Yes, the Specialized Turbo Vado 5.0 is an electric bike, even though you can never tell it by a simple glance. With both motor and battery discreetly integrated into the frame, it just might be the cleanest-looking e-bike you can find today.
That’s right, this erstwhile regular-looking commuter is equipped with pedal assist, allowing you to ride it for long periods without leaving your legs dead tired. They’re billing it as “a massive step forward into the future of bicycle design” and, while we’re generally wary of hyperbole, those clean lines does do the superlative description a good load of justice.
The Specialized Turbo Vado 5.0 has an aluminum frame with a standard transport geometry, making it an ideal ride for daily commuters and short trips around town. A 350-watt motor is mounted at a bottom bracket inside the frame, while the 604 watt-hour battery is locked down inside the down tube. All cables are routed inside the frame, too, ensuring there’s no dangling wires anywhere (other than a small amount out front). In fact, the only real tell that this is an electric bike is a 2.2-inch TFT display along the handlebars that allow riders to monitor their riding data in real time. Built-in Bluetooth allows it to pair with a companion app, where you can make various tuning adjustments, as well as review logs of your ride data.
Available now, the Specialized Turbo Vado 5.0 is priced at $4,600.