Specialized Turbo Vado 2 5.0 Step-Through Commuter Electric Bike
- Class 3
- 601-800 Wh
- 61-80 mi claimed
- 251-300 lb max load
SVT Score, Upper
A step-through Class 3 commuter with a 90 Nm mid-drive, a removable 710 Wh battery, radar, lights, rack and fenders, at about 57 lb.
$4,500
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Usability
6.3 out of 10
- Range: up to 75 miles claimed on the maker's Vado compare page
- Class: maker lists 28 mph, Class 3
- Fork: RockShox Recon Silver RL, spring type not stated, counted as one point
- Extra: integrated Garmin radar on the display
- Searched: UL Certipedia Intertek SGS TÜV SÜD CPSC Health Canada
- Record: UL Product iQ, UL 2849 (QGNS, Electrical Systems for E-Bikes), VADO 5.0 STEP THROUGH, VADO 5.0 STEP THROUGH UL, VADO 5.0 STEP THROUGH NB (product ID 263672 not on the list), Specialized Bicycle Components Inc.
- Frame: lifetime to the registered original owner, not scored
Strengths
- Strong motor for hills
- Rack and fenders come fitted
- Integrated lights and radar
- Low step-through frame
- Battery locks in and lifts out
Drawbacks
- Heavy to lift
- No throttle
- Owners get less range than claimed
- Short warranty for the price
A powerful, well-equipped step-through commuter, but heavy to lift
Specs
- TypeCommuter
- E-Bike ClassClass 3
- Battery601-800 Wh
- MotorMid-drive
- Top Speed21-28 mph
- Claimed Range61-80 mi
- Weight56-70 lb
- Max Rider Load251-300 lb
- BrakesHydraulic disc
- SuspensionFront
- FoldingDoes not fold
- CertificationsUL 2849 listed
- Warranty2 Years
At a glance
- Thudbuster seatpost
- Brass bell included
- Chain cover fitted
Specialized is a brand of Specialized Bicycle Components, Inc., a privately held company in Morgan Hill, California.
- Specialized's stores sell a Turbo e-bike range from gravel roads to enduro trails.
- Its US online store at specialized.com sells these e-bikes with ship-to-home delivery or in-store pickup.
- Authorized Specialized retailers across the US also sell them.
- None of REI, Dick's Sporting Goods, Walmart, Target, Best Buy or Costco sells Specialized Turbo e-bikes as the seller; Specialized sells them through its own stores and authorized dealers (October 2026).
The Specialized Turbo Vado 2 5.0 Step-Through is a Class 3 commuter e-bike with an E5 aluminum step-through frame, a Shimano CUES 11-speed drivetrain and the Specialized 2.2 mid-drive (90 Nm, 250 W nominal). Its integrated, lockable downtube battery holds 710 Wh and comes out for charging.
Brakes are Shimano CUES four-piston hydraulic discs, the fork is an 80 mm RockShox Recon Silver RL and the tires are 650b x 2.3 in Pathfinder Sport Reflect with BlackBelt protection.
It comes with a 27 kg rack, DRYTECH fenders, Lezyne and Spanninga lights, an integrated Garmin radar, a kickstand and a Cane Creek Thudbuster seatpost. The maker lists 57 lb 6.9 oz (26.05 kg) in size MD, a 300 lb structural limit and up to 75 miles of range for the Vado 5.0.
The Turbo Vado 2 5.0 IGH and 5.0 IGH Step-Through sell at $4,749.99 each on the same store.
Questions answered from our data
Is Specialized good?We list 12 Specialized products and score 12 of them. Their overall scores run from 5.2 to 6.7, with a median of 6.0, against a median of 5.6 for all 130 products we score.
How much does an electric bike cost?The 87 electric bikes we list run from $799 to $12,500, with a median of $1,700.
Are electric bikes UL certified?31 of the 87 electric bikes we list carry a UL 2849 listing we could look up by model.
How far can an electric bike go?75 of the 87 electric bikes we list claim 41 miles or more on a charge, each on its maker's own basis.
