Turbo Tero 3.0 questions

[dougth]

I'm new to e biking after 30 years of high mileage road and trail riding. Age and a knee replacement have led me rather reluctantly to an ebike. I researched online and ordered a Specialized Turbo Tero 3.0(arrives tomorrow), which I realize is on the lower end of the spectrum. Figures for the range are all over the place, up to 90 miles. I figure on only using the lower power setting and going human power when with a tailwind or downhill. I do a 6 day 400 mile mostly flat trail ride each year, 60 mile days with the first and last days at 80 miles. I'm REALLY hoping that this bike will do the job. I stumbled onto this site last night and figured that someone could reassure me that this is doable?

Another new question after reading the forum is all this software stuff. Gees, I just want a bike that will give me a little boost when I need it, and the posts I read were talking about software updates and having to find a Specialized dealer to do them and issues with the updates. Can't I just keep it simple and ride without going into all the tech? After reading those posts I've been wondering if I made the wrong decision. I was under the impression that it was possible to tweak the power in 10% increments and thought that was about the extent of it.

Hopefully someone out there can help me out. Thanks!

 

[Ben J]

the posts I read were talking about software updates

If you're talking about Tero 3.0 specifically, they shipped originally as a class 1 (assist up to 20MPH) bike but increased it with a FW update to class 3 (assist up to 28MPH) which would explain particular interest in Tero 3.0 updates.

60-80 miles on a charge is definitely doable if you keep the assist level low. There are "smart settings" which let you preprogram the expected range and elevation gain and the bike will automatically limit you to the available power (with temporary boosts by hitting +).

Don't panic if the bike's range numbers look bad when you first start riding. The computer has to learn the battery. That has also caused several reviewers to make some negative battery life comments. Most of my rides are 20-40 miles and I rarely use 50% of the battery. Today I went 31.9 miles and used 36% of the battery, and most of that was on the way home when I bumped up to TRAIL mode while on the road with cars.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I had a chance to demo ride a Tero 3.0 and was generally happy with the e-bike. You will find out pedalling a relatively heavy e-bike with no assistance makes no sense, and you would certainly start riding the e-bike in the default ECO assistance of 35/35%. The 530 Wh battery (effective useful charge of 503 Wh) will be somewhat a limiting factor.

If you ride at the default 35/35% ECO assistance, the 2.0E motor would deliver on average 98 W per your 100 W leg power with the peak power of 150 W. The battery consumption would be around 125 W. It would allow 4 hours of riding. Now, if you would ride at, say, average 14 mph, it means the range of your e-bike would be 64 miles.

Now, there are many factors that will affect the battery range: some of them as headwind, hills, rough terrain, frequent starts/stops, fast riding (air drag) would limit the range while your legs strength (if good) might improve the range.

There are two options to control the range:

• MicroTune, so you could further limit the assistance and motor max power, or
• Setting Smart Control in either Mission Control or Specialized app for the Distance to be ridden, planned Elevation Gain, and 5% of the battery left at the end of the ride. Smart Control will "think" for several first miles of your ride to set a reasonable assistance to help you making your goal.

You would be better off with a Tero 4.0 that has a 710 Wh battery. If you cannot return the 3.0 and re-order the 4.0, you'd probably be condemned to very low assistance rides, or you would invest in a 710 Wh battery + cover (to rotate the batteries as needed). The big battery is the major cost in an e-bike!

Note: The battery of @Ben J is 710 Wh. It makes a big difference!

 

[dougth]

I had a chance to demo ride a Tero 3.0 and was generally happy with the e-bike. You will find out pedalling a relatively heavy e-bike with no assistance makes no sense, and you would certainly start riding the e-bike in the default ECO assistance of 35/35%. The 530 Wh battery (effective useful charge of 503 Wh) will be somewhat a limiting factor.

If you ride at the default 35/35% ECO assistance, the 2.0E motor would deliver on average 98 W per your 100 W leg power with the peak power of 150 W. The battery consumption would be around 125 W. It would allow 4 hours of riding. Now, if you would ride at, say, average 14 mph, it means the range of your e-bike would be 64 miles.

Now, there are many factors that will affect the battery range: some of them as headwind, hills, rough terrain, frequent starts/stops, fast riding (air drag) would limit the range while your legs strength (if good) might improve the range.

There are two options to control the range:

• MicroTune, so you could further limit the assistance and motor max power, or
• Setting Smart Control in either Mission Control or Specialized app for the Distance to be ridden, planned Elevation Gain, and 5% of the battery left at the end of the ride. Smart Control will "think" for several first miles of your ride to set a reasonable assistance to help you making your goal.

You would be better off with a Tero 4.0 that has a 710 Wh battery. If you cannot return the 3.0 and re-order the 4.0, you'd probably be condemned to very low assistance rides, or you would invest in a 710 Wh battery + cover (to rotate the batteries as needed). The big battery is the major cost in an e-bike!

Note: The battery of @Ben J is 710 Wh. It makes a big difference!

I appreciate the response guys. A 710 wh battery should make range a non issue I'd think, since my brother rides a big old heavy RAD bike with a 750 wh battery on our annual 400 mile ride. Even loaded to the max, he doesn't have range problems and he's kicking my butt. Since I'm getting a 530 wh bike that's my concern. I'll look at the two options listed by Stephan if necessary. I never saw an option for a battery upgrade or I'd have probably done that. Aftermarket looks like about $650. Yikes!

 

[CMASteve]

I appreciate the response guys. A 710 wh battery should make range a non issue I'd think, since my brother rides a big old heavy RAD bike with a 750 wh battery on our annual 400 mile ride. Even loaded to the max, he doesn't have range problems and he's kicking my butt. Since I'm getting a 530 wh bike that's my concern. I'll look at the two options listed by Stephan if necessary. I never saw an option for a battery upgrade or I'd have probably done that. Aftermarket looks like about $650. Yikes!

I upgraded from a Rad Rover to a Tero 5.0 - The difference of hub drive versus crank drive is extraordinary as far as battery range goes. On the Tero you can adjust your battery contribution in several ways. You can adjust the Eco mode to give less assist and/or set the percentage to give. The Rad has a 750 Watt motor and the Tero has 250. With my rad I always carried a backup battery but the Tero I can still outride the distance by FAR with the stock 700Wh battery. I have a 5.0 versus your 3.0 but the adjustments still apply.
After over 3,000 miles, I still can get over a 100 mile range where I ride.

 

[TrevorB]

The three simple
ways to extend range are
1) keep speed down 10-12mph is good target.
2) Topup the battery at a cafe, will mean buy lunch, not always a option for some rides.

3) Buy 2nd battery.

 

[Ebikelife72]

I just got a Tero X 5. I’m not sure how different it is from a Tero 3 in terms of gearing and weight but I find the x5 very easy to pedal with no assistance. I was very surprised and pleased by this. It alleviates range anxiety….almost

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I just got a Tero X 5. I’m not sure how different it is from a Tero 3 in terms of gearing and weight but I find the x5 very easy to pedal with no assistance. I was very surprised and pleased by this. It alleviates range anxiety….almost

Glad to hear it!

 

[dougth]

Glad to hear it!

I got 3 rides in this week before it got cold here in Iowa and am fairly impressed with the ride. Having never ridden(or even wanted to ride) an e-bike, it was an eye-opener. I've been riding 20-30+ mile rides on gravel roads with plenty of hills and wind. Rode the first ride in eco mode for all of it, then tried out the micro mode for the next two rides and can extend the range. I ride w/0 assistance on anything even remotely downhill, 20% assistance the rest of the time, and 30% when climbing. This way I still get a workout in and get some help on the climbs. It's put a smile back on my face that I haven't had since losing a ton of strength and speed after the knee replacement 2 years ago. The bike isn't hard to pedal at all w/o assistance, being not a lot heavier than my regular mtn bike. Hopefully I can try to get a 50-60 mile ride in if it warms up a bit before snow flies, but I'm thinking that I'll be able to do the 60 mile days of my annual trek fully loaded, and the 80 mile day is still a question mark, esp. if it's into a headwind all day. I was worried about some of the motor noise complaints but mine is very quiet. Thanks for the comments/observations posted! It would have been nice to have had the 700wh battery option to have had some breathing room, but I never had that from my seller.

 

[dougth]

I got 3 rides in this week before it got cold here in Iowa and am fairly impressed with the ride. Having never ridden(or even wanted to ride) an e-bike, it was an eye-opener. I've been riding 20-30+ mile rides on gravel roads with plenty of hills and wind. Rode the first ride in eco mode for all of it, then tried out the micro mode for the next two rides and can extend the range. I ride w/0 assistance on anything even remotely downhill, 20% assistance the rest of the time, and 30% when climbing. This way I still get a workout in and get some help on the climbs. It's put a smile back on my face that I haven't had since losing a ton of strength and speed after the knee replacement 2 years ago. The bike isn't hard to pedal at all w/o assistance, being not a lot heavier than my regular mtn bike. Hopefully I can try to get a 50-60 mile ride in if it warms up a bit before snow flies, but I'm thinking that I'll be able to do the 60 mile days of my annual trek fully loaded, and the 80 mile day is still a question mark, esp. if it's into a headwind all day. I was worried about some of the motor noise complaints but mine is very quiet. Thanks for the comments/observations posted! It would have been nice to have had the 700wh battery option to have had some breathing room, but I never had that from my seller.

A question for a couple of you guys who seem pretty knowledgeable about these bikes. I like to get out of the saddle when exiting a curve or approaching the top of a hill. I'll usually be at 20-30% boost at that time, and my cadence out of the saddle would be maybe 60. Is it hard on the drive to do this w/o turning the boost completely off? When climbing I'd like to still have the boost even if not as efficient at the lower cadence out of the saddle, but I don't want to put extra wear on the motor. This may be something that I'd figure out after more rides, but it's going to be cold for the next week.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Dough, honestly, I never pedal out of the saddle. It is somewhat against the very idea of the e-bike. Go full Turbo in a low gear and spin the cranks on the climb! It will not harm the motor. Just reduce the assistance at the top of the hill. You actually do not need to pedal downhill.

Negotiate the corner deeply leaned to the side (push the inner bar end -- the one towards the turn -- slightly forward - it's countersteering) and do not pedal at all! Be seated when exiting the corner.

 

[dougth]

s

Dough, honestly, I never pedal out of the saddle. It is somewhat against the very idea of the e-bike. Go full Turbo in a low gear and spin the cranks on the climb! It will not harm the motor. Just reduce the assistance at the top of the hill. You actually do not need to pedal downhill.

Negotiate the corner deeply leaned to the side (push the inner bar end -- the one towards the turn -- slightly forward - it's countersteering) and do not pedal at all! Be seated when exiting the corner.

Hey Stefan, thanks for the reply but it doesn't answer my question as to whether doing so will adversely affect the motor. Last I checked, I've biked well over 210,000 miles in a bit over 30 years and I was once pretty fast. I know how I like to ride, and just got the e-bike for assistance to keep my enthusiasm up. I, and most people I think, need to get out of the saddle sometimes to use other muscles and get the weight off my butt, so developed that routine. Just wondered if I need to turn off all motor assistance when out of the saddle or can still use it to help some. You seem to be one of the most knowledgeable guys on the forum so was hoping you'd have the answer to my question, not riding technique. Thanks!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Just wondered if I need to turn off all motor assistance when out of the saddle or can still use it to help some. You seem to be one of the most knowledgeable guys on the forum so was hoping you'd have the answer to my question, not riding technique. Thanks!

Nothing wrong would happen if you keep the assistance on and get out of the saddle. The motor will just get less efficient at the low cadence, offering you less support or consuming more battery but it is nothing that could adversely affect your motor!

I have simply got used to ride in the saddle all the time, and only stand on the pedals at times to relieve my butt, the MTB way

 

[dougth]

Nothing wrong would happen if you keep the assistance on and get out of the saddle. The motor will just get less efficient at the low cadence, offering you less support or consuming more battery but it is nothing that could adversely affect your motor!

I have simply got used to ride in the saddle all the time, and only stand on the pedals at times to relieve my butt, the MTB way

Good deal! Just wanted to make sure that wouldn't hurt the motor. I guess it wouldn't be that big a deal to just drop the assistance just before I jump out of the saddle, but figured the boost from the motor while climbing would be better. Thanks!