Vado SL: EQ or Not

[Art Deco]

Nice report. And having spent a decade there I'd rather bike around Atlanta than drive around Atlanta for sure. Enjoy.

 

[GuruUno]

Update - bike is here

My Vado 5.0 SL EQ Step-through arrived last Thursday - so as promised, here's my initial report.

Short version: LOVE IT!! I am satisfied I got exactly the right bike.

Long version - which I share because the stories people told here helped me pick out this bike and make the decision to pull the trigger. But this is long and drawn out and probably should be skipped entirely. But it might help someone going through this process.

History - me

I am now 73 - been riding a road bike for a few decades - and I had been riding an 18# carbon fiber Blue NX with Durace wheels. But it had become so uncomfortable, that a year ago or so I broke out my 20 year old 25# Specialized Sequoia Elite, a more upright dropbar bike with a triple and an extra set of brake levers on the top of the bar. But I'm 73, and my flexibility has decreased and my cardiac capacity diminished. So even with the old bike, I couldn't keep up with my group rides, cut many short, and wound up stopping the harder rides entirely. And the bike was still uncomfortable - I would spend most of the time looking at the front wheel as riding with my head forward was too painful. And just getting on and off the bike was doable - but inelegant.

I really wanted to keep riding and stay with my friends. And I was done with drop bar bikes. I needed something more upright, that was still a bike I could ride for recreation and exercise. And it needed to be comfortable.

History bike choice

Early on in the process I decided I had bought my last drop-bar bike. I wanted something more upright - something I could ride for the foreseeable future. And that would be comfortable in the present! I test road a few bikes - including a Como 650B. It was the most comfortable bike I had ever been on. (I've seen criticism of the cup saddle on the forum - but I loved it!). Just a brief ride in the shop parking lot. And I liked the way the motor kicked in. But the bike looked like a beach cruiser - and weighed as much as a tank. And while the assist was lots of fun - it seemed overpowered. I kept looking. I looked at the Trek Alant+ and Verve+ - rode both out of the bike shop. I wasn't happy with how the assist started - seemed jerky and obvious. And when I opened the back of my SUV to see how hard they would be to pick up..... the answer for me was virtually impossible.

I went to Alaska this summer and rented an E-Bike to ride the Tony Knowles trail. I think it was a 22 mile round trip (slower than it needed to because I had to stop for two moose). With some reasonably hilly parts. Nothing I could not have done with an analog bike - though the hills would have gotten my attention. The bike was an Aventon Pace 500 - Step-through. It is a class 3 bike - I think. But has a throttle. And was a blast to ride. But more amusement ride than recreational bike ride. But getting on and off that bike convinced me that I wanted a step-through. (And contributing to that decision was a long thread in these forums about how aging riders were managing to get on and off their bikes.)

So my criteria became:

• comfort - upright, preferably step-through
• be able to ride with the groups I ride with, and the routes I would like to do
• still be a "road bike" - one I could get a decent workout on
• fun
• a bike I could pick up and put in the back of an SUV.

So continued looking and the Specialized site had a bike series they advertised as Super Light that included the Como and the Vado. (Though I suspected that SL might be for "slow" rather than "light" as 35 pounds was still twice my Blue!). I rode the Como SL - did not like the power nor the ride. Rode the Vado SL - and liked both!

Looked at the various models - the price difference in the 4.0 and the 5.0 is substantial. But in the end I liked the idea of the fork suspension. And the upgraded drive train. And the wider gear range. My Sequoia has a triple with my lowest gear being a 30/28 - and that really isn't' enough for me any longer. And I kept my last bikes over 15 years each - so the 5.0 was the decision. The EQ because ALWAYS ride with lights anyway, liked the idea of a rack I will probably never use, and didn't like the idea of having to rewire the bike to change the seat.

I went again to a local shop - and test rode a 4.0 SL EQ up and down a short relatively steep hill (just a few blocks). Thought it would do the job, but it wasn't a ride I was familiar with. Went back with my old bike and rode the same hill - oh yeah - much better - and still a bike ride rather than a moped excursion. They didn't have the bike I wanted, but I put a down payment on one they had on order since February! I asked them if I found a bike at another dealer, if they could transfer it and sell it to me - no they couldn't.

Began realizing that the bike "on order" might not arrive for a very long time if ever. Specialized shows it out of stock - and only seven at other dealers around the country in my size. So I cancelled the order and bought one out of town - 400+ miles away.

But I still had not ridden this bike over any distance or roads I was familiar with. So even though I bought the bike, I still didn't know for sure

• would it be comfortable
• would it keep up with my groups
• was it enough power to get me on the rides again I used to do?
• would it be too obnoxious riding with other people on regular bikes because it was too fast
• was it a mistake buying the lowest powered e-bike on the market? (35nM)
• would it still be any exercise
• would it be fun.

The bike arrived Thursday night. Rode it in the neighborhood for four miles on Friday. Tried it on a steep road I knew. I bought it new pedals (SPD with reversible platform) and then Saturday took it for a group ride I hadn't done in a year. And found out the answers to my questions.

The Initial Ride Report

It is surely premature to evaluate a bike after one weekend - but I'm excited and wanted to share. So....

Saturday I rode the Vinings Loop (for those in Atlanta) with a group of friends with whom I've been riding this route for years. Have not been able to keep up with them or complete the entire ride for over a year. A bit over 22 miles, 1256 feet of elevation gain. Some steep hills. On Sunday did a group ride I've been doing regularly for ten plus years - only 18 miles and 908 feet of elevation gain. I've always been slower than the main group - and lately, much much slower.

Both rides were great on the SL. I was easily able to keep up. The bike was very comfortable - though I would give up the motor before I would give up the upright position! It was never overpowered. Even unassisted, it rode nicely. The 12 speed SRAM was fabulous. It was so much easier and faster to shift with the triggers than the levers that I would seamlessly change gears to maintain a cadence and it made the bike seem faster. Great gear range, and just for fun, on the steepest hills, I was able to use the 44/50 without assist and get over it easier than I could on my old bikes.

And it rides like a bike - not a motorcycle. With a wide range of gears, and a choice of assist ranging from nothing to 180, I was easily able to choose how much work I wanted to do, and push myself as much as I wanted. Starting a long climb, I found myself not using any assist, and pushing myself harder than I would have, and then adding the assist when I peaked. Hitting the assist at the lowest level was like downshift two gears. On the Sunday ride, I realized that I was using the no assist, assist levels the same way I would a set of gears. If your mindset is that real riding requires a single speed, then an ebike is not for you. On the other hand, if you ride a 20 speed bike and use the gears, riding the VADO SL isn't really that difference of a riding experience. Not if you use the assist the same way you would use your gears. You just downshift (add assist) when your current effort requires it.

And the group dynamic with only one of us on an e-bike? I haven't asked the rest of the group yet, but it felt fine. I used the level of assist and the gearing to give me the ability to keep up with the ride. And I found myself working as hard as I would have to have been left behind in the old days (last week). In the sections where the group sprints, I started with no assist, and only hit Eco/Sport or Turbo when I reached my limit - and then only enough to maintain - didn't try to show anyone up because I had a motor and they didn't. Except once...... on a long moderate slog I used to do in my granny at 6 to 8 mph until I would drop down to 4 to six. Just wanted to see what I could do. Threw it into Turbo and worked as hard as I could, kept it at 15 to 16 mph, finishing at 14 - with my heart rate as high as it ever gets. But I wasn't racing anyone, waited at the top for the rest (not that long), and never claimed any type of victory - just wanted to briefly see what we (the bike and I) could do. (and maximum speed on one downhill, where assist was beside the point - 36.6 mph - couldn't pedal any faster - and the bike was stable).

On Saturday - the first and harder ride - I kept up with friends I haven't been able to ride with. And didn't keep anyone waiting. And finished the ride feeling like a had a workout.

And Saturday being my first real test of my bike decision - I had a grin ear to ear that started almost immediately - it probably still hasn't gone away. All the anxiety about whether buying the VADO SL was the right decision went away - and I realized very quickly that the VADO SL decision was correct for me.

Initial range......

And based on very limited data....
27 miles reportedly used 51% of battery
18 miles used 21% (was more aggressive about riding with low or no assistance)

I think that easily gives me 40+ miles with no range anxiety at all, and maybe 70+ with some care, and no mountains!

CONCLUSION

Hooray.
I am very happy with having bought this bike. It does exactly what I need it to do.
And many thanks for all the input of the forum members who contributed to my process in making this decision.

Hoping it continues to hold up. And wishing everyone happy trails!

You did not find the "flat bar" style handlebar too demanding?

 

[Atlgaga]

You did not find the "flat bar" style handlebar too demanding?

Not sure what you mean "demanding?" I almost never rode in the drops. I find the Vado "flat bar" and grips are more comfortable than the hoods or the flats of my road bike bar. So far.... but it's only been two days!

 

[GuruUno]

Not sure what you mean "demanding?" I almost never rode in the drops. I find the Vado "flat bar" and grips are more comfortable than the hoods or the flats of my road bike bar. So far.... but it's only been two days!

You had stated the previous bike you used "as my flexibility has decreased, it got to the point that I spent most of my rides looking at my front wheel because picking up my head was too painful", hence the reference "demanding".

 

[Atlgaga]

You had stated the previous bike you used "as my flexibility has decreased, it got to the point that I spent most of my rides looking at my front wheel because picking up my head was too painful", hence the reference "demanding".

I understand. I am riding in a more upright position on the Vado, and in my experience so far, it solves the issue of having to extend my neck. The Specialized was more upright than the Blue, but the Vado is dramatically better than either. That impression may be partially formed by having actually bought the bike and invested so much..... but I think its real!

 

[Uburoibob]

I understand. I am riding in a more upright position on the Vado, and in my experience so far, it solves the issue of having to extend my neck. The Specialized was more upright than the Blue, but the Vado is dramatically better than either. That impression may be partially formed by having actually bought the bike and invested so much..... but I think its real!

Have you installed a riser and raised your bars? I have a Como 3.0 2020 that I did that to, and it makes for a very comfortable riding position. I LOVE the Vado SL weight, but would need to really raise the bars to be able to ride it. Curious if any of you have done that. If so, did you have to re-cable anything?

 

[BEC111]

I attached a riser which works fine. For me.

 

[ActionJackson]

Have you installed a riser and raised your bars? I have a Como 3.0 2020 that I did that to, and it makes for a very comfortable riding position. I LOVE the Vado SL weight, but would need to really raise the bars to be able to ride it. Curious if any of you have done that. If so, did you have to re-cable anything?

I’ve put new handlebars on my Vado 5 SL EQ - total raise 162.5mm, had the brakes and cables extended ($350). Love it!

 

[Uburoibob]

I’ve put new handlebars on my Vado 5 SL EQ - total raise 162.5mm, had the brakes and cables extended ($350). Love it!
View attachment 96401

Thank you for sharing that! Exactly what I wanted to know!

 

[Atlgaga]

Have you installed a riser and raised your bars? I have a Como 3.0 2020 that I did that to, and it makes for a very comfortable riding position. I LOVE the Vado SL weight, but would need to really raise the bars to be able to ride it. Curious if any of you have done that. If so, did you have to re-cable anything?

Not planning to at this point.

 

[Mike Moore]

Have you installed a riser and raised your bars? I have a Como 3.0 2020 that I did that to, and it makes for a very comfortable riding position. I LOVE the Vado SL weight, but would need to really raise the bars to be able to ride it. Curious if any of you have done that. If so, did you have to re-cable anything?

I also have a Como 3.0 and would be interested in raising the bars. What riser did you use? Did you keep the stock Como bar? Did you have to re-cable anything? How much was the bar raised? Did you do this yourself or have a bike shop do it?

 

[Uburoibob]

I also have a Como 3.0 and would be interested in raising the bars. What riser did you use? Did you keep the stock Como bar? Did you have to re-cable anything? How much was the bar raised? Did you do this yourself or have a bike shop do it?

My bike store did it when I bought the bike, so I am not sure the model or the height. I know we didn’t have to lengthen the cables, but if I wanted it any higher, we would have to.

I will try and get the brand and height tomorrow.

 

[Mike Moore]

My bike store did it when I bought the bike, so I am not sure the model or the height. I know we didn’t have to lengthen the cables, but if I wanted it any higher, we would have to.

I will try and get the brand and height tomorrow.

Thanks for the info. Could you post a picture?

 

[Uburoibob]

Thanks for the info. Could you post a picture?

Here you go. I didn't have a measuring device handy, but you should be able to get the idea from the photos. We raised it considerably.

 

[kahn]

Here you go. I didn't have a measuring device handy, but you should be able to get the idea from the photos. We raised it considerably.

I have that kind of "extension" on my Trek Madone.

Does your bike have the Future Shock in the front? What I'm asking is does that kind of extension work with Future Shock? Is there enough steerer tube for it to latch on to safely?

 

[Uburoibob]

I have that kind of "extension" on my Trek Madone.

Does your bike have the Future Shock in the front? What I'm asking is does that kind of extension work with Future Shock? Is there enough steerer tube for it to latch on to safely?

I don’t know. I just have the stock fork on mine.

 

[Mike Moore]

Here you go. I didn't have a measuring device handy, but you should be able to get the idea from the photos. We raised it considerably.

Thanks a lot, the pictures are very helpful.

 

[Scott Eakin]

Update - bike is here

My Vado 5.0 SL EQ Step-through arrived last Thursday - so as promised, here's my initial report.

Short version: LOVE IT!! I am satisfied I got exactly the right bike.

Long version - which I share because the stories people told here helped me pick out this bike and make the decision to pull the trigger. But this is long and drawn out and probably should be skipped entirely. But it might help someone going through this process.

History - me

I am now 73 - been riding a road bike for a few decades - and I had been riding an 18# carbon fiber Blue NX with Durace wheels. But it had become so uncomfortable, that a year ago or so I broke out my 20 year old 25# Specialized Sequoia Elite, a more upright dropbar bike with a triple and an extra set of brake levers on the top of the bar. But I'm 73, and my flexibility has decreased and my cardiac capacity diminished. So even with the old bike, I couldn't keep up with my group rides, cut many short, and wound up stopping the harder rides entirely. And the bike was still uncomfortable - I would spend most of the time looking at the front wheel as riding with my head forward was too painful. And just getting on and off the bike was doable - but inelegant.

I really wanted to keep riding and stay with my friends. And I was done with drop bar bikes. I needed something more upright, that was still a bike I could ride for recreation and exercise. And it needed to be comfortable.

History bike choice

Early on in the process I decided I had bought my last drop-bar bike. I wanted something more upright - something I could ride for the foreseeable future. And that would be comfortable in the present! I test road a few bikes - including a Como 650B. It was the most comfortable bike I had ever been on. (I've seen criticism of the cup saddle on the forum - but I loved it!). Just a brief ride in the shop parking lot. And I liked the way the motor kicked in. But the bike looked like a beach cruiser - and weighed as much as a tank. And while the assist was lots of fun - it seemed overpowered. I kept looking. I looked at the Trek Alant+ and Verve+ - rode both out of the bike shop. I wasn't happy with how the assist started - seemed jerky and obvious. And when I opened the back of my SUV to see how hard they would be to pick up..... the answer for me was virtually impossible.

I went to Alaska this summer and rented an E-Bike to ride the Tony Knowles trail. I think it was a 22 mile round trip (slower than it needed to because I had to stop for two moose). With some reasonably hilly parts. Nothing I could not have done with an analog bike - though the hills would have gotten my attention. The bike was an Aventon Pace 500 - Step-through. It is a class 3 bike - I think. But has a throttle. And was a blast to ride. But more amusement ride than recreational bike ride. But getting on and off that bike convinced me that I wanted a step-through. (And contributing to that decision was a long thread in these forums about how aging riders were managing to get on and off their bikes.)

So my criteria became:

• comfort - upright, preferably step-through
• be able to ride with the groups I ride with, and the routes I would like to do
• still be a "road bike" - one I could get a decent workout on
• fun
• a bike I could pick up and put in the back of an SUV.

So continued looking and the Specialized site had a bike series they advertised as Super Light that included the Como and the Vado. (Though I suspected that SL might be for "slow" rather than "light" as 35 pounds was still twice my Blue!). I rode the Como SL - did not like the power nor the ride. Rode the Vado SL - and liked both!

Looked at the various models - the price difference in the 4.0 and the 5.0 is substantial. But in the end I liked the idea of the fork suspension. And the upgraded drive train. And the wider gear range. My Sequoia has a triple with my lowest gear being a 30/28 - and that really isn't' enough for me any longer. And I kept my last bikes over 15 years each - so the 5.0 was the decision. The EQ because ALWAYS ride with lights anyway, liked the idea of a rack I will probably never use, and didn't like the idea of having to rewire the bike to change the seat.

I went again to a local shop - and test rode a 4.0 SL EQ up and down a short relatively steep hill (just a few blocks). Thought it would do the job, but it wasn't a ride I was familiar with. Went back with my old bike and rode the same hill - oh yeah - much better - and still a bike ride rather than a moped excursion. They didn't have the bike I wanted, but I put a down payment on one they had on order since February! I asked them if I found a bike at another dealer, if they could transfer it and sell it to me - no they couldn't.

Began realizing that the bike "on order" might not arrive for a very long time if ever. Specialized shows it out of stock - and only seven at other dealers around the country in my size. So I cancelled the order and bought one out of town - 400+ miles away.

But I still had not ridden this bike over any distance or roads I was familiar with. So even though I bought the bike, I still didn't know for sure

• would it be comfortable
• would it keep up with my groups
• was it enough power to get me on the rides again I used to do?
• would it be too obnoxious riding with other people on regular bikes because it was too fast
• was it a mistake buying the lowest powered e-bike on the market? (35nM)
• would it still be any exercise
• would it be fun.

The bike arrived Thursday night. Rode it in the neighborhood for four miles on Friday. Tried it on a steep road I knew. I bought it new pedals (SPD with reversible platform) and then Saturday took it for a group ride I hadn't done in a year. And found out the answers to my questions.

The Initial Ride Report

It is surely premature to evaluate a bike after one weekend - but I'm excited and wanted to share. So....

Saturday I rode the Vinings Loop (for those in Atlanta) with a group of friends with whom I've been riding this route for years. Have not been able to keep up with them or complete the entire ride for over a year. A bit over 22 miles, 1256 feet of elevation gain. Some steep hills. On Sunday did a group ride I've been doing regularly for ten plus years - only 18 miles and 908 feet of elevation gain. I've always been slower than the main group - and lately, much much slower.

Both rides were great on the SL. I was easily able to keep up. The bike was very comfortable - though I would give up the motor before I would give up the upright position! It was never overpowered. Even unassisted, it rode nicely. The 12 speed SRAM was fabulous. It was so much easier and faster to shift with the triggers than the levers that I would seamlessly change gears to maintain a cadence and it made the bike seem faster. Great gear range, and just for fun, on the steepest hills, I was able to use the 44/50 without assist and get over it easier than I could on my old bikes.

And it rides like a bike - not a motorcycle. With a wide range of gears, and a choice of assist ranging from nothing to 180, I was easily able to choose how much work I wanted to do, and push myself as much as I wanted. Starting a long climb, I found myself not using any assist, and pushing myself harder than I would have, and then adding the assist when I peaked. Hitting the assist at the lowest level was like downshift two gears. On the Sunday ride, I realized that I was using the no assist, assist levels the same way I would a set of gears. If your mindset is that real riding requires a single speed, then an ebike is not for you. On the other hand, if you ride a 20 speed bike and use the gears, riding the VADO SL isn't really that difference of a riding experience. Not if you use the assist the same way you would use your gears. You just downshift (add assist) when your current effort requires it.

And the group dynamic with only one of us on an e-bike? I haven't asked the rest of the group yet, but it felt fine. I used the level of assist and the gearing to give me the ability to keep up with the ride. And I found myself working as hard as I would have to have been left behind in the old days (last week). In the sections where the group sprints, I started with no assist, and only hit Eco/Sport or Turbo when I reached my limit - and then only enough to maintain - didn't try to show anyone up because I had a motor and they didn't. Except once...... on a long moderate slog I used to do in my granny at 6 to 8 mph until I would drop down to 4 to six. Just wanted to see what I could do. Threw it into Turbo and worked as hard as I could, kept it at 15 to 16 mph, finishing at 14 - with my heart rate as high as it ever gets. But I wasn't racing anyone, waited at the top for the rest (not that long), and never claimed any type of victory - just wanted to briefly see what we (the bike and I) could do. (and maximum speed on one downhill, where assist was beside the point - 36.6 mph - couldn't pedal any faster - and the bike was stable).

On Saturday - the first and harder ride - I kept up with friends I haven't been able to ride with. And didn't keep anyone waiting. And finished the ride feeling like a had a workout.

And Saturday being my first real test of my bike decision - I had a grin ear to ear that started almost immediately - it probably still hasn't gone away. All the anxiety about whether buying the VADO SL was the right decision went away - and I realized very quickly that the VADO SL decision was correct for me.

Initial range......

And based on very limited data....
27 miles reportedly used 51% of battery
18 miles used 21% (was more aggressive about riding with low or no assistance)

I think that easily gives me 40+ miles with no range anxiety at all, and maybe 70+ with some care, and no mountains!

CONCLUSION

Hooray.
I am very happy with having bought this bike. It does exactly what I need it to do.
And many thanks for all the input of the forum members who contributed to my process in making this decision.

Hoping it continues to hold up. And wishing everyone happy trails!

Bravo! I came at the VadoSL from the opposite direction. Five years ago, age 65 I bought a heavy electric cargo bike, didn't use the cargo capability but loved riding again so I traded for a Haibike trekking style bike with Yahama drive system. Rode that one for 6000 miles and got a Riese & Muller Superdelight which is a fantastic, heavy, powerful bike. 3000 miles later I decided I wanted a bike that was lighter and that asked more from me as a cyclist. Enter the Vado SL. Like you I couldn't be happier with the bike and am slowly de-tuning it in Mission Control as I get a little stronger as a rider. Now often riding with no assist to the point that I got my old Specialized Sirrus out of the garage and have started riding an acoustic bike again. The SL is making me a better, stronger rider and the more that happens the less range is even a consideration. Perhaps well see each other on the Comet or at Stone Mountain. Happy Riding

 

[devgolfs]

I just grabbed a 4.0 SL EQ. There wasn't much of a decision, in that this was the only one I could find in a M unless I wanted the non-SL. However, if I had a choice, I probably would have opted for the EQ. I was coming off of a 30 year old Cannondale Delta V 500, so this was completely new territory for me, and I felt I wanted all the bells and whistles for longer riding. I think the rack is going to be very useful for doing some extended distances without a backpack on, and just having the lights available out of the gate is great. I've never used lights before, and it provides some nice peace of mind on the safety end as I have to ride on a lot of short shoulders in my area. Early on the fenders are actually more of an annoyance for loading it into my car with the front wheel off, but once I get riding through some moistness I'll probably appreciate them more.

 

[kahn]

I just grabbed a 4.0 SL EQ. There wasn't much of a decision, in that this was the only one I could find in a M unless I wanted the non-SL. However, if I had a choice, I probably would have opted for the EQ. I was coming off of a 30 year old Cannondale Delta V 500, so this was completely new territory for me, and I felt I wanted all the bells and whistles for longer riding. I think the rack is going to be very useful for doing some extended distances without a backpack on, and just having the lights available out of the gate is great. I've never used lights before, and it provides some nice peace of mind on the safety end as I have to ride on a lot of short shoulders in my area. Early on the fenders are actually more of an annoyance for loading it into my car with the front wheel off, but once I get riding through some moistness I'll probably appreciate them more.

Congratulations. I am sure that you will enjoy it. But did you mean you would have preferred the NON-EQ version?