Vado SL tuning?

[ActionJackson]

I certainly can’t vouch for it but I did find this one. https://www.ebikespartsandaccessori...SL-Ebike-Tuning-for-CREO-LEVO-TURBO-LEVO-VADO

It’s actually brilliant in my opinion! This one is very interesting because it doesn’t attach to the TCU. Basically looks like it’s a simple 2:1 divider that intercepts the speed sensor pulse and outputs precisely .5 of the rev counter sensor , and of course your bike also displays 1/2 speed. I might try this approach under warranty because it’s completely invisible to the TCU I think. Simple and very robust approach as long as the output pulse is appropriately shaped. You could probably easily do the same thing without a lot of efforts but for €149 it’s not worth the hassle perhaps. Effectively gives a 50kmh limit. Likewise with just a few components you could wire up a 4:1. I can’t imagine myself going 100kmh or 62 mph on a bike though!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Guys,
I feel you don't grab the whole idea

Any "true speed" chip has to be connected to the motor. The connectors are in the front of the motor. After the motor has been removed from the bike, you just connect PearTune or any other chip (nothing connects to TCU!).

There's simply no space inside the bike to store the chip in. That is, the only space can be found in the top tube below the TCU. Now fancy routing long cables through the frame...

 

[ActionJackson]

Guys,
I feel you don't grab the whole idea

Any "true speed" chip has to be connected to the motor. The connectors are in the front of the motor. After the motor has been removed from the bike, you just connect PearTune or any other chip (nothing connects to TCU!).

There's simply no space inside the bike to store the chip in. That is, the only space can be found in the top tube below the TCU. Now fancy routing long cables through the frame...

Pardon the mess it’s a work in progress:

So if you install this PearTune unit, is the displayed speed correct? (Yes apparently)

Note - I’ve deleted my previous reply because some of it is technically incorrect I now believe. Except the part where I need to get an oscope on the Vado when I get it.

Here’s a video of a guy installing on a Creo SL. This seems to be the version that doesn’t connect to the TCU nor correct the indicated speed:

For electronics there’s a lot of room in there .

Update: Another one. This one installs to the TCU , but the operating principal is to emulate different wheel sizes (circumference in mm), which I assume is fed back to the motor’s speed limiter to determine speed along with wheel rotation time.

Levociraptor

levociraptor.com

This looks like a fairly complicated product, and they warn you not to use the native Specialized app because they believe it might feedback to Specialized that you’ve modified the bike. Non starter for me.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Stefan, congratulations on the new bike!

I need to buy it yet Thank you in advance!

 

[900ss]

Happy Birthday Stefan!!

 

[rochrunner]

Pardon me? Your everyday English (hitch a ride) has defeated a Pole Elaborate please or explain the joke!

"Hitching a ride" is sometimes called "hitchhiking", coming from an old (and no longer safe) practice of standing by the side of the road with one's thumb pointing up, hoping for someone to stop and give you a ride. So in general, it means getting a free ride from someone, or in this case tapping into a wire harness to get the electric current that's already there.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Thank you Doug!

News: PearTune is made in the Czech Republic. I've got in direct contact with them. Something funny first:
The business belongs to the family of Hruška (the female form is Ms Hruškova). Hruška just means Pear in Czech

They have confirmed PearTune 3.0 would fit Vado SL easily. It is necessary to remove the motor first (it does not look hard for Vado SL). Then, you remove the TCU from the top tube. You place the chip below the TCU, and -- important! -- you route the cable forward of the bike first. Then, the cable turns downwards and backwards through the bottom tube, along existing cable bundle to be attached to the motor/speed sensor connectors. It looks doable.

The Normal version requires the display Walk mode present to turn the derestrictor on or off. The Still On version is a permanent -- stealthy -- derestrictor.

 

[kahn]

HruškaTune would have been so much more interesting!

 

[Art Deco]

Thank you Doug!

News: PearTune is made in the Czech Republic. I've got in direct contact with them. Something funny first:
The business belongs to the family of Hruška (the female form is Ms Hruškova). Hruška just means Pear in Czech

They have confirmed PearTune 3.0 would fit Vado SL easily. It is necessary to remove the motor first (it does not look hard for Vado SL). Then, you remove the TCU from the top tube. You place the chip below the TCU, and -- important! -- you route the cable forward of the bike first. Then, the cable turns downwards and backwards through the bottom tube, along existing cable bundle to be attached to the motor/speed sensor connectors. It looks doable.

The Normal version requires the display present to turn the derestrictor on or off. The Still On version is a permanent -- stealthy -- derestrictor.

Best part that you didn't mention...

No Liscence Plate .

 

[ActionJackson]

The Normal version requires the display present to turn the derestrictor on or off. The Still On version is a permanent -- stealthy -- derestrictor.

Stefan thanks. This is quite interesting. I had a look at another website today that sells it. They had a diagram for a Levo (below). Apparently the normal version uses the “Walk” button to turn on and off. I don’t even know if my new Vado SL has this button, if not it’s the always on version of the chip. They also had another picture of the motor internals I thought was interesting.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

You would be better off with the Still On version, VoltMan.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

@Art Deco: The code name before de-restriction: Turbo SnaiL
(Czech version: Turbo SLimak )

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Apparently the normal version uses the “Walk” button to turn on and off.

@VoltMan99: Mystery solved! Vado SL (any version) has the Walk button on the remote! Therefore, the Normal version of PearTune would work. I'm afraid the Walk capability might be lost in the process (I will ask Ms Hruskova about that).

There is another thing: I have bad legs. I can only hit 25 km/h on the SL with significant assistance, which is bad for batteries. So I wonder if I would derestrict my Turbo Snail at all (the bike bought and ridden today!)

There is an interesting button on the remote, the "S-Button" (where S is the Spesh logo). It gets you in Turbo mode with a single push. And, the Walk mode works perfectly, far better than it does on my full power Vado.

 

[ActionJackson]

@VoltMan99: Mystery solved! Vado SL (any version) has the Walk button on the remote! Therefore, the Normal version of PearTune would work. I'm afraid the Walk capability might be lost in the process (I will ask Ms Hruskova about that).

There is another thing: I have bad legs. I can only hit 25 km/h on the SL with significant assistance, which is bad for batteries. So I wonder if I would derestrict my Turbo Snail at all (the bike bought and ridden today!)

There is an interesting button on the remote, the "S-Button" (where S is the Spesh logo). It gets you in Turbo mode with a single push. And, the Walk mode works perfectly, far better than it does on my full power Vado.

Stefan- you’ve made my day. Thanks for the info! And congratulations on getting your new bike! Regardless the PearTune, just discovering my bike will have a walk mode is fantastic. Hopefully some twisted Japanese regulation won’t get in the way of having that. I didn’t realize the value of that feature until now. There’s quite a few places where we have to walk a bike up a long steep bike ramp adjacent to stair steps to cross a river levee (Google says “grobla“ in Polish). Even the fittest roadies with the lightest bikes have a bit of a struggle. Quite a few bicycle parking lots have these ramps too. I’m excited by this!

Can you please ask PearTune if the mod can be detected by the Mission Control App , and is it easy to remove the unit if I need to have the bike serviced? It certainly would void a warranty in Japan because my bike shop is the primary Specialized S-Works shop. Actually I regret somewhat picking that shop because now they’re distracted building Olympics bikes and mine is sitting in a corner waiting to be built .

 

[Art Deco]

I think I would rather have walk mode than extra speed.. But the Specialized button is interesting...like the Apple button.

 

[ActionJackson]

I think I would rather have walk mode than extra speed.. But the Specialized button is interesting...like the Apple button.

I think I would just go for the hardwired “Still On” option, and have both. But not until my warranty is finished.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Ms Hruskova told me the Normal version of PearTune would work. Short press of the Walk button for derestricting the bike, long press for Walk mode. So I ordered the chip. Waiting for delivery. I need to wait until the first warranty service has been completed as well before installing the chip.

 

[ActionJackson]

So I ordered the chip.

Looking forwards to your report Stefan !!

 

[rochrunner]

Stefan thanks. This is quite interesting. I had a look at another website today that sells it. They had a diagram for a Levo (below). Apparently the normal version uses the “Walk” button to turn on and off. I don’t even know if my new Vado SL has this button, if not it’s the always on version of the chip. They also had another picture of the motor internals I thought was interesting.

Interesting use of a planetary gearset in there. I'll have to take a closer look if I ever have the chance.

 

[ActionJackson]

Interesting use of a planetary gearset in there.

Yes indeed. Appears to be made of Delrin or an analog thermoplastic. Probably not good to ride in extreme sub freezing temperatures but then again who would?