January 7, 2021 - We were excited to get the opportunity to review Specialized’s Vado SL 5.0 EQ, their hot commuter-style e-bike. I picked up the Vado at The Cyclery, a local bike store here in Ottawa, Ont. where the very knowledgeable staff helped with the basics and soon I was on my way and ready to ride.
Right away I noticed that at 16.42 kg (36.2 lbs) for the large model, this is a very light e-bike especially if you need to get it into a car, or onto a car rack.
The Vado SL 5.0 EQ is packed with premium features and looks cool and fast right out of the box. Equipped with a Specialized SL 1.1 custom lightweight 240W motor that delivers a smooth 35Nm, the 320Wh battery can take you 130km on a single charge or up to 195 km with the extender battery.
My first ride was a 40 km route on local gravel roads and it was amazing. Full disclosure, I left it in Turbo mode, which provides 100% assist, and it felt like I was riding with my previous 20-year-old younger body.
Though not incredibly hilly, there are some steep grinders on this route that were just so much more enjoyable, and the 1×12-speed Shimano SLX shifter and XT derailleur performed flawlessly.
The Vado SL was comfortable and predictable the whole time even on high-speed gravel descents and the Future Shock 1.5 integrated to the carbon fork with a Boost™ 12x110mm thru-axle was a nice bonus on rougher surfaces.
The DT Swiss R500 disc wheels paired with Nimbus II Sport Reflect 700×38 tires felt very competent on the gravel. And the Tektro HD-R510, hydraulic disc brakes were easy to modulate and control even with single finger braking. I was smiling the entire time.
In Turbo mode I depleted the battery with about 3 km left, but as mentioned, being a light e-bike, the Vado SL was no problem to ride the rest of the way home. You can feel a bit of resistance turning the unassisted motor but it was quite minimal.
Charging the depleted battery took about 2.5 hours in a chilly garage. I repeated the same ride a few days later in Sport mode and still had 12% battery left. Specialized provides a range calculator for their e-bikes and my experience was in line with the calculator.
The Specialized Mission Control app can assist in dialing in your preferred mode via a Bluetooth pairing code to connect your smart phone with the app which is incredibly useful to tune the power mode to your preferences and riding style.
For instance I tuned the Sport mode up to 65% assist using the app as I found that the default assist level of 35% of motor output was not enough for my liking.
The app also includes a Smart Control that allows the rider to enter the distance or duration they would like to ride along with other details to help the e-bike ensure the battery can last as long as possible. Very cool.
Commuting around town was also a breeze as the Vado SL was a pleasure to cruise on winding technical paths, and shone when riding uphill. The lightweight power-assist motor was always smooth making you feel like you suddenly had incredibly strong legs taking the pain out of the steepest slopes – it’s a great system.
The Specialized Vado SL 5.0 EQ delivers a premium feeling with Drytech fenders, sturdy rear rack for panniers, and bright Lezyne lights front and rear. The lights were one aspect of this bike that I’d love to see updated to allow you to turn them off (available on the Vado 4.0), and include a blinking mode.
This is truly an amazing e-bike and inspires you to ride and tackle any big hills that you can barely ride up. During a non-pandemic time I would love to use it to commute to my office in town which is a 50km trek each way.
With an MSRP of $6,399 some additional security, perhaps by way of electronic lockouts or immobilization systems, would also be appreciated. Otherwise, great job Specialized!
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