Vado 4.0 or Tero X 5.0

[Ebikelife72]

I'm trying to choose between the two. I really love the looks of both, maybe like the looks of the Vado 4 a little more. My primary uses will be rail trails, Greenways, a mix of gravel and dirt trails, and of course asphalt. I might get into bike packing at some point. On the surface it seems that either would do but in paper the Tero X 5 might be the best all arounder. My dilemma is that I slightly prefer the looks of the Vado and of course the price difference. They both seem like great bikes, I've ridden both and would enjoy either in terms of ride quality. I guess it comes down to do I really need full suspension or not. Opinions?

 

[Kilowatt]

Based on the description of your use cases, I'd recommend the Vado. It has fenders, a very capable rack, and lights. I believe full suspension is overkill for rail trails, greenways, and mild dirt trails. It also adds weight and complexity. Ignore the looks - you can't see those from the saddle!

 

[Ebikelife72]

Based on the description of your use cases, I'd recommend the Vado. It has fenders, a very capable rack, and lights. I believe full suspension is overkill for rail trails, greenways, and mild dirt trails. It also adds weight and complexity. Ignore the looks - you can't see those from the saddle!

All are great points. I will add that the Tero X also has fenders and a rear rack for panniers. I think the Tero only weighs a couple pounds more.

 

[Ben J]

I own a Tero X 6.0 and ride a similar mix to you. I routinely use about half the suspension travel (although I have removed the tokens from the front; stock it would be stiffer and use less travel). It's probably mostly due to riding on/off curbs and flying down hills with rooty asphalt, though. Not due to the offroad parts. I will say that the R&M way of advertising suspension makes a lot of sense to me--the tires stay on the ground all the time. You can definitely feel that in turns when the rear wheel is unsettled in some way. It's just a blip and the rear wheel is planted again.

I also live in a hilly area and I use all the gears of the Tero X. It's basically impossible to go much over 28MPH on it, though, not because of assist limits, but because that's already a 90 RPM cadence in top gear. The Vado would be biased toward speed. I'd probably need more assist on hills to make up for it, but I'd go faster on the road.

Based on your requirements, I'd say the main downside of the Tero X is that on-bike storage is really limited. The shape of the frame and the suspension eliminate most of the frame pack area you might have. The large travel dropper rules out a lot of seat bags and probably also trunk bags (assuming you added a top rack in the back for a trunk -- it doesn't have one stock). Only one of the bottle cage mounts is really usable. Both bikes have similar issues in the front (you need a kit that straps to the fork).

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I'm trying to choose between the two. I really love the looks of both, maybe like the looks of the Vado 4 a little more. My primary uses will be rail trails, Greenways, a mix of gravel and dirt trails, and of course asphalt. I might get into bike packing at some point. On the surface it seems that either would do but in paper the Tero X 5 might be the best all arounder. My dilemma is that I slightly prefer the looks of the Vado and of course the price difference. They both seem like great bikes, I've ridden both and would enjoy either in terms of ride quality. I guess it comes down to do I really need full suspension or not. Opinions?

I cannot say anything on bikepacking (I would trust Ben here) but my personal experience is: Vado is a wonderful road machine that is also capable of riding on good gravel. Tero X is an all-rounder that will shine if you encounter dirt on your way. I love my Vado but currently I avoid riding into more harsh terrain than gravel, and if the gravel road is bumpy, I need to ride significantly slower there, especially if the e-bike is heavily loaded with panniers.

I have demo ridden a Tero X 4.0 in rough terrain and was enchanted with its comfort and excellent traction on all surfaces (no rock riding though). The full suspension and grippy tyres are more for the traction than for the comfort but the e-bike rides improbably smoothly. (As a comparison, I also demo rode a Levo SL and the latter felt as something you would only need on a technical singletrack but not for normal adventure riding!)

This year, I experienced an unpleasant Vado crash on a forest road when the rear wheel met a muddy puddle and lost its traction. I am positive that would have not happened on a Tero X!

The only drawback of the Tero X is its heavy weight but that's a trade-off very well offset by the strong motor and e-bike features such as the full suspension.

 

[Ebikelife72]

I cannot say anything on bikepacking (I would trust Ben here) but my personal experience is: Vado is a wonderful road machine that is also capable of riding on good gravel. Tero X is an all-rounder that will shine if you encounter dirt on your way. I love my Vado but currently I avoid riding into more harsh terrain than gravel, and if the gravel road is bumpy, I need to ride significantly slower there, especially if the e-bike is heavily loaded with panniers.

I have demo ridden a Tero X 4.0 in rough terrain and was enchanted with its comfort and excellent traction on all surfaces (no rock riding though). The full suspension and grippy tyres are more for the traction than for the comfort but the e-bike rides improbably smoothly. (As a comparison, I also demo rode a Levo SL and the latter felt as something you would only need on a technical singletrack but not for normal adventure riding!)

This year, I experienced an unpleasant Vado crash on a forest road when the rear wheel met a muddy puddle and lost its traction. I am positive that would have not happened on a Tero X!

The only drawback of the Tero X is its heavy weight but that's a trade-off very well offset by the strong motor and e-bike features such as the full suspension.

Thank you for your input. The weight between a Vado 4 and the Tero X 5 is surprisingly similar. I think the Tero is only a pound or two heavier. I think I’ve made my decision. The Tero X is just more versatile and will comfortably cover everything I’m likely to do. The Vado probably would unless I get particularly adventurous which I do get on occasion. I do like the gearing on the Vado better as it’s just a faster bike. I might look into installing a larger chain ring to get a similar performance at the expense of better hill climbing. Of course climbing hills is what the motor is for.

 

[CMASteve]

I have ridden my Tero 5.0 (no x) close to 3,000 miles. I learned a new term when I purchased replacement tires for the bike. They call this type of bike a SUV. From what you are saying on how you think you will be riding it - the term really applies. I ride a LOT on rails to trails - both paved and gravel as well as true off road but little to NO single track. As you are - I am thinking of installing a larger chain ring. I also looked at getting a gravel bike but the Tero fits that bill very well.
I do very little real road riding and live in an area that is far from flat. The choice or matching an e-bike to what you think you will be riding is sometimes a tough one. As you adapt to the extreme versatility of the Turbo series the types of rides that you may want to attempt will be expanded. Whichever Turbo bike you get, I think you will really enjoy it.
Steve

 

[AvalancheRun]

I own a Tero X 6.0 and ride a similar mix to you. I routinely use about half the suspension travel (although I have removed the tokens from the front; stock it would be stiffer and use less travel). It's probably mostly due to riding on/off curbs and flying down hills with rooty asphalt, though. Not due to the offroad parts. I will say that the R&M way of advertising suspension makes a lot of sense to me--the tires stay on the ground all the time. You can definitely feel that in turns when the rear wheel is unsettled in some way. It's just a blip and the rear wheel is planted again.

I also live in a hilly area and I use all the gears of the Tero X. It's basically impossible to go much over 28MPH on it, though, not because of assist limits, but because that's already a 90 RPM cadence in top gear. The Vado would be biased toward speed. I'd probably need more assist on hills to make up for it, but I'd go faster on the road.

Based on your requirements, I'd say the main downside of the Tero X is that on-bike storage is really limited. The shape of the frame and the suspension eliminate most of the frame pack area you might have. The large travel dropper rules out a lot of seat bags and probably also trunk bags (assuming you added a top rack in the back for a trunk -- it doesn't have one stock). Only one of the bottle cage mounts is really usable. Both bikes have similar issues in the front (you need a kit that straps to the fork).

Do you find your cargo on the Tero is more cushioned than with hardtail bikes? Sometimes my grocery cargo gets a little beat up on the way home.

Also kinda curious if some R&M-eqse rear pannier rack could be installed in a Tero to enhance the storage space.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I might look into installing a larger chain ring to get a similar performance at the expense of better hill climbing.

Only please check whether the frame geometry allows installing a bigger chainring! What do you think @Ben J? Note that the Tero (not X) allows installing a bigger chainring as @CMASteve says but Tero X is different!

Do you find your cargo on the Tero is more cushioned than with hardtail bikes?

I do not think the Tero X rack is suspended unlike in the R&M Homage, for instance.

 

[Ebikelife72]

Only please check whether the frame geometry allows installing a bigger chainring! What do you think @Ben J? Note that the Tero (not X) allows installing a bigger chainring as @CMASteve says but Tero X is different!


I do not think the Tero X rack is suspended unlike in the R&M Homage, for instance.

I was just at the shop placing my order and the tech there believes a 40t or 42t might be doable but nothing bigger. He also said I could go to a different cassette that has a 10t with the slightly larger chain ring for more speed. I probably won’t bother. Of course I could go with my wife’s plan and just buy both bikes

 

[Ben J]

believes a 40t or 42t might be doable but nothing bigger

I eyeballed at some point but it was only one step that looked doable. The chain passes through a notch in the rear triangle (which moves when the suspension moves) so the only way to be sure the chain won't hit the frame under any condition would be to test it in the worst cases.

I think if I really wanted to go faster than the Tero X I'd want to change more than the gearing (narrower tires, more aggressive posture, etc). Creo 2 anyone?

Do you find your cargo on the Tero is more cushioned than with hardtail bikes?

As someone else mentioned, the rear rack is directly connected to the rear wheel, so if anything it moves more than on a hardtail. The bikes with the suspended pannier racks are the R&M Delite and the Giant Trance E (although I see no evidence of it on their website, so maybe they changed their mind).

 

[Stefan Mikes]

the Giant Trance E

How so? AFAIK the Giant Trance E+ is a pure full suspension e-MTB, and as such it is not designed to have the rack installed. Yes, there are FS e-MTB racks in the aftermarket but these move together with the rear triangle. Have I missed something?

I need to mention that I was as stupid as to install a Topeak Tetrarack M2 on my Giant Trance E+ and attach a pannier with an expensive camera to it...

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Do you find your cargo on the Tero is more cushioned than with hardtail bikes? Sometimes my grocery cargo gets a little beat up on the way home.

I share your pain With rare exceptions, I do all my grocery shopping using e-bikes. As I have found the Vado SL rear rack a little bit delicate, I now ride shopping on my Vado 6.0, which has a far sturdier rack. On one of my recent rides, I did an unusual manoeuvre: I jumped off the bike path curb onto the road. The shock to the rear rack was as strong as an Ortlieb pannier detached itself and banged onto the road. Oh, then I had to wash the pannier as the jar of pickles shattered inside! Now, I avoid doing funny actions when returning from my grocery shopping!

Also kinda curious if some R&M-eqse rear pannier rack could be installed in a Tero to enhance the storage space.

Just to make it clear: It is not the R&M rear rack that is a suspension one, no. It is the special e-bike design that makes the rack suspended.

It is the Homage (not Delite) that has its rack suspended.

The Delite rack is not suspended.

 

[Ben J]

AFAIK the Giant Trance E+ is a pure full suspension e-MTB

Confused the models. I rode a Trance E+. The one with the suspended rack is the Stormguard E+

The Delite rack is not suspended.

The Delite Mountain doesn't have a suspended rack (and an optional pannier rack fender, but many of the Delite models do.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Confused the models. I rode a Trance E+. The one with the suspended rack is the Stormguard E+


The Delite Mountain doesn't have a suspended rack (and an optional pannier rack fender, but many of the Delite models do.

All correct. Either Stormguard E+ or full suspension R&M e-bikes with "standard rack" have special bosses on the frames to install the dedicated suspended racks. I do not think that's doable for the Tero X.

Stormguard

Delite

I also wonder what is the rated load for these racks. (These do not look like as ones to be able to carry more than a trunk bag). Note R&M offers a unsuspended "pannier rack" as an alternative, which indicates the "standard carrier" is not an option to carry heavy panniers.

@sammcneill, @Muso: You are R&M e-bike riders, aren't you? Could you shed some light on how the R&M suspended carrier is installed and what are the rated load limits?