Turbo Vado SL 4.0 - Cabling inconsistency QC

[ckendall]

Of all the e-bikes we tested for my wife, this bike seemed the best for her and the only one she liked. More intuitive natural assist, lighter weight, nimble handling, The first one we got thru a shop worked out well as I was able to DIY easily modify stem height and riser bars for my petite wife for comfort and control as there was enough cable and brake lines to work with without having to undertake expensive more complex motor and battery removal to install longer cables. We averaged three 20-25 mile rides in a mix of settings with hills and wind before charging. So plenty of power for her fitness bike needs and it made it enjoyable to ride together, me unassisted and her on the Turbo Vado SL. AND seemingly forgiving cabling for fit adjustments.

So we were excited to order with a better sale on line what we thought would be the same bike for another location different family place in New England. I was ready to go with the same riser stem and bars easy peasy again. BUT NO! The hydraulic brake cables on this 2nd new bike were way too out of whack shorter than the derailleur or electrical cables which were fine. Pretty sloppy messy work by Specialized. Since I ordered it thru Specialized online, the shop and Specialized say I have to pay at least 300 bucks to change the cables (they actually want to replace the Tektro HD-R290 brakes with the entry level Shimano MT-201) because thats what the shop has and can get. Not sure how those compare..?.

I am not faulting the shop. The poor quality control and consistency on the part of Specialized is the issue. Same parts just sloppy inconsistent cabling. While I’ve done plenty of cable and hydraulic brake work, on non e-bikes not sure I want to drop motor and battery to run new cables on a new bike and potentially void a warranty. I could probably DIY this but don’t have all my tools here.

Moral of the story, success with one nice bike doesn’t mean you’ll get the same with the same model again, at least from Specialized. Maybe this recent sale is selling QC rejects.

 

[mfgrep]

I thought that specialized shipped for your LBS to assemble? Are you certain this is not the work of some schlocky bike tech at your local shop?

 

[JayUK]

If you are not happy just hand the bike back and get a refund.

Does the shorter cable cause any issues with riding / braking?

 

[ckendall]

I thought that specialized shipped for your LBS to assemble? Are you certain this is not the work of some schlocky bike tech at your local shop?

The cables are already assembled from factory. They don’t cut cables. All they really do is mount front wheel, bars and insert seatpost I think.

 

[ckendall]

If you are not happy just hand the bike back and get a refund.

Does the shorter cable cause any issues with riding / braking?

No issues with riding or braking except that the handle bars cannot be positioned for the small wife's comfort. Yes I am likely to return if I find a local shop bike with the longer cables.

 

[JayUK]

No issues with riding or braking except that the handle bars cannot be positioned for the small wife's comfort. Yes I am likely to return if I find a local shop bike with the longer cables.

Why can't your LBS run a new cable it's not a big job?

Just checked with my LBS and he quoted 30 for replacing a Vado disc brake hose including brake bleed...

 

[ckendall]

Why can't your LBS run a new cable it's not a big job?

Just checked with my LBS and he quoted 30 for replacing a Vado disc brake hose including brake bleed...

They can. For a Turbo Vado SL cable runs thru the frame, the motor and battery have to be dropped to position cables. So if they’d do that for 30 thats super reasonable. This shop wants to replace the brakes as well presumably just because its easier since Shimano brakes are prebled and they don’t have Tektro hoses. Someone else posted that they had to do this and it also cost them 300 or so at their shop.

 

[JayUK]

They can. For a Turbo Vado SL cable runs thru the frame, the motor and battery have to be dropped to position cables. So if they’d do that for 30 thats super reasonable. This shop wants to replace the brakes as well presumably just because its easier since Shimano brakes are prebled and they don’t have Tektro hoses. Someone else posted that they had to do this and it also cost them 300 or so at their shop.

There is no reason to change the brakes, I would look for another LBS personally.

Just found this, looks like an easy job for a competent LBS:-

 

[ckendall]

That video is on a different bike and I have done that before on other bikes, However, from what I understand on this bike, a Turbo Vado SL, The rear cable is jammed in there against the batterry and around the motor and won’t slide. I did check to see if the current cable can slide at all. It doesnt. I do question replacing the brakes but I do understand that not having to bleed etc, is easier than installing a new prebled sealed setup. If someone who has done this tells me its easy without voiding warranty I may look into it more. At this point I’m just pissed at Specialized for their sloppiness.

 

[JayUK]

That video is on a different bike and I have done that before on other bikes, However, from what I understand on this bike, a Turbo Vado SL, The rear cable is jammed in there against the batterry and around the motor and won’t slide. I did check to see if the current cable can slide at all. It doesnt. I do question replacing the brakes but I do understand that not having to bleed etc, is easier than installing a new prebled sealed setup. If someone who has done this tells me its easy without voiding warranty I may look into it more. At this point I’m just pissed at Specialized for their sloppiness.

Just checked my Turbo Vado 5.0 (not SL) brake hose and it moves relatively freely backwards and forwards, I would be a little concerned if a hydraulic hose is pinched, maybe more Specialized sloppiness!

Anyway I hope you get it sorted.

 

[ckendall]

Thanks. Love your logo BTW. I still have an old steel bike with 753.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

There is no reason to change the brakes, I would look for another LBS personally.

A good advice.
In my opinion, everything is OK with the Vado SL brakes or cables, it only takes a competent techie to work on the e-bike.

There us a plastic sleeve inside the Vado SL steering tube; its function is to protect the cables against rubbing them by the steerer tube. That sleeve makes some cables blocked against the movement (fork removal is necessary to do the work properly). The cable slack is adequate, only it takes a person who understands how the e-bike is built.

Tektro HD-R290 brakes

Why should you replace excellent brakes with inferior ones?!

 

[ckendall]

A good advice.
In my opinion, everything is OK with the Vado SL brakes or cables, it only takes a competent techie to work on the e-bike.

There us a plastic sleeve inside the Vado SL steering tube; its function is to protect the cables against rubbing them by the steerer tube. That sleeve makes some cables blocked against the movement (fork removal is necessary to do the work properly). The cable slack is adequate, only it takes a person who understands how the e-bike is built.

Why should you replace excellent brakes with inferior ones?!

I may explore that steering head tube sleeve you mention and see if any slack can be freed up. But it seems improbable to me since the cables come out of the down tube before the head tube. Is there any diagram of this? Does the headset have to be removed?

I don’t want to replace these brakes because they really do seem excellent so far as good as any of my Shimano setups. The shop said it was cheaper because sourcing the Tektro cables would cost as much and I imagine its easier for them to not go thru the bleeding process since Shimano are shipped pre bled. Still, I am most pissed off at Specialized because this bike in comparison to the same bike we got a month ago was shipped with inconsistent sloppy unmatched cabling. The other bike was cables neatly and lengths matched with enough excess for adding a stem riser and riser bars for my wife’s liking. I addition to lengthening hydraulic cables I want to shorten the derailleur cable. A way to do this without removing motor and battery would be nice.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

You need to remove the stem starting from removing the cap then the stem, hopefully together with the handlebars if the cable slack allows it (otherwise, you have to remove the bars from the stem, too). Then the fork with the steerer will slide out of the head-tube easily.

I still think your LBS is incompetent or does not care.

 

[ckendall]

So removing the fork is no different than any other threadless headset bike. Done plenty of that. I just don‘t see where something in the head tube would impinge or take up cable slack based on the picture from the manual or outward appearance on where and the angle at which cables come out behind the head tube on the down tube and I did remove and explore the plastic cable stop to see if any cable would slide. But I may have to do it to find out. The front hydraulic cable is also too short but would be easy in comparison to dropping the motor and battery to lengthen the rear brake line and shorten the rear derailleur cable.

Not going to disagree with you on the shop and not going that route, but Specialized can be pretty sloppy. Seen it before. I usually build and spec my own non e-bikes but did not do that for my wife's two e-bikes.