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Turbo Vado SL 4.0 EQ

4.1

15 Reviews

Meet the Vado SL. This super-light e-bike was designed to take on anything from daily…

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Product Details

Meet the Vado SL. This super-light e-bike was designed to take on anything from daily commutes through urban landscapes to clocking even faster workouts. Need to carry your bike? No sweat. Weighing 40% less than the full-power Vado, there’s no other electric bike out there with ride quality, range, and power like this. All you need to do is get on and go.

The Vado SL comes equipped with everything you need to start riding right away. First, the extra-bright, built-in lights give you higher visibility in low-light areas. Next, the MasterMind Turbo Control Unit (TCU) makes it easy to view ride info on the go. The Nimbus tires roll fast on or off the pavement with plenty of grip, and the Vado SL's featherweight status also makes it perfect for city commuting and offers far more than ride quality — it means you can hang it on a wall or car rack. And it makes public transportation a breeze.

So whether you're going fast or far or both, the Vado SL provides the confidence to do it all at a fraction of the weight.

LIGHT WEIGHT: You’ll be blown away by how easy it is to lift your bike on to a rack, carry it up stairs, or ride nimbly around town, thanks to the category-leading light-weight of the Turbo SL technology, optimised frame materials, design, and specification.

COMFORTABLE AND CONFIDENT: Body position and handling are optimized to deliver unsurpassed riding comfort, confidence, and control. Powerful hydraulic disc brakes reign in your speed, while larger tires provide maximum traction for turning and stopping.

TURBO SL: The heart of the Vado is its Turbo SL technology, the advanced and integrated electric bike system that delivers an unequaled combination of light-weight, natural feel, anti-theft functions, training tips, a full-function bike computer, ride anywhere range, and more.

The speed limit at which the motor will stop supporting may vary significantly by region and is based on local requirements. It may also affect range: a higher speed limit may result in less range.

Long-Range - Fully integrated Specialized 320Wh downtube battery w/optional Range Extender compatibility for up to 80 miles (130 km) or 6 hours (eco mode) or up to 120 miles (200 km) or 9 hours w/ range extender (eco mode).
Specialized SL 1.1 custom lightweight motor, peak 240W / 35Nm, 2x you rider amplification (180% assistance), assist up to 28mph (USA Only).
Turbo SL mounted rear rack, Racktime-compatible for your favorite bags and panniers, and DRYTECH fenders to keep the spray away.
Premium lightweight E5 Aluminum frame.
Clean internal cable routing, fender/rack mounts, and reflective graphics.
Premium hydraulic disc brakes for maximum stopping power.
Bright, integrated front and rear lighting to see and be seen.

Technical Specifications

E-Bike

Motor

Specialized SL 1.1, custom lightweight motor

Battery

Specialized SL1-320, fully integrated, 320Wh

UI/Remote

Specialized TCU, 10-LED State of charge, 3-LED Ride Mode display, ANT+/Bluetooth®, w/Handlebar remote

Charger

Custom charger, 48V System w/ SL system charger plug

Wiring Harness

Custom Specialized wiring harness w/ chargeport

Frameset

Frame

E5 Aluminum, bottom bracket motor mount, fully integrated downtube battery, internal cable routing, fender and front rack mounts, Smooth Welds

Seat Binder

Integrated w/ frame

Suspension

Fork

Rigid full aluminum disc, Boost™ 12x110mm, front- rack-compatible

Brakes

Front Brake

Tektro HD-R290, hydraulic disc, 160mm

Rear Brake

Tektro HD-R290, hydraulic disc, 160mm

Drivetrain

Shift Levers

SRAM NX, 11-speed

Rear Derailleur

SRAM NX, 11-speed

Cassette

SUNRACE, CSMS7, 11-42t, 11-speed

Chain

KMC e11S, 11-speed w/ Missing Link™

Crankset

Praxis, Forged alloy M30, custom offset

Chainrings

Praxis, 44T, 104BCD

Wheels & Tires

Rims

700C disc, 22mm rim depth, 21mm internal width

Front Hub

Specialized alloy front hub disc, sealed cartridge bearings, 12x110mm, Center Lock™, 24h

Rear Hub

Specialized alloy rear hub disc, Center Lock™, sealed cartridge bearings, 12x148mm, 28h

Spokes

DT Swiss Industry

Front Tire

Nimbus II Sport Reflect, 700x38mm

Rear Tire

Nimbus II Sport Reflect, 700x38mm

Inner Tubes

Standard 40mm PV 700x32-50

Cockpit

Stem

Specialized Stealth Stem, alloy, 14 deg, 31.8mm, integrated TCD mount

Handlebars

Specialized, alloy, 9-degree backsweep, 15mm rise, 31.8mm

Grips

Specialized Body Geometry Contour, lock-on

Saddle

Bridge Sport, hollow cr-mo rails, 155mm

SeatPost

Specialized, alloy, dual-bolt, 25mm offset, 27.2mm

Accessories

Pedals

Specialized Commuter w/ grip tape & reflectors

Headlight

Lezyne Ebike Hecto STVZO E65, 210Lumens, 12V

Taillight

Lezyne Ebike Rear Fender STVZO, 11Lumens, 12V

Rack

Turbo SL Rack, Closed Platform, direct fender mount, Racktime-compatible, 15kg

Fenders

Specialized DryTech, Aluminum

Kickstand

Specialized kickstand, 40mm mount

Bell

Simple bell

Weight

16.6kg (36 lb, 9.5 oz)

Weight Size

* Weights based on production painted frames as pictured. Actual weights will vary based on colorway, frame size, and component variation. Specifications are subject to change without notice.

Geometry

	S	M	L	XL
Crank Length	170mm	172.5mm	172.5mm	175mm
Handlebar Width	680mm	680mm	680mm	680mm
Stem Length	60mm	75mm	75mm	90mm
Saddle Width	155mm	155mm	155mm	155mm
Seatpost Length	350mm	350mm	350mm	350mm
Head-Tube Length	130mm	161.5mm	194.5mm	230mm
Head-Tube Angle	70°	70.5°	71°	71.5°
Trail	78mm	75mm	71mm	68mm
Chain-Stay Length	445mm	445mm	445mm	445mm
Seat-Tube Angle	73.5°	73.5°	73.5°	73.5°
Stack	542mm	574mm	607mm	643mm
Bike Stand-Over Height	791mm	811mm	836mm	861mm
B-B Drop	70mm	70mm	70mm	70mm
Top-Tube Length (horizontal)	558mm	589mm	613mm	632mm
Fork Rake/Offset	50mm	50mm	50mm	50mm
B-B Height	291mm	291mm	291mm	291mm
Wheelbase	1062mm	1091mm	1110mm	1126mm
Reach	397mm	419mm	433mm	442mm
Front-Center	626mm	655mm	675mm	690mm
Seat-Tube Length	415mm	446.5mm	494.5mm	535mm
Fork Length (full)	390mm	390mm	390mm	390mm

Manual Downloads

2021 VADO SL USER MANUAL (EN FR DE CZ PL SK)

Specialized Bicycle Owner's Manual Addendum: Riding With Kids

Mission Control App 2.0 User Guide (English)

Mission Control App 2.0 User Guide (Chinese)

Charger User Manual (SBC-C04 / SBC-C05 / SBC-C06 / SBC-C07)

2022_VADO_SL_MASTERMIND_USER_MANUAL_NL_DK_NO_SV_SL_HR_RU_FI

2022_VADO_SL_MASTERMIND_USER_MANUAL_EN_FR_DE_CZ_PL_SK

2021 VADO SL USER MANUAL (NL DK NO SV SL HR)

2021 VADO SL USER MANUAL (EN IT SP PT KR)

Range Extender (SBC-B16) User Manual

Li Ion Battery UN38.3 Test Summary

2024 VADO SL - USER MANUAL - ENGLISH/FRENCH UL

EU DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY - TURBO BATTERIES

ARTICLE 10 - TECHNICAL INFORMATION ON BATTERY PERFORMANCE & DURABILITY

Rider Reviews

4.1

15 Reviews

08/13/2024

Great bike

Very good feeling riding this bike. Excellent for city roads as well as connecting routes between cities. Very good riding range. Good visibility due to integrated lighting. Specialized apps works very well with info you need.

Name:: Doron

Helpful?

05/25/2024

great bike for my interests

Not the most economical bike out there but the light weight and easy ride, even without assist (I usually go 4-6 miles before assist) make this a fine bike if you want just a bit of help. I use the bike for longer rides, which were becoming challenging for a 70-something guy. Assist is perfect for hills, headwinds or a tired rider. I feel good about the bike every time I ride ... A couple years and about 3000 miles of use

Name:: Jim

Helpful?

03/20/2024

Excellent E Bike

I have now done several rides that I normally would not have tried due to the very large hills. I am 6'4" 235 lbs and this bike kept me moving rapidly up the hills. My biggest concern was battery life since I am a lot heavier than most people. A couple of weeks ago I rode 20 miles with 8 large hills in the ride. I used only half the battery, so I think the battery can easily go 40 miles even with my weight. I can ride the flats and down hills with no assist and it pretty much feels like a regular bike. I can also take my bike up and down the basement steps with no issue, but my wife's bike (Canyon PrecedeON 5) is too heavy. So, I gave up some power going with a specialized bike instead of a Canyon, but the lighter weight is much better than riding something that feels like a heavy moped. Great bike - I highly recommend it.

Name:: Jim

Helpful?

12/19/2023

OK bike, not worth the price

I've been riding the bike for 3 months now and have put around 750 miles onto it. The good: It is a fun ride and feels like a regular bike. The motor is smooth and provides an even level of assist. The front headlight is bright. The battery indicator is intuitive and it is easy to change the assist levels. The bad: The wire harness for the rear light was designed incompetently and got cut when I ran over some pebbles that got pulled into the mudguard. It is an expensive fix, and I'm sure it will keep happening, so I no longer have a taillight. In my first 6 weeks I got 3 flats. I upgraded to heavier duty tires and have stopped getting flats. I weigh around 200 lbs and get about 15 miles of range at max assist. If I have a headwind on my commute the range is reduced to around 12 miles. For its price I expected a lot more, especially given the quality of the Specialized brand and the other bikes I have purchased from them. I would not buy this bike again.

Would Recommend?: No

Name:: Aaron

Helpful?

09/28/2023

The cyclists' commuter bike

As a road cyclist/duathlete I always saw ebikes as sacrilegious. I started bike commuting, loved it, but realized that the Seattle hills were hard enough to discourage me from doing it as much as I wanted. I bought this bike because my commute involves 1,000' of vert and I wanted my energy to be saved for my actual workouts. This fits the bill. It's not a weekend cruiser. It's a tool to make my commute easier on my body so I will actually ride to work more often and still have plenty of energy to hit it hard at the gym or running or cycling afterwards. The bike is light enough to carry up the stairs to my office. I use the assistance on hills up to a 12% grade and they are totally doable. I've test ridden lots of other ebikes and this one is the right tool for me because it is agile, light, feels like a real bike, and gets me up the hills without destroying me in the process.

Would Recommend?: No

Name:: Carly W.

Helpful?

09/26/2023

An incredible bike

I have owned my Vado SL 4.0 EQ for 2 years and 3 months now with 12000 km on the odometer.. I bought it on the spot after demo riding a SL 4.0 non-eq. What won me was the light weight of the e-bike. It is easy for me to carry the VSL up steep stairs, and keep it in my apartment. Vado SL has become my daily ride but I also ride the e-bike for longer recreational rides with the maximum distance of 140+ km on a single day using Range Extenders, and I often ride Vado SL on gravel roads or forest fire-roads. A typical range for main battery + single Range Extender at 55/55% assistance is 116 km. Vado SL has helped me become more fit and healthier. The only feature I did not like was the front mudguard that was picking small twigs and sticks on my forest rides, which was blocking the front wheel, so I had to remove that fender and replace it with an AssSaver. Vado SL is the closest approximation of a traditional bicycle by an e-bike!

Name:: Stefan

Helpful?

08/24/2023

Great e-bike for people who ride bikes

If you want an electric motorcycle that you can pretend to pedal, this isn't the bike for you. It's meant for people who want a regular bike to get things done that gives you a little extra help (or a lot of help when the situation demands it). Had a big ride (non-e) ride over the weekend and the legs are tired for the Monday commute? The SL helps you recover. Day 5 of the work week? Get there without being exhausted. I'd concur with the tire clearance issues others have mentioned with the fork, but the rear can almost certainly handle a 42mm tire with fenders (though likely not with the stock fender). Overall, it's a great bike for the right kind of rider.

Name:: Alan

Helpful?

08/02/2023

Great ride and good distance too.

Living where I do, in the lower slopes of the Alps on the Italian/Swiss border I researched the web for e-bikes with good power to weight ratios. I chose the Turbo Vado SL EQ, and have not been disappointed. I hadn't ridden for a while before buying my Vado, because the road to my house has in parts a 30% gradient and I'm nearly 70. But I can manage it very well on the Vado, and have been gradually increasing the range of the rides I'm doing. Comfortable bike, very stable, very fast (I averaged 20km/h this morning on a 50km. ride, including a climb up from 200 m to 630 m) and I'm really loving it. Still haven't run out of power. Now I'm going to get the range extender and do some serious uphill stuff.

Name:: Stephen

Helpful?

07/30/2023

Am I easily impressed?

200 miles in first month. My situation: city-based marathoner looking for a different type of cardio fix. My results: turbo mode is great for most errands and commuting. Smart Control is great for longer rides. I did a 50-mile ride (1000 ft elevation diff, 15 mph avg.) and had 20% remaining battery, as programmed. No range extender. I’m impressed.

Name:: Jefe

Helpful?

07/29/2023

Just what I was looking for

I’ve only done a few rides so far, but I’m loving this bike! I slowly migrated from racing geometry to upright / casual frames over the decades. I still love to ride hard for cardio, but have problems on hills and pushing hard on the flats due to a knee issue. This bike is perfect. I can provide the bulk of the power and add just enough assist to ease up the pressure on my knee. I can also kick it into turbo mode so that I can catch up to (or keep up with) my faster friends. Battery life is decent, but real world numbers are less than official specs. I did a 30mile ride on moderately hilly terrain and had 25% battery left. I was playing around with the turbo a lot, so I would probably would have gotten 40-50 miles if I backed off the assist a little. I’m going to pick up the extra battery just for insurance on longer rides. This is a great bike if you are a cyclist and still want to ride hard, but need a little boost!

Name:: Keith

Helpful?

07/26/2023

Electrical woes

It's like a Range Rover, great when it works but it's full of issues. Bike itself is great mechanically but I've had problems with the bike going on then immediately off. Currently it's in the shop for over a week as it randomly refuses to turn on. The TCU is being replaced under warranty but when will Specialized deliver it? Like a Range Rover maybe it's not wise to own out of warranty. I'm a bit over its issues and regret my purchase.

Name:: Andrew

Helpful?

06/12/2023

Meh

Range is around 20 miles if you have any fitness whatsoever and are using the highest assist. I feel misled. The non-electric aspects of the bike are pretty good, but you could get a comparable non-electric bike in the 23 lbs range for $2,000 less. As an aging and slightly overweight ex-racer who was hoping for a little fun and excitement, I just don't see the value here. Also, the apps are not great and the app support is non-existent.

Would Recommend?: No

Name:: Andrew

Helpful?

05/11/2023

Good bike, but watch out for limited tire clearance

The bike is very light and easy to pedal, even with the motor off and it's quite comfy. The only issues I found are: 1. the limited tire clearance, which is not documented on the website or on the manual. You can only fit up to 38C tires, so watch out when purchasing new tires, especially winter or reinforced tires, which are usually a bit larger. 2. the fenders are narrow. They work quite well, the very long design is great, but the limited width allows for some spray. Having the 42mm version (which you cannot fit on this bike without modifications) would have been a bit better.

Would Recommend?: No

Name:: Enrico

Helpful?

04/27/2023

Avoid this bike

This bike has one major defect: the front fork is very tight and has no vertical space to fit winter tires or, in general, after market tires slightly larger than the original. Winter tires are a must for me and I'm very disappointed nobody at Specialized bothered testing winter tires fitting. Even generic ebike tires such as the Michelin protek cross wont fit.

Would Recommend?: No

Name:: Enrico

Helpful?

01/20/2023

Awesome lightweight EV bike

Love this bike. Wanted a road bike that emulated my Carbon Sirrus after some injuries. This is it. Great specs and seamless power assist. Great distance in eco mode and if you hit a hill just notch it up and keep your pace with out any knee strain. Improved my distance and speed……and I can ride in the evenings with great light group. Great product and quality. Highly recommended.

Would Recommend?: No

Name:: Dean

Helpful?