Trek Super Commuter
- Thread starter Dunbar
- Start date
No, and that would be a deal breaker for me if I was in the market for a commuter. The new Specialized Vado will have suspension.
Trail Cruiser
Well-Known Member
Dumbar, For the same price of the super commuter,
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you can get this full suspension ebike (STARCKBIKE Asphalt Ebike) with the same other features.
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This is another worthy alternative with front suspension.
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CurryMonsterCA
New Member
nice looking bike, but the lack of front suspension is kinda weak. I'd gladly trade out the 28mph motor for a nice front fork.
Don't most short-travel forks not doing anything, most of the time? I thought it's been about big volume tires and lower pressures that do most of the work. A short-travel fork might feel like it's helping, but it's really just the flimsiness of the fork that adds to the comfort (not the telescoping action). Also, this is a carbon fork I believe so it shouldn't be as harsh as an aluminum one.
After test riding 20+ e-bikes I would want a minimum of a suspension fork, suspension seat post and clearance for at least a ~2" wide tire. There's only so much wider tires and a carbon fiber fork can do to dampen impacts @28-30mph. Obviously, personal preferences, length of commute and road conditions come into play here.
CurryMonsterCA
New Member
Tegnamo, I agree with you re: limited impact of a short travel fork. I rode a trek xm700+ and felt that the fork wasn't really doing a whole lot to improve the ride. I used to be an avid mt. biker and so I was used to much more travel. When I road the trek powerfly bikes (at that time I had ridden the 5 and the 8) those felt like the forks were much more active in dampening the bumps.
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Larry Ganz
Active Member
I'd imagine that this carbon fork and thicker tire would work as well as the stiff and low-travel mono-shock fork on the 28mph XM700+ that I tested. I was not impressed with the 35mm travel mono-shock at all, as it didn't seem to do anything no matter how I set the preload.
Personally, I think that they should have just combined this Super Commuter and the XM700+ into one perfect commuter bike, and fix all the shortcomings of the XM700 ---> like use this better looking/more integrated battery design, more colorful paint to alert unfocused car drivers, the thicker tires, and daytime running lights of the Super Commuter; but add a bike powered tail light, a better front fork, softer seat, a lower standover height, and a rear-view mirror.
Regardless this bike looks sexier than the XM700+
Personally, I think that they should have just combined this Super Commuter and the XM700+ into one perfect commuter bike, and fix all the shortcomings of the XM700 ---> like use this better looking/more integrated battery design, more colorful paint to alert unfocused car drivers, the thicker tires, and daytime running lights of the Super Commuter; but add a bike powered tail light, a better front fork, softer seat, a lower standover height, and a rear-view mirror.
Regardless this bike looks sexier than the XM700+
Saratoga Dave
Well-Known Member
It seems to be a terrific looking bike. They did a much better job of integrating the battery into the downtube than Specialized did on the new Vados, at least from the pictures so far. Still can't get behind the whole mid drive thing, though, not just yet. I hate to see the original Turbos going away, they were about as elegant as it gets as far as the design of the things.
Over50
Well-Known Member
I rode the Super Commuter tonight. Just about 3 blocks so I can't really provide much of a review. It showed up at my local Trek shop (small frame) this week. I took my R&M Charger in for a Nuvinci check and they had just charged the battery on the SC and insisted I be the first to take the bike out. Its definitely a more forward aggressive riding position vs my Charger. The bike feels light, nimble and quick and the battery integration is very well done. I first politely declined to be the first test rider because I said I wouldn't likely purchase the SC until they have an option with some suspension and another color. But nevertheless they wanted me to give it a try whilst they checked out my Charger. I heard/felt some brake rubbing and perhaps the front wheel was pulling left a bit so I only rode the few blocks and returned to the shop. I think they said more SCs are showing up at their shop this week. It seemed like the fenders, rack and lighting were pretty well done and there was no rattling.
E-Wheels
Well-Known Member
If only the SC was available in Australia
ronin2000
Member
Saw the Vado in person, I almost threw up. its a hideous bike, also 2/3 of the bikes had broken rear sections on the rack. Thats disconcerting. If I have to replace my Turbo with a road bike, it will be the Super8
All three of the bikes that came into the local shop (Specialized Vado) all had broken rear racks. Says more about the packing, but I was not impressed seeing that. I was going to buy the Vado but changed my mind. Now I like the fact that Bosch motor is in the trek bike, not specialized own design hard to get ahold of, I ordered a super commuter today. I really like the headlight and hope I am happy with it. The horn on the Vado was really cool, but I will see.
Larry Ganz
Active Member
Congrats and enjoy!
E-Wheels
Well-Known Member
+1
Sean Ellis
New Member
I am a bike shop employee and I just ordered one of these after an extensive test ride. I have a long and hilly commute that includes riding from Lewiston, Idaho to Pullman, Washington. This commute includes a 2000, foot climb out of the Lewiston valley and is about 35 miles long.
Before purchasing this bike I wanted to see how well, it could make the trip or even if it could make my whole commute on a single charge. I started up the 7 mile 2000 foot climb and made it 3/4 of the way up the hill before the batter indicator showed that I used 20 percent of the battery. Once I saw this I figured I would be able to make the ride easily. I then went another 10 miles before I lost another bar on the indicator. At this point, I was well ahead of schedule and knew the battery would survive the trip to work, so when I was about 6 miles from the store, I decided to take it on some back gravel roads with some significant hills and put it into turbo mode.
Phew that was fun! The bike had no problem going up hills that were in the low teens as far as grade percentage goes. The day I rode was also quite windy so I tested it into the headwind and got the bike up to max speed with no problem, the bike went about 39 miles before I killed the battery, but the vast majority of the commute that day was into significant headwinds and also included 3000 feet of climbing.
I have seen many people mention that they wish the bike had a shock fork. With the large tires that the bike had and the carbon I really did not seen any reason to have one. With the 27.5 x 2.4 inch tires I found that the tire pressure could be run relatively low giving a fair amount of cushion from the tires. Not all carbon forks are created equally, some don't have any type of superior ride quality vs a decent steal or aluminum fork but this one does and I found it worked well on the wash boarded gravel roads that I ride, and was smoother than my two bikes that I use for riding gravel.
So, I have to say that I am pretty impressed with the bike and also appreciate the fact that it has a higher max speed than the bikes that max out at 20 MPH.
Before purchasing this bike I wanted to see how well, it could make the trip or even if it could make my whole commute on a single charge. I started up the 7 mile 2000 foot climb and made it 3/4 of the way up the hill before the batter indicator showed that I used 20 percent of the battery. Once I saw this I figured I would be able to make the ride easily. I then went another 10 miles before I lost another bar on the indicator. At this point, I was well ahead of schedule and knew the battery would survive the trip to work, so when I was about 6 miles from the store, I decided to take it on some back gravel roads with some significant hills and put it into turbo mode.
Phew that was fun! The bike had no problem going up hills that were in the low teens as far as grade percentage goes. The day I rode was also quite windy so I tested it into the headwind and got the bike up to max speed with no problem, the bike went about 39 miles before I killed the battery, but the vast majority of the commute that day was into significant headwinds and also included 3000 feet of climbing.
I have seen many people mention that they wish the bike had a shock fork. With the large tires that the bike had and the carbon I really did not seen any reason to have one. With the 27.5 x 2.4 inch tires I found that the tire pressure could be run relatively low giving a fair amount of cushion from the tires. Not all carbon forks are created equally, some don't have any type of superior ride quality vs a decent steal or aluminum fork but this one does and I found it worked well on the wash boarded gravel roads that I ride, and was smoother than my two bikes that I use for riding gravel.
So, I have to say that I am pretty impressed with the bike and also appreciate the fact that it has a higher max speed than the bikes that max out at 20 MPH.
Over50
Well-Known Member
Nice review. I also posted about desiring a suspension fork on that bike. I have the same tires on my R&M and I run them close to max inflation for my commute (seems more efficient that way) and I set the suspension fork pretty stiff too. It can be a bit of a rough ride but I feel like its efficient. The BodyFloat seatpost helps. I'd be curious to know how the SC feels over a good distance on crappy pavement with railroad track crossings etc with the tires close to max psi. I've never had the opportunity to ride on a carbon fork (apart from my very brief ride on the Super Commuter) or carbon bike so I wouldn't have any idea how that ride compares to a suspension fork or to my chromoly steel city commuter (not electric and with rigid steel fork).
D
Deleted member 803
Guest
We don't sell Trek but it is obvious they really paid attention to this bike. Kudos to Trek.
