I have the vado 4.0 that received a great review via EBR and I can't say enough about what it is. commuter, touring, shopping, 10,000 miles. this looks like a worthy successor. I know it is costly but it can be a true car replacement , and the $ savings can really equalize.
I'm not trying to throw a shade on you, but I laughed out loud when your opening line was "it practically gets you to work." I have to have a bike that definitely gets me to work, not just part way😂😂!
You need to add a stair carry test of at least ten to twenty steps. A lot of people have to carry their bikes indoors to their storage area either at work or at home. You also forgot to mention that it's approved to UL 2849 or EN 15194.
Great review thanks mate. Finally someone who tests e-bikes the right way, especially the hill test. Test of an e-bike without hill test, is no test...worthless....not everybody leaves in a flat area. I actually go to work 4 kms away but I go through 3 hills one way and again 3 on the way back, pluss the city itself is full of small hills....Anyway, we would appreciate it if you could review the Canyon Roadlite On CF9. I think its the king of its category according to specs and demand. Though where I leave I don't have a chance to test one. Thank you
recently bought a 5.0 on sale, been eyeing this ride for over 2 years, so excited to ride it, and yes agreed was hoping this version would've at least had a somewhat budget friendly version for us poors
If you live in a place where you need to carry your bike up and down stairs, the Specialized Turbo SL (superlight) line is really without competition in the mid-drive, reliable bike market. I recommend them to all my friends looking for an ebike commuter.
I think a lot of direct to consumer E bike companies will be catching up soon. Lightweight hub drive E bikes without a ridiculous markup are doing pretty well right now. It’s only a matter of time until they add mid drives and carbon frames.
I ride a Vado sl 4.0 and have also owned an Aventon pace 500.2. Hub motors are fine honestly, even great if you have a torque sensor. They’re just different, hubs with more power & mid drive more minimal and natural
I like that Specialized has come out with this bike. Huge fan of the suspension on the handlebars - an upgrade from my Ruby. If you want a cheap ebike, look elsewhere. If you want a light ebike that can perform, this is worth considering. And I love the range extender - I still like to be able to do 100k rides, this will remove the concerns about range. Will definitely be looking into this bike at my local dealer.
@Garrus-w2h Don't get into road cycling if you think these are expensive....try $20K for a flimsy frame that'll break if you look at it the wrong way!🤣
I ride a Specialized Turbo Vado SL EQ 5.0 to work. Very nice bike; my mileage is nowhere as good as described here and I ride in sport mode (the middle assistant). Use Turbo mode for hils only. Agree that it is pricier than the average non big name brand but some of that premium is justified.
This bike makes no sense from a price standpoint. The recently released Ride1Up Roadster V3 which was reviewed on this same channel a few weeks ago is aimed at exactly the same buyer but is less than a quarter of the price ($1,400 with the added rack vs $6,000+ for this ripoff) with only a few minor downsides (slightly heavier, and no special 20mm suspension). The Roadster also gives you a few things this bike doesn’t have at all-a removable battery and a throttle, which can really come in handy when commuting. Anyone who buys this bike needs to be equipped with a complementary blindfold so they can’t see the rest of the market. It’s incredible that this review didn’t compare the bike against the market in terms of value. Makes me feel like there is some sort of brand deal going on here behind the scenes.
I totally agree. There are a few bikes out there that give you as much if not more for a lot less money. I get why they didn't do a comparison so that they remain brand neutral, but that $6000+ price tag seems way out of line for what you get. I would have expected this bike to be more in the $3500-$4000 range.
@@Gary_THR In my opinion being brand neutral doesn’t mean that you avoid all comparisons with other competitors in the market. Many people are likely watching this video to make a buying decision, which means they’re looking for the best option out there, and this bike doesn’t exist in a vacuum. My personal take would be that true brand neutrality means that a channel intentionally steers viewers towards the objectively best options for them regardless of the brand. Not steering viewers at all means the channel is not providing buying advice outside of an assessment of this particular bike based on its own merits in isolation. In my opinion, that approach is not a particularly useful contribution to the review space.
With all due respect, this line of thinking makes no sense to me. Nobody bats an eye when someone chooses to buy a Porsche over a Civic, but when it comes to e-bikes it seems everyone thinks you can only shop from the bargain bin. Some people are willing to spend more for a better product that meets their needs, especially if their bike is replacing a car. Don't get me wrong. The Ride1up Roadster V3 looks fantastic, and it's an easy recommendation within its price range. But having spent weeks with both the original Vado SL and the Roadster V2, and owning a Velotric T1ST (another big competitor in this category), the Vado SL was in a different league. You turned off the motor and it was just straight up a really nice bike to ride. The people who buy this bike aren't going to want a throttle. As far as I'm concerned, unless I can turn it off, that's a con for Roadster. For others, a hub-drive, no matter how good the torque sensor is, is a non-starter. A 520 Wh is nearly unheard of for this weight category, especially for a mid-drive with some front suspension (which in my experience works better than a suspension stem). You're going to have trouble finding another bike that goes 100 miles and weighs 40 lbs with full accessories. It's nice to have affordable options, but it's also nice to have companies willing to put in the R&D to make a better product and offer dealer support. There's a market for both.
@@napilopez This is a completely fair take. The Vado SL 2 might not be worth an extra $4,500 in my opinion, but a Lambo isn’t worth an extra $300k to me either. Yet clearly it’s worth the extra money to someone out there.
@@napilopezI agree with your assessment. Question: why do you say buyers of this bike aren’t going to want a throttle? Is there a negative to having a throttle? I’m just starting to look into e bikes so honestly don’t know.
Nice review. Wish you had covered the changes to the original (for those of us who own the original). I think the original motor was made by Mahle. Is this motor the same? Upgraded in anyway? New frame is carbon, how about wheelset? IMO the 5.0 EQ, with the mods I made, is a fantastic and efficient commuting machine.
Hi, the Motor is also Mahle, but the new 1.2 Version like in the creo. It's more silent and about 30% more Power, I also have an old Vado SL, and all I read so far the Alu Version of the Vado 2 will probably be my next daily driver
Thank you for the great review of this sweet e-bike. I really like this type of e-bike and would be willing to buy this bike, but the non-removable battery is a non-starter for me! Do you know of any manufacturer that make a mid-drive e-bike similar to this one with integrated lights that is under 40 lbs and has a removable battery?
That's a tall order, to be honest. We haven't reviewed any bikes with that specific combination of qualifications, but the Vvolt Alpha II (ebrdeals.com/VvoltCentauriII) checks most of your boxes while being a manageable 45 lbs. Alternatively, the Kona DEW-E DL is also close at about 43 lbs.
A bike without a step thru option is a hard no otherwise I would be 1st in line. Additionally interested in any color but black. Think about us ladies out here.
Yes, the price is seriously eyewatering, but I love my Vado 1 so much, and did so much miles on it that I am perfectly willing to spend that kind of money. Will probably wait for the Aluminium Version to make the price somewhat reasonable
one thing that dissapoints me; this Vado SL2 looks more obvious as ebike - the down-tube is a giveaway - too thick!. Not like its predecessor that really hard to notice except if one pay attention to the bottom bracket host.
What was the speed on the pas 5 range test and the pas1? Sometimes you give this in your reviews and sometimes you don't. Its the only way to understand the range as you refuse to normalize range tests based on speed.
At that price I would need to see electronic shifting Transmission groupset, drop bars and some fancy suspension features. Yeah that would mean Turbo Creo over this Sirrus looking bike 😂 (when are they even updating Creo with UDH btw?)
@@ElectricBikeReportI like the look I like the weight I like the battery. But if ride1up can make a full carbon ebike for $2500 it seems ridiculous for specialized to be asking over $6500. Yeah, the battery is better but it isn't $4000 better. I really like the silhouette tho it's a sexy bike for sure
This is way too overpriced but it doesnt matter since it's still going to sell, just not to the majority of us peasants 😂. My dentist is gonna love this bike.
Your dentist is going to spend money on Turbo Creo or Turbo Levo. If they really wanted the best commuter bike, they could head to Rise& Mueller for a cargo bike with a gigantic basket for carrying stuff (and costs around 7k)
Another great review, it was not my cup of tea, but I enjoyed it. This bike definitely appeals to a 'specialized' audience, excuse the pun. It's just kind of sad that my wife's $999 Lectric Xpress is a better hill climber than this.
It would be really helpful when talking about how much the bike weighs and bike speed if you could also provide the specs in kilograms and kilometres additional to pounds and miles (Imperial measures) because almost the entire world uses the metric system of measurements and this video is available in more places than the USA.
Laughing out loud at that price. Who wants to leave a 6K bike chained up outside? My 2023 Velotric T1ST cost me a quarter of this. It has apple find my and weighs 33 lbs. I have absolutely beat the hell out of it - and it keeps going.
Except that's not what it actually weighs. Velotric originally advertised 36 lbs (They seem to have updated the weight for the Plus). Indeed, I have a T1ST in the smaller size and according to my scale it's 39 lbs before fenders, racks, a rear light, and any other essential commuting accessories. One you add all that it's more like 44 lbs. I rode original Turbo Vado SL (5.0 EQ) extensively. Nearly bought it. I ended buying the T1ST because I thought it would be similar enough, but if you care about ride quality, it's honestly not even close.
This is a full carbon bike no way this would ever be cheap. Sounds great for commuting and going on public transit. Especially that gearing range for hills would be awesome
Well, why bother then? If you rode a Vado you would maybe know why people love those bikes. If you are in the "xyz Bike got this and that better part for the price" you don't get it and any Specialized is the wrong bike for you.
TERRIFIC storytelling & bike style!! BUT...wouldn't a more "road-friendly" handlebar be best? Like some...drop-style? Flat bars seem...goofy for pavements, sorry :-) [BUT...the prices are OUT-RAGEOUS. seriously, what's Sp. thinking? Even as a Roubaix 3x cyclist :-))) NOBODY should have to charge that much! I build catamarans with CF, its not like gold :-)))
Specialized and Trek are clueless , I live in a 55 and Up community, 7000 people … everyone here buys Aventon class 3 $1200-1799 28 mph , thumb throttle when needed comfortable seats and front shocks standard . No brainer
I have the vado 4.0 that received a great review via EBR and I can't say enough about what it is. commuter, touring, shopping, 10,000 miles. this looks like a worthy successor. I know it is costly but it can be a true car replacement , and the $ savings can really equalize.
I'm not trying to throw a shade on you, but I laughed out loud when your opening line was "it practically gets you to work." I have to have a bike that definitely gets me to work, not just part way😂😂!
These are the things that don't cross our minds when we're writing video scripts... lol!
It would probably be a better intro for one of the car companies! And you can fact check that😂
@Garrus-w2h How far is your commute...100kms?? LOL
You need to add a stair carry test of at least ten to twenty steps. A lot of people have to carry their bikes indoors to their storage area either at work or at home. You also forgot to mention that it's approved to UL 2849 or EN 15194.
Great review thanks mate. Finally someone who tests e-bikes the right way, especially the hill test. Test of an e-bike without hill test, is no test...worthless....not everybody leaves in a flat area. I actually go to work 4 kms away but I go through 3 hills one way and again 3 on the way back, pluss the city itself is full of small hills....Anyway, we would appreciate it if you could review the Canyon Roadlite On CF9. I think its the king of its category according to specs and demand. Though where I leave I don't have a chance to test one. Thank you
We'd love to test more Canyon bikes, fingers crossed that we can in the future!
I'll wait 1 year and hope it ends up on sale under $4k. Love my Vado 4.0.
recently bought a 5.0 on sale, been eyeing this ride for over 2 years, so excited to ride it, and yes agreed was hoping this version would've at least had a somewhat budget friendly version for us poors
If you live in a place where you need to carry your bike up and down stairs, the Specialized Turbo SL (superlight) line is really without competition in the mid-drive, reliable bike market.
I recommend them to all my friends looking for an ebike commuter.
I think a lot of direct to consumer E bike companies will be catching up soon. Lightweight hub drive E bikes without a ridiculous markup are doing pretty well right now. It’s only a matter of time until they add mid drives and carbon frames.
I commute on this exact bike. Paid $5,000 two years ago. Would not buy a hub drive.
I ride a Vado sl 4.0 and have also owned an Aventon pace 500.2. Hub motors are fine honestly, even great if you have a torque sensor. They’re just different, hubs with more power & mid drive more minimal and natural
I like that Specialized has come out with this bike. Huge fan of the suspension on the handlebars - an upgrade from my Ruby. If you want a cheap ebike, look elsewhere. If you want a light ebike that can perform, this is worth considering. And I love the range extender - I still like to be able to do 100k rides, this will remove the concerns about range. Will definitely be looking into this bike at my local dealer.
Awesome! Thanks for watching!
@Garrus-w2h Don't get into road cycling if you think these are expensive....try $20K for a flimsy frame that'll break if you look at it the wrong way!🤣
Topgun bike from the Porsche of Ebikes. 911 like.
#1 Topgun🥇
Why did they remove all the Enviolo from their entire line up?
I ride a Specialized Turbo Vado SL EQ 5.0 to work. Very nice bike; my mileage is nowhere as good as described here and I ride in sport mode (the middle assistant). Use Turbo mode for hils only. Agree that it is pricier than the average non big name brand but some of that premium is justified.
This bike makes no sense from a price standpoint. The recently released Ride1Up Roadster V3 which was reviewed on this same channel a few weeks ago is aimed at exactly the same buyer but is less than a quarter of the price ($1,400 with the added rack vs $6,000+ for this ripoff) with only a few minor downsides (slightly heavier, and no special 20mm suspension). The Roadster also gives you a few things this bike doesn’t have at all-a removable battery and a throttle, which can really come in handy when commuting. Anyone who buys this bike needs to be equipped with a complementary blindfold so they can’t see the rest of the market. It’s incredible that this review didn’t compare the bike against the market in terms of value. Makes me feel like there is some sort of brand deal going on here behind the scenes.
I totally agree. There are a few bikes out there that give you as much if not more for a lot less money. I get why they didn't do a comparison so that they remain brand neutral, but that $6000+ price tag seems way out of line for what you get. I would have expected this bike to be more in the $3500-$4000 range.
@@Gary_THR In my opinion being brand neutral doesn’t mean that you avoid all comparisons with other competitors in the market. Many people are likely watching this video to make a buying decision, which means they’re looking for the best option out there, and this bike doesn’t exist in a vacuum. My personal take would be that true brand neutrality means that a channel intentionally steers viewers towards the objectively best options for them regardless of the brand. Not steering viewers at all means the channel is not providing buying advice outside of an assessment of this particular bike based on its own merits in isolation. In my opinion, that approach is not a particularly useful contribution to the review space.
With all due respect, this line of thinking makes no sense to me. Nobody bats an eye when someone chooses to buy a Porsche over a Civic, but when it comes to e-bikes it seems everyone thinks you can only shop from the bargain bin. Some people are willing to spend more for a better product that meets their needs, especially if their bike is replacing a car.
Don't get me wrong. The Ride1up Roadster V3 looks fantastic, and it's an easy recommendation within its price range. But having spent weeks with both the original Vado SL and the Roadster V2, and owning a Velotric T1ST (another big competitor in this category), the Vado SL was in a different league. You turned off the motor and it was just straight up a really nice bike to ride.
The people who buy this bike aren't going to want a throttle. As far as I'm concerned, unless I can turn it off, that's a con for Roadster. For others, a hub-drive, no matter how good the torque sensor is, is a non-starter.
A 520 Wh is nearly unheard of for this weight category, especially for a mid-drive with some front suspension (which in my experience works better than a suspension stem). You're going to have trouble finding another bike that goes 100 miles and weighs 40 lbs with full accessories.
It's nice to have affordable options, but it's also nice to have companies willing to put in the R&D to make a better product and offer dealer support. There's a market for both.
@@napilopez This is a completely fair take. The Vado SL 2 might not be worth an extra $4,500 in my opinion, but a Lambo isn’t worth an extra $300k to me either. Yet clearly it’s worth the extra money to someone out there.
@@napilopezI agree with your assessment. Question: why do you say buyers of this bike aren’t going to want a throttle? Is there a negative to having a throttle? I’m just starting to look into e bikes so honestly don’t know.
that mountain of a top tube to conquer every time you want to mount/dismount makes this a nonstarter.
Nice review. Wish you had covered the changes to the original (for those of us who own the original). I think the original motor was made by Mahle. Is this motor the same? Upgraded in anyway? New frame is carbon, how about wheelset? IMO the 5.0 EQ, with the mods I made, is a fantastic and efficient commuting machine.
Hi, the Motor is also Mahle, but the new 1.2 Version like in the creo. It's more silent and about 30% more Power, I also have an old Vado SL, and all I read so far the Alu Version of the Vado 2 will probably be my next daily driver
Thank you for the great review of this sweet e-bike. I really like this type of e-bike and would be willing to buy this bike, but the non-removable battery is a non-starter for me! Do you know of any manufacturer that make a mid-drive e-bike similar to this one with integrated lights that is under 40 lbs and has a removable battery?
That's a tall order, to be honest. We haven't reviewed any bikes with that specific combination of qualifications, but the Vvolt Alpha II (ebrdeals.com/VvoltCentauriII) checks most of your boxes while being a manageable 45 lbs. Alternatively, the Kona DEW-E DL is also close at about 43 lbs.
A bike without a step thru option is a hard no otherwise I would be 1st in line. Additionally interested in any color but black. Think about us ladies out here.
Carbon is expensive (but has come down from 5 figures in the last 10 years)
I reckon an Aluminium one will come out soon which will be cheaper..
We haven't heard if an alloy option is coming, but we'd imagine so!
Yes, the price is seriously eyewatering, but I love my Vado 1 so much, and did so much miles on it that I am perfectly willing to spend that kind of money. Will probably wait for the Aluminium Version to make the price somewhat reasonable
A $6500 bike that doesn't even have a removable battery? That's pretty much a standard feature for any ebike.
Not a lot of removable batteries with carbon frames though.
@Jocha.9 the upside to non removable battery is lighter frame.
Vado 1 didn't have a removable battery also, so that's not really a surprise.
one thing that dissapoints me; this Vado SL2 looks more obvious as ebike - the down-tube is a giveaway - too thick!. Not like its predecessor that really hard to notice except if one pay attention to the bottom bracket host.
What was the speed on the pas 5 range test and the pas1? Sometimes you give this in your reviews and sometimes you don't. Its the only way to understand the range as you refuse to normalize range tests based on speed.
At that price I would need to see electronic shifting Transmission groupset, drop bars and some fancy suspension features. Yeah that would mean Turbo Creo over this Sirrus looking bike 😂 (when are they even updating Creo with UDH btw?)
It does have fancy suspension in the headtube :)
@@ElectricBikeReport i see they are coming with future shock at least.
How would the carbon fiber hold up in a cold winter?
We will find out after winter!
Funny thing is I like the bike. But at 6500 it's a hard no
What do you like most about it?
@@ElectricBikeReportI like the look I like the weight I like the battery. But if ride1up can make a full carbon ebike for $2500 it seems ridiculous for specialized to be asking over $6500. Yeah, the battery is better but it isn't $4000 better.
I really like the silhouette tho it's a sexy bike for sure
This is way too overpriced but it doesnt matter since it's still going to sell, just not to the majority of us peasants 😂. My dentist is gonna love this bike.
A lot of dentists out there. Not every bike has to be for everybody.
Your dentist is going to spend money on Turbo Creo or Turbo Levo. If they really wanted the best commuter bike, they could head to Rise& Mueller for a cargo bike with a gigantic basket for carrying stuff (and costs around 7k)
Very nice
Another great review, it was not my cup of tea, but I enjoyed it. This bike definitely appeals to a 'specialized' audience, excuse the pun. It's just kind of sad that my wife's $999 Lectric Xpress is a better hill climber than this.
I'll stick with my Turbo Vado SL 4.0 which I was able to buy for $2500. No way the upgrade is worth another 4K , Too much $$$$$$$
It would be really helpful when talking about how much the bike weighs and bike speed if you could also provide the specs in kilograms and kilometres additional to pounds and miles (Imperial measures) because almost the entire world uses the metric system of measurements and this video is available in more places than the USA.
WHAT SOUTHERN TOWN IN UTAH ARE YOU IN, LOOKS NICE
We're in St. George, UT.
Laughing out loud at that price. Who wants to leave a 6K bike chained up outside?
My 2023 Velotric T1ST cost me a quarter of this. It has apple find my and weighs 33 lbs. I have absolutely beat the hell out of it - and it keeps going.
Except that's not what it actually weighs. Velotric originally advertised 36 lbs (They seem to have updated the weight for the Plus). Indeed, I have a T1ST in the smaller size and according to my scale it's 39 lbs before fenders, racks, a rear light, and any other essential commuting accessories. One you add all that it's more like 44 lbs.
I rode original Turbo Vado SL (5.0 EQ) extensively. Nearly bought it. I ended buying the T1ST because I thought it would be similar enough, but if you care about ride quality, it's honestly not even close.
This is a full carbon bike no way this would ever be cheap. Sounds great for commuting and going on public transit. Especially that gearing range for hills would be awesome
Well, why bother then? If you rode a Vado you would maybe know why people love those bikes. If you are in the "xyz Bike got this and that better part for the price" you don't get it and any Specialized is the wrong bike for you.
The price is silly ~ but is it worth it? No ~ better options out there for A LOT LESS.
Not if you want carbon, to go with the other features.
$6,500 for this bike, im out.
A ridiculous price tag. These won't sell I suspect, until they discount 50%.
TERRIFIC storytelling & bike style!! BUT...wouldn't a more "road-friendly" handlebar be best? Like some...drop-style? Flat bars seem...goofy for pavements, sorry :-) [BUT...the prices are OUT-RAGEOUS. seriously, what's Sp. thinking? Even as a Roubaix 3x cyclist :-))) NOBODY should have to charge that much! I build catamarans with CF, its not like gold :-)))
Specialized and Trek are clueless , I live in a 55 and
Up community, 7000 people … everyone here buys Aventon class 3 $1200-1799
28 mph , thumb throttle when needed comfortable seats and front shocks standard . No brainer