As a full-suspension SUV e-bike, the completely newly developed Specialized Vado 3 X is intended to be the ultimate touring bike. The ingredients: 130/120 millimetres of suspension travel, agile 27.5-inch wheels, a powerful motor and upscale equipment with a particularly large number of smart functions. We show you what the bike can do in detail.
Power galore: The new Specialised motor
With up to 810 watts peak power and 105 Newton metres, the Specialized 3.1 motor offers plenty of power. True to the motto: having is better than needing. The 3.1 clearly outperforms all previous Specialized motors. Until now, the motor has only been used in the Levo 4 e-MTB, since the Vado 3 touring bike (overview here) but also used in classic e-bikes.
Specialized emphasises the high performance of the drive. But the fact is: With the competition from Mahle and DJI/Avinox there's even more power in some cases. The well-known Bosch CX is on a similar level to the Specialized. However, top performance is not the main criterion for touring anyway. However, with 840 watt hours in the battery and a particularly sensitive and harmonious ride feel, the 3.1 motor should also score points for soft skills. The system can also be fast-charged with 12 amps on request. However, this requires a special, expensive and large charger.
Tracking, radar & touchscreen
Everyday riders are likely to be much more interested in the additional smart functions of the Specialized system. The bike can be tracked via Apple "find my". The top models come with a radar system from Garmin, which warns of approaching vehicles from behind. The centrally integrated display of the better equipment variants is touch-capable. A frame lock and a classic pannier rack with MIK Standard and Quick-Lock system are designed to increase everyday practicality.
From 5599 euros: Models and variants
One thing is clear: the technology-packed Vado 3 X is not cheap. No surprise with Specialized. Its predecessor, the Tero X, was recently available for a very fair € 3400. The cheapest Vado 3 X now costs 5599 euros, but also offers the powerful drive with an 840 watt-hour battery without compromises. The better Vado 3 X 5.0 and 6.0 models also come with more features and some even have the S1000 electronic transmission gearstick - in our opinion, this is currently the ultimate e-bike in terms of durability. The prices are then 6899 and 8399 euros respectively.
The bike has a strikingly stylish design and relies on a lot of system integration. For example, a display integrated into the handlebars, invisible cables and much more. Unfortunately, this also has a clear disadvantage: maintenance work on the Vado 3 X is likely to be time-consuming. The top model weighs a whopping 32 kilograms on our scales - over 5 kilograms more than its predecessor. Will this also be noticeable when riding? We already have a test bike in the editorial office and will report back.
Adrian Kaether
Editor
