The new turbo Vado 2017
- Thread starter Ciyrus 5000
- Start date
PaD
Well-Known Member
Hi
No I haven´t changed display. I had a 2018 Vado 4.0 with the Bloks display and I´m into this discussion because I´m trying to understand what Specialized are actually offering. Sorry if I´ve been unclear in my postings.
( all I have is just a Bloks display and a charger as my bike was stolen)
Edit.
I Just spoke to the Specialized dealer that sold me the Vado 4.0 last summer.
First they said that Vados and Comos with the new ( TCD ? ) display are called model year 2020.. They also thought that changing from a Bloks display would cost something like US$ 300.
To be continued....
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This is possible even wih the BLOKS display, using the dealer-only Android App.
Your LBS should have the Android App or be able to order it from Speci:
https://electricbikereview.com/forums/threads/new-mission-control-app.26341/post-180307
I bought my Vado 4 about 6 weeks ago here in Dublin at the Specialized Concept store. Had it back last week to 'repair' the damp Bloks unit cutting out issue and asked about the display. They called me back saying it would be available soon BUT only as a Warranty item if the Bloks were to have problems.....I'm waiting to see if any other jurisdictions actually get upgrades before going back to them....
Unique
New Member
I'll do the same, BUT after all we were promised when we bought the Vado that it would be possible to use the Mission Control App. At least I was.
I had absolutely no issues getting my Como 3.0 upgraded to the new display...I called Specialized here in the US and they told me to contact my LBS and have them open a warranty ticket...a few weeks later I had my Como upgraded!
Good to hear! I'll be on to them tomorrow so. Are you happy with it? Any issues?
Bengt A
Member
i got an answers back
You are entitled to have your display / system exchanged for the new Specialized TCD-w system with the possibility to connect to the Mission Control app even if your system is working.
This at no cost to you as an owner of a Vado, Specialized covers this when the app has not been available before.
PaD
Well-Known Member
But one explanation from Specialized concerning the missing Mission Control app was that the Bloks display had ”wrong” bluetooth. Read this on Specialized FAQ page.
And why would this be a dealer only app if it works?
I think Specialized produce more bs than bikes. I really liked the way my Vado handled and how the Brose motor ( with Specialized tuning?) delivered the power.
There isn’t much choice in Sweden if you want a Brose motor. Will I pay $4-5’ again for a Vado?
Not sure about that.
Edit
Posted this before reading Bengt A’s post above.
Well perhaps I should give the Concept store another call and ask about possibilities for getting the right display on the Vado model I want.
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Douglas Ruby
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Groton
I am not 100% sure regarding BLOKS display having the wrong kind of Bluetooth. It had bluetooth and was designed to work with a "new" app that was built around the advanced features in the BLOKS design specification and largely developed by BLOKS. The real problem is that all of this was dependent on BLOKS delivering what they had promised. Unfortunately, they couldn't deliver and went bust! Not only did this shut down the new Mission Control app, it also meant no more BLOKS displays for Specialized. Since the bluetooth functionality is not in the battery but in the display, unlike original Turbo, they had to come up with a new display that mimics Levo and integrates into existing Mission Control. This is the equivalent of a "do over" for all of the intelligent firmware components of the Vado and Como.
BTW, I am a veteran of 4 startups in a 17 year period. Two of them were successful, one got bought out with little benefit to anyone except original investors, and one did a BLOKS. That is generally a pretty good hit rate for high-risk tech startups.
Doug
PaD
Well-Known Member
I do respect your experience from startups and fully understand it doesn’t always work.
What I don’t understand is the 2 year period, from introduction of the bike and promise of an app, untill Specialized finally stopped saying there will be an app. I mean the cooperation between Specialized and Bloks must have begun long before autumn 2016.
I don’t understand big companies.
I should stop my ranting now.
I did have wonderful days with my Vado.
I have not had a chance to ride...actually the weather here in Tucson, AZ has been crummy
Hopefully this weekend!
Douglas Ruby
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Groton
I don't know what transpired between BLOKS and Specialized. Certainly the whole development of the Vado and the Como was built around the BLOKS control logic, displays, and relevant firmware. I could surmise that BLOKS kept slipping development schedules and was giving Specialized "just around the corner" kinds of answers as schedules slipped. In my experience, these kinds of high risk business relationships between large companies and startups keep stretching out until everything finally blows up. Keep in mind that both BLOKS and GoSwissDrive (the creator of the core original Turbo technology) both have disappeared in the last year.
There is consolidation in the e-bike technology going on. To make a bike, you need motor, battery, and control technology. The large manufacturers like Specialized, Trek, etc. do not create this underlying technology but mostly repackage stuff they get from others. The volume developers are Bosch, Yamaha, Shimano, and to a lesser extent Brose (who makes motors but not all of the other parts). Specialized has tried to "add-value" by modifying technology and integrating their own proprietary components (Integrate GoSwissDrive firmware and control functions in the Turbo batteries. Add Mission Control), add Specialized specific firmware and batteries to Brose motors in Levo. When they tried to integrate BLOKS with Brose and their own batteries in Vado/Como, it was a "bridge too far" and the high-risks were realized.
And that is exactly what happenend.
The dealer-only Android App is the state of art
BLOKS had handed to Speci and doesn't provide the features of the App as planned. The Apple App (in the same rudimental state) had licence problems. I understand that is why it is a dealer-only App, and Android only. Any LBS can use this App to help customers until the BLOKS display is history. Funktions of this App are shown in the linked video which was uploaded from a kind German LBS (and not Speci).Dennie Fleetfoot
New Member
So update time.
My Specialized LBC has completed the swap out of the old BLOKS unit on the Turbo Vado, with the new TCD-W unit and I’m pleased to confirm that it’s working nicely with the Mission Control App.
It’s like I’ve got the rest of the bike I paid for a year ago.
I’ve messed around with the settings and tuning options of the bike via the app. All working as expected. You’re able to get info on the firmware for the TCD-W itself, the motor and the battery. You get a health report on the battery, the number of full recharges of said battery.
The unit itself isn’t removable like the BLOKS was which is probably for the best given the problems with the old unit and contrary to what I believed, is powered by the bike itself. It’s also backlit with a light green colour. "
The swap out also replaces the remote, all the wiring leading to the motor and the mount for the BLOKS. The wire leading to the remote is a little longer than the old one so the wire hangs down a bit more. Not aesthetically pleasing but easy remedied with careful use of a cable tie. The screen has a load more information option than the old one and with ANT+/BT connectivity a heart rate monitor can be used.
The interesting thing however is that I took the bike up fully charged for the short 4 mile ride to the LBS but once hooked to the new unit and with all the new firmware the TCD-W reported the battery as only being 60% charged.
I’ll be keeping an eye on that to see if there any increase in range.
My Specialized LBC has completed the swap out of the old BLOKS unit on the Turbo Vado, with the new TCD-W unit and I’m pleased to confirm that it’s working nicely with the Mission Control App.
It’s like I’ve got the rest of the bike I paid for a year ago.
I’ve messed around with the settings and tuning options of the bike via the app. All working as expected. You’re able to get info on the firmware for the TCD-W itself, the motor and the battery. You get a health report on the battery, the number of full recharges of said battery.
The unit itself isn’t removable like the BLOKS was which is probably for the best given the problems with the old unit and contrary to what I believed, is powered by the bike itself. It’s also backlit with a light green colour. "
The swap out also replaces the remote, all the wiring leading to the motor and the mount for the BLOKS. The wire leading to the remote is a little longer than the old one so the wire hangs down a bit more. Not aesthetically pleasing but easy remedied with careful use of a cable tie. The screen has a load more information option than the old one and with ANT+/BT connectivity a heart rate monitor can be used.
The interesting thing however is that I took the bike up fully charged for the short 4 mile ride to the LBS but once hooked to the new unit and with all the new firmware the TCD-W reported the battery as only being 60% charged.
I’ll be keeping an eye on that to see if there any increase in range.
So an update from Dublin. Another call to the Concept store and they asked Head Office re an upgrade. That came back positive so the parts will be here tomorrow apparently when I will bring the bike in for the change. Has anybody that has had the upgrade had any negative experiences? Is it totally worthwhile?
Cheers
Cheers
So far so good! Much better than the BLOKS display IMHO!
So my display was updated last Thursday. I've done a couple of rides and it seems great. It gives power too which seems generally accurate (my training bike has a Powertap and the data from the TCD seems close to what I feel). It was easy to upload the file from the ride from the App to Training Peaks and the power data was all there . Lately I have just worn a Garmin Vivosport on my wrist to log my rides but I just paired the HR of the Vivosport to the TCD display and it worked perfectly. So hopefully now I can log HR and Power to TrainingPeaks though I will need to do it manually after each ride as it only automatically uploads to Strava.....
So all good really! Except - on the way in today I had this horrendous chain suck - almost made the bike unusable - the Concept store is near my work so I went around and they had forgotten to put the derailleur clutch on. Who knew what a derailleur clutch was - well not me! Anyway its perfect again....
The manual I got had a link to this video: https://vimeo.com/album/5690629. It is the installation guide. .Check it out - it's quite a lot of work!
. Lately I have just worn a Garmin Vivosport on my wrist to log my rides but I just paired the HR of the Vivosport to the TCD display and it worked perfectly. So hopefully now I can log HR and Power to TrainingPeaks though I will need to do it manually after each ride as it only automatically uploads to Strava.....So all good really! Except - on the way in today I had this horrendous chain suck - almost made the bike unusable - the Concept store is near my work so I went around and they had forgotten to put the derailleur clutch on. Who knew what a derailleur clutch was - well not me! Anyway its perfect again....
The manual I got had a link to this video: https://vimeo.com/album/5690629. It is the installation guide. .Check it out - it's quite a lot of work!
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