Specialized’s ultra-light 120-mile range e-bike - Turbo Vado SL

[subendo]

LBS did not mention the kickstand. Does the 4.0 EQ come with one? I was expecting to add one after market....

Yes check out the 4.0 EQ video review on this site - the kickstand looks like it mounts to the backside of the frame. Don't see it on Specialized's website.

 

[BEC111]

As I mentioned in a previous comment the Kickstands appear to be on back order.

 

[Copyrider]

I have found your assessments of the Vado SL to be exactly what I have experienced over the first few days of owning a Vado 4.0 SL EQ. Your posts have been very insightful. I have compared several exercise routes that I have taken with my analog road bike with the Vado and found that I averaged about 4 to 5 mph faster on the Vado. The SL rides and handles so much like an analog bike.

I am curious as to what your experience has been riding your SL vs your preciously owned Vado on the same routes with respect to battery usage and speed if you have any data.

I have mostly seat-of-the-pants comparisons in that regard, with no real data to accurately answer your question. I will say that, outside a couple of times trying it out, I NEVER rode my standard Vado without assist. It just wasn't pleasant. The couple of times I tried to do it (over about a mile of flats each time) not only did I experience noticeable drag in pedaling (it felt like cranking down the resistance on a stationary bike), but I also believe (based on my TCD data) that my battery continued to drain, even when I had the bike off and was pedaling unassisted.

Because of this, I didn't experiment with it much beyond those couple of times and resigned myself to always riding the Vado with some assist in SF's frequently changing elevations. That is not the case with the SL. I frequently ride with no assist and almost never ride with Turbo, except on the steepest climbs or mixing in heavy city traffic.

As such, by my estimate, I get as much as 30-40% more range on the SL. Again, that's not based on hard data, it's based on the number of times it's been necessary to recharge after covering my same commute route.

That said, the Vado was faster. It was quicker off the line in traffic, too, which is safer for city riding, where no bike lane is present. The SL is more maneuverable, though, and handles more predictably. It's also easier to bunny-hop over streetcar tracks or up curbs, when necessary. The SL is the better road/commuter, while the Vado has the edge as a gravel bike.

There are a few street conditions in my area that give the SL a pretty good shaking, but were barely noticeable on the big Vado. With its longer wheelbase, heavier frame, big suspension forks and more powerful motor, the Vado would speed right through... I hate to say it, but almost like a motorcycle. It's an awesome ebike -- to me, one of the best all-around -- but in my case, I felt like it provided too much boost in every situation where I wanted it to be a bicycle, or at least a lightly assisted bicycle. IMO, the Vado is designed to be primary transportation--a pure car replacement--and it serves this function well. It's a bit power-hungry with regard to the battery usage, though.

The SL is a bicycle through and through. The joy of cycling is there. The convenience of an Ebike is there. It's not as fast as the regular Vado, but it's only a step slower. For riders who know what they're doing, it's equal to the Vado on most elevation changes. And the greater effort required to climb the steepest hills or maintain speeds in the upper 20s is exactly what I wanted in an Ebike.

 

[larrybike]

Thank you for the assessment.

 

[Gorp]

Thank you for the assessment.

I have mostly seat-of-the-pants comparisons in that regard, with no real data to accurately answer your question. I will say that, outside a couple of times trying it out, I NEVER rode my standard Vado without assist. It just wasn't pleasant. The couple of times I tried to do it (over about a mile of flats each time) not only did I experience noticeable drag in pedaling (it felt like cranking down the resistance on a stationary bike), but I also believe (based on my TCD data) that my battery continued to drain, even when I had the bike off and was pedaling unassisted.

Because of this, I didn't experiment with it much beyond those couple of times and resigned myself to always riding the Vado with some assist in SF's frequently changing elevations. That is not the case with the SL. I frequently ride with no assist and almost never ride with Turbo, except on the steepest climbs or mixing in heavy city traffic.

As such, by my estimate, I get as much as 30-40% more range on the SL. Again, that's not based on hard data, it's based on the number of times it's been necessary to recharge after covering my same commute route.

That said, the Vado was faster. It was quicker off the line in traffic, too, which is safer for city riding, where no bike lane is present. The SL is more maneuverable, though, and handles more predictably. It's also easier to bunny-hop over streetcar tracks or up curbs, when necessary. The SL is the better road/commuter, while the Vado has the edge as a gravel bike.

There are a few street conditions in my area that give the SL a pretty good shaking, but were barely noticeable on the big Vado. With its longer wheelbase, heavier frame, big suspension forks and more powerful motor, the Vado would speed right through... I hate to say it, but almost like a motorcycle. It's an awesome ebike -- to me, one of the best all-around -- but in my case, I felt like it provided too much boost in every situation where I wanted it to be a bicycle, or at least a lightly assisted bicycle. IMO, the Vado is designed to be primary transportation--a pure car replacement--and it serves this function well. It's a bit power-hungry with regard to the battery usage, though.

The SL is a bicycle through and through. The joy of cycling is there. The convenience of an Ebike is there. It's not as fast as the regular Vado, but it's only a step slower. For riders who know what they're doing, it's equal to the Vado on most elevation changes. And the greater effort required to climb the steepest hills or maintain speeds in the upper 20s is exactly what I wanted in an Ebike.

Hello to all Vado SL owners! This is my 1st post, not sure where the right place to jump in would be, but I've been reading a lot here on this thread as well as the Vado/Como Club thread. Fantastic amount of information and help to be found here, thank you all! I was wanting to buy the V 4 SL since June. My LBS only had the Vado 3 to demo which I did, and was giddy upon returning from a ride up some hills and city streets. 4Xs power is very seductive plus the manager said the SL wasn't selling well once the buyer tried the bigger motor & battery of the Vado. Well I was completely decided on Specialized and the Turbo line up as my choice of bike, so I put a deposit down on a Vado 4 (Dove Grey). While waiting over a month, I started reading about how much everyone loved their Vados & Comos, however when I read Copyryder's description and comparisons it resonated with my original preference for a lighter "bike experience" and the subsequent cardio workout the SL offers. Thank you Copyryder for expressing what I wanted in my 1st ebike! I visited another bike shop that only carried Specialized (Synergy in Santa Monica CA), and by luck they had a Crimson Red V4 SL (Med non-EQ) in a box. I bought it, cancelled my Vado 4 order at my LBS (It's been 6 weeks and no arrival still), I am firmly convinced I made the right decision for me. I've had it for 5 days and loving pedaling on the flats with no assist, although Eco is very subtle, I notice it more when I take it off line than when it's engaged. It's not as quiet as I would've liked, especially going up hills in Sport or Turbo, however wind noise and traffic drown it out most of the time. I'm assuming it's pretty noticeable in nature with no wind. No kick stand, (champagne complaint) Specialized is back ordered with no ETA in sight. it's already fallen in the house, reached out to catch it, broke it's fall, tweaked my shoulder!
Bottom line, I love this bike! It's a perfect in-between step from analog to ebike. Looks like this could be the start of my new hobby, I'm honored to be among you all. I will get my posting chops (pix) and profile together soon...maybe not, having too much fun riding.

 

[FlatSix911]

Hello to all Vado SL owners! This is my 1st post, not sure where the right place to jump in would be, but I've been reading a lot here on this thread as well as the Vado/Como Club thread. Fantastic amount of information and help to be found here, thank you all! I was wanting to buy the V 4 SL since June. My LBS only had the Vado 3 to demo which I did, and was giddy upon returning from a ride up some hills and city streets. 4Xs power is very seductive plus the manager said the SL wasn't selling well once the buyer tried the bigger motor & battery of the Vado. Well I was completely decided on Specialized and the Turbo line up as my choice of bike, so I put a deposit down on a Vado 4 (Dove Grey). While waiting over a month, I started reading about how much everyone loved their Vados & Comos, however when I read Copyryder's description and comparisons it resonated with my original preference for a lighter "bike experience" and the subsequent cardio workout the SL offers. Thank you Copyryder for expressing what I wanted in my 1st ebike! I visited another bike shop that only carried Specialized (Synergy in Santa Monica CA), and by luck they had a Crimson Red V4 SL (Med non-EQ) in a box. I bought it, cancelled my Vado 4 order at my LBS (It's been 6 weeks and no arrival still), I am firmly convinced I made the right decision for me. I've had it for 5 days and loving pedaling on the flats with no assist, although Eco is very subtle, I notice it more when I take it off line than when it's engaged. It's not as quiet as I would've liked, especially going up hills in Sport or Turbo, however wind noise and traffic drown it out most of the time. I'm assuming it's pretty noticeable in nature with no wind. No kick stand, (champagne complaint) Specialized is back ordered with no ETA in sight. it's already fallen in the house, reached out to catch it, broke it's fall, tweaked my shoulder!
Bottom line, I love this bike! It's a perfect in-between step from analog to ebike. Looks like this could be the start of my new hobby, I'm honored to be among you all. I will get my posting chops (pix) and profile together soon...maybe not, having too much fun riding.

Welcome to EBR and congrats on your new V4 SL.

Specialized Turbo Vado SL 4.0 EQ Review

Price: $3500 | Model Year: 2020 | One of the best ebikes I've ever reviewed. Relatively light weight at 36.9lbs including integrated lights, a rear rack, and custom designed tubular fenders with extra long rubberized flaps to keep your feet dry. Reasonably priced for outstanding motor and...

electricbikereview.com

 

[Copyrider]

Hello to all Vado SL owners! This is my 1st post, not sure where the right place to jump in would be, but I've been reading a lot here on this thread as well as the Vado/Como Club thread. Fantastic amount of information and help to be found here, thank you all! I was wanting to buy the V 4 SL since June. My LBS only had the Vado 3 to demo which I did, and was giddy upon returning from a ride up some hills and city streets. 4Xs power is very seductive plus the manager said the SL wasn't selling well once the buyer tried the bigger motor & battery of the Vado. Well I was completely decided on Specialized and the Turbo line up as my choice of bike, so I put a deposit down on a Vado 4 (Dove Grey). While waiting over a month, I started reading about how much everyone loved their Vados & Comos, however when I read Copyryder's description and comparisons it resonated with my original preference for a lighter "bike experience" and the subsequent cardio workout the SL offers. Thank you Copyryder for expressing what I wanted in my 1st ebike! I visited another bike shop that only carried Specialized (Synergy in Santa Monica CA), and by luck they had a Crimson Red V4 SL (Med non-EQ) in a box. I bought it, cancelled my Vado 4 order at my LBS (It's been 6 weeks and no arrival still), I am firmly convinced I made the right decision for me. I've had it for 5 days and loving pedaling on the flats with no assist, although Eco is very subtle, I notice it more when I take it off line than when it's engaged. It's not as quiet as I would've liked, especially going up hills in Sport or Turbo, however wind noise and traffic drown it out most of the time. I'm assuming it's pretty noticeable in nature with no wind. No kick stand, (champagne complaint) Specialized is back ordered with no ETA in sight. it's already fallen in the house, reached out to catch it, broke it's fall, tweaked my shoulder!
Bottom line, I love this bike! It's a perfect in-between step from analog to ebike. Looks like this could be the start of my new hobby, I'm honored to be among you all. I will get my posting chops (pix) and profile together soon...maybe not, having too much fun riding.

Good going on the purchase! You will love it. That color is rad. If it came in EQ, I might have gotten it, too.

Thanks for the shout-out. Happy to add some value to the conversation. It's really hard to go wrong either way, though.

With regard to the motor whine. You're right to note that it's a bit louder than the standard VADO (which is among the quietest on the market, by most accounts). I've found it to actually be a benefit, though. Because the SL is so reliant on cadence to deliver full power and efficiency, I've started listening to the motor whine when climbing the steepest hills (Bernal Heights, Telegraph in SF) to tell me when I'm not pedaling smoothly and consistently. If the sound is smooth and consistent, I know I'm getting maximum power output from the motor. If it peaks and diminishes, I'm relying more on torque, and thus, not getting maximum power from the motor and my efforts. It's a way to train yourself for good habits.

As far as the amount of power in each mode, I suggest you play around with Mission Control for a few days to set it just the way you want it. I can't remember my exact settings offhand, but I'm riding (approx):

ECO: 25%-40%
SPORT: 50%-75%
TURBO: 85%-100%

Of course, I also ride with it "off" quite a bit, too. The first number is your starting-point assist. That's basically when your torque is high and cadence is low. As your cadence rises, more assist is added in (quite smoothly) to help you gain and maintain speed. I've found that I really notice about a 10% jump in boost and that 50-60% of the time I ride, ECO is my preferred setting, or SPORT in moderate city traffic (for safety) I really only do TURBO for hills...or slight inclines in heavy traffic). With this configuration, I can use the mode selector almost like a throttle and dial up or down the assist with quick and consistent response that's exactly to my liking in most gears... 5th, being my normal sweet spot for nearly all modes and conditions outside of extreme needs.

Try the tuning--you'll like it.

 

[BEC111]

Hello to all Vado SL owners! This is my 1st post, not sure where the right place to jump in would be, but I've been reading a lot here on this thread as well as the Vado/Como Club thread. Fantastic amount of information and help to be found here, thank you all! I was wanting to buy the V 4 SL since June. My LBS only had the Vado 3 to demo which I did, and was giddy upon returning from a ride up some hills and city streets. 4Xs power is very seductive plus the manager said the SL wasn't selling well once the buyer tried the bigger motor & battery of the Vado. Well I was completely decided on Specialized and the Turbo line up as my choice of bike, so I put a deposit down on a Vado 4 (Dove Grey). While waiting over a month, I started reading about how much everyone loved their Vados & Comos, however when I read Copyryder's description and comparisons it resonated with my original preference for a lighter "bike experience" and the subsequent cardio workout the SL offers. Thank you Copyryder for expressing what I wanted in my 1st ebike! I visited another bike shop that only carried Specialized (Synergy in Santa Monica CA), and by luck they had a Crimson Red V4 SL (Med non-EQ) in a box. I bought it, cancelled my Vado 4 order at my LBS (It's been 6 weeks and no arrival still), I am firmly convinced I made the right decision for me. I've had it for 5 days and loving pedaling on the flats with no assist, although Eco is very subtle, I notice it more when I take it off line than when it's engaged. It's not as quiet as I would've liked, especially going up hills in Sport or Turbo, however wind noise and traffic drown it out most of the time. I'm assuming it's pretty noticeable in nature with no wind. No kick stand, (champagne complaint) Specialized is back ordered with no ETA in sight. it's already fallen in the house, reached out to catch it, broke it's fall, tweaked my shoulder!
Bottom line, I love this bike! It's a perfect in-between step from analog to ebike. Looks like this could be the start of my new hobby, I'm honored to be among you all. I will get my posting chops (pix) and profile together soon...maybe not, having too much fun riding.

Truly appreciate your first opinion. After all, they mirror mine!

 

[Explorer-1]

Gorp, you mentioned that the Vado SL is the right bike for you. I think that's important to remember. Everyone has different needs/wants and what works for one person doesn't work for another.

I don't think he was forgetting that fact; On the contrary, I think he was underscoring it by explaining why this was the bike for him. He never even hinted that it was the perfect bike for anyone else.

 

[Gorp]

Welcome to EBR and congrats on your new V4 SL.

Specialized Turbo Vado SL 4.0 EQ Review

Price: $3500 | Model Year: 2020 | One of the best ebikes I've ever reviewed. Relatively light weight at 36.9lbs including integrated lights, a rear rack, and custom designed tubular fenders with extra long rubberized flaps to keep your feet dry. Reasonably priced for outstanding motor and...

electricbikereview.com

Thanks for the welcome. That video review was what got me started!

 

[FlatSix911]

Thanks for the welcome. That video review was what got me started!

Excellent... long may you ride!

 

[Gorp]

I didn't mean him, but everyone else should remember that.

You're all correct. And I would love a Vado 4 as a 2nd bike, but there's that pesky money obstacle, damn. All that awesome power when you're beat, going home, I also think it's probably more fun to go faster and farther with that 4X. But I made the choice to commit to the lighter bike, lighter assist, and heavier workout philosophy. So far nothing but love, and it's early in the romance...however, will definitely be raising the handlebars, back of my neck is hurting.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

You're all correct. And I would love a Vado 4 as a 2nd bike, but there's that pesky money obstacle, damn. All that awesome power when you're beat, going home, I also think it's probably more fun to go faster and farther with that 4X. But I made the choice to commit to the lighter bike, lighter assist, and heavier workout philosophy. So far nothing but love, and it's early in the romance...however, will definitely be raising the handlebars, back of my neck is hurting.

Don't even try adding the "full" Vado to your stable. You are very happy now with the SL, feel you're getting necessary workout, your bike is so lightweight you can carry it up stairs, you love it. The "full" Vado provides tons of assistance because it has been designed as a commuter, not a leisure, touring or fitness e-bike. As I love my Vado 5.0, I sometimes have a feeling riding it is too easy! For health reason, I need a little bit of assistance more than a typical rider and am incapable to ride with the power Off (unless it is a steep descent). That's also the reason I'm riding for long distances with a spare battery. Still, getting in Sport or Turbo mode makes me feel it is all too easy.

My other e-bike, Giant Trance E+ has a single and smaller battery. I'm riding it off-road only and with less assistance to extend the range. The Trance gives me a really solid workout! If I could allow it, riding the Giant with more support would be too easy as well.

I'm afraid if you bought the "full" Vado, you would leave your SL alone. Not because it is a wrong bike, no! Because most of us like things easy.

 

[Gorp]

Good going on the purchase! You will love it. That color is rad. If it came in EQ, I might have gotten it, too.

Thanks for the shout-out. Happy to add some value to the conversation. It's really hard to go wrong either way, though.

With regard to the motor whine. You're right to note that it's a bit louder than the standard VADO (which is among the quietest on the market, by most accounts). I've found it to actually be a benefit, though. Because the SL is so reliant on cadence to deliver full power and efficiency, I've started listening to the motor whine when climbing the steepest hills (Bernal Heights, Telegraph in SF) to tell me when I'm not pedaling smoothly and consistently. If the sound is smooth and consistent, I know I'm getting maximum power output from the motor. If it peaks and diminishes, I'm relying more on torque, and thus, not getting maximum power from the motor and my efforts. It's a way to train yourself for good habits.

As far as the amount of power in each mode, I suggest you play around with Mission Control for a few days to set it just the way you want it. I can't remember my exact settings offhand, but I'm riding (approx):

ECO: 25%-40%
SPORT: 50%-75%
TURBO: 85%-100%

Of course, I also ride with it "off" quite a bit, too. The first number is your starting-point assist. That's basically when your torque is high and cadence is low. As your cadence rises, more assist is added in (quite smoothly) to help you gain and maintain speed. I've found that I really notice about a 10% jump in boost and that 50-60% of the time I ride, ECO is my preferred setting, or SPORT in moderate city traffic (for safety) I really only do TURBO for hills...or slight inclines in heavy traffic). With this configuration, I can use the mode selector almost like a throttle and dial up or down the assist with quick and consistent response that's exactly to my liking in most gears... 5th, being my normal sweet spot for nearly all modes and conditions outside of extreme needs.

Try the tuning--you'll like it.

Thanks Copyryder, your advice is taken to heart, or shall I say cardio. I will be experimenting with Eco & Sport settings. And will be more aware of my cadence on hills.

 

[Gorp]

Don't even try adding the "full" Vado to your stable. You are very happy now with the SL, feel you're getting necessary workout, your bike is so lightweight you can carry it up stairs, you love it. The "full" Vado provides tons of assistance because it has been designed as a commuter, not a leisure, touring or fitness e-bike. As I love my Vado 5.0, I sometimes have a feeling riding it is too easy! For health reason, I need a little bit of assistance more than a typical rider and am incapable to ride with the power Off (unless it is a steep descent). That's also the reason I'm riding for long distances with a spare battery. Still, getting in Sport or Turbo mode makes me feel it is all too easy.

My other e-bike, Giant Trance E+ has a single and smaller battery. I'm riding it off-road only and with less assistance to extend the range. The Trance gives me a really solid workout! If I could allow it, riding the Giant with more support would be too easy as well.

I'm afraid if you bought the "full" Vado, you would leave your SL alone. Not because it is a wrong bike, no! Because most of us like things easy.

Thanks Stefan for your comments, you are one of the Grand Poobahs of Pedelecs! I trust your advice.
Btw, buying a reg Vado 4 to go with the SL is a fantasy of power and mostly folly and jest.

 

[sjmoir]

Hello everyone, firstly, great to see an active forum, I’ve been reading everything I could before buying this bike, carefully noting Court’s review and all opinions on this thread. Hopefully I can contribute with my impressions of the Vado SL 5 after a few weeks. Succinctly, wow! Which is what everyone who’s had a go also says straight away- this thing is incredible.

I bought it because I don’t fancy the idea of the Northern Line (London Underground), even less now than I did four months ago... And, of course, because I love bikes, and this one just screamed “buy me”, especially in silver. Which I did, without a test ride first. I considered a Ribble, Desiknio (both no stock) a Van Moof S3 (potentially unfounded reservations about proprietary components personally) and a few others. The team at the Specialized Concept Store London (Ruislip) were great, reassuring given how outrageously expensive it was. I’m very lucky to have too many bikes already, but, my god, this one is next-level expensive... so I’m glad to be left impressed.

I’ve never really been interested in road bikes (had a few) but I have a couple of mountain bikes and a bunch of cruisers. Road bikes always seemed more about exercise, slogging along instead of having fun. I have a lovely (parkland, shared bike / pedestrian type) route nearby to wind down on, after a long day of working from home... Been riding it for thirty years, ever since I was allowed out my own! About 35 minutes on a heavy steel, back-pedal brake cruiser, maybe 10 minutes less on a trick MTB hardtail with slicks and a high geared Nexus hub. Bikes set their own pace I think. The Vado SL went round in just over 15 minutes, without trying particularly hard. But I nearly lunched it a couple of times. This thing is fast! I understand EU / UK Vado SLs are speed limited compared to US ones. I like to ride in a “press-on” manner, but I don’t take daft risks anymore, I stop at red lights etc, so for this kind of riding, at my level of reasonable fitness and urban road craft, it’s more than fast enough for London.

Anyway, I think I’ve decided to stick to using it for commuting on roads only. My tube journey to the office was an hour, door to door, the Vado SL does it in 40 minutes without (me) breaking a sweat, as I said, respecting traffic lights etc. Highgate Hill? Ha! Easy, and it opens up the possibility of taking quieter routes I wouldn’t consider otherwise. The biggest problem I’m going to have is figuring out a polite, British way of cruising past other cyclists. Give it a couple of weeks, that won’t be a issue (I let the roadies at the office all have a go, they loved it but cautioned me on how fast it was and the need to be sensible).

Problems- the saddle isn’t comfortable for me so far, big nope, but I understand that’s a personal thing. I’ll need to buy fenders and it seems I’m restricted to Specialized’s Dry-Tech only? Fancied some from PDW. For some reason the back of my left foot keeps hitting the crank, perhaps due to the motor / crank width? I think I’ll get the more compliant future shock spring fitted, not convinced the stiff one fitted is doing much for me. Don’t need so many gears. The middle ones aren’t helpful, way too similar. Low gears seem pointlessly so. Chain already damaged the paint on a bumpy road in highest gear, clearance seems mean. So whilst the Shimano stuff is excellent to use, I think it could benefit from a little more careful specifying. I wonder what’s on the Creo? I guess I need to get used to riding with a higher cadence to suit the motor. Interesting to see how reliable the drive train proves. Even before the recent price-hikes, I reckon there will be enough expensive Vado, Creo and Levo SLs around to sustain continued support and evolution from Specialized, or some other canny company... Position of the charge point seems sub-optimal, but no bad weather yet so I’ll see. The front hub / wheel makes a slight tickling noise... really, it’s pretty much a dream though. It’s like complaining about the ashtray in a Ferrari. The list of stuff I love about this bike is much longer.

Some highlights, the Mission Control app is fun, top speed recorded so far is 38.87mph... must try harder. I think that’s what I enjoy most (as mentioned, in the EU / UK electric bikes are basically identical up to 15mph or so) but this bike just flies once you’ve passed that. Lights are brilliant. Small thing, but the handlebar grips are amazing. Acceleration is outstanding for city riding, and it makes Jump bikes seem agricultural. Incidentally, if they sold one with more comfortable 650b’s, Gates belt and NuVinci I’d be all in. Come on Specialized, I’ll usertest it for you.

In summary, again, wow... this thing is fabulous. I’m likely biased, this bike represents a substantial investment, which mentally / financially I feel the need to justify I suppose... But if you’re lucky enough to make it happen, I’d say don’t hesitate, this bike will put a massive grin on your face. Happy to answer any questions. Simon

 

[dbison]

Out of curosity for any one who has ordered any of the Vado SL's, how long are you waiting for it?

 

[David C]

Put my order in early July for the Vado SL 4.0 and hoping for sometime this month. Sold my Como 4.0 a month ago after riding 1,300 miles during the spring.

 

[Copyrider]

Hello everyone, firstly, great to see an active forum, I’ve been reading everything I could before buying this bike, carefully noting Court’s review and all opinions on this thread. Hopefully I can contribute with my impressions of the Vado SL 5 after a few weeks. Succinctly, wow! Which is what everyone who’s had a go also says straight away- this thing is incredible.

I bought it because I don’t fancy the idea of the Northern Line (London Underground), even less now than I did four months ago... And, of course, because I love bikes, and this one just screamed “buy me”, especially in silver. Which I did, without a test ride first. I considered a Ribble, Desiknio (both no stock) a Van Moof S3 (potentially unfounded reservations about proprietary components personally) and a few others. The team at the Specialized Concept Store London (Ruislip) were great, reassuring given how outrageously expensive it was. I’m very lucky to have too many bikes already, but, my god, this one is next-level expensive... so I’m glad to be left impressed.

I’ve never really been interested in road bikes (had a few) but I have a couple of mountain bikes and a bunch of cruisers. Road bikes always seemed more about exercise, slogging along instead of having fun. I have a lovely (parkland, shared bike / pedestrian type) route nearby to wind down on, after a long day of working from home... Been riding it for thirty years, ever since I was allowed out my own! About 35 minutes on a heavy steel, back-pedal brake cruiser, maybe 10 minutes less on a trick MTB hardtail with slicks and a high geared Nexus hub. Bikes set their own pace I think. The Vado SL went round in just over 15 minutes, without trying particularly hard. But I nearly lunched it a couple of times. This thing is fast! I understand EU / UK Vado SLs are speed limited compared to US ones. I like to ride in a “press-on” manner, but I don’t take daft risks anymore, I stop at red lights etc, so for this kind of riding, at my level of reasonable fitness and urban road craft, it’s more than fast enough for London.

Anyway, I think I’ve decided to stick to using it for commuting on roads only. My tube journey to the office was an hour, door to door, the Vado SL does it in 40 minutes without (me) breaking a sweat, as I said, respecting traffic lights etc. Highgate Hill? Ha! Easy, and it opens up the possibility of taking quieter routes I wouldn’t consider otherwise. The biggest problem I’m going to have is figuring out a polite, British way of cruising past other cyclists. Give it a couple of weeks, that won’t be a issue (I let the roadies at the office all have a go, they loved it but cautioned me on how fast it was and the need to be sensible).

Problems- the saddle isn’t comfortable for me so far, big nope, but I understand that’s a personal thing. I’ll need to buy fenders and it seems I’m restricted to Specialized’s Dry-Tech only? Fancied some from PDW. For some reason the back of my left foot keeps hitting the crank, perhaps due to the motor / crank width? I think I’ll get the more compliant future shock spring fitted, not convinced the stiff one fitted is doing much for me. Don’t need so many gears. The middle ones aren’t helpful, way too similar. Low gears seem pointlessly so. Chain already damaged the paint on a bumpy road in highest gear, clearance seems mean. So whilst the Shimano stuff is excellent to use, I think it could benefit from a little more careful specifying. I wonder what’s on the Creo? I guess I need to get used to riding with a higher cadence to suit the motor. Interesting to see how reliable the drive train proves. Even before the recent price-hikes, I reckon there will be enough expensive Vado, Creo and Levo SLs around to sustain continued support and evolution from Specialized, or some other canny company... Position of the charge point seems sub-optimal, but no bad weather yet so I’ll see. The front hub / wheel makes a slight tickling noise... really, it’s pretty much a dream though. It’s like complaining about the ashtray in a Ferrari. The list of stuff I love about this bike is much longer.

Some highlights, the Mission Control app is fun, top speed recorded so far is 38.87mph... must try harder. I think that’s what I enjoy most (as mentioned, in the EU / UK electric bikes are basically identical up to 15mph or so) but this bike just flies once you’ve passed that. Lights are brilliant. Small thing, but the handlebar grips are amazing. Acceleration is outstanding for city riding, and it makes Jump bikes seem agricultural. Incidentally, if they sold one with more comfortable 650b’s, Gates belt and NuVinci I’d be all in. Come on Specialized, I’ll usertest it for you.

In summary, again, wow... this thing is fabulous. I’m likely biased, this bike represents a substantial investment, which mentally / financially I feel the need to justify I suppose... But if you’re lucky enough to make it happen, I’d say don’t hesitate, this bike will put a massive grin on your face. Happy to answer any questions. Simon



View attachment 61966

Nice write-up. Beautiful bike. Congrats!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Hello everyone, firstly, great to see an active forum, I’ve been reading everything I could before buying this bike, carefully noting Court’s review and all opinions on this thread. Hopefully I can contribute with my impressions of the Vado SL 5 after a few weeks. Succinctly, wow! Which is what everyone who’s had a go also says straight away- this thing is incredible.

I bought it because I don’t fancy the idea of the Northern Line (London Underground), even less now than I did four months ago... And, of course, because I love bikes, and this one just screamed “buy me”, especially in silver. Which I did, without a test ride first. I considered a Ribble, Desiknio (both no stock) a Van Moof S3 (potentially unfounded reservations about proprietary components personally) and a few others. The team at the Specialized Concept Store London (Ruislip) were great, reassuring given how outrageously expensive it was. I’m very lucky to have too many bikes already, but, my god, this one is next-level expensive... so I’m glad to be left impressed.

I’ve never really been interested in road bikes (had a few) but I have a couple of mountain bikes and a bunch of cruisers. Road bikes always seemed more about exercise, slogging along instead of having fun. I have a lovely (parkland, shared bike / pedestrian type) route nearby to wind down on, after a long day of working from home... Been riding it for thirty years, ever since I was allowed out my own! About 35 minutes on a heavy steel, back-pedal brake cruiser, maybe 10 minutes less on a trick MTB hardtail with slicks and a high geared Nexus hub. Bikes set their own pace I think. The Vado SL went round in just over 15 minutes, without trying particularly hard. But I nearly lunched it a couple of times. This thing is fast! I understand EU / UK Vado SLs are speed limited compared to US ones. I like to ride in a “press-on” manner, but I don’t take daft risks anymore, I stop at red lights etc, so for this kind of riding, at my level of reasonable fitness and urban road craft, it’s more than fast enough for London.

Anyway, I think I’ve decided to stick to using it for commuting on roads only. My tube journey to the office was an hour, door to door, the Vado SL does it in 40 minutes without (me) breaking a sweat, as I said, respecting traffic lights etc. Highgate Hill? Ha! Easy, and it opens up the possibility of taking quieter routes I wouldn’t consider otherwise. The biggest problem I’m going to have is figuring out a polite, British way of cruising past other cyclists. Give it a couple of weeks, that won’t be a issue (I let the roadies at the office all have a go, they loved it but cautioned me on how fast it was and the need to be sensible).

Problems- the saddle isn’t comfortable for me so far, big nope, but I understand that’s a personal thing. I’ll need to buy fenders and it seems I’m restricted to Specialized’s Dry-Tech only? Fancied some from PDW. For some reason the back of my left foot keeps hitting the crank, perhaps due to the motor / crank width? I think I’ll get the more compliant future shock spring fitted, not convinced the stiff one fitted is doing much for me. Don’t need so many gears. The middle ones aren’t helpful, way too similar. Low gears seem pointlessly so. Chain already damaged the paint on a bumpy road in highest gear, clearance seems mean. So whilst the Shimano stuff is excellent to use, I think it could benefit from a little more careful specifying. I wonder what’s on the Creo? I guess I need to get used to riding with a higher cadence to suit the motor. Interesting to see how reliable the drive train proves. Even before the recent price-hikes, I reckon there will be enough expensive Vado, Creo and Levo SLs around to sustain continued support and evolution from Specialized, or some other canny company... Position of the charge point seems sub-optimal, but no bad weather yet so I’ll see. The front hub / wheel makes a slight tickling noise... really, it’s pretty much a dream though. It’s like complaining about the ashtray in a Ferrari. The list of stuff I love about this bike is much longer.

Some highlights, the Mission Control app is fun, top speed recorded so far is 38.87mph... must try harder. I think that’s what I enjoy most (as mentioned, in the EU / UK electric bikes are basically identical up to 15mph or so) but this bike just flies once you’ve passed that. Lights are brilliant. Small thing, but the handlebar grips are amazing. Acceleration is outstanding for city riding, and it makes Jump bikes seem agricultural. Incidentally, if they sold one with more comfortable 650b’s, Gates belt and NuVinci I’d be all in. Come on Specialized, I’ll usertest it for you.

In summary, again, wow... this thing is fabulous. I’m likely biased, this bike represents a substantial investment, which mentally / financially I feel the need to justify I suppose... But if you’re lucky enough to make it happen, I’d say don’t hesitate, this bike will put a massive grin on your face. Happy to answer any questions. Simon

Great write-up! Since I've been to London for many times (but never cycled there), I can understand your impressions very well. Congratulations, Simon!

Fenders: Go with the DryTech. These are thoroughly designed and no reason to try anything else on that e-bike.
Saddle: Two different saddles I'm very fond of (used on different e-bikes) are: Selle Royal Respiro Soft Moderate Men; and Ergon ST Core Prime Men. With your 40 minute commute, you wouldn't even feel the seat...
Your comment about the crank: The Q-factor (or the horizontal distance between the cranks) in many mid-drive motor e-bikes is wide. You might use "spiked" pedals (I have found Race Face Ride the most safest) and wear trainers to precisely plant your feet on the pedals (to avoid rubbing the crank). But my cranks in regular Vado have the paint already rubbed off because the Q-factor is wide there.