Specialized Turbo Connect Display (TCD)

At 9999 (km in my case) it becomes rather useless. It gets stuck at odo 9999. Averages no longer work, trip distance and time no longer work. Flawed design in a minimal build.

I’m trying to pair a new heart rate monitor. It’s not going well. Very difficult to get into setup. Then, despite being told it paired, no heart rate data. Try again and now I can’t display power info as I’m riding. They did a very poor job on the setup user interface.

Its synced well with my Turbo Levo! It gave reliable feedback and status, was clear and easy to use. The mount that came with it stinks. It should come with a headset mount, which I bought online, but came with a handlebar style mount. It worked well for a year, then the low battery indicator light went on. I put in a new battery and it didn't work. I put in the old battery, which still enabled the unit to work, it was just low, and it didn't work. So apparently, these units were built to be disposable. Battery replacement does NOT work!! For $90, it should not be a one and done bike computer. Specialized, please give trade in replacement value for these and rebuild 'em!!!!

I use it predominantly on my Levo and it gives me the basic but valueable information during rides. I would love to use it also for my Creo 2, but Specialized didn’t seem to have thought that anyone can buy two turbo bikes and the only way you can use it with two bikes is by continously repairing the TCD with the bike you want to ride. A seamless switching feature would not have been hard to develop.

Not very good battery dies after every ride. Put bike in garage next ride one week later always needs a new battery in the TCD display.

My display is also acting up.. tried three new batteries and still nothing on the screen! Heavily depended on it for each ride!! Any suggestions out there??? Buying a new one is $90….😳 Vado SL Turbo 4.0

I had the same problem as Steve. After 2 years the Turbo Connect Display starting eating batteries, behaved flaky, and had weak display contrast, even with a new battery. I replaced the unit and the new one has worked fine for several months now. Aside from receiving a unit which experienced premature failure, I like it.

If you do not need navigation, this shows all the data made specifically for the Creo!! For $60.

TCD worked fine for two months with and without Mission Control APP. Then the disc battery 2232 went dead after only two rides, less than one week. I went through three batteries thinking my problem was maybe a defective or aged battery. Customer service offered no assistance or possible cause for my problem. He said 2232 should last 1 1/2 years. I’m stuck with and unusable produce after only three months (two months past return date). I also noticed that the Mission Control APP is a substantial drain on my phone power making it of limited value. I have to say I love the Turbo CLeo eBike.

Easy to set up, easy to use. Reasonably accurate.

Love my new Turbo, especially the updated and improved TCU and the lighter carbon frame.

Simple & no frills, yet data rich & well designed. Paired with Polar heart monitor immediately. Great addition to my Turbo Levo SL Expert.

run away. There has to be a easier model to program with more flexibility

The mount included with the unit is virtually unusable. It requires the removal of the bar wrap and brakes/shifter on on side, so the mount can slip over the handle bar. Many after market mounts have a hinged grip that can be mounted without removing anything. The adhesive clear protective screen cover would not fully adhere on one corner, leaving a blurry spot in that corner. Otherwise performed as intended.

Good unit, easy to read while riding. Just wish it included altitude gained and lost. I know Mission Control records that, but it doesn't always work, and when that happens you don't have any data. At least the TCU always works.

The Turbo Connect worked well up to 10,000 km At this total distance would no longer record distance of a ride. Dealer spent much time with Specialized office and they came to the conclusion that in the design, Specialized did not contemplate a rider on a Turbo Creo SL going over 10,000 km. Having both battery charge and distance traveled visible on one device is a good feature. Having to have another device on the bars to know distance of a ride without stopping to open phone for such data is inconceivable for a company of Specialized design expertise. Is there a fix coming? Will Specialized give a reasonable credit for a upgrade if the designers get around to designing for normal bike usage?

Expensive but worth it - although setting it up/customising it and changing the time is complicated

The instructions are in such a small type that I can't read them even with a magnifier. So, I decided to print it out in larger font -BUT - there's no way to do that with a PDF. I've tried enlarging it online, but then lose most of the page and can't scroll back and forth or up and down. AND - it's not intuitive. Can't figure out how to turn it on, or off, or clear it. Occasionally someone on a group ride has shown me how to turn it on, and then they go to talk to someone else and I'm not sure what they did. Totally frustrating. I can use it as a clock - that's all.

Awesome

Will need to see if it works better on the bike than some other reviews indicate, but what a failure on Specialized to deliver a bike computer with a mount that you can't directly install onto your Specialized bike without removing the tape and brake/shifter horns. Seriously, someone should be fired over that decision. At least they use the same mounting mechanism as Garmin computers and I had a spare mount. Feeling like this was a mistake to purchase.

Note, despite Bike Source’s advice, this computer is included with a Vado SL 5.0 bike.

Great product, can monitor battery charge percentage and mph

As a product, it's very good but the only thing that let it down is resetting. It's not very clear from the manual how to do so it's trial and error. You can easily end up by doing a total reset instead of just resetting from the last ride.

The device was easy to set up. The paper manual is a bit overwhelming, but just go to YouTube and find the videos produced by Specialized about the display. That was super easy to follow. I also love that you can customize the display as to what you want displayed where. You have 4 different sets of screen you can configure to your needs. Connecting to the bike is simple. So much simpler than setting up a magnet on the wheel and then a sensor on the fork and trying to get them to line up perfectly. This reads off the bike directly so its simple and accurate. Two mounting options were included. For the money I could not be happier. I don't have a heart rate monitor so I can't comment on how well that integrates, but all the other functions have worked flawlessly.

lack altimetry

Excellent display, but very hard to program

As Jerry mentioned, the user interface is awful. Very difficult just to clear data from previous ride. Every time I've tried to do it, it just moves to the next screen or reset everything...back to metric. The instructions that came in the box are printed so small and at the same time vague, make them completely worthless. I've had the unit on my Creo SL Turbo for 2 years. The only positive I can say is about the mount, it also integrates the forward headlight nicely.

The user interface is complex, and the print is so small that it is virtually illegible, and some of the text is smudged.

Well designed. Clear display. It's good quality but instructions could be better to read. If you have experience in cycle computers then it's not too bad.

The display is good, but the unit keeps falling off the mount.

I just bought a 2021 Turbo SL Vado 5.0 EQ. So far I really like the bike and would highly recommend it. The TCD unit, however, is very fussy/fiddly and not at all intuitive to use. Also the instruction pamphlet isn’t very clear and apparently there’s no way to change the setting for wheel size (at least not that I could find), which is necessary to ensure distance & speed are accurate. For example, if you decide to switch out the OE tires, which many owners will want to do (myself included). For every other cyclometer I’ve owned setting the wheel size was a basic and easily understood function. The TCD seems over-engineered and generally a PITA. I may just mount and conventional cyclometer and pretty much ignore the TCD except for the battery & boost level display items. Too bad since otherwise the bike itself is excellent.

This is a great replacement head unit for my Vado.

the unit has been great untill I replaced the battery and then it won't turn back on seems to be totally dead now had for 2 years before battery died

Nice addition to my bike

Specialized makes many fine products. This isn't one. The engineers really dropped the ball. I'm surprised I'd let it come to market in this state. This speed is routinely incorrect, the buttons are difficult to press, the screen is hard to see, etc. This is very fine example of poor engineering.

Specialized makes amazing gear, but not this; many major design flaws. - Speedometer is incorrect; Bike continues to read a speed for at least 45 seconds after you've stopped. I can sit at an entire red light while the bike tells me I'm going 1-2 mph. - Distance units are only down to .1 miles; just annoying, but not a flaw - Odometer and Tripmeter can be off by as much as .2 miles. This is a HUGE error. This is a design flaw, not a calibration error, as the errors are off in both directions (they average out over distance, but still very annoying when trying to measure any short distance - Does not work when bike is off. For a bike that advertises itself as a good bike even when not powered, how did they decide this was a good idea? - Buttons are difficult to press. - Reset is done by holding down two buttons -- very annoying to do while you're riding (very poor design by the engineers here) - Screen is low contrast; as soon as it's dusk, you'l never be able to read the numbers

It’s pretty good. I really didn’t need it though my phone does it all. But I have no complaints.

Great bike computer for the Levo's or Creo's. No sensor on the fork, no dropped signals and super actuate.

It’s great if you don’t have the mastermind. Shows batter level nicely.

The display itself is good. The included instruction sheet has text and illustrations that are so small as to be illegible.

Works good only downfall is they sell it to work with the turbo levo bike but they do not give you the proper handlebar clamp to work with the 35mm bars that my turbo levo came with. Had to buy an additional larger clamp for additional money. Should come with all clamps or at least your pick of clamp.

Good little compact unit that pairs nicely with the bike. Would have liked a larger/colour option.

This is a fantastic bike computer. It accurately tracks my mileage, speed, calories burned, time on bike, and total miles on bike. My only complaint is how difficult it is to set the computer. Wow! I lost a few brain cells trying to set it up. I went to a You Tube video to figure it out as the instructions were worthless. I paused the video whenever a step was discussed and wrote it down. Without that as a guide, I would have not been able to set up the computer.

Works great easy to pair with my turbo Levo and I like being able to see and have the display I did have to go to hardware store and get longer bolt for the mount bracket as the bars are fatter on the turbo Levo.

Really good piece of kit BUT should come as a standard fit on what is a very expensive top of the range top quality bike !

I have another turbo bike - and just loved the Turbo Connect Display so much, that I had to get one for the second one. It shows everything I need - from cadence, distance, ride-time, heart rate through to detailed battery levels. It’s a tad expensive, so if you can get it during a sale (I did) - it’s definitely worth it.

I thought easy to set up screens to show data you want, mount is secure, great product !

Setup took about 5 minutes once I watched a YouTube video. I wouldn't bother with the printed instructions. Speed and distance are easy to read but the battery level and power levels are very narrow and jammed into the left and right sides. I would recommend using the mission control app before buying this. Easier in my opinion to read and keep my eyes on the road ahead of me. Mission Control also makes it easier to see my previous rides along with a map. Only reason to use this over Mission Control is worrying about your phone battery dying while you ride. Not a minor factor if you ride for several hours.

Works great to monitor your Levo and workout stats. It can be better if the backlight can be toggled on & off for night riding and is brighter.

Integrates well with my Levo turbo ebike. Highly recommend it. Note: I bought mount for it separately but two different sizes come in the package! Return was easy.

The lettering on the instruction sheet is so small that I need a magnifier to read it, and much of the lettering is smudged and illegible. It is possible to find some, but not all, of the functions by experimentation, so I am giving it two stars. I can't give the "Would you recommend this product?" question an emphatic "Yes!", and there is no middle ground, so I must give it a "no".

Simple, perfect interface with Turbo Levo and it has HRM function if you have HR device

It integrates nicely with my e-bikes electronics . Display is clear and easy to read. I was concerned it may be too small in size but that is not a concern now. Install is very easy if you follow the instruction that come with it

My bike tipped about a foot and the computer hit the door post in my van when I went around a corner. One of the tabs that fastens the computer to the holder broke. I had to buy another one for $90. The bike did not hit that hard. Expensive lesson. The old computer still works but is loose and falls off when I ride over a bump.

Works flawlessly. Very customizable, and easy to use. I love it.

Works great 👍🏼

Very accurate power level reading, it would have been nice if they could add real-time distance remaining in relation to power level left.

I was told by a Specialized dealer that the TCD wouldn’t work on my Levo SL. It works perfectly!

I never even looked at the manual. Just go watch the YouTube video from Specialized. It’s super easy to program. The display is easy to read with nice big numbers. And I like the mount. And I really like that it pairs easily with my wife’s bike.

After much research on bike commputers I am glad we purchased this one because it communicates very well with my new Vado. Very happy with this purchase.

Well worth having

The Specialized Turbo Connect Display (TCD) is very useful, distance, speed, battery level, total miles rode on the bike.

Works great!

The display works perfectly and 100% as expected however the bracket is a joke. It's as if the engineers that make the bracket never spoke to the ones that designed the bike or they simply never tested it. They clearly show the display positioned at the neck of the handle bars however on the 2022 Turbo Levo Alloy the bars are simply too thick and the bracket will only make it part way down which is no good. If you do slide it all the way down to the neck where it should be the bracket remains open the the screw will not fit. I ended up sliding it to the neck and ran a zip tie through the holes which worked perfect. At some point I will run to the hardware store and get a screw, washers, and nut that fit for a more permanent fit but I have ridden the bike several times with the zip tie fix and had no issues. It just baffles me why they did not include two brackets (S & L) knowing you made the bikes and the various handlebar sizes. You have a $6k bike and a $100 display but have to rig it with a zip tie???? However for me aside from the obvious design flaw the display does exactly what I needed which it really just a better way to see, (speed, distance, and battery level) which are the only things I wanted.

i have used this unit for over a year with no issues. Bike shop set it up and showed me how to use it when I bought my SL5, and I didn't remember everything they told me when it came time to reset etc. but I eventually figured it out and got used to it. Provides good basic information and is accurate to within a couple of tenths when compared to Garmin on a 40 mile ride. I use this for all basic stuff and on a longer ride I use my Garmin for more detail and it allows me to unclutter my Garmin screen with the basics.

I was hesitant to get the TCD after reading so many negative reviews here. I had the shop install so no hassles there. Yeah, the online instructions are a little odd, but once you get the hang of it, the TCD supplies incredible information. And you can customize the displays so almost everything I want is on the first screen, with some less used stuff (e.g., average speed) on the second screen. Additional screens are available but the top screen (after customizing) give me speed, clock time, distance, cadence, and battery left. Wow. I haven't had it long enough to encounter the durability problems that some complain about so we will see, but so far I love it.

I purchased the SPECIALIZED TURBO CONNECT DISPLAY (TCD) for my Turbo Turbo Creo SL Comp Carbon EVO. It gives me some basic trip functions and also exposes some of the functionally of the Creo. some of this stuff you an get from mission control but not always wanting to pull my phone out to set this up. Mounting options are great. Only issue was the screen protector which came with the unit didn't stick but Specialized sent me another one quickly and all good. No issues so far and happy to have a trip function where I don't have to zip tie a senor to the front fork and magnet on the wheel.

I ordered this directly from Specialized and had a few days before it arrived. I went on YouTube and watched a video about its features and how to install. When it arrived it literally took 7 minutes from unboxing to riding. I couldn't be happier with my purchase. Press two buttons to start, right or left to go up and down and then two buttons again to accept. The display is big and clear and my home screen tells me all I need while riding. If you want to know more press one of the of the buttons on the bottom of the unit to change screens. No wires, no calibrating, no hassle! I signed up for the Specialized newsletter and saved 15%.

I had no problem connecting to my Lev Turbo and I really like that no spoke or pedal sensors are required for speed and cadence. Customizing the pages was pretty simple. As with any other sensor-free device, the measurements are estimates but speed and distance correlate closely with the guesstimates my Garmin Fenix6 provides for those parameters. So far, my only concern is that the battery that was provided was nearly exhausted after only a few rides. Hopefully, a new Energizer will last longer than the included generic.

It's worth getting. I have a tool pouch over the TCU so having the TCD is nice to see the mode, distance etc. it's not a game changer and I could live without it but I really do like having it. The instructions however are atrocious. Unreadable and unintelligible.

Yes, the instructions are a bit confusing but with a little patience and some trial and error you will be rewarded with a very accurate and instructive computer. It gives all the most important information you need to know for your ride and it gets recorded accurately on Specialized's 2 apps.

Hi Read the reviews on programing after i purchased was really nervous but went to you you tube and went right thru set up and it works great can leave phone in camel back and look look at ride when i get home

The paper instructions which accompany this device are almost unreadable because of the very small font size used. I photographed the instructions, enlarged them and printed out the English Language portion and was then able to read them. Too much trouble. So I would advise watching the Specialized YouTube videos dealing with the TCD instead - I got much more out of the videos than I did from the accompanying instructions. However I believe the device is accurate and fit for purpose, and is good value for the money. I like its compact, sleek size.

It came with my Vado SL 5 EQ and I had it set up at the bike shop so I didn't have to initially deal with the instructions. I was interested in customizing one of the screens so I took on the instructions. Yes, the text is way too small and it uses a explanation method that is difficult to understand. Also, the reset of the trip odometer is undocumented. Google it. Not hard when you get the hang of it. I use my thumbs to press the buttons simultaneously. Save yourself some trouble and download the instructions here so you can blow up the micro font. After a motor firmware upgrade it lost comms to the bike and had to be reset by removing and replacing the battery and repeating the setup sequence. Again, local bike shop to the rescue. Thanks Eric! Once working, I like it. It is easy to read in all light conditions. I just keep it on the first page to monitor the simple stuff (speed, distance, battery power, assist level and time). That's all I need when I'm in the saddle and no futzing with a phone. There's more in there but I don't want to crash geeking out on all the other data. Yes, I would recommend it to a friend because I would help them get it set up :)

It seems the only reason to have this on my bar is that it shows the current battery percentage. The distance constantly goes wonky and starts recording over 10x actual distance which makes the rest of the bike computer part of this pointless. Waste of money unless they fix this issue with some sort of update, but seeing as how people have been having this problem for years it wont likely happen.

As noted in other reviews, the instructions are useless. Moreover, my Specialized dealer could not even get my display to power up. Tried new battery, and number of other tricks. Product still appears to have significant engineering shortfalls.

I'm sharing some hopefully helpful into for those who have been frustrated using this computer. First, the instructions are not great but they are accurate and useable. I pulled the manual up on the computer and expanded it multiple times so that it was readable. To reset the last ride data to zero, you must go to page 5 and hold both L and R buttons down for about 2 seconds... the screen will tell you when to release. Then all ride data on all pages will be reset to zero, except the cumulative odometer. Good luck.

I purchased the TCD Display on July 14, 2020 to go with my new Turbo Creo SL Comp Carbon Road Bike. After 5 rides, I FINALLY figured how to reset the data. Step 1 - Remove the head from the mount. Step 2 - Toggle the display to the ""Timer"" screen (lapsed time since last reset). Step 3 - Press and hold both the L and R buttons for 2 seconds and release. I have my TCD Display mounted in the center of the handlebar. A friend of mine has the same bike (purchased 10 days before me). She uses the off center mounting bracket. She also has to remove the head to do a reset. I've never encountered this before on a bike computer. Maybe on the TCD the brackets impinge a full depressing of the L and R buttons together. I would give this computer a 5 star rating if the manual were better regarding resetting data.

The TCD product itself is useful and very nice to have, especially for monitoring dynamic data in real-time during rides such as instantaneous speed, distance-so-far, and time-so-far (versus only the more static metrics afterward such as total time, total distance, average & max speeds, etc.) Additionally, to help me achieve my goal of improving my physical fitness with this ebike (the Vado SL 5.0), I'm realizing the value of other real-time data such as my crank speed (""cadence"") and power output. But understanding and customizing the UI was tricky for me at first, especially due to the IMO abysmal instructions (which didn't even come with the bike, though several other paper booklets were in the zippered kit which included the charging block!?). So it took more time & effort than I would have liked or expected to make this work for me. Eventually, however, I did get the 5 different displays set up to show the data that I wanted to see, and how I wanted to see it. Unfortunately, in the process, I ended up inadvertently resetting all of my historical ride data but, well, ""stuff happens"". Bottom line: I would recommend this to a friend, but with mixed feelings and a few words of caution: Keep trying and stick with it until you get it to work for you the way you'd like -- it's worth the trouble. And do it sooner versus later so you don't end up deleting ""hard-earned"" data that you want to keep.

I bought this computer for my new Turbo Creo expert evo. The computer connects wirelessly to the bike and it is fairly easy to set up. The instructions are in small print in a map-type pamphlet and could be better. There are five pages one can scroll through for various information. I use speed, odometer and cadence for my main screen. Time is also displayed. Haven't figured out how to reset distance so I just use my Apple watch for that and for my measuring my heart rate. Overall, this computer is pretty good for my Creo and I get all the information that I need. I think this display should come standard with a 9k bike which doesn't have any displays except battery level.

Almost didn't purchase unit because of the bad reviews. Read the instructions. Installed easily. Set up in minutes and works great. Customized display so I could see cadence on the main screen.

I can get by with it, but that is it.

Just had 3 of these little devices for 3 turbo levo 2020 bikes� they just work and that is on all 3 bikes very pleased with them, all of us are😃. Its very Nice to have the info on what the bike and you are doing on your ride

little clunky in the setup and first uses, not very intuitive. no light or thermometer for its price, but it works as promised!

The Levo upgraded my attitude and took 30 years off my age handicap.

Instructions, awful, unit good. I just cannot figure out how to clear anything. Great product in use but I have to give a grade of ""F"" on the instructions. It just does not need to be this hard folk. I just want to be able to clear my data for new rides, really, does it have to be this difficult?

I just got this to use on my turbo levo expert. It is simple to install (1 min), easy to detach and reattach, works every time, zero connection issues. Love the different displays between engine rpm, power, assist levels, and alike. I haven't tried it in the dark though, so I am not sure if it works there. But I think that you should avoid riding in the dark, as trees don't light up themselves.

I'm in a similar situation to donlaforet form Walnut Creek I love the data and the information provided while I ride. I can sync my Wahoo HR strap to the Turbo Connect Display and see output while riding. However (and this is kind of a big however for me ) that data does not export to the Strava file so I cannot review it!? Hoping to find a way to get that data into the Strava file but after a fair amount of digging I haven't found one yet. Everything else about the display and the bike (Turbo Levo Expert) is great

I like having the TCD on my handlebars, especially, speed in mph and a numerical battery charge bevel. The blue bars on the TCU on the bike are impossible to figure out while riding and having the numerical battery charge level on my TCD page 1 is great, I glance down and know exactly what the remaining battery level is. What I don't like about is is the tiny print, multi language instructions that rely on pictographs to step through the menus. It took me a very long time to figure out how to clear registers such as DIST, AVG, TRIP, KCAL etc. It should not be this hard to figure out, but the instructions are like figuring out a puzzle. Battery life has been very good. Because it is lcd it is hard to read in certain light conditions. All in all I'm happy with it and along with my BLEvo app on my phone which syncs to Strava I feel I have a solid data collection and ride documenting/mapping system. I rely on the TCD to give me real time info during a ride. I would really miss it if I didn't have it anymore

I have been using a Garmin for a few years and since I've had this, it's been in my drawer. I love the display. It's very easy to read at a quick glance and it displays so much information.

Great display. I was tired of looking at my phone for my stats. Now I just glance down at the easy to read screen.

It is a great add on to my Turbo Levo.

Ultra light and simple display to look at the main data of your bike, distances and times. Also heart beat

I use it daily on my 2019 Levo Sworks. Does a great job in showing me my speed and battery level, all i need to know. All other data I do collect with my Garmin device stored in my backpack. Like the simple design and usage.

I am using the TCD with my Gen2 Turbo Levo and love that I can see all relevant ride data live. Especially seeing battery capacity as % figure is helpful, but also other metrics like rider power, distance, speed values and clock are easy to monitor. I like the compact design and subtle look on the handlebar. Together with Mission Control App to record rides and customize the system, I have all I personally need for rides on my home trails. In my opinion, it is a very good add-on for a resonable price!

First the Display was not working well, but after that my retailer told me that I needed to update the Bike and Top Tube display firmware to have latest functions. I got told, this display does mirror data, to have correct data the data which gets mirrored needs to be correct and this was done via bike update.