The Turbo Vado offers a powerful motor, a removable 710 Wh battery, and more comfort features, making it ideal for longer rides and versatility. The lighter Turbo Vado SL sacrifices some power for a fully integrated, non-removable battery and a sleeker design, perfect for minimalists and commuters. What is the best electric bike? That’ll depend on your specific needs.
Why I Recommend the Specialized Turbo Vado for a Weekend Exploration
Written by: Rémy Rossi | December 28, 2024 | Time to read 4 min
The Specialized Turbo Vado city electric bike is an excellent option for weekend joyrides and so much more. Discover why I’ve got a soft spot for this versatile e-Bike below.
More about the Author: Remy Rossi
Rémy Rossi is a bike writer, mechanic, and educator who got his start in community-based bike shops and co-ops. With a decade in the industry, he still wrenches on bikes when he can and plays bike polo on a fixie.
What is the Specialized Turbo Vado?
The Turbo Vado is a purebred city e-Bike, demonstrating just how well-designed hybrid electric bikes can be. Specialized describes the model as a “high-performance transportation bike” and apart from every bike being a “transportation” bike, I think that snippet gets the point across.
The Turbo Vado is a big step up from most hybrid e-Bikes and works excellently as a daily commuter or all-round e-Bike. But I wouldn’t want to condemn the Vado to a life of Point A to B commutes— it’s also a great choice for weekend getaways and bike adventures beyond the city limits. It’s not an electric mountain bike, so you’ll want to steer clear of chunky trails, but it’s plenty capable around the urban jungle.
The Turbo Vado is a big step up from most hybrid e-Bikes and works excellently as a daily commuter or all-round e-Bike. But I wouldn’t want to condemn the Vado to a life of Point A to B commutes— it’s also a great choice for weekend getaways and bike adventures beyond the city limits. It’s not an electric mountain bike, so you’ll want to steer clear of chunky trails, but it’s plenty capable around the urban jungle.
I go where I want
“Vado” means “I go” in Italian. That first-person statement makes sense for this e-Bike that feels like my natural pedal power, only faster. The upright step-over frame encourages a comfortable and confident riding position, and the bike’s Turbo technology delivers a well-balanced boost. For me, I appreciate that this bike feels like an extension of myself rather than an overpowered, throttle-revving electric bike (but there is a time and a place for those fun trail-rippers, too). If you enjoy the sensation of pedaling a bike but are searching for a proportioned boost, the Turbo Vado delivers.
Smooth, powerful pedal assist
The Vado relies on its Turbo Full Power 2.0 motor and 710 Wh battery for some serious oomph. The pedal assist-only setup meets Class 3 requirements, meaning its top speed is 28 mph which is perfect for fast-paced riders. The drive unit is surprisingly quiet and smooth, hinting again at the Vado’s aim to intuitively amplify your natural pedal power instead of replacing it.
The battery on this model sits inside the downtube but is fully removable for easy off-bike charging. I’ve written a lot about this e-Bike’s slimmer sibling, the Turbo Vado SL, which has a fully integrated, non-removable battery, to save weight and space in the frame.
If you want an ultra-sleek and lightweight city e-Bike, the SL model is a great option, but having a removable battery has its own perks, too. Specialize states that the Vado has a range of up to 90 miles or 6.5 hours on a single charge while riding in eco mode— that’s some decent long range e-Bike stats.
Comfort meets confidence
I really try not to abuse the hackneyed phrase “comfort meets confidence” when describing bikes, but I wanted to make an exception for the Vado Turbo. Its cushy (but not too cushy) comfort comes from the relaxed frame design, 80mm front fork, and suspension seat post. Many city e-Bikes forgo the short-travel fork and don’t splurge on a suspension seat post, allowing the Vado to get a leg up.
And it’s not the time of comfort that slows a rider down for the sake of coddled cruising, these smart features soak up road buzz and smaller vibrations to take the sting out of bumps and reduce fatigue on longer rides. Comfort you don’t actively notice is maybe the best type of comfort.
The easy-to-use controls and natural-feeling assist make the Vado a solid option for all riders, especially those who are new to e-Bikes. Inspiring confidence is important for riders who aren’t used to boosted biking and the Vado makes it simple. But if you want to get into the weeds, the all-new Specialized app lets you customize e-Bike settings, track metrics, connect to cycling apps, and record rides.
And it’s not the time of comfort that slows a rider down for the sake of coddled cruising, these smart features soak up road buzz and smaller vibrations to take the sting out of bumps and reduce fatigue on longer rides. Comfort you don’t actively notice is maybe the best type of comfort.
The easy-to-use controls and natural-feeling assist make the Vado a solid option for all riders, especially those who are new to e-Bikes. Inspiring confidence is important for riders who aren’t used to boosted biking and the Vado makes it simple. But if you want to get into the weeds, the all-new Specialized app lets you customize e-Bike settings, track metrics, connect to cycling apps, and record rides.
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Commuting and more
The Vado is fully equipped for commuting, but when you’re off the clock, go ahead and take it on a picnic or weekend joyride! There are front and rear fenders, integrated lights, and a rear rack that supports up to 50 lbs.— it’s compatible with child bike seats and thru-axle trailers.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between the Specialized Turbo Vado vs. Turbo Vado SL?
Key Takeaways
- Versatile Performer: The Specialized Turbo Vado shines as both a daily commuter and weekend adventure bike, perfect for city rides and beyond.
- Smooth, Powerful Assist: Its Turbo motor and 710 Wh battery provide quiet, natural-feeling pedal assist up to 28 mph, with customizable options via the Specialized app.
- Commuter-Ready: Equipped with fenders, lights, and a sturdy rear rack, the Vado handles work commutes and leisure rides effortlessly.
