Vado 4.0 motor resistance at ”no motor support”

[PaD]

Sorry for vocabulary but I’m new to e-bikes and English is not my native language.
I have started asking about this subject in other threads but would like to see if I get more respone this way. I hope I can now after 3 days of riding the Vado better describe the subject

Here we go.
If I turn battery off pedalling my Vado is just like a regular bike. No feel of turning an electric motor and no sound of course.
However,
With battery/motor on and motor support level set to off it is now clear to me that the motor or drive system is still engaged. I clearly feel the resistance from motor and the noise/sound is the same as when you’re in Eco or Sport or Turbo. But of course you get no support from the motor only the pedal resistance.
So the No support mode is actually more like -1 than 0!

Is this something you other Vado riders recognize?
I wasn’t expecting this as I’ve read in reviews that the Brose motor has very little resistance. Is it a software problem or is it just the way electrical motor systems work?
Would really like to hear from others about this.

Another thing
On the display on my bike the odo registers less km than the trip meter. Trip meter appears to be accurate.

 

[MrBritton]

I was trying my Vado 6.0 today with power off, and to me it feels like there is extra resistance at very slow speeds and then it sort of "lets go" when you accelerate, as if maybe it takes a little speed to get the crank released from the motor. (I should take the battery out and see if it acts differently.)
This makes me think that maybe, when power is on, and assist is set to OFF, that power is actually being used to get the motor out of the way of pedaling, to help make it act more like a normal bike.
My Vado 3.0 (swapped for the 6.0) definitely had zero (or negative!) assist when OFF or when the computer crapped out, such that it felt like I was pedaling in wet cement.
Just a thought - I really have no idea how what's going on inside of the crank-box/motor compartment...

 

[PaD]

I was trying my Vado 6.0 today with power off, and to me it feels like there is extra resistance at very slow speeds and then it sort of "lets go" when you accelerate, as if maybe it takes a little speed to get the crank released from the motor. (I should take the battery out and see if it acts differently.)
This makes me think that maybe, when power is on, and assist is set to OFF, that power is actually being used to get the motor out of the way of pedaling, to help make it act more like a normal bike.
My Vado 3.0 (swapped for the 6.0) definitely had zero (or negative!) assist when OFF or when the computer crapped out, such that it felt like I was pedaling in wet cement.
Just a thought - I really have no idea how what's going on inside of the crank-box/motor compartment...

Guess I’ll have to try at different speeds.
Thanx

 

[coffeemaker]

Grab the front sprocket and push it forward. That's the resistance you're feeling when you're pedaling with no pedal assist.

 

[PaD]

Grab the front sprocket and push it forward. That's the resistance you're feeling when you're pedaling with no pedal assist.

Appreciate input but I’m sorry but I don’t understand what you mean really.
I can feel the resistance when pedalling but would like to know if there is something wrong as there is no resistance (well much less) if the motor/battery is off.

 

[coffeemaker]

Appreciate input but I’m sorry but I don’t understand what you mean really.
I can feel the resistance when pedalling but would like to know if there is something wrong as there is no resistance (well much less) if the motor/battery is off.

Sorry, I meant backwards.

If you rotate the pedal backwards, the is no resistance because the crank arm is not rotating the motor via a one way bearing of some sort. If you hold the crankset (front sprocket) and push it backwards, you'll be moving the motor and the chain so you'll feel significant resistance.

When you're pedaling with no assist, you'll be turning the motor, hence the resistance. Mine does it too, so it's normal behavior.

Edit: My Vado 3 exhibits resistance both when the battery is off and when it's on but the assist is zero. Are you sure it doesn't happen to you when the battery's off?

 

[PaD]

Sorry, I meant backwards.

If you rotate the pedal backwards, the is no resistance because the crank arm is not rotating the motor via a one way bearing of some sort. If you hold the crankset (front sprocket) and push it backwards, you'll be moving the motor and the chain so you'll feel significant resistance.

When you're pedaling with no assist, you'll be turning the motor, hence the resistance. Mine does it too, so it's normal behavior.

Edit: My Vado 3 exhibits resistance both when the battery is off and when it's on but the assist is zero. Are you sure it doesn't happen to you when the battery's off?

Thank you very much for clarification.
With battery off it just feel like a heavy bicycle. There may be a little resistance.
It’s a completely different situation with battery on and assist zero, like there is a brake applied.
But it isn’t absolutely consistent ( hope that word is correct). There were some rare occasions on tonight’s ride when the resistance wasn’t at full strength.
My dealer claims he has a good contact with Specialized and he will call them tomorrow. Have to take my bike to the dealer any day soon so he can get a feel for it. It will be a nice 16 mile ride as I don’t have a car
Thanks again

 

[Nxkharra]

Sorry for vocabulary but I’m new to e-bikes and English is not my native language.
I have started asking about this subject in other threads but would like to see if I get more respone this way. I hope I can now after 3 days of riding the Vado better describe the subject

Here we go.
If I turn battery off pedalling my Vado is just like a regular bike. No feel of turning an electric motor and no sound of course.
However,
With battery/motor on and motor support level set to off it is now clear to me that the motor or drive system is still engaged. I clearly feel the resistance from motor and the noise/sound is the same as when you’re in Eco or Sport or Turbo. But of course you get no support from the motor only the pedal resistance.
So the No support mode is actually more like -1 than 0!

Is this something you other Vado riders recognize?
I wasn’t expecting this as I’ve read in reviews that the Brose motor has very little resistance. Is it a software problem or is it just the way electrical motor systems work?
Would really like to hear from others about this.

Another thing
On the display on my bike the odo registers less km than the trip meter. Trip meter appears to be accurate.

@PaD I have similar issues on my Vado 5. The problem of motor not assisting for a split second was resolved by LBS changing the display. This week I took my bike for firmware update and the issue appeared again.
On the motor resistance I have the same feel when I pedal. It seems like to motor is breaking and not letting me pedal.
@Stefan Mikes told me there is a low watt resistance when the motor is on and level of assistance is 0

 

[PaD]

@PaD I have similar issues on my Vado 5. The problem of motor not assisting for a split second was resolved by LBS changing the display. This week I took my bike for firmware update and the issue appeared again.
On the motor resistance I have the same feel when I pedal. It seems like to motor is breaking and not letting me pedal.
@Stefan Mikes told me there is a low watt resistance when the motor is on and level of assistance is 0

I’ve been rethinking this resistance. The difference between motor assist and no motor assist on a 55lb bike.
I took my regular bike ( about 26lb) out one day when my Vado 4 was in for service and I immediatly thought that there was something wrong with it because it was heavy to pedal.
Not so sure anymore about the resistance. May the 1.3 motor on my Vado 5 is better. I don’t know

 

[Nxkharra]

I’ve been rethinking this resistance. The difference between motor assist and no motor assist on a 55lb bike.
I took my regular bike ( about 26lb) out one day when my Vado 4 was in for service and I immediatly thought that there was something wrong with it because it was heavy to pedal.
Not so sure anymore about the resistance. May the 1.3 motor on my Vado 5 is better. I don’t know

@PaD what type of Vado do you own? 4 or 5?

 

[Powered by Pasta]

I have a Vado 4.0 and have the same issue. Going from Turbo mode back to a single or double bar feels like I am peddling and dragging the motor along. The resistance is so great is when I stop peddling the bike drags down to a dead stop on flat ground. LBS says they have not heard of such a thing and they can’t see what I am talking about. I will test the rolling resistance with Turbo verses the other levels and report the results. Has anyone solved this resistance problem?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I have a Vado 4.0 and have the same issue. Going from Turbo mode back to a single or double bar feels like I am peddling and dragging the motor along. The resistance is so great is when I stop peddling the bike drags down to a dead stop on flat ground. LBS says they have not heard of such a thing and they can’t see what I am talking about. I will test the rolling resistance with Turbo verses the other levels and report the results. Has anyone solved this resistance problem?

I'm sorry to say Pasta but you seem not to understand the nature of the mid-drive e-bike. There is no substantial motor drag at all. When in Turbo mode, you are getting support equivalent to having a UCI World Tour professional pedalling together with you. When you reduce the assistance, you cease to be a Superman.

I can bet you have no idea what the derailleur is for, either

 

[kahn]

I have a Vado 4.0 and have the same issue. Going from Turbo mode back to a single or double bar feels like I am peddling and dragging the motor along. The resistance is so great is when I stop peddling the bike drags down to a dead stop on flat ground. LBS says they have not heard of such a thing and they can’t see what I am talking about. I will test the rolling resistance with Turbo verses the other levels and report the results. Has anyone solved this resistance problem?

I will ask: do the non-SL bikes coast or do you have to keep pedaling?

 

[TS25]

They coast.