The new turbo Vado 2017

[Ciyrus 5000]

It's great

 

[Ann M.]

That's a beautiful frame on those bikes!

 

[John Dombrowski]

They should fix all the issue with the current turbos first.

 

[Ciyrus 5000]

The motor is in the middle. And the German - dealer says it's this new Turbo series. Go Swiss motors there is no longer available.

 

[Senseiwai]

WOW!!! Wonder if they are using the same motor as in Turbo Levo? I hope it's more color option then silver grey. Matt black and red is pretty awesome cool that they keep them two color option. I don't like the kickstand on the back, I like the double fork kickstand much better. And looks like the fender is much longer too.

 

[bazzapage]

From what I gather this will change the Turbo line from 'fast' and 'faster' to a 'slow' and 'fast' model. The current Turbo is capable of >40kph restricted to 25 in Europe, whereas the new entry level one will be 25kph with a more expensive 45kph model.

 

[James Kohls]

I dunno. I'm not a big fan of the extended teardrop shape of the downtube now. I much prefer the angular parallel lines of the previous generations and even the Levos. It looks less "stealth" than previous models. I guess, I don't care yet as I already got my Turbo X.

 

[Tonqin]

No chain retention device on the new ones, hope the chain stays on because it looks like quite a tight gap between chainring and frame. Hate to see the chain jammed in there.
Otherwise looks like a nice clean design, an IGH would be even nicer.

 

[Senseiwai]

And is looks like +- button for speed is back. In my opinion joystick in 2015 2015 models is good for navigation on display meny but it doesn't feel right for controlling speed with. I don't feel confident when I have gloves on I have to double check most of the time to see if I pressed correct.

 

[Senseiwai]

Hmmm smaller motor less power and smaller battery which means lighter bike then current S model. Wonder what the range is.

 

[tegnamo]

What's the deal with mirrors in the EU/UK/etc? I keep looking for different manufacturer's take on the rearview mirror laws! Or is this bike not fast enough to require them?

 

[Senseiwai]

Here the deal:

For S-Pedelecs:

type approval is required
insurance is mandatory (evidence must be displayed on the bike)
moped driving licence is required
must be ridden on the road (no cycle paths!)
suitable protective helmet (most likely a motorcycle helmet)
beefier braking system, lighting and signalling and tyres (as specified in EU directive)
rear view mirrors
500W maximum power

 

[James Kohls]

Here's the preview video from @JayVee's link with some nice shots of the new bikes and test ride footage. (German)

The new display on the VADOs is what really caught my eye. It looks way nicer than the current gen Turbos (in my opinion, the worst part of my bike). The big shot of it says 2.2" LCD Display, w/USB charge port & touchscreen. Bluetooth connection to Mission control and handlebar remote. Looks like it will have the ability to show you our cadence and watt input.

There are now 5 status LEDs on the battery next to the power switch. I'm guessing the display and remote get their own check?

Here are some screen grabs of the video:



Here is another video with much closer views of the grey "city" style bike with rack/fender kit.

 

[Senseiwai]

OMG this is porn to me!!!! I can't wait to try new Vado!!! The new 2'2 display looks very awesome!!

 

[Allan47.7339]

They will be able to keep all of the wiring in the main tube with the exception of the rear lights. It will probably reduce manufacturing assembly time and quality problems. (I added a front light and handle bar bag to my Turbo S which necessitated moving the front light which meant opening the wiring.) Having all of the main power connectors in one compartment has got to help a lot and reduce the number of connectors.

I looks like they got the front fender designed correctly this time too.

 

[Toynut]

Another write up:

http://ebiketips.co.uk/content/news/specialized-unveil-turbo-vado-road-range-392

 

[Toynut]

Interesting, but, a 508 Watt/hour battery pack.
May not be a deal breaker.
At least the manufacturers are figuring out that people want larger capacity battery packs and 400 Watt/hour units will not be attractive in the future.

 

[ROJA]

Super interesting- thanks so much for the info. This is making me second guess my leading contender (the Turbo X) because it really seems like mid-drive setups are more favored by those in the know. The big question is whether to go for a deal on a 2016 or even 2015 Turbo or hold out for a Vado, which seems to have a lot of improvements. But I'll bet the Vado will be more expensive. And the Trek Super Commuter is also a tempting option. 2017 promises to be a good year for e bikes!

It seems like the main advantages of the mid drive setup (versus a good hub drive like the Turbo or Stromer) relate to climbing hills and increasing efficiency (more miles per battery charge) but at the expense of chain life and sometimes more noise. If I'm riding mostly flat routes and can live with the range of the Turbo (especially with the larger battery capacity in the 2016s), should I buy now or hold out for the Vado/Super Commuter/XM700+, etc. That is the question...

 

[Douglas Ruby]

If I'm riding mostly flat routes and can live with the range of the Turbo (especially with the larger battery capacity in the 2016s), should I buy now or hold out for the Vado/Super Commuter/XM700+, etc. That is the question...

Too soon to tell. We don't really know price, performance, or availability. The "wait till next year" question is always an issue. The way I look at it is that I bought a "2016" base Turbo for $3,000 in November of last year. I have already ridden it 1,200 miles, enjoyed the heck out of it, and will try to buy a larger battery before they become unavailable (which due to the discontinuance of the Turbo and Turbo X may be soon). My goal is to be able to put a minimum of 5,000 miles on it (2 or 3 more seasons) before I would consider upgrading.

The major issue in your decision really becomes availability. If you want to start riding now, then buy now, get a great deal on inventory that Specialized (in particular) is try to clear, and don't wait too long to get a battery. If you want to delay your purchase and bet that they (or an equivalent) will come to market with something significantly better at your price point, then wait.

The history of technical innovation shows us that there are "price bands" that exist in the market until someone comes out with a "paradigm changer" that blows everything up. The same was true of PC's in the 80's and 90's. Right now the price bands (IMO) are:

1. $500 - $1,500 - Bargain e-bikes. Mostly mail order. May have really good features in one or two specific areas. May be a crap shoot on components, build quality, support.
2. $2,500 - $4,000 - Mid-level quality bikes. Higher end components, better build quality. Sold at retail with service network. Usually some factor (power, range, electronics) that differentiates from high end.
3. $5,000 - $10,000 - High End quality bikes. Highest end components, bigger batteries, newest technology.
4. above $10,000 - Exotic e-bikes. Hand made, unusual feature sets, design, etc.

Generally, newest technology comes out in the higher price ranges and then trickles down. Since the rate of innovation is still pretty high wrt. the electronics, integration, motors, and batteries, the trickle down is happening fairly quickly. Today's mid-range (Turbo/Turbo X) is yesterdays (2013-15) high end e-bike. I do NOT expect the Vado Expert to be priced in the same range as the current Turbo or Turbo X initially, but instead in the lower end of the "High End" ($5,000+). Perhaps the price of the Turbo S will come down substantially and the Vado Expert will be the newest high end.

 

[Over50]

...The big question is whether to go for a deal on a 2016 or even 2015 Turbo or hold out for a Vado, which seems to have a lot of improvements. But I'll bet the Vado will be more expensive. And the Trek Super Commuter is also a tempting option. 2017 promises to be a good year for e bikes....

I'm in the same boat here. Was weighing jumping on a model year closeout or waiting to see what 2017 offers. But so far I've resisted temptations and am pretty convinced to wait (it helps that winter is coming and I live in a cold state). I'm also hitting the ebike expo in Wash D.C. next month where I hope to see and ride plenty of current models and fingers crossed, some manufacturers will trot out some 2017s. Probably with next week's Interbike we are going to learn a lot more about all the new offerings by current manufacturers dealing in the U.S. and maybe some of the Europeans that might be coming here in the near future (like Moustache).