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

Why wouldn't your seat post work? If it's 27.2" it should fit just fine, unless you're concerned about the proper length. The Kinekt does offer some varying length options, if that's your issue. Of course, it's best to go with the shortest seat post that will work for you, for minor weight considerations.

And yes, I am still using the stock tires. I like them okay, except that I have to be extra careful around streetcar tracks now. I might be interested in a wider, more suited to on/off-road tire. These also seem to occasionally grab pebbles and send them rattling up through my front fender. No harm done or anything, but the noise is a little jarring when it happens.
Thanks for the response. Actually I heard from Redshift and the seat post should fit, but the Kinekt will not according to their email. So I will go with the Redshift which is fine. I discussed tubeless with the shop, and he said either 38's or 42, however if you get 42's they will be wider than the fender.... at least the fender on the Vado SL 5.0 EQ, Your fenders may be different - I also have a Levi on order so I think the 38s are ok - but the 42s looked pretty good on another bike... so still not sure. If you have the 4.0 your tires may be different than mine, too, at least the ones (4.0 vs 5.0EQ) I looked at had different tires and fenders.
 

I'd also taco that frame in about five seconds in San Francisco urban riding. A seat post tube would only cost a few pounds and change the structural rigidity of that bike immensely. It might not look as cool as that design, but it would look a lot better than having your $4k bike snapped in half.
 
I'd also taco that frame in about five seconds in San Francisco urban riding. A seat post tube would only cost a few pounds and change the structural rigidity of that bike immensely. It might not look as cool as that design, but it would look a lot better than having your $4k bike snapped in half.

I think you might be ok without the seat tube... ;)

The innovative Superstrata bikes are made possible thanks to novel 3D printing technology developed by Arevo. After developing a way to 3D-print carbon fiber in a much stronger and more robust form than standard carbon fiber layup, the team began searching for a product that could demonstrate the technology’s advantages.

They learned how fragile carbon bicycle frames can be, and so the team enlisted award-winning bicycle-designer Bill Stephens to develop a bicycle that could be 3D-printed using Arevo’s technology. As Superstrata CEO Sonny Vu explained in a call with Electrek: "My friends were always so careful with their expensive carbon bikes, afraid for it to tip over or get hit. And I’d ask, ‘I thought carbon frames are super strong?’ but they’d respond, ‘No, they’re super light. But they can be fragile.’"

superstrata


And that is one of Superstrata’s big advantages, that their frames can take a beating in pretty much any direction, unlike most carbon bike frames that can crack or break if loaded or stressed in the wrong way. Though that’s not Superstrata’s only advantage. Unlike most frames that come in a few sizes, Superstrata’s bikes are custom 3D-printed to the precise size of the rider. Customers simply provide their body measurements as if they were having a suit tailored, and Superstrata’s algorithm calculates and then prints the bike’s geometry customized for the rider in a true unibody frame — no glue, joints or seams needed like in traditional carbon bike frames.

Even the preferred stiffness of the bike’s frame can be custom tailored to the rider’s desires.
Riders can further customize the bikes by choosing from four different styles (racing, street, gravel, or touring), two wheel materials (metal or carbon fiber), and two colorways (light or dark).
 
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I think you might be ok without the seat tube... ;)

The innovative Superstrata bikes are made possible thanks to novel 3D printing technology developed by Arevo. After developing a way to 3D-print carbon fiber in a much stronger and more robust form than standard carbon fiber layup, the team began searching for a product that could demonstrate the technology’s advantages. They learned how fragile carbon bicycle frames can be, and so the team enlisted award-winning bicycle-designer Bill Stephens to develop a bicycle that could be 3D-printed using Arevo’s technology. As Superstrata CEO Sonny Vu explained in a call with Electrek: "My friends were always so careful with their expensive carbon bikes, afraid for it to tip over or get hit. And I’d ask, ‘I thought carbon frames are super strong?’ but they’d respond, ‘No, they’re super light. But they can be fragile.’"
superstrata


And that is one of Superstrata’s big advantages, that their frames can take a beating in pretty much any direction, unlike most carbon bike frames that can crack or break if loaded or stressed in the wrong way. Though that’s not Superstrata’s only advantage. Unlike most frames that come in a few sizes, Superstrata’s bikes are custom 3D-printed to the precise size of the rider. Customers simply provide their body measurements as if they were having a suit tailored, and Superstrata’s algorithm calculates and then prints the bike’s geometry customized for the rider in a true unibody frame — no glue, joints or seams needed like in traditional carbon bike frames.

Even the preferred stiffness of the bike’s frame can be custom tailored to the rider’s desires.
Riders can further customize the bikes by choosing from four different styles (racing, street, gravel, or touring), two wheel materials (metal or carbon fiber), and two colorways (light or dark).

Yeah, I read that. Still skeptical.
 
Thanks for the response. Actually I heard from Redshift and the seat post should fit, but the Kinekt will not according to their email. So I will go with the Redshift which is fine. I discussed tubeless with the shop, and he said either 38's or 42, however if you get 42's they will be wider than the fender.... at least the fender on the Vado SL 5.0 EQ, Your fenders may be different - I also have a Levi on order so I think the 38s are ok - but the 42s looked pretty good on another bike... so still not sure. If you have the 4.0 your tires may be different than mine, too, at least the ones (4.0 vs 5.0EQ) I looked at had different tires and fenders.

To my knowledge, both 4.0 EQ and 5.0 EQ have the same tires and fenders. Non EQ versions get a different tire setup--non-reflective sidewall and slightly knobby tread, but also shared between both the 4.0 and 5.0.
 
any idea how i could order the fenders and rack that comes in the EQ? I live in Canada and we only had the regular one for sale
 
Nope and they have been less then helpful when I was telling them about a creek I was hearing which turned out to be from sand that got into the seat tube after riding in the rain. They told me those skus were not available and when I look at the specialized Canada website I don’t see any of the parts listed as well
 
I don't understand why the Canadian market is continually short-changed when it comes to ebikes and their accessories.

Looks like you'll have to go aftermarket.
 
Im searching for my first e bike and this looks almost perfect. But that noise level is quite extreme in the videos, very annoying to me. The mahle x35 on the quick neo and tredwell neo seem better.

But it's hard to tell from the videos it could be the mic. How do they compare in real life? Anyone compared?
 
any idea how i could order the fenders and rack that comes in the EQ? I live in Canada and we only had the regular one for sale
As far as I can tell, Specialized isn’t selling the fenders and racks separately at the moment. I was at my LBS yesterday, getting a firmware update on my Vado SL, and saw Bontrager fenders that would probably work. Your dealer my have a rack that looks good and will work for you.

We were talking about the non EQ model of the SL and I was told that the Specialized kickstands were currently on back order. Bike stock and the supply chain are definitely challenged for the near term.
 
If my Vado hadn't been stolen, I would still be riding it without a single thought of regret about its purchase, even in the face of the SL. There's plenty to love about both iterations and I do love both bikes. My Vado 4.0 was a beast--very smooth and a competent commuter over rough city streets. I considered the speed and power to mix in traffic with minimal effort an added safety feature. I simply wished for a better recreational cycling experience.

The SL requires more leg work to produce the same return on my commute. On paper, its output is half the Vado's. In my experience, it feels more like 90%, once you learn the nuances of maximizing a machine that's part human, part electric power (regardless of the ratios and multiple other contributing forces). It merely flips the coin the other way in recreational cycling, as the more powerful Vado was probably 90% the cycling experience of the light and nimble SL.

Enjoy your bike! I'm a big fan and advocate of all Vados.
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.
 
Nope and they have been less then helpful when I was telling them about a creek I was hearing which turned out to be from sand that got into the seat tube after riding in the rain. They told me those skus were not available and when I look at the specialized Canada website I don’t see any of the parts listed as well

Since you are likely to be riding in real rain you may be better off with the aftermarket fenders anyway. The Specialized fenders lean a little more towards style than what someone who doesn't have a team car following them with warm clothes and hot drinks would like to use. This is from my experience commuting with the older Turbo S and Specialized fenders. They both were a little short but I was able to add a mud flap to the front to keep my feet dry and I assumed there would not be anyone following me to get the spray from the rear tire. I do have the Vado 5.0 SL EQ on order but I won't be commuting in the weather with it.

(For those unfamiliar with frequent riding in the rain with other people, usually fenders with mud flaps are required or you will be assigned to the rear.)
 
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.

mare you in the US with the speed limit at 42km, if so what has been your average speeds on flats?
 
mare you in the US with the speed limit at 42km, if so what has been your average speeds on flats?
On the Vado SL 4.0, in the early morning with little to no wind I can sustain 24/25 km with no power assist and about 30 km in Eco mode set at 35-35 in Mission Control. On the Turbo Vado 4.0, I just pedal easy on a flat without any power and in Eco mode easily sustain 33 km in Eco on a flat. Using Sport or Turbo modes, those numbers jump quite a bit but drain the battery at a correspondingly faster rate.
 
As far as I can tell, Specialized isn’t selling the fenders and racks separately at the moment. I was at my LBS yesterday, getting a firmware update on my Vado SL, and saw Bontrager fenders that would probably work. Your dealer my have a rack that looks good and will work for you.

We were talking about the non EQ model of the SL and I was told that the Specialized kickstands were currently on back order. Bike stock and the supply chain are definitely challenged for the near term.

I was chatting with LBS about potentially getting a non-EQ and having them install the fenders, etc to make it the EQ with a different color scheme. Here are the part numbers they sent me for each component:

98917-5015 - Fender
48119-1400 - Head Unit
9892-5025 - Rack

Hope this helps!
 
I was chatting with LBS about potentially getting a non-EQ and having them install the fenders, etc to make it the EQ with a different color scheme. Here are the part numbers they sent me for each component:

98917-5015 - Fender
48119-1400 - Head Unit
9892-5025 - Rack

Hope this helps!

Thanks for this info - did they have any info on the kickstand? I have a non-EQ 5.0 and i can't find the kickstand they use on the EQ models.
 
Thanks for this info - did they have any info on the kickstand? I have a non-EQ 5.0 and i can't find the kickstand they use on the EQ models.

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