Which One?? | 2022 Turbo Vado vs Turbo Vado SL | Specialized e-Bikes

[@j.w.grayson6937]

I have a 2020 Turbo Vado 3.0. I am 76 years old, bought the bike in Nov 2020 and have 6,305 miles on it. Needless to say, I love it!

[@OneLessCar]

Thank you for sharing your experience!

[@kalolawahine9182]

Just got the SL… I Love It‼️ I’m 57, and I’ve had 2 Major back surgeries… I’ve been limited with just my regular bike, but now, I fly!!! Your review was great! I just subscribed 👍🏼😉

[@OneLessCar]

Amazing! Thank you for sharing your experience. I don't think most people understand the amazing opportunity e-bikes offer.

[@voided4238]

I’m ordering the Vado 4.0 since I just moved to a very not bike friendly part of town and I have to commute up very steep hills on a daily basis. Also, I really like the Mastermind displays that are standard on the normal Vados but only on the SL 5.0. To everyone that is looking an e-bike: of all the e-bikes I have seen, Specialized offers the very best warranty support and has very high quality motors and frames. I work at a bike shop, so I know first hand that some other brands like Aventon and Rad Power Bikes don’t compare. You get what you pay for with these.

[@anadetosh]

I wonder if you know by any chance what is maximum weight of passenger on Vado 4.0? And what would happen if passenger in let’s say over weight limit what manufacturers wrote? Thx ☺️

[@Martin_HD28]

Have them both and love them both! My Turbo Vado SL 4.0 is my favorite if I had to choose.

[@nickmcdonald42]

This was a GREAT comparison video! I've spent the better part of the weekend deciphering the Specialized website trying to understand SL, EQ, compnent groups, etc. It was great to stick with VADO and just two versions! Please boost your SEO! You should be in more feeds!

[@ishyandmikkischannel8811]

One of the best produced videos I have seen.

[@OneLessCar]

Flattery will get you everywhere 😉

[@ishyandmikkischannel8811]

@@OneLessCar Please do a review of the Flattery EBike.

[@richardharker2775]

I moaned and groaned that I will never have an ebike whilst all the time my wife was enjoying hers immensely. Then one day I borrowed hers to assess the value of grocery shopping and... I hated myself for thinking these things aren't bad... At all. I borrowed it a few more times and my wife just looked with a wry smile on her face watching me wheel it inside and I tried really, really hard not to smile but she could sense it coming. Then... I suggested a little, just a little, upgrade to my cycling experiences and she knew exactly what I was thinking. A few weeks later I had one. Yes! Grumpy old fashioned me, never gunna get one me, got one. Now I love 'em. No excuses needed they are fun, fun, fun.

[@OneLessCar]

Ebikes = 😁 it's just the ebike laws of physics 😉

[@KJSvitko]

Ebikes are bringing many older adults back to cycling. Hills are so much easier. Great exercise for those that want to age gracefully.

[@bindingcurve]

Hills are easy if you have the right gear on a normal bike. I like how ever e-bike reviewer dances around the level of effort needed. I personal think they are awesome for commuting, but exercise ????

[@Cymande82]

@bindingcurve Have you ever biked up a hill on a e-bike with the motor turned off?

[@John-un2co]

Fantastic review I purchased my first e-bike I can no longer ride my road bike do too lounge disease. The e-bike allows me to go spin my legs and enjoy the ride. Take care love your video’s

[@OneLessCar]

I'm glad to hear e-bikes are keeping you cycling.

[@cliver8881]

After only a few hundred dry miles from new I discovered pit marks on the chrome stanchions of my Vado 4.0 2022. Specialized told me to ask my dealer to put in a warranty claim to SR Suntour but they say rust is not covered under warranty. I am not impressed that a brand new £4000 bike can suffer rust despite never actually getting wet (UK weather is poor but I've never had this happen before) and that it is not covered by warranty. BEWARE !

[@Super-lucky-7777]

Yeah very poor warranty the steel forks are notorious for rust

[@goldmax3352]

Thanks for the reviews, very good presentation and clearly explained. Just one thing, the black Vado isn't a step thru model as the bar on a step thru is below the rear wheel bar.

[@v0llm1lch]

Nice Comparison 👍 Just ordered the turbo Vado 4.0 😉

[@halizadeh36]

thank you for the great video I got Specialized Turbo Vado SL 5.0 EQ, year 2023 I have experienced that the lights on it consume a lot of energy. it is about 15 percent of battery, without.out any use of modes(eco, sport, turbo) only the lights are open. isn't it much more than expected? Since there is no button/switch to turn off the lights, so it is not possible to avoid this unnecessary expense of battery. I would be happy if you could help me with this matter.

[@billyrock8305]

I’m 93. Put 25,000 on my Vado 5.0. The bees knees. SL not comfortable or as fast. Not stable. Lovely review by a lovely lady ☺️

[@Joseph-gg8if]

I'm 146 and I've put 1 600 000 miles on my Vado.

[@billyrock8305]

@@Joseph-gg8if146 lbs is a great cycling weight sir! Well done old chap! I’m almost at 100,000 miles. You’re Superman at 600,000 sir!

[@jimbo4203]

Ive put 2200 mi on my 21' turbo vado sl and it has been awesome ! I sold my truck 5 years ago and have been pedaling ever since, and the ebike has been a blessing

[@OneLessCar]

Fantastic! Love how ebikes change how people get around in such a positive way. Thank you for sharing.

[@1brianescobar]

Wow, I haven’t seen you upload in quite a while. Great review! But I’ll stick with my leg-only🦵 powered bikes. This would be great though for those getting into cycling or car alternative.

[@OneLessCar]

Not everyone needs one, they are a lot of fun though! Have you ridden one yet?

[@1brianescobar]

@@OneLessCar I'll admit, I have not. I imagine it's like riding a bike with a lot of tailwind. haha

[@tconnolly9820]

I would certainly consider one. I prefer to use pedal power only but I am also well aware that due to my own health issues, pedalling up a significant (for me) hill can floor me and I can't push myself too far. Something like this would really open up longer distances where I could get the occasional assistance where it would otherwise be risking busting an aneurysm pushing myself too hard. As it is, I do a lot of shorter to medium distance utilitarian cycling and commuting and even regularly pulling a trailer with up to 70kg load. But I have limits and one of these could take me past those limits. Actually, how tall a person can these bikes accommodate? I'm 2 metres tall and about 123kg so probably limited to just small to large frame sizes? Ideally I need XXL.

[@mfrancis706]

Excellent review, thank you...

[@Super-lucky-7777]

Excellent review, i cant make out your accent mixture

[@OneLessCar]

😁It's a bit messed up after a long stint in the UK.

[@TheSpyNZ]

I am sure you cannot add a range booster to Turbo Vado. You can add it to Vado SL yes because there is a port for it but not on Vado

[@OneLessCar]

You are right, sorry for the delay in replying. I thought I'd read it somewhere it was available for the 2022 model but it's not. Thank you for pointing that out.

[@jcwd1541]

Agree, the range extender works only for SL models not for the Vado. I wish the Vado had also a range extender or booster (like the trek allant+7s), but it does not (at least not yet)

[@mrweakend]

Great comparison, great performance. Thx

[@bonzomio]

Great review! Thank you! Question: If the battery goes out (finit/kaput) on the SL, how does it get fixed or replaced if it is integral with the body? Also, maybe next review go over average cost and time for battery recharge and show how they plug in. Thx!

[@OneLessCar]

The battery can be removed on the Turbo Vado SL. Not easily like the Turbo Vado. The SL requires the motor to be removed to access the batter. So it wound require a visit to a bike shop with experience in ebikes. Hope that helps 😀

[@bonzomio]

@@OneLessCar Yes, thank you! I just found that out at a Specialized Dealer yesterday, too. Great videos! Keep up the good work! Can't wait to get on an ebike!

[@InfiniteExistance]

lol 100% am with you on train tracks, I was always nervous with them, back when I owned bikes many years ago. Especially since I rode cheaper bikes. hehe

[@kingkal81]

What would you say is the best eBike I'm currently looking at the Volt Kensington, Mirider One & Vanmoof S3?

[@nigelking3353]

I have the Vado sl 4.0, love it, only two flaws, needs a bit more torque, And the chargers are rubbish, no fan, no vent, gets extremely hot after 15 min, on my third charger!!.

[@kartenalexos8348]

How upright can the vado be? Are the handle bars adjustable to bring the rider more upright?

[@sanantoniotonight5569]

they are...

[@bigwheelsturning]

Company should have realized back then that they needed to get there UL certifications. Now they are screwed.

[@stephenelliott-wright3230]

Great review 👍🏻

[@OneLessCar]

Glad you liked it.

[@stephenelliott-wright3230]

@@OneLessCar if I did not already have Ebikes would definitely have had a look at them after your recommendations My wife bought her E Brompton after watching your vlogs 👍🏻

[@howlingwolf125y]

Great info and reviews.. The SL is the one I like the best.. But... Just wish it had an adjustable front stem to get the perfect handlebar position.. For that price they should make an adjustable stem available.. (at least I don't think its adjustable).. Seems super wierd to me that you can't adjust the handlebar location.. Please let me know if I am wrong..

[@OneLessCar]

I've had to change stems on most of my bikes. It's quite easy to swap out for a different stem.

[@howlingwolf125y]

@@OneLessCar Thanks OLC.. Nice to know that its easy to swap.. But still just about every single person has a different size/shape/hieght and a different "perfect" stem handlebar position.. why not include a high quality adjustable stem so everyone can dial in that perfect adjustment spot for the handlebars right off the bat - with a good, high quality adjustable stem??

[@InfiniteExistance]

On the top of my "if I have the money" list, is currently the specialized vado 5.0 igh, sadly not finding much in the way of reviews of the IGH model. Though also stock seems to be very low as well, especially for my sizing M (barely) and L (mostly)

[@philiprayner1772]

can you get this bike with wider tires and off road tires ?

[@OneLessCar]

The tyres can be switched fo wider ones. Some bike shops will do this and factor it into the purchase, it depends on where you buy it from. Always worth asking.

[@dgricus]

Thank you 😊

[@scotchvelo]

May I ask what size that SL step-through you rode is? Hoping to get one for my wife who is 5'5" with 30" inseam. Thank you.

[@OneLessCar]

It's a medium. I'm 5'5.5" with a 32 inseam (I have long legs short torso). If you use the sizing chart on the Specialized website (link in the description) it's pretty accurate if you are ordering on-line.

[@scotchvelo]

@@OneLessCar Thank you so much!

[@shmidles7450]

I'm disappointed that I can't switch the lights off the front gets ridiculously hot ☹️

[@Trevor.Adams640]

Would be nice if you can get your hands on an e-road bike to test.

[@OneLessCar]

It would! 😀

[@brendangray]

😂

[@Martin-jy4om]

This is the first review of the Vado sl step through I have seen. How does it handle compared to the regular Vado SL , and is it heavier than the standard SL? Thanks for a quality review.

[@OneLessCar]

I've ridden the regular very briefly in a size up from what I usually ride but I'd say they are comparable. They both feel agile and reactive. As for weight they would be with in grams of each other.

[@KellyS_77]

Wow! Those are some seriously sleek looking bikes! I wouldn't even notice that they were electric, they just look like a normal bike. I'm definitely a utility cyclist, although I've been known to bike "for fun" too. That gets a bit awkward when all you have is a big electric cargo bike, I feel like I should always be hauling something.

[@OneLessCar]

You really have to look to see the motor don't you! They are also very quiet too.

[@BradSD25]

How much does the SL weigh?

[@pgreenx]

I may have missed it but what is the average range for say 150 pound person on flat terrain?

[@OneLessCar]

I think you did miss it. If you look in the description you'll find the link to the Specialized range estimator app 😊

[@pgreenx]

@@OneLessCar thanks. Was looking a a range in the video. If I did that I could have gotten all the specs you mentioned here…..no need for this advertisement

[@EustacioMarquez]

3-4K for an e-bIKE SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT

[@SC-rb2jr]

The Turbo Vado SL is said to give you a 180% assist when in the turbo mode. I thought this gave you an extra 180% of your own input, but Specialized told me you get an extra 80% added to your own input. But since the reviews are very good I expect this is enough power. Any thoughts?

[@OneLessCar]

They phrase they use is x2 you, which would be doubling your power (or 180% to be exact). So if you are pedaling at an effort of 5mph the bike will double your effort and you will go 10mph. This will max out at the 15.5 mph in the UK/EU and assist will stop. I think it's plenty, it's a great bike to ride, really smooth and quiet motor. As I said in the video if you carry a lot of weight on your bike or have a lot of big hills that you want to go up at top speed, that is more easily achived on the bikes that give x4 assist (non SL bikes). I hope that helps!

[@jimbo4203]

My sister and brother in law have 4x or full power on there vado and como , i have the sl, we ride together and i keep up no problem and often ahead but they can climb the hills easier and i have to spin faster

[@jbandersnatchi]

With the Mission Control app you can vary the amount of boost at each level. I turned down the level on all 3 just to increase the battery range.

[@briandriscoll1480]

I have an SL. The lesser power it has is adequate for me for even the steepest hills. On a flat, I can truly pedal at 25 km/h effortlessly in the middle setting. But the key phrase is 'for me'. I'm light, 55 kg, and fairly fit with a VO2max of 46 at age 68. So here's what that all means. If you are riding flats or small inclines only, the SL is good for just about anyone. But if there are hills in your future and you weight significantly more than I or are significantly less fit, you may be better off with the higher powered bikes. By the way, the SL rides and handles beautifully on roads, much like my 10kg analog hybrid bike.

[@Photoshopuzr]

I wish you did thee Specialized Turbo Tero 5.0 vs the Vado SL to me the vados are the same bike just one is lighter than the other.

[@noah-xo2zh]

What vada model is this? 3 4 or 5?

[@OneLessCar]

The Turbo Vado is the 3.0. The SL is the 4.0.

[@fisharefriends598]

I’d love one … but they are 30% over priced..hopefully they will have a sale some time

[@OneLessCar]

I think for the quality of the bikes the price is fair, but you never know you may grab a deal on one one day.

[@brendangray]

@@OneLessCar this isn’t completely accurate. The price of them over the last 2 years have risen dramatically.

[@brianhoag3872]

They are 30ish % off right now.

[@questionmark6971]

I wish they would make a VADO without the front shock.

[@OneLessCar]

I agree. WIth the large volume tyres there isn't really a need for the shocks which add weight and cost. I think it's something that sells bikes to those that haven't ridden many bikes (and don't know how good elbows and knees can be!)

[@jimbo4203]

My 21 specialized turbo vado sl 4.0 is fully rigid . No future shock , and its awesome, im running 40c wtb nano tires that are great offroad and roll good on pavement too

[@user-yj7pw2no9r]

I am glad it has a front shock, never again would I buy without. I had a Giant Quick E with a rigid fork for 2.5 years and 3600 km around town. My wrists and shoulders were aching too much.

[@bruceyung70]

Just get a Creo mind as well. Heck if you pay slightly more you can get a turbo creo aluminum bodied one instead of this.

[@DARKFURY51]

Good for a cheap ebike

[@lmadigan1971]

So expensive

[@kostyafedot551]

No fenders - no sense.

[@tommyfred6180]

why would anyone get a bike that needs a phone to work?

[@OneLessCar]

You don't need a phone for the bikes to work. It's optional. A lot of people like to be able to fine tune the settings and see the data. But the bikes work without. 😀

[@tommyfred6180]

@@OneLessCar thanks for the response i'm really loving the stuff you do. my point about the phone was it needs a phone. i.e. you can't use all the abilities of the bike without a phone. "why would anyone get a bike that needs a phone to work?" is a completely valid question. i can see no advantage and you did pitch it as just that, an advantage. all i can see is just a big down side. in that the bike can now be hacked and your travel data pinched, battery overloaded ect. just my point of view and i'm hopefully some people will chime in on why they think over tecing bikes is a good idea. :)

[@TurboSpecC]

​@@tommyfred6180 the advantage is you can get all of that great motor customizability on a device 99.99% of Specialized customers already have so the bike doesn't cost an extra $500 to cover the inclusion of a screen for making those types of adjustments.

[@jimbo4203]

@@TurboSpecC exactly ! I love the bars on my turbo vado sl with nothing on them , all you need is a few lights on the top tube