Ebike

GEAR | Cycling The Monsal Trail On The Specialized Turbo Vado SL 5.0 EQ eBike – Review

When Specialized got in touch with me it couldn’t have been at a better time. I was just days away from visiting the Peak District and was planning on hiring a bike to cycle the Monsal Trail, so I jumped at the chance to try out the new Turbo Vado SL 5.0 EQ bike.

What is it?

Specialized Turbo Vado SL 5.0 EQ £3,600

Overall Rating (4.5 / 5)

Stockists

Specialized

Features

Integrated Turbo Connect Display to view key ride data quickly and safely.
Fully integrated and secure Specialized 320Wh downtube battery w/optional Range Extender compatibility for up to 120 miles of range.
Specialized SL 1.1 custom lightweight motor, peak 240W / 35Nm, 2x you rider amplification (180% assistance), assist up to 15mph.
Turbo SL mounted rear rack, Racktime-compatible for your favorite bags and panniers, and DRYTECH fenders to keep the spray away.
12-speed Shimano SLX shifter and XT derailleur for lightweight, precise performance for the long haul.
DT Swiss R500 disc wheels paired with fast-rolling, high-grip, Nimbus II Sport Reflect 700 tires with BlackBelt flat protection and reflective accents to increase visibility.
Lightweight and high-strength premium carbon fork with Boost 12x110mm thru-axle.
Future Shock 1.5 reduces impacts from rough roads and terrain, potholes be gone!
Premium hydraulic disc brakes for maximum stopping power.
Extra-bright front and rear lighting to see and be seen.
Lifetime frame warranty.

What we thought

Throughout the first lockdown earlier this year I could be found pootling around my village on an old, borrowed Decathlon mountain bike and whilst I enjoy cycling, due to lack of storage at home, I no longer own a bike.

I’m not into serious mileage, mainly as I am fearful of cycling on roads, so most of my rides to date have been short and leisurely, and whilst I’d heard of Specialized (thanks to more serious mountain biker friends), I’d never ridden a bike with a price tag of more than a few hundred pounds before, let alone an e-bike worth a few grand.

Busting e-bike myths

I find the marketing of this bike interesting, it seems like the fact it has a motor is really downplayed and the styling of the bike means at a glance you wouldn’t immediately know it was an e-bike.

Now, if like me, you have no real idea what an e-bike is, let me explain and dispel a few myths in the process.

Using an e-bike isn’t like using say a scooter. It’s not a case of turning it on and the bike does everything except steer for you, far from it. You still have to put the effort in and pedal, but the small electric motor boosts the power of your manual peddling, helping you pedal longer and faster.

This makes e-bikes much more accessible than a standard bike that demand a modicum of fitness, so for those who perhaps aren’t hugely confident, knowing that they can let their bike take some of the strain could encourage them to take to the saddle, which can only be a good thing.

Adjusting the bike

I went for the medium frame and used an allen key to drop the saddle. I was keen to ensure my seated position was as perfect as possible, so watched some YouTube videos and made sure the seat was the ideal height for me.

As well as adjusting the seat I also had to attach the pedals (a first for me!), which after a small amount of faff I managed to do.

Charging the bike & range

Upon arrival, the bike was already about 70% charged and it was intuitive to plug in and turn on. There’s a clear battery display which shows you how much charge is in the bike and when it’s running low, it’s just a case of plugging it in for a few hours.

*The bottom display shows battery charge, the top display shows the level of pedal assist*

My first tentative ride was a short local ride just to get used to the bike and get a feel for it having never ridden anything like it, and certainly having never had the opportunity to ride anything costing more than a few hundred quid before!

Comfort & ride

I really dislike uncomfortable saddles and whilst serious cyclists will say that a larger saddle adds unnecessary bulk, I personally prefer comfort. When first sitting on the very narrow, hard seat I was convinced it was, in fact, a torture device not a saddle.

After my first short ride out, and with the addition of my trusty gel seat pad, it really wasn’t as bad as I’d feared, after a 27km ride however my posterior felt bruised and sore, so a downside for me would definitely be the unforgiving saddle.

Initially, the bike did take a bit of getting used to. The sound of the motor (although very quiet) and the feel of the pedal-assist made me think of the bike as “Robo Bike” and to begin with, it felt a bit weird, but as I pedaled I realised I was cycling much faster than I usually would, mainly because going at speed was largely effortless.

I loved how easy it was to switch pedal assist on and that I could choose from 3 different levels. On my longer ride down the Monsal Trail, I generally kept it at around 1 to 2, but occasionally boosted it up to 3 and frequently turned it off altogether to get a better feel for the level of effort I had to put in when manually cycling.

*With the front wheel off, the bike fit perfectly into the back of my BMW X1*

Cycling the Monsal Trail was a wet and muddy experience and whilst pretty much as flat as a cycle trail can get, it still felt like it was a good test for the bike, giving me the chance to get in a few good uninterrupted miles and I’ve got to say, despite finishing the ride soaked through and covered in mud, I loved every second of it!

The manual gear shifter was so much smoother than anything I’ve used before, pedal-assist made every mile a joy rather than a chore, but by the time I’d finished, I still felt like I’d been out for a good ride. I think the main difference is that I finished the trail much faster than if I’d been on a manual bike or had I kept pedal-assist turned off.

I have an inflammatory joint condition, so handlebars that offer good comfort and grip are always very much appreciated, and I really liked the comfort and grip offered by the handlebars on the bike. I left my gel cycle gloves at home but didn’t feel like I actually needed them, certainly not for a flat ride anyway.

I found the steering of the bike to be light and responsive and the bike felt incredibly quick, certainly compared to anything else I’ve ridden before. I absolutely loved zipping down roads and trails at speed and that’s probably the best way to describe the Turbo Vado SL 5.0 in one word, zippy.

Pros

It’s not massively obvious that this is an e-bike, the motor is both small and lightweight.
I was impressed by the brightness of the built-in lights.
Very smooth gear changes.
Decent shock absorption on uneven and bumpy ground.
I appreciated the built-in mud-guards when cycling in wet autumn conditions!
Brilliant for commuting on as you’re less likely to arrive a sweaty, panting mess at the office.
Takes out a lot of pedaling effort, but I still felt like I was working when riding and certainly not like I was completely ‘cheating’.
It’s really responsive and highly maneuverable.
When the motor kicks in, it’s a smooth transition and after a while, you stop noticing it altogether and barely notice on the lowest level of pedal assist.

Cons

Narrow, hard and uncomfortable saddle.
Even for an e-bike, this is pricey so you’ll need to be serious about using it for your daily commute or getting out and about on it in order to justify this investment.

The verdict

Our Rating

Quality 5/5

Practicality 5/5

Looks 5/5

Value 4.5/5

Overall Rating (4.5 / 5)

I had no idea what to expect from an e-bike having never ridden one before, and whilst this is undoubtedly a superb bike, what I like most about the Specialized Turbo Vado SL 5.0 EQ e-bike is that it makes cycling more accessible, even to those whose fitness levels might have held them back from cycling in the past.

It still feels like you’re riding a bike and working, but the pedal assist just makes life that bit easier…and faster!

It still feels like you’re riding a bike and working, but when you turn it on, the pedal-assist just makes life that bit easier…and faster! It’s far more agile than I expected it to be and in my hometown, I felt like I was zipping around much faster than I usually do on a bike.

When the motor kicks in, it’s a really smooth transition, not at all clunky and whilst after riding it I still felt like I’d had a cardio workout, I felt like I’d not had to work quite as hard as usual and certainly for inclines, I absolutely loved the difference that it makes.

Although I didn’t get close to testing the 120-mile range of the battery, I think for most, even those commuting by bike, this range would allow for several days of use before needing to recharge the battery. During my time with the bike, I went on 3 short local rides as well as a 27km ride down the full length of the Monsal Trail in the Peak District.

It’s pricey yes, but it’s so good that I have genuinely considered an e-Bike as an alternative to my car commute. If my 13-mile route to work was safer and not a combination of narrow winding country roads and a vast dual carriageway, ditching my gym membership and commuting by e-bike would become a viable option.

The Specialized Turbo Vado SL 5.0 EQ eBike is quite simply a stunning bike and an absolute joy to ride and something I was very reluctant to return after our loan period!

DISCLOSURE | Thank you to Specialized who loaned us the bike for review purposes. We were not paid to write this review.

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Camping Tips, Tricks and Adventures

Review: Priority Embark E-bike

After testing a number of commuter and townie e-bikes, we have found our favorite, the Class-I Embark from Priority Bicycles. The most important factor is that it is the most comfortable geometry we have come across. Add to that the reliable Bosh motor and other top of the line components which don’t require any sort of maintenance and the Embark is very much worth the pricier than average for this category $ 4,000 price tag.

We tested the Embark for nearly a year in Boulder, Colorado. Not surprisingly, it got the most use in the late spring, summer, and fall taking kids to school or daycare, weekly trips to the farmers market, and running the regular errands of life. We do get enough clear and sunny, albeit cold, days in the winter where we bundled up and kept the testing going.

Tires

Part of the great design of the Embark are the high-volume WTB Horizon 650B PLUS 47M/M Tubeless tires. That equates to a 27.5-inch diameter and 1.8-inch width and WTB recommends they be run between 35 and 55 psi. The higher volume, broader width, and lower pressure all contribute to the comfort of the ride and the versatility of the Embark. It’s versatile because those softer tires allow for getting off of the pavement without rattling the bike (or the rider) to pieces and it remained relatively stable when we braved riding with snow and ice on the ground.

Some things to be aware of with tires like this—especially if you’re a more technical rider—include: 1) Cornering at speed will cause the tires to rub against the fenders; and 2) Always check the tire pressure before going for a ride, we found we had to top the tires off about once a week; 3) The bike ships with tubes in the tires so they will need to be converted (tape, sealant, etc.) to tubeless if that’s preferred.

Frame

The Embark comes in three sizes which will accommodate riders from around five to 6.5 feet tall. We went with the large (21-inch) frame which has the most unique geometry of the three options, and as I mentioned above, it turns out to be the perfect shape for both my wife (who, at 5” 8’ has a long torso) and me (5” 11’). We just have to bump the seat up or down which is easy with the quick release seat stem.

The key comfort factor of this frame is the excellent balance between sitting relatively upright to minimize weight on the arms, wrists, and hands with just enough forward lean so we’re not too upright with the wind pushing against the rider like a sail. This balance of body weight is key in providing ride stability (especially when adding the weight of a child on the back) and to keep it easy to use the grip twist CVT shifting (more on that below).

The swooping toptube is a stretch from a step-through frame, but still makes it just a little easier to throw a leg over to mount up, especially if (like us) you have a kid seat mounted on the back and can’t throw your leg over the seat. The 6061 T6 Aluminum frame is hydroformed for precision and to optimize weight and durability efficiencies.

Gearing & Shifting

As part of their fleet wide zero-maintenance goal the team at Priority has centered their entire fleet around the Gates carbon belt drive instead of a chain. The carbon belt doesn’t stretch, wear down the cogs on the hubs, and is clean—no grease or sharp points to snag pants on and all the gear shifting happens internally.

Gates Carbon Drive belt — *rust and grease free*

Inline with the zero-maintenance theme Priority landed on the Enviolo (previously known as Nuvinci) Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) shifting hub. This is pretty incredible technology and the whole system is completely contained. There are no adjustments to be made and it’s controlled by a twist sleeve built into the right-hand grip. The Enviolo does not have traditional gear numbers because it doesn’t have specific gearing rings to choose from. Instead, it’s a smooth (theoretically, infinite) transition from as big or as small of a twist applied to the grip control. It provides a 380% range of gearing ratio which is totally fine for a commuter bike. It sits between an 8-speed internal hub at 307% and an 11-speed internal gear hub at 409%. So, it could be argued to be on par with a 10-speed internal hub. Compared to a traditional chain and cassette derailleur system a typical single chainring 10-speed (1×10, 11-36) range is 327%. This has proven to be plenty of gearing range, even with extra load like while pulling a trailer or having a kid on the back. The limitation was only noticed while on a steep descent, traveling over 30mph and trying to pump more speed into the bike—a rare and relatively unnecessary circumstance on this bike.

Novice and casual riders take to this gearing method very quickly and love it. Those of us used to click-shifters may take a little longer to get used to how this works, but it comes with practice. My only quip is the little indicator to show what “gear” the bike is in. Instead of using a numerical system (because they could and just have used the numbers 1-10 and let the dial move smoothly between the indicated numbers—but that wouldn’t have jived with the truthful phrasing of there being an infinite possibility of gears) the indicator is a little orange bicycle that changes from being on a steep hill to a flat surface. This is not an accurate illustration because when starting from a dead stop—even on the flats—the shifter needs to show the “climbing” mode, not the “level riding” mode. Totally minor, but it’s what the nit-picker gear tester in me notices.

The Motor & Components

The Embark is driven by one of the best e-bike motors available, the Bosch Active Line Plus and powered by the Bosch PowerPack 400 battery. The mid-drive (at the pedals) motor only provides pedal assist, there is no throttle to just go without pedaling. The motor has a number of sensors to determine how much to assist the rider up to 20mph depending on which of the five options for power assist has been selected. They include: off, eco, tour, sport, and turbo. The most (un)noticeable feature about this motor is how quiet it is. We’ve tested a few e-bikes with relatively loud motors. This works right in harmony with the rest of the silent components like the Gates Carbon Drive, the internal shifting hub, and the Tektro Hydraulic Disc Brakes. Even the softer WTB tires absorb little bumps quietly.

The only place we saw the Active Line Plus Bosh motor have a hard time is on long steep hills. This was evident on the ride up to Boulder’s Chautauqua Park riding alongside a friend with a different brand ebike (and different motor). The motor got the bike and the rider up the hill, it was just slower than expected. Still, with patience, it saved the rider from being a hot sweaty mess—which would have been the case on a non-ebike.

The Bosch Purion display and motor control console is easy to use. Two large buttons, a plus (+) and a minus (-) are easy to tap with the left thumb to select the pedal power assist. It also displays all the expected data like speed, odometer, range estimate, and long-hold on the plus button controls the built in lights on the bike. The display is always easy to read in the direct sunlight (even with polarized sunglasses) and is backlit in the dark.

The Bosch PowerPack 400 battery is a 400 Wh battery capable of providing up to 50 miles of range on a single charge (that’s in Eco mode with very little hills and going easy). With our riding style (Turbo, hauling kids or trailers, a few hills, etc.) we usually maxed out around 35 miles per charge. But that was more than plenty for a day’s worth of riding for us so charging the battery overnight (on the bike or detached) just became part of our routine. However, if we tried to push it too far and the battery died mid-ride, the broad range of gearing, made it so it wasn’t a horrible experience getting the rest of the way home under our own power. If the battery dies at night, it still has enough power to keep the lights on even if it won’t run the motor—a nice safety touch.

Hauling

With two young children, we do a lot of hauling with the Embark. We have rigged the Embark with a number of configurations, mostly products from Burley, to get kids and all the related gear loaded. The first thing we mounted was a Peg Perego 10+ Rear-Mount Child Bike Seat, which has since been discontinued. But it is still working great. That however has negated our ability to attach a rear rack on the bike. Instead, we found the m10 Burley Ballz Nutted Axle Adaptor fit great on the rear axle of the Embark so we can use the Burley Coho XC trailer to haul extra gear even with the Peg Perego seat on the back. It also takes the Burley Steel Hitch for our Burley Kid trailer. Finally, we also have the new Burley Travoy and use the Quick Hitch on the seat stem when not hauling a kid in the bike seat.

Burley Ballz and Steel Hitch for the big haul, be it kids or cargo

Conclusion

The Priority Embark has proven to be an incredible addition to our family and our lifestyle. While we live in a town that has lots of bike specific trails, the Embark could easily take on less bike friendly communities. The low maintenance aspect of the Embark has provided me (as the family mechanic) some nice relief from needing to futz with it to keep it running (instead, I’ve been tinkering with it in other ways beyond the scope of this review—note the basket on the front and the headlight moved to the handle bar).

Dig it? Buy it at prioritybicycles.com!