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For Specialized, 2021 has thus far been the year of the superlight electric bike.
Of the three new or redesigned e-bikes introduced this year by the California-based bike brand, two have been built around the ultra high-tech (and very well done) proprietary Super Light System. But an announcement made today made it clear that Specialized has not forgotten about aficionados of power.
Specialized on Tuesday unveiled the newest iterations of their popular full power Turbo Como and Turbo Vado commuter e-bikes — plus they rolled out an all-new full power e-bike, a crossover eMTB and commuter called the Turbo Tero.
The Como and Vado have long been Specialized’s flagship lifestyle e-bikes, with the Como more geared for laid-back comfort riding and the Vado targeting riders who want a fast daily commuter that’ll give them a workout. But the new Tero is Specialized’s attempt at diving into the all-rounder category of e-bikes, a tricky cross-category segment of the e-bike market that tries to strike a balance between commuting, off-road performance and utility.
All three of these e-bikes share different variations of the Turbo Full Power e-bike motor, depending on the chosen spec level, and all three have the relatively affordable starting price of $3,250.
Let’s take a deeper dive into each e-bike:
The Specialized Turbo Vado
The 2022 Specialized Turbo Vado has a new look, an updated motor and a rack that can carry your kid.
Changes to the new Vado start with its facelift.
The general frame shape looks similar to the previous generation, but there’s something about the new bike that looks markedly different. Maybe it’s the more uniform shape of the downtube or the slightly more angular tube shapes, but whatever it is, the bike just has a nicer look on first glance.
Specialized did update the Vado’s geometry with an eye on stability at speed and maneuverability, which had a likely impact on the frame’s new look. The new Vado also gets the updated MasterMind display, which was introduced earlier this year on the 2022 Turbo Levo eMTB. It also gets the ability to accept over-the-air updates via the Mission Control app, making it so you can update your e-bike at home.
It also comes with a rear rack rated for just shy of 60lbs that’s tested and approved for use with several different child seats, including the OGK Urban Iki and Bubbly Maxi Plus.
The Vado’s rear rack is rated for just shy of 60lbs and is certified for the OGK Urban Iki and Bubbly Maxi Plus child seats.
The Vado is a Class 3 e-bike capable of speeds up to 28 mph, but the type of motor and componentry you get will vary slightly depending on which model of Vado you choose. There’s three versions of the Vado, the 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0, with obviously the nicer version being the one most rich in features. The 5.0 Vado even comes stock with the Garmin Radar sensor to help you keep tabs on cars behind you. While this is a stock feature on the high-spec Vado, the other two models of the bike are also compatible with Garmin Radar.
The Specialized Turbo Como
The 2022 Turbo Como is the lowest step bike currently made by Specialized.
This year’s release of the all-new Turbo Como SL signaled there were likely new things on the horizon for the full power Como, and we’re not disappointed with the results.
The new Turbo Como’s looks are a departure from the previous generation. It’s still a low-step frame for easy access, but that step is lower — actually, it’s the lowest entry frame built by Specialized. This was partially achieved by fully removing the Como’s top tube, which on the previous version was still there but trended downward at a steep angle towards the bottom bracket. Like the new Vado, Specialized also gave the Como a more uniform tube shape and did away with the tapered downtube that gradually grew larger as it approached the motor.
We’re also seeing several features on the new Como that we saw debuted earlier this year on the Como SL, such as those cool integrated swept-back handlebars that compliment the bike’s more upright riding position. The Como also gets an 80mm suspension fork and a suspension seatpost to help smooth the road.
The full-power Como adopted the cool swept-back integrated handlebars debuted on the Como SL earlier this year.
Like the new Vado, the new Como gets the new MasterMind display and can receive over-the-air updates via the Mission Control app. The top-end Como 5.0 also comes stock with Garmin Radar and both the Vado and Como have an anti-theft feature that disables the motor and sounds an alarm if the bike is unwantingly moved.
The new Como is a Class 3 e-bike powered by the same Turbo Full Power family of motors found in the Vado. It’s also got a rear rack capable of just under 60 lbs of cargo and certified for use with some child seats.
The Specialized Turbo Tero
Though not a pure eMTB, the Tero is the cheapest trail-capable e-bike made by Specialized.
Billed as an all-rounder equally at home on trail and on city streets, the all-new Turbo Tero is built on an eMTB chassis with a few smart features that give it a slightly more utilitarian spin.
Though new to Specialized’s lineup, this type of crossover eMTB/commuter isn’t a new concept. Bike companies have long attempted to build the perfect one-quiver bicycle, and this one is designed for the weekend warrior eMTB’er who wants to ride that same bike to work on Monday morning.
The new Turbo Tero also represents a lowering of the entry price into the Specialized lineup of eMTBs. Starting at $3,250, the Turbo Tero 3.0 costs more than $2,000 less than the previous cheapest Specialized eMTB, the base model Turbo Levo.
The all-new Specialized Turbo Tero is an all-rounder e-bike built for weekend trail riding and weekday commuting.
Like the above Vado and Como, the three spec levels of the Turbo Tero are powered by three variations of the Turbo Full Power motor. It too sports the MasterMind display that syncs with the Mission Control app, which among other things, allows you to implement over-the-air updates.
Specialized says the Tero’s geometry is derived from the company’s line of (extremely) quick racing mountain bikes, but toned down to accommodate a more upright, neutral riding position. While the full line of Vado and Como e-bikes come with an outfit of commuter-ready racks, fenders and lights, just one sub-version of the Tero comes with these same accessories. The rest come with rack, light and fender mounts.
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