Specialized’s family of Vado e-bikes have long been a favorite of commuters and urban riding aficionados. Since the launch of the original Vado about 7 years ago, the platform has undergone a long series of transformations and evolutions.
Tweaks over time have moved the bike from its heavier, boxier roots to a much more refined platform that looks, feels, and performs as well as you would expect a modern e-bike that has been on the market since well before anyone even heard the term “Covid.”
The Specialized Vado SL 2 Carbon 6.0 marks the pinnacle of the design and revision process that has brought the bike into a new realm of performance, style, and functionality. The bike has a full carbon frame and fork with a sleek aerodynamic profile, stunning paint, a lightweight frame (for an e-bike), and a wealth of intuitive features that made city cruising easy.
Specialized set me up on the Vado SL 2 Carbon 6.0 EQ (for “equipped”), a beefed-up version of the bike that takes the base model and adds integrated fenders, a rear rack with integrated lights, cage mounts, a chainring protector, kickstand, and rear reflectors.
I spent a week using the Vado as my primary around-town wagon, running through busy Austin city streets and bike paths, multi-use gravel trails, and a bit of chunkier tidbits of terrain to find the bike’s sweet spots and limits. After several days on the bike, I found the Vado SL2 to be a fun, responsive, and intuitive machine that’s right at home in the big city or suburbs.
In short: The Specialized Vado SL 2 Carbon 6.0 EQ is a premium commuter e-bike that provides peak comfort, performance, and utility. Its carbon frame offers efficiency and rigidity, while its integrated headset damper and 47c tires provide plenty of cushion.
- E-Bike Class: 3
- Motor: Specialized Turbo SL 1.2, 320 W
- Battery Size: 520 Wh
- Wheel x Tire Size: 700 x 47c
- Drivetrain: Shimano XT 12-speed
- Suspension: Future Shock 3.2, 20 mm
- Weight: 39 lbs., 10.6 oz.
Pros
- Suspension in headset delivers plushness
- Electric assist has a natural feel
- Bike has a premium look and feel
- Lightweight
- Nimble handling
Cons
- Expensive
- Motor could use more power
Specialized Vado SL 2 Carbon 6.0 EQ Main Features
The Vado SL 2 Carbon 6.0 EQ has Specialized’s Turbo SL 1.2 motor. The motor delivers 320 W of power, 50Nm of torque, and a top assisted speed of 28 mph, though I pedaled the bike much faster. A 520Wh battery powers the motor, providing up to 5 hours of ride time. Specialized says it can handle a 20-minute commute in both directions for a week straight without a charge.
For those who want something with a little more range, Specialed offers a water-bottle-sized range extender that tacks on up to 40 additional miles.
The Specialized Vado SL 2 Carbon 6.0 EQ also has the integrated Future Shock 3.2 dampener, which gives the headset 20mm of travel and can be adjusted by swapping out springs with different tensions for a more dialed fit. Combined with wide 47c tires and a slackened head-tube angle compared to previous models, the bike provided a smooth ride and steady handling.
Riders can adjust assistance levels using the Specialized app and customize the bike’s stem-mounted display to incorporate power output, cadence monitoring, coaching, or heart rate data.
Ride Report
My Specialized Vado SL 2 Carbon 6.0 EQ came in a stunning Satin Red Sky/Red Onyx Frost color that looked like a matte burgundy finish. At first glance, I appreciated the bike’s clean profile, which included integrated cables and a no-fuss cockpit with electronic controls on the left and mechanical shiting on the right.
The electronic control pad functions with up or down buttons to move through pedal assistance levels and a center button that cycles through the display screen. I hopped onto the Specialized app and easily tinkered with power levels and other controls.
Once I powered the bike on and got moving, I found that it progressively delivered power to get me up to speed over several pedal strokes.
I appreciated that functionality much more than a bike that jolts forward with reckless abandon. It made the ride feel more natural because it responded in a similar way to building speed on a normal bike without power. The Shimano Deore XT 12-speed drivetrain, which is a tried and trusted mountain bike groupset, functioned perfectly, delivering snappy and reliable shifts.
Pedaling the Vado SL 2 Carbon 6.0 EQ felt like riding an analog bike. I still had to work to get it to speed and keep it there. It had plenty of power to handle steep urban climbs, though I often got out of the saddle to put down more power of my own.
I occasionally wished for a little more oomph from the bike to get it up to speed a little faster. However, more power generally means a heavier bike, so I can see where a tradeoff was necessary here. The bike weighs in at just under 40 pounds, and while I occasionally wanted a little extra, the bike never felt underpowered for its intended purpose of commuting and darting around the city.
Whether putting power into the pedals to get up to speed or sitting back to cruise, the Vado felt extremely comfortable and responsive. Where a lot of commuter bikes look to low-travel suspension forks to smooth out the terrain, the Vado instead opts for a steerer tube spring system that gave me about 20mm of travel.
I loved this feature because I could still feel the stiffness of the frame and how the bike was interacting with the road, while still getting suppleness and forgiveness for my hands and upper body.
Often, I find that when the entire bike is moving up or down on a fork, especially with an e-bike, it can feel like I don’t have the same level of grip or contact with the ground. Because of the Vado’s suspended stem and handlebar, the suspension action was tremendously confidence-inspiring.
I found myself leaning deep into corners at high speeds and ripping into loose gravel sections without worry. The grippy and robust 47c Hemisphere All Terrain tires felt absolutely locked in, and I don’t recall a single time I felt the bike get squirrely.
Stock features on the display screen included cadence coaching. That feature is great for folks who want to use the Vado as an exercise bike because you can tailor your ride to a particular cadence or power goals. Again, even with power, the bike rode astonishingly similarly to a normal bike. It helped me out, but it didn’t act like a motorcycle. To me, that was a feature, not a drawback.
Specialized included its water-bottle-sized range extender and Tailwind aerodynamic panniers which gave me the best range and gear-hauling options available in my Vado SL 2 Carbon 6.0 EQ model.
I made a point to ride this bike like a commuter. Rather than planning long days out for several hours, I hopped from place to place over several days on a wide variety of terrain. The battery got me through four solid days of riding on a single charge, and the range extender functioned perfectly when the battery finally drained.
The bike’s MIK HD rear rack has a carrying capacity of about 50 pounds. I attached the panniers and loaded them up with tools, spare clothes and shoes, a work bag, and a computer with no problems. With a total cargo capacity of about 90 pounds, it would be easy to attach a trailer, rear cargo bin, or even a front rack to get a lot more storage out of the frame.
Builds and Pricing
Like all of Specialized’s bikes, the Vado SL 2 6.0 Carbon comes in a couple of different models tailored toward different riders. The base Vado SL 2 Carbon 6.0 offers a stripped-down package that Specialized refers to as a “naked speedster,” ideal for fast urban commuting or fitness rides.
The Vado SL 2 Carbon 6.0 EQ caters more to those who want to carry cargo or bring little ones along.
Specialized also has an LTD: Forward 50 setup with special paint and other bells and whistles that the brand says offer unprecedented power, speed, and range. Only 250 of those bad boys will hit the market in select retailers, so good luck getting one of those if that’s your thing.
The Vado SL 2 Carbon 6.0 goes for an MSRP of $6,000. The Specialized Vado SL 2 Carbon 6.0 EQ goes for an MSRP of $6,500, and the Vado SL 2 LTD: Forward 50 costs an MSRP of $8,000.
Conclusions on the Specialized Vado SL 2 Carbon 6.0 EQ
The Specialized Vado SL 2 Carbon 6.0 EQ is a nimble, lightweight e-bike that was a joy ride.
The extra features of the EQ model made the bike a shoo-in choice for people with longer commutes or those who need to carry a considerable amount of cargo around town.
The bike’s carbon frame and fork provided a responsive and confidence-inspiring platform, while its built-in headset suspension system and wide tires made it extremely comfortable and forgiving.
While it comes with a premium price, the latest Vado is clearly a premium e-bike that would put a smile on the face of any commuter.
