Vado 4.0 LTD - very capable "gravel" e-bike as well as commuter

[jwehman]

I know it's not even classified as a "gravel" bike, but where I live (near Boulder, CO), there are many trails (mostly fire-roads and wide gravel trails, but some thinner, smooth-ish single-track) that I've ridden on in the two weeks that I've owned the Vado 4.0 LTD. This version has the suspension (spring) seat post as well as the forks.

I can happily say that going out for a ride around my area has really become quite enjoyable with the Vado. I've taken many side-trail excursions and seen some trails I hadn't before and it's so easy to say "what the heck" and turn down a trail because I'm riding an e-bike and not worried about effort requirements.

The bike really does handle the gravel, bumpy rocks (not boulders) and loose dirt pretty darn well.

I've got over 200 miles on the bike so far in two weeks and each time I go out, I'm able to enjoy my surroundings and the love of being outdoors in nature instead of worrying about the effort or lack of energy I might have or even trying to beat some stupid Strava segment.

I've just got to make sure I've got my repair kit with me. The tires are not very puncture resistant and I'm beating the snot out of them and already punctured a tube. But that's what patches are for

I've attached a few pics from today and the bike on the back of the car when I picked it up at the local LBS.

 

[Recontra]

Nice.

 

[Sierratim]

I too ride my Vado on local gravel roads. No issues, except 3 flats in the first 4 months! Put in thorn stips. No more flats, but had a blow out in the rear a few weeks ago. I'm thinking I didn't seat the tire bead well enough. Glad I had that flat kit with the spare tube!

 

[Nxkharra]

I know it's not even classified as a "gravel" bike, but where I live (near Boulder, CO), there are many trails (mostly fire-roads and wide gravel trails, but some thinner, smooth-ish single-track) that I've ridden on in the two weeks that I've owned the Vado 4.0 LTD. This version has the suspension (spring) seat post as well as the forks.

I can happily say that going out for a ride around my area has really become quite enjoyable with the Vado. I've taken many side-trail excursions and seen some trails I hadn't before and it's so easy to say "what the heck" and turn down a trail because I'm riding an e-bike and not worried about effort requirements.

The bike really does handle the gravel, bumpy rocks (not boulders) and loose dirt pretty darn well.

I've got over 200 miles on the bike so far in two weeks and each time I go out, I'm able to enjoy my surroundings and the love of being outdoors in nature instead of worrying about the effort or lack of energy I might have or even trying to beat some stupid Strava segment.

I've just got to make sure I've got my repair kit with me. The tires are not very puncture resistant and I'm beating the snot out of them and already punctured a tube. But that's what patches are for

I've attached a few pics from today and the bike on the back of the car when I picked it up at the local LBS.

Beautiful color.

 

[Sierratim]

Beautiful color.

Yellow is another of the fasterest colors!

 

[Nxkharra]

Yellow is another of the fasterest colors!

The first Vado I tested was a 2019 Vado 6.0. Yellow. I loved it. Unfortunately 2020 Vado 5.0 only came in black. And I wanted to get the latest technology. So color took second place to technology.

 

[linklemming]

I know it's not even classified as a "gravel" bike, but where I live (near Boulder, CO), there are many trails (mostly fire-roads and wide gravel trails, but some thinner, smooth-ish single-track) that I've ridden on in the two weeks that I've owned the Vado 4.0 LTD. This version has the suspension (spring) seat post as well as the forks.

I can happily say that going out for a ride around my area has really become quite enjoyable with the Vado. I've taken many side-trail excursions and seen some trails I hadn't before and it's so easy to say "what the heck" and turn down a trail because I'm riding an e-bike and not worried about effort requirements.

The bike really does handle the gravel, bumpy rocks (not boulders) and loose dirt pretty darn well.

I've got over 200 miles on the bike so far in two weeks and each time I go out, I'm able to enjoy my surroundings and the love of being outdoors in nature instead of worrying about the effort or lack of energy I might have or even trying to beat some stupid Strava segment.

I've just got to make sure I've got my repair kit with me. The tires are not very puncture resistant and I'm beating the snot out of them and already punctured a tube. But that's what patches are for

I've attached a few pics from today and the bike on the back of the car when I picked it up at the local LBS.

Looks like your riding at rocky flats. Is it legal to ride an ebike there? I would love to ride out there from my house in louisville.

I did some research back when it first opened and thought it wasnt open to ebikes. Perhaps I didnt find the right info or ebikes are now allowed.

Running with slime tubes (or stans in your tubes) will likely make it so you dont have any flats. I have only had a flat or two since using stans in my tubes in the last 10 years

Might also want to consider tires like the schwalbe marathon plus MTB, I run these and stans for double protection.

 

[jwehman]

Looks like your riding at rocky flats. Is it legal to ride an ebike there? I would love to ride out there from my house in louisville.

I did some research back when it first opened and thought it wasnt open to ebikes. Perhaps I didnt find the right info or ebikes are now allowed.

Running with slime tubes (or stans in your tubes) will likely make it so you dont have any flats. I have only had a flat or two since using stans in my tubes in the last 10 years

Might also want to consider tires like the schwalbe marathon plus MTB, I run these and stans for double protection.

Yes - Rocky Flats. I didn’t even check if there was any notice about ebikes. It’s Jeffco vs Boulder so maybe they’re more lenient. I do know there’s an “no ebike” trail marker on coalton trail (right off 128 trailhead) but not on the meadowlark / mayhoffer trails . And I ride my Vado on those trails all the time.
I’m in Superior so taking the ebike makes getting up The Wall much easier

 

[linklemming]

Actually rocky flats is national wildlife refuge. I tried going to their (rocky flats) website but something is broken on the website.

Meadowlark is open to ebikes.

Mayhoffer is open to ebikes south of W Coal Creek Drive but is closed to ebikes north of W Coal Creek Drive. There used to be a no ebike sign at the north entrance of Mayhoffer at W Coal Creek Drive but rumor is some ebiker with a 5/16 socket removed the sign about a year ago.

Rumor is the same ebiker with a 5/16 socket removed the sign at coalton trailhead 3 months ago.

That being said, 'no ebike' sign usage in boulder county is horribly inconsistent. The only two I am aware of are the ones mentioned previously. Ironically if you got on Mayhoffer from S 66th St, there was no sign. There are also no signs for the marshal mesa area but since that is Boulder Open space, its off limits. Rumor has it some ebikers(who carry 5/16 sockets) ride that as well.

At one of the openspace meetings discussing ebike usage (after a two year study), someone asked how to know what can be ridden as the rules were confusing and he was told something to the effect 'dont worry about it' as if the rules were not really going to be enforced. So if you happen to be one of those ebike riders who carry a 5/16 socket, tread at your own risk.

Note that the rules might have changed since I last checked about a year ago.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

As my Vado has a rigid fork (and Electrak 2.0 tyres, two-inch), I was unhappy to ride gravel roads. My brother deflated the tyres down to 2.9 bar (42 psi) and now my Vado rides rough roads perfectly! Add to it the puncture resistance of these tyres!

 

[linklemming]

I ride my iZip Moda (Brose speed pedelec with massive rigid fork) with Schwalbe Marathon Plus 27.5x2.4 at 30psi an all the gravel rides around here. I see no need for anything more although my Bulls ebike with 27.5x2.8(20psi) and suspension fork is way more comfy

 

[Stefan Mikes]

my Bulls ebike

What model?

 

[linklemming]

2018 BullS Evo 3 27.5+ hardtail

 

[Quadracer]

I know it's not even classified as a "gravel" bike, but where I live (near Boulder, CO), there are many trails (mostly fire-roads and wide gravel trails, but some thinner, smooth-ish single-track) that I've ridden on in the two weeks that I've owned the Vado 4.0 LTD. This version has the suspension (spring) seat post as well as the forks.

I can happily say that going out for a ride around my area has really become quite enjoyable with the Vado. I've taken many side-trail excursions and seen some trails I hadn't before and it's so easy to say "what the heck" and turn down a trail because I'm riding an e-bike and not worried about effort requirements.

The bike really does handle the gravel, bumpy rocks (not boulders) and loose dirt pretty darn well.

I've got over 200 miles on the bike so far in two weeks and each time I go out, I'm able to enjoy my surroundings and the love of being outdoors in nature instead of worrying about the effort or lack of energy I might have or even trying to beat some stupid Strava segment.

I've just got to make sure I've got my repair kit with me. The tires are not very puncture resistant and I'm beating the snot out of them and already punctured a tube. But that's what patches are for

I've attached a few pics from today and the bike on the back of the car when I picked it up at the local LBS.

My wife and I have had many happy rides off road with the Vados. We have gone the larger tubless tyre (2.8) way with 650 rims for gravel rides. No punctures yet. The bike feels so different and nimble with this setup, im always dissapointed to change my bike back to the standard commuter setup.

 

[linklemming]

My wife and I have had many happy rides off road with the Vados. We have gone the larger tubless tyre (2.8) way with 650 rims for gravel rides. No punctures yet. The bike feels so different and nimble with this setup, im always dissapointed to change my bike back to the standard commuter setup.

Wow, thanks for sharing, I had no idea the Vado had the clearance for 27.5x2.8 tires

 

[jim6b]

" We have gone the larger tubless tyre (2.8) way with 650 rims for gravel rides. "

Very interesting. So interesting, one has to wonder whether Specialized would make it an optional choice, e.g. the Vado 650.

 

[Nxkharra]

My wife and I have had many happy rides off road with the Vados. We have gone the larger tubless tyre (2.8) way with 650 rims for gravel rides. No punctures yet. The bike feels so different and nimble with this setup, im always dissapointed to change my bike back to the standard commuter setup.

Nice looking bike and great that you have done good with Vado.
Why not just get Levo for off-road and also use it for commute? I am not trying to be critical just trying to understand the logic behind this.
I have a Vado now and really like to have Levo to go off road.

 

[Sierratim]

Wow, thanks for sharing, I had no idea the Vado had the clearance for 27.5x2.8 tires

If you take the fenders off, larger tires and wheels will fit. The fenders are fairly restrictive though.

 

[Quadracer]

Nice looking bike and great that you have done good with Vado.
Why not just get Levo for off-road and also use it for commute? I am not trying to be critical just trying to understand the logic behind this.
I have a Vado now and really like to have Levo to go off road.

I got my bike to comute to work mainly now has done over 14k km. We have a lot of rail trail rides here in NZ so swap the wheels for these weekend rides. They are gentle offroad rides. If mountain biking is your thing then levo is certainly best for that

 

[rochrunner]

The times my Vado 4.0 has been less than confidence-inspiring when off-road is on loose gravel, which we seem to have a lot of around here. With the weight and standard tires, the front end tends to really plow, especially if I hit some going downhill. My other bike also gets squirrely in the loose stuff, but feels light enough that I can flick it around more easily to keep it going upright and straight.