{"id":1769,"date":"2020-12-14T22:21:38","date_gmt":"2020-12-14T22:21:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/?p=1331612"},"modified":"2020-12-14T22:21:38","modified_gmt":"2020-12-14T22:21:38","slug":"review-specializeds-turbo-vado-sl-is-so-light-youll-almost-forget-its-an-ebike","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/?p=1769","title":{"rendered":"Review: Specialized\u2019s Turbo Vado SL is so light, you\u2019ll almost forget it\u2019s an ebike"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When I picked up my review unit of the Turbo Vado SL<\/a>, Specialized\u2018s lightweight hybrid ebike, I remember marveling at how much it looked and felt like an \u2018analog\u2019 bike. I was in a bit of a hurry, so I sped my way back home, but I was impressed by how light the bike was, nimble while maneuvering through traffic, sprightly enough to easily hop a curb.<\/p>\n

It was when I got to my first hill that I realized I\u2019d never even turned the bike on.<\/p>\n

Once properly motorized, riding the Vado SL felt like my legs had just gotten a lot stronger. I still got my heart rate up going up that hill, but I covered much more elevation for the same effort.<\/p>\n

That first ride really told me everything I needed to know about the Turbo Vado SL. While many ebikes try to sway you with as much wattage or torque as they can pack for the dollar, the Turbo Vado SL is instead concerned with providing a lightweight, natural-feeling ride that barely gives away that there\u2019s a motor and battery inside. I wish there were more ebikes like it.<\/p>\n

As implied above, the electric performance specs don\u2019t particularly impress, especially at a starting price of $3,350 that ramps up to $4,500 for the 5.0 EQ configuration that I tested. For your money, you get a 240W motor with 35 Nm of torque, powered by a 320 Wh internal battery that can be expanded to 480 Wh with an optional $450 range extender. I\u2019ve tested bikes that double or triple those specs<\/a> for far less money. Specialized\u2019s heavier, more powerful non-\u2018SL\u2019 Vado actually starts at lower price<\/a> too.<\/p>\n

But there\u2019s way more to an ebike than just power.<\/p>\n

Credit: Specialized<\/figcaption>
<\/i><\/a>The optional external battery mounts like a water bottle and ups the mileage from 80 to 120 miles.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For one, despite the small batteries, Specialized can (realistically!) claim 80 miles of range, or 120 with the range extender. Range is the only reason battery size matters in the first place, and that\u2019s better than the vast majority of ebikes out there.<\/p>\n

For another, the Turbo Vado SL can hit 28mph in the US as it\u2019s thankfully not restricted to the 20mph you see in so many lightweight, low-wattage motors. You\u2019ll have to put in some work to get up to that speed, but the extra juice is appreciated during long commutes or when trying to keep up with city traffic. In New York, it\u2019s not uncommon for a bike lane to end abruptly, suddenly forcing you to keep up with car traffic. In these cases, I\u2019m regularly pushing the 20mph limit, so the extra speed actually helps me feel safer.<\/p>\n

But really, the Vado SL\u2019s best selling point is its weight. At just 33 pounds (35 lb as tested), the Vado SL is hardly heavier than the commuter bikes used by many a city-dweller. For reference, NYC\u2019s super-popular rideshare Citibikes weigh 45lb a pop. Compared to your typical ebike, it\u2019s no contest. Almost every other ebike I\u2019ve tested to date has weighed over 50 lb, and affordable models regularly cross the 60 lb mark in their pursuit of power. Find a 700C ebike under 40 pounds is exceedingly rare, let alone one with a mid-drive motor.<\/p>\n

The Vado SL\u2019s featherweight status matters for more than just ride quality. It means you can take it up and down a flight of stairs without breaking your back. It means you can hang the bike on a regular wall or car rack \u2014 many are limited to 50 lb per bike. It makes the bike easy to bring on public transport. And it means that should you ever run out of battery, getting back home is no more difficult than on a regular bike \u2014 especially as the motor creates no discernable drag when powered off. Again, it\u2019s lighter than the bikes thousands of New Yorkers regularly use to get around the city.<\/p>\n

<\/i><\/a>Even the fenders are extra-nice.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Of course, at $4,500 for the 5.0 EQ variant, you\u2019re going to want more for your money. To that end, the bike just feels<\/em> high quality, as one would hope from a company like Specialized. The welds are smooth, the black-to-blue paint job on my review unit is gorgeous, and the components are a step above what you\u2019ll find on most ebikes.<\/p>\n

The Shimano XT derailleur shifts smoothly and reliably across the bike\u2019s 12 speeds, the Lezyne lights are StVZO compliant for a useful, non-blinding beam pattern, and the Racktime rack is compatible with a wealth of accessories<\/a>. Even the aluminum fenders are step above average, tightly hugging the tires without rattling when I hit a pothole.<\/p>\n

(And in case you\u2019re wondering, the bike has proven itself to be very water-resistant as well, considering I\u2019ve been caught in torrential downpours several times.)<\/p>\n

Perhaps the most notable feature of the Vado SL\u2019s 5.0 models is the use of Specialized\u2019s \u2018Future Shock\u2019 suspension placed above the headtube. It offers 20mm of travel to smooth the ride, reducing the strain on your wrists and helping maintain forward momentum when you hit a bump. Combined with the Redshift Suspension Seatpost<\/a> I\u2019ve been testing, the Vado SL offers what I personally consider to be the perfect amount of suspension for city riding: enough to soften the blow of potholes and random debris without being mushy or heavy like the cheap suspension forks on oh-so-many urban ebikes.<\/p>\n

<\/i><\/a>The Futureshock 1.5 smooths out the bumps without the mushy feeling or weight of cheap suspension forks.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The mechanical components are aided by the most perfectly-tuned ebike motor I\u2019ve tested yet. The SL 1.1 motor hardly ever makes itself noticeable, kicking in at the tiniest motion of the pedals but ramping up power so smoothly that the ride never comes across as jerky. It\u2019s almost silent on assist levels 1 and 2, though it does make a noticeable whir on level 3 and when going up steep hills.<\/p>\n

As with most high-end bikes, the Vado SL uses a torque sensor to measure not just the rotation of the pedals, but how hard<\/em> you\u2019re pushing. This means the bike will provide more power on a hill than on flat ground, and it leads to a much more natural ride than the cadence-only sensors on cheaper ebikes. Cadence sensors get the job done, but feel clunky and tend to make you feel more like you\u2019re being pushed along by a motor than like you\u2019re actually riding a bike. Yet even among bikes with torque sensors, the smoothness of the Vado SL\u2019s assistance is a cut above the rest \u2014 and you can fine-tune the motor\u2019s assistance with Specialized\u2019s Mission Control app, too.<\/p>\n

That said, it\u2019s important to keep your expectations in check. Though the motor can hit 28 miles per hour, this is not an ebike you get if you want to just cruise around town with minimal effort. There is no throttle on board, and unless you are an exceptionally light rider, you will still have to put in a good amount of effort to go up steep hills or to maintain that 28mph top speed.<\/p>\n

But this is exactly the type of experience I personally want from an e-bike. I want assist on hills or the option to get around town without sweating too much \u2014 not a bike that\u2019ll do all the work for me. Of course, you can turn down the assist levels on more powerful ebikes too, but you still have that weight to deal with.<\/p>\n

<\/i><\/a>While the 5.0 models come with Specialized\u2019s removable Turbo Connect Display, each model features this simple LED assist and battery display on the top tube.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You might be wondering how the Vado SL can hit 80 miles of range on a 320 Wh battery; the low wattage motor just sips power. I\u2019m a heavy rider, at 250 LB, but even then a 20 mile ride on assist level 2 would only use about 3 or 4 out of 10 bars. I have no trouble imagining someone lighter reaching 80 miles on a charge. The fact that I can add a range extender, and that the bike won\u2019t be a complete slog if the battery runs out, goes a long way towards relieving the range anxiety I often feel as heavier rider. Plus the 4 Amp charger tops up the battery pretty fast too.<\/p>\n

No, the Vaso SL isn\u2019t perfect. Some accumulated caveats:<\/p>\n