Turbo Tero 5.0 or Powerfly 7?

[MrMackyB]

Hi everyone

Im in the process of speccing up my first e-bike via cyclescheme. I have the certificate, I just need to choose now
It will be used for the commute to work (14 miles each way), I used to ride this commute on a normal bike for years, loved the ride in, hated the ride home so Im hoping an ebike will help with that.
Initially I was looking at the Vado 5, great for the commute and it rode well on the test ride.
Then I made a discovery via Kamoot, I had no idea that there were a few cycle trails in my area, so my thinking has changed, Id like my bike to do both the commute and some trail riding at weekends. Nothing too extreme, these trails are mostly beginner with a couple of intermediates thrown in for good measure and around the 25-40 mile mark.
This led me to to start looking at either the Tero 5 or Powerfly 7. Both of these seem to be a decent compromise for the commute and some light trails.
They both seem to be about the same level, Im leaning towards the Tero for the bigger battery. Are there any know issues/drawbacks (apart from the weight) of these models
Are there any other road/trail bikes I should be looking at?

 

[CodyDog]

The good thing about the hard tails is you can actually ride some MTB trails. So there's some deversity there. Unfortunately they are Class 1 bikes which for commuting, I would prefer a class 3.

I'm a Specialized fan and had great luck with a Turbo Levo Comp and Vado SL 5.0. I test rode the Terro 5.0 and was impressed. My SL 5.0 is a great commuter and can easily be changed into a great gravel bike with different tires. The future shock absorbs small bumps. I will be taking more of smooth single track. The SL 5.0 would not be good for intermediate MTN trails.

I have no experience with Trek but I'm sure that both the Terro and Powerfly will serve you well. Both can be supported by a LBS which is key!

 

[MrMackyB]

I should have said, Im in the UK so we are restricted to 15.5mph in any case no matter what model of bike.
I was impressed with the Vado 5 and would imagine that the Tero 5/Powerfly 7 will be just as good while giving me the option to ride offroad.
I prefer the looks of the Powerfly 7, it is a great looking bike, but the battery is larger on the Tero 5 and I can't help thinking that will ending up being more important to me in the end.
Glad to hear the Tero impressed you, that is reassuring - what impressed you if you don't mind me asking? I know I was impressed on just how high e-bike manufacturers have manged to push their prices - this is going to cost more than my first car

 

[Stefan Mikes]

The greatest things about the Tero are:

• The latest exciting Mastermind system (Trek is on the older Bosch system, not the latest Smart System)
• Full connectivity with the outer world by Bluetooth and ANT+
• Nice big battery (710 Wh)

I was demo riding a Tero 3.0 and liked it (owned a full suspension Giant Trance E+ 2 Pro before). If I needed yet another e-bike that would be a Tero 5.0.

 

[CodyDog]

I should have said, Im in the UK so we are restricted to 15.5mph in any case no matter what model of bike.

If that the case, I would get the Class 1 hard tail.

Glad to hear the Tero impressed you, that is reassuring - what impressed you if you don't mind me asking?

Ditto everything Stefan mentioned.

Also, I have had two Specialized e-bikes and my wife has the Specialized Como 3. We like the quality and have had zero issues.

 

[MrMackyB]

In continuing my research I came across an additional nugget. I found it as I was comparing the price of replacement batteries between the Powerfly and Tero, which was very scary.
Tero replacement was hard to find but I found a 2nd gen M2 700Wh battery that was £999 Not the same model but a guide price over cost..
Looking on the Bosch site, their powertube 625 is cheaper though still very expensive at £740
These are just initial searches, They might be cheaper if I dig more I might find cheaper prices
What was more interesting was that Bosch list a 750Wh Powertube that I hadn't seen anything about before

eBike batteries: Long range, low weight, easy charging

The high-quality, long-lasting eBike batteries from Bosch have the highest energy density with a small size and light weight. The Bosch PowerTube is fully integrated in the frame. Different capacities offer the right choice for replacement and spare batteries.

www.bosch-ebike.com

I discovered that this was the new smart system that Stefan mentioned earlier that I missed
After getting excited I then had my hopes dashed as it is only supported on the Carbon and Rail 9 series :-(
I guess that is one big mark on in the Tero's favour, it gives me the features and battery size that are only available on Trek's much more expensive ranges.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I found a 2nd gen M2 700Wh battery that was £999 Not the same model but a guide price over cost..

Actually Tero/Vado/Como 2022 all use the U2 battery. Similar cost as the M2. Are you going for Tero EQ? Because I cannot fancy riding the heavy spare battery in a backpack!

 

[MrMackyB]

Sort of, in the UK we have a cycle to work scheme that I can get up to a £5000 voucher and pay it back over the next 12 months before tax so save a fair bit on the list price. I have £300 spare if I go for the Tero 5 so will use that to get mudguards, helmet and lights and top up as necessary with my own funds. I haven't seen an EQ version of the Tero 5 available, only the Tero 4 as an EQ version.
Id make do for the first year as is, and then I can re-apply for another voucher and use that to get a spare battery and any other upgrades I want or decide I need after a years riding experience

 

[Stefan Mikes]

only the Tero 4 as an EQ version.

Right, right!

 

[900ss]

My wife has the Tero 5.0, having upgraded from a Vado SL 5.0 EQ. She never used the rack on the Vado, so it is not missed. She loves her Tero, and we do more off-road trail and mountain bike riding than road rides. My only complaint is the rubber gasket around the battery opening should be secured, which I will do myself with some silicone cement. If one is not careful when inserting the battery (I remove it before transporting the bike on the hitch mount bike rack we have), it can come loose and interfere with the battery insertion.

 

[MrMackyB]

Useful to know that so thanks, I will have a look and see if I need to do something similar

 

[MrMackyB]

Does anyone know where to get the wiring guide for an 'EQ set'. The specialized web site is a bit crap for detailed info.

Specialized Turbo Tero Equipment Kit

Specialized Turbo Tero Equipment Kit Black £200.00

www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk

Doesn't mention if it comes with info on wiring...

 

[TrevorB]

Does anyone know where to get the wiring guide for an 'EQ set'. The specialized web site is a bit crap for detailed info.

Specialized Turbo Tero Equipment Kit

Specialized Turbo Tero Equipment Kit Black £200.00

www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk

Doesn't mention if it comes with info on wiring...

Consider shortening that front mudguard by inch or two. While great for keep feet dry, its likely catch on any dropoff.

 

[MrMackyB]

Consider shortening that front mudguard by inch or two. While great for keep feet dry, its likely catch on any dropoff.

True, but Im not planning on anything too extreme, more fire roads, cross country and single trail or gravel.

While Im waiting for my voucher to come through I have been researching further. The Tero 5 is still an option as it ticks alot of boxes and has the specialized brand behind it, but so now is the Cube reaction hybrid 750, both are crossovers between road and mtb, the cube is running Bosch's latest smart system with a bigger battery. More importantly, the battery replacement cost is around £200 - £400 cheaper depending on where you shop.
I can just about squeeze a Tero 5, helmet and EQ kit for around 5K
If I go with the Cube I can do all that and get a spare 750Wh battery for the same amount. That would ease one worry as batteries do degrade over time and also gives me the options to sign up for a few multiday gravel rides that I have had my eye on for later this year as I will have the range (typically around 120-130Km per day)
Food for thought, I just wish the voucher would arrive to be honest, at least that way Im forced to jump, whichever way I go.

 

[TrevorB]

The other option is Cube Kathmandu hydrid exec 750. Probably dearer but fully setup for trekking and commuting. At home on gravel and fire roads but not as capable on single track as Reaction which has slacker geometry and offload fork.

Think carefully about how you plan to carry spare 750whr battery especially on rough roads, they are heavy 4.4kg and long 484mm. The 625 will just fit in 20l pannier and that is 416mm and 3.5kg.

 

[MrMackyB]

The other option is Cube Kathmandu hydrid exec 750. Probably dearer but fully setup for trekking and commuting. At home on gravel and fire roads but not as capable on single track as Reaction which has slacker geometry and offload fork.

Think carefully about how you plan to carry spare 750whr battery especially on rough roads, they are heavy 4.4kg and long 484mm. The 625 will just fit in 20l pannier and that is 416mm and 3.5kg.

I have thought about this, I have a large selection of various camera bags I can use, they all have inserts I can reconfigure and are either rucksacks or messenger style with straps to lock in place.
The Kathmandu is actually a little bit cheaper than the Hybrid reaction though it does depend on which version (SLT, SL, EXEC), will dig a bit deeper and have a look.

 

[TrevorB]

The other one to consider is touring hybrid exec. Similar to Kathmandu but with 65nm motor which I have, matched with 10-51t cassette there is nothing won't climb with easy. I'm switching from 11-42t to 11-46t and even then rarely needed any more than 42t offroad.
Good component spec. May support 625wh battery even if it comes with 500wh. 1125wh should be enough if careful for your big gravel ride or better still buy 2x500 or 400wh spare batteries. Easier to find home for 2 smaller more compact batteries than 1x750wh. Depends if you want latest electronics.

Would need to change tires but looks like there is enough clearance for 2.35 Jonny Watts or 2.25 Smart Sam's or equivalents.

 

[STL ebiker]

Hi everyone

Im in the process of speccing up my first e-bike via cyclescheme. I have the certificate, I just need to choose now
It will be used for the commute to work (14 miles each way), I used to ride this commute on a normal bike for years, loved the ride in, hated the ride home so Im hoping an ebike will help with that.
Initially I was looking at the Vado 5, great for the commute and it rode well on the test ride.
Then I made a discovery via Kamoot, I had no idea that there were a few cycle trails in my area, so my thinking has changed, Id like my bike to do both the commute and some trail riding at weekends. Nothing too extreme, these trails are mostly beginner with a couple of intermediates thrown in for good measure and around the 25-40 mile mark.
This led me to to start looking at either the Tero 5 or Powerfly 7. Both of these seem to be a decent compromise for the commute and some light trails.
They both seem to be about the same level, Im leaning towards the Tero for the bigger battery. Are there any know issues/drawbacks (apart from the weight) of these models
Are there any other road/trail bikes I should be looking at?

I have owned a Powerfly 7 (2017 model year) EMTB, switched to a Trek Allant 8s (commuter style ebike), then sold it in less than a year, and bought a Tero 5.0 (U.S. 20 mph version), which is perfect for my riding profile that is very similar to what you outlined.

I loved my Powerfly 7, and only sold it because I wanted the latest tech developments and a newer gen motor (more torque etc.). Bought the Allant and was disappointed on a few fronts and was disappointed with Trek’s support, and sold it 10 months later. On my first ride, with the battery properly latched in, half a mile from home the battery self-ejected, slid on the pavement painted plate side down and it then slid into a sewer hole (storm water runoff) which required me to lift a manhole cover and climb down into to recover. Turns out, after reading numerous forums, this has been a known Trek problem for at least two years. While my LBS was great, and Trek honored the warranty replacement, Trek has had a solution for a long time but decided not to implement the quality control solution. When the LBS assembles the bike it is up to LBS to attach the battery latch plate and there is some variability as to how each tech does this, and that variability leads to some batteries self-ejecting. Turns out, Trek has a “template” for doing this the best way. Yet, rather than sending this to all dealers and retrofitting existing dealer inventory, they let customers spend $4k+ and then deal with the hassle if you are one of the unlucky percentage of customers that this happens to. Honestly, this pi$$ed me off. That, and the fact that I missed my 10-15% of trail miles that I used to ride, so I scored a Tero 5.0.

The Tero is perfect for me. Specialized battery latchment feels bullet proof. It locks in with a lever and key, and the battery is all black so if you need or want another battery you don’t have to also find a painted plate to match your bike’s door tube color (Treck attaches to the side of the Dow tube, Specialzed face down and attaches from the underside. For me, The Tero is a perfect “urban exploration vehicle”. It handles potholes, sewer grates, curbs, etc. just like a MTB, and singletrack, gravel, grass, etc. as well as any hard tail EMTB, plus it has the dropper post for descents. My sole gripe after about 550 miles so far this spring has been that USB-C output from the display does is too little to power my iPhone12 and other more power-hungry phones from Samsung etc. so I added a small handlebar bag, and use a spared power pack ($20?) and power my phone from that on a handlebar mount to view maps, see any calls or texts, etc.

For me, it’s the perfect city/suburban bike that also handles green level single track just fine.

 

[MrMackyB]

That is good to know..

So my HR dept still haven't processed my voucher yet - week 5 now!
Worrying as the stock situation in the UK for everything is dire, I can find only 1 website with the Tero 5 in stock and no LBS have any...
Plan B was the Powerfly, but with your comments and my research, they are running 'older tech which has put me off a bit.
I have been searching around, the Grand Canyon ON 9 looks a really nice backup plan.
Pro's
Good components
Love the frame
Great Price
Can get everything with my voucher inc Spare battery (good 3rd party battery support if needed @ around £650)

Cons
Direct to consumer model
Runs the Shimano EP8 motor (concerns around reliability and after sale support)
Canyon after sales support

Tero 5

Pro's
It is Specialized
Good rating for their support
Bike looks great

Cons
Very pricey
Have to buy via a website
Insanely expensive spares
Stock levels
Will have to see whn my voucher arrives as that will go a long way to deciding which way I jump now...At this rate all the 2023 models will be out soon..

 

[MrMackyB]

So Im all in now, just spent around 3 hrs in my local(ish) bike shop who phoned me to let me know they had manged to get 1 x Tero 5 in and I finally committed to the Tero 5.0 XL size. I also bought 2 decent locks, helmet, mudguards and lights, pump, multi tool, rack adapter and a topeak MTX trunk bag that can be just a bag or a full on set of paniers as well.

Total bill = £5423.95
We can apply for a voucher in the UK, that you pay back over 12 months before tax so I get around a 40% discount, but that amount of money is still going to hurt, but right now who cares I have a new bike! Going to pick it up next Sat.
All I need now is a universal phone mount, I know there is quad lock, but Im inclined to go with the Peak Design phone mount as I have a few of their products for my cameras and really rate them unless anyone else has any other suggestions? I would need the universal mount as my phone is a funny shape...

edit
I know @Stefan Mikes will be pleased someone else has joined the Specialized club!