sideways. which has to put stress and wear on it, as well as on the sprockets. A reason why my next bike will also have an IGH. I'm looking at the Gazelle, partly because I have a dealer within walking distance.

 

[AvalancheRun]

My Ariel Rider C class has an IGH, and I find shifting not at all unpleasant. I really don't understand your statement. If I shift into 3rd gear, but decide 4th is better, it takes just a flick of the wrist to make the change, instantly. And I can skip over intermediate gears if I want. So far, after about 2600 miles (I'm an old guy and don't ride as much as you youngsters.) I have had no maintenance issues whatsoever. It's a Nexus 7 with a chain. I suspect that chains are so often problematic because as you shift up and down the gears with a derailleur, the chain has to flex sideways. which has to put stress and wear on it, as well as on the sprockets. A reason why my next bike will also have an IGH. I'm looking at the Gazelle, partly because I have a dealer within walking distance.

Ergonomically the Enviolo twist doesn't work for me. Leads to wrist pain unless I limit my shifting and modulate the assistance level. I did a solid couple weeks riding the Shimano 8 speed twist shifts on city bikes and had no problem. No problems since November riding traditional chain bikes.

 

[BurroBabe]

Other bikes considered (almost all more expensive):
Priority Current - competitive on price, but prefer the look/specs of the Prodigy V2
Gazelle Ultimate C380+ - perfect accept for price
Gazelle Eclipse C380+ - even more expensive than the Ultimate
Specialized Vado 3.0 IGH - more expensive and not sure class 3 speeds are feasible with the IGH
Specialized Vado 5.0 IGH - even more expensive and not crazy about the AutomatiQ
Serial 1 RUSH/CTY SPEED - more expensive and not crazy about the AutomatiQ

I'm wondering why the Turbo Como isn't on you "considering" list.
The shop where I tried out the Vado also had the Como 3 and 5. The owner had me try the Como (because of the full step-through) but I personally have not liked the feel of gates drive on the Gazelle 380 or the Como. The Como's listed in his shop include,
Specialized TurboComo SL 4.0 $3,250.00
Specialized TurboComo 3.0 IGH $3,750.00
Not so much more if you want the belt drive. (the Como 5.0s go over 4K)

I also like to be able to ride without assist but I find the belt drives are just logey, and harder to pedal than the Vado, even at 57lbs. I also can't twist a shifter either.
I'm 72 and weigh barely 110 lbs and I found the Vado surprisingly easy to pedal without assist. As long as I wan't pushing up a hill, the bike flew past 25mph with me pedaling on the flat beyond 40mph. I really didn't expect that; I was also concerned about weight.

I've learned that, if you wait long enough, what you want usually comes down in price, especially when it becomes the previous year's model.
At least you have a working ebike right now so you can wait if you want.

1000% the Vado 4.0. I’m thinking about trading my Gazelle C380 for the 4.0.

I found the position on the C380 too upright and, of course, harder to push with pedals alone. the Vado has a much more forward active rider position.

 

[Doggyman1202]

I was all set on getting the Ride1Up Prodigy V2 with the belt drive/Enviolo hub. The IGH is my preferred set up, so I wasn't really considering any bikes with derailleurs. But now I find myself seriously questioning if the Specialized Vado 4 sale is too good to pass up.

Both bikes are similarly priced. So the question is whether the Specialized experience (engineering, brand, etc) outweighs the benefits of the belt drive/Enviolo hub.

No, I don't think so.

I know it's an article of faith here on this forum to buy bikes from an LBS. I did once, about a dozen years ago. It was a pleasant experience and I support my local bike mechanic with several hundred dollars per year spent on maintenance, repairs and accessories. All of the bike sellers in my area happily work on bikes they do not sell themselves. Still, the bikes they sell in their stores that would be interesting to me cost damn near double what I paid for my Priority Current and Evelo Omega, and I'm very happy with both of them.

I'm certainly not opposed whatsoever to buying at a local shop, particularly for those new to the e-bike world. I went around a learning curve myself that I might have avoided buying local. (I particularly regretted buying a fat tire bike. What was I thinking?).

As for the bikes in question, I'm a convert to belt drives. I'm done with derailleurs. (I remember too many days in my youth and adulthood coming out of the garage or basement looking like "Pigpen" from the Charlie Brown comic strip after wrestling with a derailed derailleur).

Evelo also offers a chain IGH at a decent price called the Galaxy SL. I mention that because it's a bit of a "sleeper" in the marketplace. It's relatively lightweight (47 lbs without the battery) and offers most of the belt drive benefits (mid-drive with Enviolo CVT) but with a chain. It impresses me as a good value for $2300.

I looked at the Ride 1Up Prodigy V2 BINY mentioned originally out of curiosity, but it would probably not make my short list if I were in the market again.

I personally enjoy the Enviolo "Automatiq" on my Evelo. I'm making a point of mentioning that since the transmission is a bit controversial, and BINY listed a couple of "Automatiq's" originally. There are many naysayers that react negatively based on internet hubbub, and not personal experience. (I'm guessing the same negativity applies to the aforementioned Specialized incarnation as well). I know it's not for everyone, and not even my personal ride of choice all the time. However, it does exactly what it is supposed to do, and does it well. I say that because I've often alternated with the Shimano shifting Current on the same road on the same day. It's a bit apples and oranges, but I'm impressed how intuitively the Enviolo automatically shifts for a very relaxing ride. I've not found the Enviolo app for individual rider customization remotely necessary, but I suspect most of the discontent about the "Automatiq" stems from some break-of-the-chain, figuritively speaking, between the rider, the somewhat byzatine Enviolo app, and the bike.

Another bike in this price range that looks compelling, and not mentioned earlier, is the Zen Photon with a particularly long range battery. I don't know if it has a throttle, but I would remove it if it did. (As I did on the Evelo Omega). Class 1 or 3 for me.

 

[BurroBabe]

1000% the Vado 4.0. I’m thinking about trading my Gazelle C380 for the 4.0.

If that was a Gazelle Medeo T10+ or Ultimate T10+ I would trade with you!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

If that was a Gazelle Medeo T10+ or Ultimate T10+ I would trade with you!

You even don't know what you are talking about Babe

Bosch E-Bike is a vice. Don't say it loud, though

 

[AvalancheRun]

If that was a Gazelle Medeo T10+ or Ultimate T10+ I would trade with you!

Changed your mind on the Vado?

 

[BurroBabe]

You even don't know what you are talking about Babe

Bosch E-Bike is a vice. Don't say it loud, though

Changed your mind on the Vado?

No, I didn't change my mind (although that is not impossible). I ordered the Vado in black, although I haven't decided yet whether to turn that into a Zebra or a Bee. If the Gazelle mid-step frame had given me more standover clearance, I would have gone for the Medeo T10+ for the lighter weight and a much prettier color (I happen to love the blue that the reviewer didn't like). I was actually still waiting for the n-LBS to get their new shipment in to try the Ultimates. But paying $3,700 to $4,500 to get a bike that would be maybe 5 or 6 pounds lighter really didn't make sense. And the Vado's 710wH battery should give me all the range I need! One thing I had noticed on the Medeos that I didn't like was the motor noise. I was surprised, since I have a good deal of hearing loss, that I heard a motor at all, and I found it annoying. I didn't even hear the motor on the Vado, and it was fun to ride!

After all, this is my first ebike, and the LBS will customize the drivetrain for me. I'm satisfied, and excited to get back on the road again!

Stephan, what do you mean Bosch ebike is a vice?