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Turbo Vado SL 5.0

4.7

18 Reviews

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

Product Details

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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 Pathfinder 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.

  • The MasterMind Turbo Control Unit (TCU) is your information hub with customizable display fields to experience precisely the ride you want.

  • Coming Soon: Over-the-air updates when paired with the Specialized app, allowing your bike to improve over time. 

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • SRAM GX Eagle 12-speed drivetrain for lightweight, precise performance for the long haul.

  • Float over the rough stuff with DT Swiss R500 disc wheels paired with fast-rolling, high-grip, Specialized Pathfinder 38c tires, featuring proprietary GRIPTON® rubber compound.

Technical Specifications

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E-Bike

Motor

Specialized SL 1.1, custom lightweight motor

Battery

Specialized SL1-320, fully integrated, 320Wh

UI/Remote

Specialized MasterMind TCU, percentage of remaining charge, 120 possible display configurations, MicroTune assist adjustment, over-the-air updates, 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

Future Shock 1.5 carbon fork, Boost™ 12x110mm thru-axle, flat mount disc

Brakes

Front Brake

Tektro HD-R510, hydraulic disc, 160mm

Rear Brake

Tektro HD-R510, hydraulic disc, 160mm

Drivetrain

Shift Levers

SRAM GX, trigger, 12-speed

Rear Derailleur

SRAM GX Eagle, 12-speed

Cassette

SRAM NX Eagle, 12-speed, 11-50t

Chain

SRAM NX Eagle, 12-speed

Crankset

Praxis, Forged alloy M30, custom offset

Chainrings

SRAM X-SYNC 44t, 110BCD

Wheels & Tires

Rims

DT Swiss R500 disc, 22mm internal width, 23mm internal depth

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

Specialized Pathfinder Sport, 700x38c

Rear Tire

Specialized Pathfinder Sport, 700x38c

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, single bolt, 21mm offset, 27.2mm

Accessories

Pedals

Specialized Commuter w/ grip tape & reflectors

Headlight

Lezyne Ebike Power STVZO E115, 310Lumens, 12V

Taillight

Specialized integrated saddle mount, LED Technology, 12V

Bell

Simple bell

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

Geometry

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SMLXL
Crank Length170mm172.5mm172.5mm175mm
Handlebar Width680mm680mm680mm680mm
Stem Length60mm75mm75mm90mm
Saddle Width155mm155mm155mm155mm
Seatpost Length350mm350mm350mm350mm
Stack595mm626mm660mm696mm
Reach378mm401mm415mm424mm
Head-Tube Length185mm217mm250mm285mm
Head-Tube Angle70°70.5°71°71.5°
B-B Height270mm270mm270mm270mm
B-B Drop70mm70mm70mm70mm
Trail71mm67mm64mm61mm
Fork Length (full)390mm390mm390mm390mm
Fork Rake/Offset50mm50mm50mm50mm
Front-Center626mm655mm675mm690mm
Chain-Stay Length445mm445mm445mm445mm
Wheelbase1062mm1091mm1110mm1126mm
Top-Tube Length (horizontal)554mm587mm610mm630mm
Bike Stand-Over Height770mm790mm815mm840mm
Seat-Tube Length415mm446.5mm494.5mm535mm
Seat-Tube Angle73.5°73.5°73.5°73.5°
Geometry

Manual Downloads

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Rider Reviews

4.7

18 Reviews

 

Unreliable, unrideable

I bought a Vado 5 in May 2021. It has been wonderful until this year. About 3 months ago the bike started randomly turning off whilst riding. Through my local specialized dealer, specialized kindly extended the warranty on my bike as no error codes were being reported, and to date I have had fitted a new harness, TCU, battery and motor. My bike still randomly turns off when riding and will then not turn back on for several hours. The bike is unrideable as it so unreliable. I am still trying to resolve this with my dealer and specialized as I have an unrideable £4000 ebike.


Name:
Beverley S.

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Specialized vado

Lovely bike ,great ride ,the only down side is the mudguards rattle which is really annoying,but apart from that fantastic bike


Name:
Jason h.

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Beautifully light and a joy

Beautifully light and a joy to ride. Found the gear shifters awkward initially as the thumb is used for both up and down. Rotated the shifter down a little to ease this but after being used to thumb for up and forefinger for down it took time to get used to. Using about 20% of battery on a hilly one hour ride (I’m 60KG so happy with that. Changing power level is very smooth. Slight whining from the motor in use. All in all very satisfied.

Would Recommend?
Yes!

Verified Buyer
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Name:
Guest G.

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An amazing ebike, I can’t

An amazing ebike, I can’t fault it. From zero riding to 32km on the first day (including many hills). Am now riding 3 times a week and loving every ride. Thanks

Would Recommend?
Yes!

Verified Buyer
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Name:
Guest G.

Helpful?

This bike is just fantastic.

This bike is just fantastic. I was amazed by the pre and post delivery customer support for the bike that I had ordered directly from Specialized. The setup with the mission control app is seamless as too with the ‘ride’app. The web route builder is fabulous for creating rides which can be downloaded in gpx or fit formats.I would recommend that the web app is integrated into the ride app so that you can seamlessly plan and then navigate the route rather than relying on other third party apps.

Would Recommend?
Yes!

Verified Buyer
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Name:
Richard H.

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Easy to adjust the levels

Easy to adjust the levels of assist while riding, I like that it doesn’t look like a heavy ebike, it’s lightweight, and the geometry is great for a comfortable lengthy ride!

Would Recommend?
Yes!

Verified Buyer
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Name:
Guest G.

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Best of Both worlds, plus handles great, looks sharp, older riders rejoice

I tested no less than 11 E-bikes and chose this one because it was the most comfortable, smooth handling, and can be multi-purposed for street, gravel, hills, you name it. I added a dropper seat and new tires that have more nubs. It's easy to hop on and off with the dropper seat which was installed at Mike's Bikes by the way, by very smart tech. Will this bike replace my mountain bike? Nope. It has a built-in shock absorber in front and none in the rear. The wheel size 700 can go up to a 45-inch tire but fatter or nubbier tires won't work. So forget about this being a mountain bike, although it does well for rocks, ruts, and gravel just not hopping over them. I feel safer on this bike than my old e-bike mountain equipped, probably because I'm older now and need to NOT fall off. So, between all the brands, this one was best for me. Yes, it cost about $6,000 out the door so I got insurance. And a good lock. Enjoy!

Would Recommend?
Yes!

Name:
Buzz

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Love it! a great balance

Love it! a great balance between riding to improve your fitness with that bit of support when you need it. It eats hills! With a foot injury, it means I can get back on the bike again and ride much further. My only personal dislikes are the extremely wide handlebars and if you want to change the saddle then the built-in rear light has to go. Still 5 stars though.

Would Recommend?
Yes!

Verified Buyer
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Name:
Guest G.

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What a great e-bike!

After two years with a Vado 4.0, this bike is better for my usage in every way. It's much lighter, which makes it ride and handle much better, plus I can lift it onto my carrier or workstand much easier. The regular Vado also had more power than I ever needed, where the SL gives me just enough and lets me get a good workout when I want one. In fact, it's not that much more difficult to pedal with the motor off than my Crosstrail hybrid. This is definitely going to be my go-to bike for doing most of my riding from here on in.

Would Recommend?
Yes!

Name:
Doug

Helpful?

Best E-bike

I am so happy to own the Vado SL 5.0 equip! So far, this is the best investment I have ever had. I am now able to ride again and can climb uphill. I have done research with other e-bikes and so far this is by far the BEST!!

Would Recommend?
Yes!

Name:
Em

Helpful?

This bike is just plain

This bike is just plain fun to ride. The peddle assist integration is seamless. It’s not overdone — just simple and it works. It extends and enhances the ride. Very happy with it.

Would Recommend?
Yes!

Verified Buyer
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Name:
Guest G.

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Nothing Else Like It

The Specialized Turbo Vado SL 5.0 is an e-bike in a class of its own. The performance is great with 3 levels of assist for any situation. The future shock gives you super smoothness with all the stability of a traditional fork. The lightness is incredible compared to the competition and makes the bike as easy to transport as any traditional bike as no ramp or even tray rack is needed for me. The 80 mile range is realistic so I have found no need to purchase the extender battery but maybe in a few years when the main battery weakens. I have a few complaints, though. The lights can not be turned off and they do no have a strobe mode which is much more effective and safer plus uses less battery power. The rear light is permanent to the saddle so to change the saddle or the seat post you must cut the wire and toss the rear light. I don't mind because I use far superior lights anyway. The other complaint is that the bike isn't that quiet and makes an annoying whine that is tolerable.

Would Recommend?
Yes!

Name:
James

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Great all around bike

I am 68 yr. old, 5'11" in good physical condition. I have owned this bike for a complete season and1200+ miles. It has comfortable geometry and excellent handling for extended riding. A typical ride for me is 30 - 50 miles on rural country roads. Typical elevation gain is 2800' to 3800'. My average speed (by GPS) is 13-15mph. I typically only use assist for 5% or greater hills, and rarely use Turbo mode, as the bike pedals along nicely on the flats and small hills. I can easily get two of these rides or 100 miles on one battery charge. The twelve 12 speed drivetrain shifts cleanly every time up or down and is geared perfectly for my abilities and type of riding. If you are capable of riding these distances and elevations on a standard non-assist bike then this is the bike for you as it takes the sting, and grind out of the hills, You will be happy that you no longer need to plan your route to avoid tough climbs or worry that the wind may pick up half way through your ride.

Would Recommend?
Yes!

Name:
Phil

Helpful?

The cycle is such a

The cycle is such a pleasure to ride. The assist level is simply perfect for me as I work my way back into condition. More recently the hills in my area became a reason to stop riding. Struggling to get up moderate hills became the intimidation factor keeping me off the Cycle. And then Turbo Vado SL came along! I am still getting an excellent workout in where I can determine the level of output and the terrain is no longer a threat. Excellent product!

Would Recommend?
Yes!

Verified Buyer
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Name:
Guest G.

Helpful?

Makes riding fun again for

Makes riding fun again for an older person.

Would Recommend?
Yes!

Verified Buyer
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Name:
Guest G.

Helpful?

Easy to ride, very comfortable

Easy to ride, very comfortable and performs well uphills of mountains with the electric function

Would Recommend?
Yes!

Verified Buyer
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Name:
Guest G.

Helpful?

Amazing bike- so fun to

Amazing bike- so fun to ride. Very light for an ebike. Great for my daily commute and for gravel riding and some trail riding.

Would Recommend?
Yes!

Verified Buyer
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Name:
Guest G.

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Week two of commuting on

Week two of commuting on the Vado and wish I switched years ago. Bike is perfect for a short range, light commuter.

Would Recommend?
Yes!

Verified Buyer
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Name:
Guest G.

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