Turbo Como 4.0 vs Turbo Vado 4.0 Step-Through

[MDEZZ]

I figured I'd gather some opinions. I am looking to purchase an e- bike for my wife who is 5ft2 120 (I ride a cannonade e-Contro) and I like the fact that the Vado has a suspension fork but slightly concerned about its geometry maybe being " too aggressive" since she is petite. Obviously from the thread title, I am also considering the 2020 Como 4.0 which is more upright, but has a rigid fork. My LBS will order one of the bikes for us to try but not both since they are stuck with them should we choose not to buy. My gut is that the suspension fork will provide more comfort (I have one on mine) and a better rider experience for her vs the Rigid For of the COMO. The only caveat is that the Como 4.0 is closer to a Como 2.0 we rented on vacation this past summer which she found easy to adapt to- never having ridden an ebike before. So I remain a bit split...but leaning towards the Turbo VADO b/c of its fork. Your options are all valuable...so thank you in advance. Also I am trying out the nifty POLL option on this thread. Thanks!

 

[rob_s]

I have a Vado and borrowed a Como last weekend for my wife. We both agreed that the Vado was a MUCH better bike. Suspension fork made a LOT of difference.
The geometry of the Vado is a little more like a road/normal bike. The Como was VERY upright and the feel of a city bike.
For someone who is new to cycling, the Como is a nice bike but if you have ridden much of anything previously, the Vado is much more suitable.

 

[PaD]

To get an impression of the riding and body position on the Vado perhaps you could find another bike with similar frame?
I like the little forward lean on the Vado for a little ”sportier” ride and more control of the bike but not everybody likes that.

The Como 4.0 has, according to Specialized website, wider tires (Nimbus 2 Sport) than the Vado that can be ridden with lower pressure than the Trigger Sport tires on the Vado. That should compensate a bit for a suspension fork.

About the Vado front suspension. Try to find opinions from other people, not just me! Listen to rob_s who has ridden both bikes.
I’m not to impressed with the suspension fork on my 2020 Vado 5.0. Specialized seem to use the same fork for the entire Vado range.
I can’t say there is much of a difference if I adjust my fork to Max. or Min. preload. It still works though and helps to soften bumps but it doesn’t have much travel and it’s not supple. I weigh 145lb. Had the same type of fork last year on my 2018 Vado 4.0 and my memory of that is that it was a little softer.

 

[MDEZZ]

I have a Vado and borrowed a Como last weekend for my wife. We both agreed that the Vado was a MUCH better bike. Suspension fork made a LOT of difference.
The geometry of the Vado is a little more like a road/normal bike. The Como was VERY upright and the feel of a city bike.
For someone who is new to cycling, the Como is a nice bike but if you have ridden much of anything previously, the Vado is much more suitable.

That’s quite helpful - the perfect case study! I wouldn’t say she’s completely new to cycling but someone that would like to become more confident and already a capable athlete. I almost think the Como would be something, for lack of a better term, she will grow out of or evolve out of. They’re both speed pedelic - it was more of a geometry suspension fork issue. We are in a somewhat urban suburban mix so upright like a city bike is not a bad thing - visibility wise. So far still leaning towards the Vado- quick follow up- What made you feel it was a much better bike? Strictly the suspension?

 

[Ron49]

Age and relative fitness/flexibility will play a factor here too. My bride’s previous bike was very similar to a Vado minus the e-bike stuff and she enjoyed it. The geometry was similar and it had modest budget suspension fork and suspension seat post.

When we tried the Como, she fell in love with that bike and after ~300-miles still feels the same way. We have 2020 3.0 models with no suspension of any kind, but “The Cup” seat is very nice and neither of us intend to change it (that’s usually one of the first things we do to a new bike). She does not miss the suspension bits and is happy with the more upright riding position.

She’s 5’2” also - and about 10-lbs heavier than your wife. Upper 60’s but walks 4-5 miles practically every day. She has the small frame size low entry 3.0 Como.

 

[TurboComo5.0]

(Ron49) said best.... age and fitness.......I have road both the Vado and como, both are very nice. I really wanted the Vado, I think it looks better, but the comfort of the como won out for me. If your going to be standing and mashing up hills (which there is no need to on these e-bikes) or doing single track trails, then the Vado is your best bet. I ended up with the como 5.0 and love it. I ended up changing the handlebars to a straighter set of bars and changing the seat to a brooks saddle (personal choice) And I also got the body float seat post (Kinect) .....that was by far the best improvement made, it really smooths out those bone crushing cracks in the roads. As far as growing out of a como, if your doing mostly roads and bike trails..... the como is great. Either one will put a smile on your face, but I wanted to still be smiling after that 25-30 mile ride.....

 

[rob_s]

I would agree with most of the above.
The suspension settings of the Vado don't seem to make much difference but it does work well. Mine is the 2018 version so not sure if they may have changed a little on the new versions.
Although the Vado and Como are very similar, the Vado has the feel of a better quality bike. Mainly the beefier front end.
The Como is significantly lighter. When we loaded them into my hatch, I was surprised how much easier it was to handle the lighter Como. Wasn't expecting that.
Age/fitness has to be the key. I was trying to say that but maybe it didn't come across that well.
The Vado feels more like a bike you would like to go road riding at a faster speed. The Como seems better suited to slow bike path riding.
Both are fine for either use but the extreme upright position on the Como make se want to cycle round the local park but the Vado makes me want to hit the open road for some serious riding.
Visibility wise, they are both upright positions so I don't see any advantage to either here.
I have a long history of road bike riding before a heart attack that forced me to the e-bike. The Vado is much closer to a real road bike experience so if you think you will progress in riding ability, I think the Vado is more open ended.
I put pathfinder pro tires on and that made the Vado even more like a road bike. You could even go with a road saddle and lipless peddles to complete the transformation but I haven't gone that far yet.
The difference is still small between them and either would be a fine choice. Just a few points either way.

 

[MDEZZ]

The vado is more aesthetically pleasing in my opinion - and my wife is leaning towards the more sporty geometry...I honestly don't think either is a bad choice.Weight wise its Como's 48 lbs vs 52 lbs for the VADO. Although clearly a difference...not a enough of a needle mover - so that's less of a concern. We will mainly use our bikes for street riding...little to no trails...more of a an occasional cut through the grass in a park is more likely. So I suppose trekking or touring....little errands....head into town for groceries or a coffee..or a longer ride where we have a destination in mind...All of this input is hugely valuable...and appreciated. Thank you - keep it coming

 

[PaD]

.
I put pathfinder pro tires on and that made the Vado even more like a road bike. .

Did you choose the 42mm Pathfinder Pro?

 

[rob_s]

Yes, 42mm Pathfinder Pro
Not cheap but what a huge difference it made.
I would say the Como tires were soft and great if you need a bit more suspension
The stock Vado tires were a bit more precise feeling than the Como
The Pathfinders are a LOT more precise and feel more like a road tire. Especially on a fast decent or a smooth road.
On tar chip back country roads, the difference is not so pronounced but as soon as the road soothes out a bit, they really shine.
Not much harsher ride either, but defiantly a little harder.

 

[Chino Tom]

My wife and I recently bought a 2020 Como 4 (hers) and a 2019 Vado 3 (mine). I was concerned about the lack of suspension on her Como, so I added a Cane Creek Thudbuster
seat post. She much prefers the more upright seating position of the Como. We are new to E-bikes and many years removed from riding at all. She loves her Como. Roads and
bike paths are our preferred rides (although she had a blast on the Horseshoe Lake Trail in Mammoth Lakes, CA). The wider tires of the Como do make for a comfortable ride.

 

[Sidkane]

My wife and I recently bought 2020 Vado 4s and are very happy. My wife is 5’ 4” around the same weight and pretty fit. She got the medium. She tried the Como before buying, but preferred the riding position and ride of the Vado. She did not find it too aggressive. She found the Como too upright. Good luck!

 

[MDEZZ]

Yep so my wife has the VADO 4.0 now about a week and rode it 2x for maybe 20 miles total. She loves it and the geometry is fine- but I had to go into the mission control app and crank down the sensitivity of the power pedal assist on LEVEL 1. She felt it came on too quickly and with too much power. The fact that you can even do this is amazing and it really works. I on the other hand have a BOSCH system and as we know this is not possible - but Im fine with that. Again, this really made all the difference to her and made me a fan of the Brose system.

 

[PaD]

Yep so my wife has the VADO 4.0 now about a week and rode it 2x for maybe 20 miles total. She loves it and the geometry is fine- but I had to go into the mission control app and crank down the sensitivity of the power pedal assist on LEVEL 1. She felt it came on too quickly and with too much power. The fact that you can even do this is amazing and it really works. I on the other hand have a BOSCH system and as we know this is not possible - but Im fine with that. Again, this really made all the difference to her and made me a fan of the Brose system.

It’s great to be able to adjust Support and/or Peak Power levels to your own liking. I’m i bit surprised your wife found the power coming on to quickly and strong in Eco mode but we’re all different and that’s her opinion.
I sometimes feel I would like the motor to kick a little quicker when taking off from a traffic light, but I’m very satisfied with the overall power delivery as it is so smooth and natural. I have tried a few different setting for Eco mode but have gone back to what believe is the standard setting, support 35% and peak 35%.

 

[Sidkane]

Yep so my wife has the VADO 4.0 now about a week and rode it 2x for maybe 20 miles total. She loves it and the geometry is fine- but I had to go into the mission control app and crank down the sensitivity of the power pedal assist on LEVEL 1. She felt it came on too quickly and with too much power. The fact that you can even do this is amazing and it really works. I on the other hand have a BOSCH system and as we know this is not possible - but Im fine with that. Again, this really made all the difference to her and made me a fan of the Brose system.

Congratulations on the new bike! Enjoy!

 

[flashracer]

It seems more people prefer the Vado over the Como. I am on the fence. My rides are going to be more greenway riding. Some are pretty rough.

 

[Rick53]

It seems more people prefer the Vado over the Como. I am on the fence. My rides are going to be more greenway riding. Some are pretty rough.

A lot depends on Your age and flexibility : Regardless of what age you are : An upright position creates less wear and tear on the body > If you have a gut to work off a vado will help more than Como . It's also easier to climb slightly forward vs Upright . I also found the M/L como frame sorta leaves out someone in the middle like Me . While teh XL is right at the edge of being to tall . The M/L is definitely top small . The 175 crank arm on the XL is far better suited for me then the 170 on the M/L . I'm guessing this has to do with the comos smaller ht tires

 

[flashracer]

W

A lot depends on Your age and flexibility : Regardless of what age you are : An upright position creates less wear and tear on the body > If you have a gut to work off a vado will help more than Como . It's also easier to climb slightly forward vs Upright . I also found the M/L como frame sorta leaves out someone in the middle like Me . While teh XL is right at the edge of being to tall . The M/L is definitely top small . The 175 crank arm on the XL is far better suited for me then the 170 on the M/L . I'm guessing this has to do with the comos smaller ht tires

well I am 60 years old. My wife is 62. About 140lbs. Haven’t rode bikes since I was a kid. I have low back and rotator cuff issues. I ride a Harley touring motorcycle and have owned crotch rockets which was hard on my wrist from leaning forward. The Como felt more comfortable sitting on it then the Vado. Saddle was more comfortable. Just pleasure riding and exercising.

 

[Rick53]

W

well I am 60 years old. My wife is 62. About 140lbs. Haven’t rode bikes since I was a kid. I have low back and rotator cuff issues. I ride a Harley touring motorcycle and have owned crotch rockets which was hard on my wrist from leaning forward. The Como felt more comfortable sitting on it then the Vado. Saddle was more comfortable. Just pleasure riding and exercising.

Get the Como or Get the vado and install a riser Stem Which would maybe get you more upright

 

[Ricky]

I would highly recommend a suspension seat post. I rented a Como in Colorado and went 42 miles and 2600 feet of elevation change in a single ride and loved it. I have an iZip Moda (VERY VERY similar to the Vado but no front suspension fork) with 1500 miles on it and the same Brose drive system as the Como and Vado.

Personally, I think that suspension seat post makes more difference than front suspension. Also since your wife is lighter, you can probably run 35-40 pounds in the larger tires and be fine. I recommend the SunTour SP12-NCX suspension seatpost. The cheapest is to buy it from this website in Germany, and if you buy 2 one for your bike and one for your wife the shipping cost will be more than offset.

Suspension

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