Specialized has launched the Vado SL 2 Carbon electric bike, claiming it weighs as little as 14.9kg.
The bike is built around Specialized’s latest Turbo SL 1.2 motor system and a 520Wh battery, which is said to deliver assistance for up to five hours.
The front end features the brand’s Future Shock 3.2 ride-smoothing system and the bike is compatible with a range of luggage-carrying options.
Specialized says the introduction of a new servicing programme for the Vado SL 2 Carbon will make maintenance easier, in a manner similar to the way cars are serviced.
The Specialized Vado SL 2 Carbon is available from today, priced from $6,000 / €6,200 for the Vado SL 2 Carbon 6.0 (not available in the UK or Australia), up to £7,500 / $8,000 / €9,000 / AU$12,900 for the limited-edition Vado SL 2 Carbon LTD.
Five hours' pedal assistance
Specialized has designed the Vado SL 2 around the Turbo SL 1.2 electric bike motor, an upgrade over the Turbo SL 1.1 system installed in the previous-generation bike.
The same motor system can be found in the Turbo Creo 2 SL and Levo SL electric mountain bike, delivering up to 50Nm of torque.
Specialized claims it produces 43 per cent more torque and 33 per cent more power than the SL 1.1 and is also said to be quieter than rivals from Fazua and TQ.
The battery capacity has also been increased from 320Wh to 520Wh, which Specialized says can deliver up to five hours of assisted riding time.
Exactly how the charge is used up can be determined (to a degree) in the Specialized App, which is also able to record heart rate, cadence and power.
Practical for urban environments
Specialized says the Vado SL 2 features a more relaxed head tube angle than before, which is claimed to make handling more stable and predictable.
Meanwhile, the brand has opted to fit 47mm-wide tyres. These are 9mm wider than on the Turbo Vado SL 5 EQ, which won our 2024 Urban Electric Bike of the Year award, and chosen to improve ride comfort.
Up-front, Specialized has looked to further smooth the ride using its latest-generation Future Shock 3.2 system above the head tube.
This features both a replaceable spring and pre-load washers, and a fluid damper, to offer up to 20mm of travel.
The bike is also compatible with a MIK HD rear rack – the Equipped model comes with it fitted, alongside full-length mudguards and a kickstand.
Specialized says the bike will also fit a Tubus front rack on the fork legs, and can tow a trailer weighing up to 60kg. The racks’ carrying capacity is limited to 41kg (27kg at the rear, 14kg at the front).
The onboard computer is also Apple Find My enabled, which should offer owners (specifically, iPhone users) the ability to track the bike in the event it’s stolen.
Servicing like a car?
Specialized is also debuting a new maintenance and servicing programme, which it claims applies motor-vehicle level care to a bike for the first time.
The programme is carried within the Specialized App which, once paired with a Vado SL 2’s computer head unit, will alert owners when the bike requires servicing.
In turn, the computer hosts the relevant diagnostic data for Specialized dealers and approved bike shops to carry out the necessary work. Once done, the service is then recorded and synced to the owner’s Specialized App, which the brand says provides owners with a service history – just like a car.
The data is centralised, which Specialized says enables any approved dealer or bike shop in the world to provide the required service.
In a world sceptical of data collection and tracking, Specialized acknowledges it will also use the data gathered to help it understand how the bikes are performing in the real world, in order to “build new, better bikes for everyone”.
It’s unclear whether elements of the data collection can be opted out of at the time of writing.
Availability and pricing
The Specialized Vado SL 2 Carbon is available in three iterations.
The Specialized Vado SL 2 6.0 is effectively a ‘naked’ urban ebike, without accessories (but including a connected front and rear light set). This isn’t available in the UK or Australia, but will cost $6,000 / €6,200 in the US and Europe respectively.
The ‘Equipped’ version sees an almost identical specification, with the addition of the MIK HD rear rack and full-length mudguards. This costs £5,500 / $6,500 / €6,500 / AU$9,900.
There is also a ‘Forward 50’ limited run of 250 Vado SL 2 LTD bikes featuring a pink and silver paintjob and a lightweight build claimed to weigh 14.9kg (in an unspecified size). This costs £7,500 / $8,000 / €9,000 / AU$12,900.
