Some review websites have a lot of flash but nobody can touch you on knowing the specs. You're reviews are wonderfully nerdish. Thanks for your hard work. I'll consult your videos before buying.
Well, thanks for the kind words Theodore! It’s wonderful to see the Ebike space growing and I appreciate all of the other reviewers and channels. I usually watch their videos or read their articles when preparing… especially for an advanced and expensive bike like this! I’m not sure what your background is, perhaps military? I get the impression you were detailed and passionate about your work too. It’s nice to be recognized.
Thanks Craig! I seek to understand the bike fully, imagine what’s possible, reconcile the price and limitations that might have been faxed. I like produce design and enjoy helping people explore new topics and consider how technology can improve their health, connections, and finances… so Ebikes really check a lot of boxes. It’s a blessing to get to share my perspectives and try to help :)
Thanks for this video. I watched it a few months before I bought the bike and now after I bought the bike. Video was much more valuable to me after I bought the bike. I'm learning alot from this video on the basics and intricacies of the Tero. Kudos to you! Specialised should thank you for this detailed video 👍!
Stunning review… just about to buy my first electric bike and was so daunted free riding Claud Butler MTBs for the last 30 years… considering my first bike was a Raleigh chopper the technology is mind blowing… this review was in depth, easy to understand, filmed incredibly well and overall was truly superb. Thank you 👌 will place my order based on this overview. Respect
I bought a black eq, I did 1500 km in two months. I love him. Two minuses: brakes, shock absorber - they could be a little better I removed the plastic from the front fender :)
I’m going to preorder either a red 5.0 step thru Vado or Como tomorrow with the Automatiq transmission. I can’t make up my mind on whether to get a Vado or Como.
All the Teros and Tero Xs are a, “Mullet” set up - 29” in the front, 27.5” in the rear, except for the smalls, which are 27.5” front and rear for shorter riders. Thank for the review! Good stuff!
great review as usual, thanks! Also very curious as you being someone that has tested sooooo many bikes, I'd really like to know what your personal bike is if you care to share?? thanks
Hi Matthew! I've got a Specialized Stumpjumper that's probably 8 years old? Non-electric. My first ebike was the Pedego City Commuter, then Easy Motion Neo Jumper, then I had a Specialized Turbo Levo (first generation), and I would sell the bikes after some time because of my travels and focus on EBR. So yeah, I only have one non-electric bike now ;) how about you?!
Excellent review, disagree about delay in motor engagement though. We have the tero 4.0 non eq version and the power feels instantaneous as soon as you touch the pedals.
Same deal with our batteries on the Vado 4s and the Tero3 but you get used to it. I installed 780 mm MTB bars on my Vado which is equipped very similar to the Tero 4.0 but two piston brakes that work great. I installed a dropper and PNW grips XL just like my MTB. These bike are so well built and so fun. Yours looks great, love the color.
Hi Peter, thank you! I did my best to learn everything I could and present in a fun efficient way. I thought the bike was very well done. Happy Friday!
That app is really nice. My friend has a bike that assist 1 is not enough and 2 a bit too much for bike paths but he cant' change each assist level. This could be really handy depending on your riding conditions. That needing to get it going a little before it kicks in would be a deal breaker for me. Rode a Trek Powerfly recently and was so taken by how fast it took off from a stop that a throttle wasn't needed. My current bike is somewhere in the middle .
Nice bike Court , i like the control from your mobile . A bit pricey and no throttle , an old bloke like me a throttle is handy assisting takeoff and helping up big hills but a nice bike all the same :-)
Thanks for the encouragement KITEY! I like throttles too, it’s a great option and I wouldn’t mind if all Ebikes just had it there as an option to use and let the rider decide if and when to use it :)
I have a 21 specialized turbo vado sl that ive had for a year now and it's been working great with no problems , its really been fun , im hoping to find a tero for a test ride, i think I want one
Great review, what size did you go for? How tall are you? I am 179cm and according to their size guides I’m right in the middle of medium and large. My legs are relatively short though, 29” inside leg. Would appreciate your thoughts on which size to go for
Very good review. It stinks that color is not available in the US. I know color is personal, but for me, I do not like solid black bikes. I like to be visible and the color is a big part of that.
Yeah, I had to dig deep and reach out to a rep to figure out the color availability and EQ accessories situation. I wish this was available everywhere because I love the combination! Very excited for the front rack concept, and hope they sell the fenders and rear rack plus lights separately because they are so good! I liked the yellow too, and the original red Turbo models a lot :D
At the end you do a ride and I'm not sure if it's the mic or the bike, but the motor sounds REALLY loud. Could you talk about that a little? Is it as loud in real life as it sounds in the video?
Thank you for this amazing review with all the detailed and thorough information. I was waiting for you to discuss range and was a little surprised that you didn’t even touch on it. I know that range varies a lot depending on riding style but there’s always a way to approach it. I would like to know when purchasing an E bike, what kind of trips can I go on ? How far will the battery take me? Everybody doesn’t just ride their bike to work. Some people go on trips and adventures :-) I would also like to know, how much help am I going to get with Hills? There must be a way to discuss this?
This is the same question I was asking people 3 years ago, and they said: it depends. After riding my Levo for 3 years, I say: it depends. 😅 I did 1500 elevation meters and an 80 km range with the tuned-down eco mode in the summer, or barely a 30 km range and 600 elevation meters with always Turbo mode, low cadence in winter.
6:30 the 'fender' or mud guard as we call them isn't fitted correctly. It should be shifted at LEAST 6" further forward over the front tyre. AS-Is it will barely function in terms of not splattering you with mud.
Hmm, I received it this way but did bang the fender on steps when testing it out. Perhaps it could have shifted up, but your assertion that it should be 6” further forward strikes me as incorrect. The fender is designed to route water forward and then out the sides. The rear portion extends very far down (the end part being rubberized plastic and flexible). You could perform a RU-vid search for specialized drytech flextender and watch their official videos to compare with this setup. I honestly think it’s setup correctly here or 95% correct.
Very good explanation, especially the information how to switch off the light! 👍 Is there a way to change the language in the main screen (from englisch to german)? Thank you in advance for your feedback 😊
I've found that Specialized bikes are more expensive than many other brands when pricing out similar bikes. For less money I'd rather purchase a Giant Stance E+ EX, which comes with a full suspension, rack, fenders, and lights.....and it's cheaper than the bike you're reviewing. I like Specialized products, but I noticed in Canada they've increased their prices again for 2022.
Yeah, they do tend to be more expensive. I like their designs and innovations a lot. I’d love to see Giant and others pick up some of these and add some refinements if they could still keep their prices lower.
Compare Specialized, Trek and Giant prices to similarly equipped consumer-direct offerings, and you find the same pattern. For many consumers, however, ease of warranty support - and long-term, out-of-warranty service - is paramount.
@General Specific Dost ebikes are backordered until 2023 at earliest, or I’d be buying one this week. Instead I think I’m going to order a Specialized Turbo or Vado. Several local bike shops carry and repair them, and I value the ease of having repairs done. I have no interest in owning a direct to consumer ebike, as local bike shops near me will not work on them.
I have two Turbo's from 2017 that I like. I am more a fan of road bikes and tried the Creo but it doesn't have enough torque nor a powerful enough motor. I keep waiting and hoping.
Between this bike as an MTB-first bike passing as a commuter + tourer, and the Vado SL 4 as a commuter-first bike passing as a gravel + router bike, which one makes for a better transition? Which is the better bike for mixed use, would you say? Is the drivetrain - motor - battery on this more modern than the Vado SL?
A SPECIAL REQUEST PLEASE:::: i really appreciate your videos… i am sure a lot of viewers would like you to make a video on anti theft systems on bike. I have the chance to ride a Specialized TurboVado 4.0 LTD. I already have Abus U lock. I consider to add an alarm. In North America, it is really tough to find good ones like Abus Alarmbox or the Alarmbox RC. Thanks and continue your very good job…..
The Turbo Vado 4.0 that is being sold in the U.S. has 2.3 inch Pathfinder Sport tires with more of an all-surface tread. They ride very smoothly on pavement and crushed granite paths. When mine wear out, I plan to set the rims up tubeless and mount Pathfinder Pro 2Bliss.
Thankfully I have not seen any comments on this but the small console being the method of turning the bike on seems really risky. What is someone maliciously damaged it whilst parked up? Does that mean the bike can’t even be turned on?
Trying to find a review on the orbea urrun . They need a sl hard tail with a nice light mm fork . The high torque motors just kill cassettes and chains
Hey Court, where can I find your review of the TCD? I’m new at ebikes, new on the forum, and not a big youtuber so a little lost here. A link would be great. Thanks
It’s actually incredibly expensive in Vancouver and housing has remains out of reach for a lot of us. I rent a room in someone else’s house and my girlfriend (an engineer with two masters degrees) rents a single room apartment downtown near her job. The most expensive thing I own is a used car that just got totaled by a mail truck this past weekend. It was parked at the time, I think the truck was struggling due to snow and clipped the side and front. Thanks for the props about my appearance, I do try to look professional when doing the review videos! Perhaps you’ve noticed that I wear the same outfits and have the same helmet for many years years. Specialized didn’t pay me for this, nor are they a sponsor, and the bike was a loaner leftover from a photo shoot in Europe. I’m glad they shared it so I could check out their new systems!
Needs a belt drive!! In my opinion all premium ebikes should come standard with a carbon belt, there are simply too many advantages to a Gates carbon belt drive to do otherwise.
I respect your opinion, but I disagree. For me a chain feels tighter and faster. I also prefer a cassette to an internally geared hub or CVT for weight savings and crisp shifting… to me, it’s like driving a light fast car with a manual transmission, and I prefer that for recreational cycling. Since this particular ebike spans utility and sport, I would be happy with either drivetrain, but I wanted to push back and just express how I see it :)
@@ElectricBikeReview but, in terms of practicality? I was on my Analog Trek 8000 SLR, maybe a few years old now...27 gears even, going up a pretty steep him, geared down and sure enough....chain fell off the front end... 1/2 way up... so now when I am with my New Turbo Como SL 5.0 IGH I'll let you know the difference.... I'll keep the analog as I want to still smash around the paths with the fatter tires and front JUDY shocks... Love watching all your reviews even if the bike is not my type....
@@MiCoopRSchanging a tire with a belt is very involved, not something the vast majority of people will be able to do at the side of the road with a heavy bike. Also requires a more complex frame. Efficiency is the most commonly discussed drawback, but I’ve also experienced noise from the belt when they get dusty. Belt drive isn’t as clear cut an advantage as people say.
That’s a good question… I’ll ask Mike Sinyard or one of the product designers from Switzerland the next time I get a chance. Maybe they are just too purist. I personally prefer chains and cassettes vs belts and internally geared hubs or CVTs because they are lighter and faster. Maybe they are being purist with their approach or see it as being easier to service?
@@ElectricBikeReview Turbo Como SL 5.0 IGH....and now the Vado as well, you just had to wait a few more months... I have 2 Como's to pick up this week....
Recently my display screen was damaged... :-( (cracked) but it still works. Apparently the front glass itself is not available separately, and I was advised to buy a completely new (S216800041) Ele Tcd-w 2, Wired Display With Remote ( +/- 350 €) ... Do you (or anyone) know if there is another solution , Or at least a secondary circuit where I can find this......? Thanks!
The 3.0 models cost less, I think the higher price reflects the nicer drivetrain, brakes, suspension fork, battery, and motor upgrade. Hardtails can be preferred when using a rear rack because they increase strength and stiffness while keeping weight in check. I personally really like full suspension, but this bike felt good enough for urban with a bit of light trail riding with the 29ers and RockShox fork.
I dont get the whole "not blinding oncoming traffic" worry. As a long time driver I can tell you other cars have bright lights and they care more about seeing than blinding you. I have supernova lights on my bike and I'm certainly not aiming it at the ground to "not blind." I aim my light straight ahead for best visibility. Of course I don't drive with my high beams on, unless it's really dark but normal lights aren't blinding drivers.
I hear you, perhaps it’s a point I can stress less in the future. I have seen it as a sign of quality and safety. Not all cheap lights for bikes are designed this way… like many of the rubber band style lights sold on Amazon with basic LEDs and no lens system. They are cheap but have drawbacks. I’m trying to praise what I see as an improved design here, and I have noticed that it’s a very popular and even regulated thing in Europe for bicycles.
Possibly one of the most articulate and fascinating bike reviews I've watched (and I've watched hundreds). So brilliant in fact, that it inspired me to do my own review on this bike. Complete, of course, with a credit to this video. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-L-4giTPGRKI.html
Yeah, there’s a more expensive version with upgraded brakes, drivetrain, suspension, and motor… but also a more affordable one called the 3.0 with a smaller battery and some other downgrades. That one comes in a mid-step frame option as well as high step: this particular bike in the review is their mid tier with the “equipped” accessories: rack, fenders, and lights.
Yeah, I love the choices they made and appreciate the effort to improve the technology and create something that’s better and more useful and comfortable vs combining existing tech. Sure it’s t’s pricy, but there’s a range of builds and even frame types to suit different needs. Maybe there’s no perfect ebike for everyone, but to me this build does a lot right and I want to celebrate that.
I guess I enjoy all types of ebikes and appreciate the choice of having a throttle… but I don’t seek out one Class when doing reviews. I try to cover a variety of types and appreciate what they offer.
Hi Frankie, this model is sold globally but unfortunately it sounds like only Europe is getting the EQ “equipped” version with fenders, lights, and rear rack. Hopefully Specialized will make those parts available aftermarket in North America, because they’re done so well!
