Specialized Vado SL4 and Club Runs

[David Cox]

I've picked up many tips and advice from the Forum over years for which I'm grateful. I've recently bought a Specialized Vado SL4 at a big discount and was pleased to see that 531 Colin (we met once at the York Rally) also has one. My leisure riding has mostly consisted of club runs with friends in Beacon Roads Cycling Club doing 50 mile "D" runs at a moderate pace. But after Xmas this year I quite suddenly lost a lot of fitness and power and got bad neck and shoulder aches. Presumably some virus picked up abroad but it added to existing heart and lung problems. With physio, paracetamol and an adjustable stem I kept going by stepping down to Beacon Intro rides >30 mile slower pace and joined somewhat shorter rides with the local Gentle Cycling group.

I decided it was finally time to get an e-bike. I wanted a more upright position and a low step over because I'm finding getting on and off more difficult. I tried the Trek range but they felt more like the moped I had a 16. Good smooth vehicles but heavy with powerful Bosch motors, big batteries and front suspension. I found the Vado SL4 heavily discounted in the Specialized store. It was an old model but the new one wasn't available anyway. The shop converted the stripped down California version into an Equipped by fitting mudguards and carrier and moving the rear light to the mudguard.

So far am very pleased with it. It's reasonably light and acceptable in a group ride. The power control is as intuitive as changing gear and using the power conservatively, just to keep up with an average c11mph, the range is adequate for most rides and I have a range extender for longer runs. Range anxiety mostly relates to climbing back onto the Birmingham plateau at the end of every ride. It's not the smoothest ride and the standard mudguards aren't great but I'm enjoying my cycling again not getting dropped on hills and even leading rides with some confidence because I'm not at my limits and stressing ageing lung and pacemaker heart. Most of my friends with e-bikes of various makes have had problems but so far the Vado has been OK - fingers crossed.

[Cugel]

Most of my friends with e-bikes of various makes have had problems but so far the Vado has been OK - fingers crossed.

We have three Fazua-equipped e-bikes in our household, the oldest being now 6 years and around 10,000km on the road with no issues at all. The other two are also getting-on now but the only problem I had was a gearbox issue because who ever installed the Fazua gearbox and chainset in the bike manufacturing assembly room hadn't applied the right torque to the bolts and retainers - a problem solved in 15 minutes with a torque wrench.

Yet I read in your post, in other posts about the forum and now in the mass media that a lot of e-bike users have problems not only with older e-bikes but with those still in their 2-year warranty period. Water ingress seems prominent but there are other problems too, apparently.

Could you give details of your friends' e-bike problems? It would be interesting to understand what the main causes seem to be.

***********
Congrats on enjoying your new e-bike, BTW. They do alleviate a whole range of issues that can appear in we ole scrotes. My own issue was not so much physical as a growing disinclination, aged 75, to spend long periods at max heart rate sweating up yet another Welsh hill. I don't mind one or two but every ride out in West Wales has one or two dozen of the Big Rises. And it's only two or three minutes down the other side to the next one!

I generally add a maximum of only 75 watts to my own pedal thrusts; and only up those harder hills. I can get around 150 - 200 kilometres from one charge of the 250 watt-hour battery, generally over four or five rides. So I wonder if the use of the full-whack settings on those heavier e-bikes with loadsa Newton-metres going through the motor innards is part of the problem? Some riders of the e-bike Bosch-equipped tanks, for example, seem to leave them at the max-power settings.

Cugel, kind to all bicycles.

[531colin]

I bought an "equipped" one, but it wasn't entirely a good move for me.
The mudguards aren't wide enough, and the rear carrier limits how high you can get the guard.
Mine now has really wide SKS guards, with the rear one fitted over the Specialised one with the light poking through. I fitted a Tubus rack which sits higher than the Specialised one, and fixed the guard to the rack.
There is now tolerable clearance for Schwalbe 700 x 40 G one allround tyres, run tubeless on the original wheels at 30/45 psi which are more comfortable than the original tyres and suitable for mixed road and tracks.
I've geared it down a bit with an ordinary Stronglight 38T ring which was knocking about.
Nitto long layback seatpost and my own bullbars to replace the (very) wide straight bars.
I stress relieved the wheels, too.

It does very well locally, but with one thing and another I haven't done any long or properly steep rides yet.

IMG_5858 by 531colin, on Flickr

IMG_5859 by 531colin, on Flickr

The brake levers are reversed, which required longer hydraulic pipes. The original motor plus and minus buttons and the original gear shifter are mounted on cut down bar ends. Its a 2 lever SRAM shifter designed for both levers to be worked with your thumb, and thats how I use it in its current position.

[David Cox]

Sorry Cugel I don't have details of friends problems to hand. One Ribble kept cutting out or something and had to go back to the factory to be sorted although Ribble have a showroom in Birmingham. There was some query with an Orbea also but I think a software update sorted it. Another couple were very pleased with a Fazua powered Kinesis but the other partner after pursuing a Boardman from Halfords with same system had problems at delivery and sent it straight back. They then chased around the country to find another Kinesis which has been good. Other Ribbles and Boardmans in the Bournville Gentle Cycling group seem to be OK. I don't think any of these problems related to wet weather as covered in the Guardian article.

[David Cox]

Hi Colin impressed with your customisation of the Vado !! I've just put a Brooks C17 saddle on and ordered some of those Ergon grips to have a bit of bar end for a change to ease my wrists.

[Saissac]

Spesh have a great rep now for electric bikes and richly deserved

[LittleGreyCat]

I bought an "equipped" one, but it wasn't entirely a good move for me.
The mudguards aren't wide enough, and the rear carrier limits how high you can get the guard.
Mine now has really wide SKS guards, with the rear one fitted over the Specialised one with the light poking through. I fitted a Tubus rack which sits higher than the Specialised one, and fixed the guard to the rack.
There is now tolerable clearance for Schwalbe 700 x 40 G one allround tyres, run tubeless on the original wheels at 30/45 psi which are more comfortable than the original tyres and suitable for mixed road and tracks.
I've geared it down a bit with an ordinary Stronglight 38T ring which was knocking about.
Nitto long layback seatpost and my own bullbars to replace the (very) wide straight bars.
I stress relieved the wheels, too.

It does very well locally, but with one thing and another I haven't done any long or properly steep rides yet.

IMG_5858 by 531colin, on Flickr

IMG_5859 by 531colin, on Flickr

The brake levers are reversed, which required longer hydraulic pipes. The original motor plus and minus buttons and the original gear shifter are mounted on cut down bar ends. Its a 2 lever SRAM shifter designed for both levers to be worked with your thumb, and that's how I use it in its current position.

Pretty please why did you select this particular bike?
I am looking at the Specialised web site and they have some Turbo Valdo SL4 Step Through at an attractive price.

This is suddenly urgent (as always) as it looks as though I will be briefly in striking distance of a Specialized shop in a week or so.
There isn't one anywhere near my home location

The bike is bare bones so there will be a cost for carrier and mudguards at a minimum, but the reduction should cover that easily.

Oh, and in the web site picture there is a front light but no rear light - is this standard for entry level eBikes?
Edit 1: rear light in saddle.
Edit 2: I am bemused by the web site because they seem to offer the same bike at full price and at 40% off.

[David Cox]

If you can get a discounted one I'd grab it. Lights are front and rear. Yes rear on saddle on the basic California model. On the mudguard on the more useful "Equipped". The staff at Specialised Concept Store at Fort Dunlop in North Birmingham did the conversion for me. Mine was made in Taiwan back in 2022 according to a sticker so old stock but the newer and better SL5 was unavailable anyway. I really like the low step over these days.

I went to the NEC Cycle Show last weekend. It wasn't very good but the whole industry/retail sector is suffering after the COVID "boom" with excess stock. Vado is a mid-range e-bike price wise but they were selling them off c30% discount end of April

[rareposter]

Edit 2: I am bemused by the web site because they seem to offer the same bike at full price and at 40% off.

Check the year/model carefully, there might be a very similar last year model (discounted) vs this year model (RRP).

I bought a bike from a Specialized Concept Store last year, advertised on the website (which is a sort of umbrella site covering all the shops) at a discount price, saw the bike in store with a full price label on it. Showed the staff the price on the website and they instantly price matched. No quibble at all, they explained that the website prices can change rapidly and it might take the shop a day or so to go through their inventory and adjust shop floor prices.

I think with some bikes you can almost offer a "best price" at the moment, a lot of places are desperate to clear excess stock.

[LittleGreyCat]

Thanks for the responses.

If this is clearing last year's model I wonder what differences (if any) are on this year's model.
[Edit: apart from the age of the battery.]

A reduction (as shown) from £2,500 to £1,500 is very tempting if the bike fits.

Still wondering about the light built into the saddle.
Is it battery powered if it can be moved easily from saddle to mudguard?
It is unlikely that I would want to retain the saddle (long experience) and likely I would want to fit a rear rack (noting 531colin's comments on the drawbacks of the supplied one).
So ability to move the rear light to the rear rack would be attractive.

I am now struggling with the lack of detailed research vs. "but look at the saving!!" so the recommendations are very useful.

I am seriously considering a step through because these days I am having a bit of trouble {cough} getting my leg over.

Is the inability to remove the battery (according to the brief specs) a major issue?

[David Cox]

The light in saddle of Vadol SL 4 is wired in. So is the mudguard light on the Equipped model. It's a different light unit though. Shop fitted it all for me a bit complex because of running the wiring. Lights on saddle (not seat post) risk being covered by clothing like capes etc.

[rotavator]

Is the inability to remove the battery (according to the brief specs) a major issue?

It would be for me because I don't have an electrical socket in a shed, outhouse or garage so the bike would have to come into the house to get charged up, which would not be ideal, especially if it is wet and mucky. Also if I was away on holiday, staying in a hostel or hotel, it could well be more convenient to leave the bike in my car and just take the battery to my room for charging.

[531colin]

I bought mine because I wanted somebody local to repair/service, and there’s a Spec. shop a couple of miles away, I wanted one I could lift with one hand.
My hands are arthritic which means I am comfortable with my own bullbars and not much else, so flat bar controls are the starting point. The shop extended the hydraulic hoses for me, for a price.
The bike is nice to ride with the power off.
Re removing to charge, I’m afraid my days of moving on tours are over

[LittleGreyCat]

I bought mine because I wanted somebody local to repair/service, and there’s a Spec. shop a couple of miles away, I wanted one I could lift with one hand.
My hands are arthritic which means I am comfortable with my own bullbars and not much else, so flat bar controls are the starting point. The shop extended the hydraulic hoses for me, for a price.
The bike is nice to ride with the power off.
Re removing to charge, I’m afraid my days of moving on tours are over

Thanks, very helpful.

I am now torn between an obviously good bike and flexibility.

The main issue will be when we are away in the motor home.
Ideally I would like to be able to bring the battery inside to charge overnight instead of charging on the bike outside.
The motor home does not have a garage (although many do) so the bike would have to be locked securely to the MH and possibly open to the elements.

Darn and poot!

[deliquium]

I am now torn between an obviously good bike and flexibility.

Personally I made a conscious decision to only buy e-bikes with removable batteries. My first a 'lightweight' Boardman flat bar HYB 8.9E (not too dissimilar to the Vado?) - to which I also bought a spare battery - and that main reason was, if I required it, I could carry said spare battery in my saddlebag for extended range, although I've not done so because of not exceeding the up to 50 miles I've achieved with one battery yet. The 250W battery being much lighter than Bosch motored e-bike types. Also although my bikes are kept downstairs in a stone shed with electrics, I prefer to remove and charge the batteries upstairs under supervision. Just a personal thing.

The main issue will be when we are away in the motor home.
Ideally I would like to be able to bring the battery inside to charge overnight instead of charging on the bike outside.
The motor home does not have a garage (although many do) so the bike would have to be locked securely to the MH and possibly open to the elements.

I know nothing of motor homes and their power systems, so please excuse me asking, but I'm curious to know how would you charge an e-bike battery overnight in a camper van? Do the vans have large enough back up batteries themselves?

I would have considered the Specialized Vado myself, if not for my personal preference for battery removal. And of course plenty of satisfied owners and users live happily without the need to remove said batteries.

ps personally I do tend to overthink things and imagine problems that don't always occur