“ Holy Shit ! ” Those are the first Good Book said — or , more typically , clapperclaw — by everyone who ’s throw a leg over the 2016 Specialized Turbo S. This thing is profligate . But it ’s not the speed that carry you by surprise , it ’s how well electric ability is incorporate into the human cycling experience .
What Is It?
Back in 2010 , Specialized — one of the four expectant bicycle companies — venture on a broadcast to wire its wheel . It ’s a political program that ’s not yet complete , as we ’ll explain below , but it is one that has been delivering telling product for the last two geezerhood .
In fact , the company now has four galvanic bike in its stove : The Turbo , Turbo X , the Turbo S we ’re survey here and even the Turbo Levo FSR Expert 6Fattie mountain bike .
The Turbo S is the top - of - the - range metropolis wheel ; a road bike with aggressive geometry and lineament components , but a comfortable unsloped riding position . The kind of thing you see citizenry who ride race bikes on weekend convert on during weekdays in New York , LA , Seattle or wherever . Just this one ’s get a battery in its frame and an electric motor on its rear hub .
New for 2016 is a motor that , at 500 James Watt token and 750w peak , is double as powerful as last year ’s ; a battery that , at 19.5 adenosine monophosphate hours , is 40 percent larger ; a Shimano XT groupset that ’s nicer than last year ’s SRAM components ; and a smartphone app that permit you to tailor the bike ’s carrying out to suit your individual rides .
This is the variety of stiff , responsive , agile ride with which you’re able to aggressively harness traffic . All of the Turbo S ’s parts are high - performance but robust , which should make for a bike that ’s relatively low - maintenance and capable to deal with inclement weather . The XT hydraulic magnetic disk brakes and 1×11 drivetrain sacrifice only weight compared to top - tier XTR stable companion .
But that ’s look at the Turbo S as a traditional treadle - power - only cycle , which is very much is not . You ’ll comment the fantastically large skeleton down tube , which stop the obliterable stamp battery and the large hub motor in the rearward rack . Those convey weight up from the 18 - 20lbs that ’d be typical of such a gamy - end urban commuter train to 54.5lbs . And , compensate for that are heavy duty , two-fold - bulwark aero rim laced 36 time to a high - rim hub on the front and that very , very in high spirits - rim motor on the rear .
Positively fat 700x45 mm Specialized Armadillo ( anti - puncture ) tire would be ridiculous and performance - blunting on any normal road motorcycle , but here , run at just 45psi or so , are necessary for keeping such a heavy bicycle unchanging and sit well over furrow urban terrain . They work and sense more like motorcycle tires than they do traditional route motorcycle rubber .
Cleverly , consort light are integrated front and rear , wire into the main battery and always - on while the bike is run away .
You control and supervise the wheel ’s performance from a little LCD / joystick control unit of measurement on the right handlebar , above the switching levers .
The replacement turns the bike on and off ; the LEDs indicate charge , if you do n’t have your smartphone with you .
Who’s It For?
I have n’t told you the cost yet . And that ’s for a reason . Most of us wo n’t have ridden bicycle since our youths in the ‘ 70s , ‘ eighty and ‘ 90s when bikes were cheaply bought at Sears and disposed of as we grew . Since a few of us did n’t give up bicycles when we get down push back and many of us have sweet jobs act upon at technical school company or on Wall Street at the same time as cheap Chinese imports started dominate the low-cost market , quality bike Maker have since shifted their focus towards much more expensive , high performance bikes .
Volume sale in the flock bike market now average out around $ 6 or $ 7,000 and road bike book cluster around the $ 2 to $ 5,000 range . twice that if you ’re cannonball along .
The people buying brand novel Giants and Cannondales and Treks and Specializeds want extremist - light physical body and wheels and the fanciest components potential . And theTurbo Svery much exists in that same world . It cost $ 7,000 .
The cheapestTurbostarts at $ 3,000 , the comfierTurbo Xis $ 4,500 and the off - roadTurbo Levois a little bit more , at $ 7,500 , since you ’re also pay for suspension .
So , the Turbo S is for experient bicyclist who interpret and apprize what goes into a $ 7,000 wheel , or current car drivers who are looking to expend less time in their M4 or S5 sitting in traffic on the way to Mountain View . The former look forrader to putting in a niggling less effort on their way of life to work , the latter can look forwards to putting in a lot more .
The Turbo S is still very much a bicycle that you have to pedal and bait . Just one that makes doing so a lot faster than before while shit long distances more manageable .
But why a bicycle ? Why not but spend less on a water scooter or motorcycle while still achieve similar traffic - busting abilities ? It ’s all a dubiousness of licensing and legalities . bicycler relish a myriad of benefits over other road users — no registration , no indemnity , no licence , free parking everywhere , access to bike trail , the ability to ride on sidewalks in some arena , the ability to take vantage of crossing , dedicated lanes , taxation breaks , commuter benefit from employer , cops who look the other way of life as we blow stop signs , the power to bring your bike inside your office or flat … the leaning goes on . Even here in Los Angeles , where I can legally split lanes on my motorcycle , a bicycle is often a much easy and more convenient way to get around .
You ’ll take note that the Turbo S is compliant withCalifornia ’s just - signed electric bicycle law , to the varsity letter :
A “ class 3 electrical bicycle , ” or “ speed treadle - attend to galvanising bicycle , ” is a bicycle outfit with a motor that allow for help only when the rider is pedaling , and that ceases to furnish assistance when the wheel reaches the focal ratio of 28 miles per hour , and equipped with a speedometer .
Integrated kindling is slick and highly bright , but does n’t flash .
Design
The real challenge Specialized confront with this wheel was n’t in glibly mix the battery ( which it achieved ) or making the weight disappear ( which is really just a question of center of somberness and fitting good bracken ) . The existent challenge was in allow for the above mentioned “ aid ” in a manner that palpate natural , smooth and which amplifies your power to command the bike rather than compromising it .
And that is the crown accomplishment of the Turbo S. Never mind that you could sustain 28 mph for a dozen nautical mile or more without breaking a sweat or climb the steep hill without lose your breathing spell . What matters here is that you may do both while retaining the instinctive , unencumbered and sluttish experience of riding a bike .
As part of this reexamination , I ’ve asked everyone who ’s stopped by my house for the last calendar week to befuddle a leg over the bike . And have n’t told them it ’s electric . Those acquaintance have ranged from other experient cyclists to mass who credibly have n’t mount a bike since they were 10 . None of them had any consequence with riding as normal , none of them doss , none of them was even scared . They just exclaim , “ Holy Shit ! ” and kept riding with a giant smile on their face .
Specialized has very obviously pass many 1000 of man time of day studying the agency humans apply index to wheel pedal and figuring out how a hub motor can add together assistance to the powered serving of that foot lever solidus without any sort of jerk or kick or dawdle or unnecessary good continuation of mightiness after the human being has stopped applying it . The outcome of all that effort and the total percentage point of this bike is that pedaling is just easier than it would be otherwise . Less movement is required than the degree of acceleration , keep up speed or climb would otherwise dictate . Nothing else feels different at all .
Many of the portion are the same you ’ll see on a $ 6,000 + great deal wheel . So Specialized ’s done a sound job of hand over a bike that take on the expected value of its toll point even forth from its electric assist .
Using It
The other night , I rode from Hollywood to Silverlake to get together friends for a racy pork blood dinner . And in the excitement of kick the bucket for a ride on a really exciting , brand name new wheel , I forgot to grab my lock on the way out the door . No matter , I beat them to the eating place by 15 minutes , answered every question about the Turbo S a passing homeless guy had , then follow Ty as he searched for parking up a steep hill . Honestly , his 4Runner kind of held me back ; I could have ascended faster if I was n’t follow him .
When he finally institute a spot 10 minutes later on , he allege , “ Man , that ’s some serious wattage you ’re putting down , ” winked and piece the bike up and threw it in the back of his hand truck .
54lbs is heavy for a wheel , but is n’t so much that a reasonably solid individual ca n’t still manipulate it statically like they can a even wheel . It ’s the floppy front bicycle and spinning pedal that get in the way of me load it onto the roof of our Subaru Outback more than it is the weight ; I can still do it myself just like I can with the 26lbs Giant Reign .
That nighttime I wore denim , decent shoe and a push button down shirt . It was n’t a prospicient ride , but I show up outside the restaurant without being sweaty or out of intimation in the least . Just amped from blasting through car for 15 instant and with messy hair from move 28 miles per hour helmetless . I ate my filling of Thai intellectual nourishment , then I cod home with a swollen-headed belly in less time than it ’d have taken to grab a Lyft .
I pass six years commuting through New York on a light , simple , stupidly brakeless fixed gearing . Now I mostly ride trails here in SoCal . What I like from a bike is n’t a comfortable ride or an easy experience , it ’s a little bit of warfare in between meetings or at the end of a longsighted sidereal day . And in that the Turbo S turn in . It steers quick , holds a line with confidence and power by from traffic light faster than most cars pull off . It very much is not a bike ; it ’s light source and quick in a mode that withstand that type of fomite . And it requires much more effort .
It ’s not that you do n’t have to endeavor to ride this Specialized electric . You still have to abide on the pedal point to overreach cars or wax a J. J. Hill and you still have to defend a dissolute cadence at mellow velocity . It ’s just that you may do all that in denim rather of shorts , decent shoes instead of Sidis and without make the back of your shirt soused .
What of range ? The Turbo S has four mode : Turbo , Eco , off and Regen . Honestly , I ’ve just left it in Turbo . Eco just is n’t tight enough once you ’ve tasted fast speeds ( it feels like roughly 50 % power ) . Off , well … you’re pedaling a 54lbs cycle on low - insistency tire , and regen is the same , you just gain a tiny fate of charge on parentage ; not enough to be worthwhile . Turbo is so liquid and lasts so long I ’m not even sure why the other mode are there .
That first nighttime , I went from 86 to 74 per centum charge on a 8 mi drive , pedaling it at scoop speed between intercept lights and accelerating as tight as possible away from them . Most of that was jolly level , but I did mount that very steep hill as Ty looked for parking .
Specialized claims a range of 35 to 60 naut mi , depending on how you sit . 12 per centum of barrage across 8 miles seems to top that claim , and I ’ve since see similarly impressive result . I have yet to go for a ride long enough to campaign the battery down fully , but maybe I ’ll get a chance to do that this weekend and will update this clause when I do . As it stands , I can easily hit the outskirt of LA from my relatively central home , and give back , without approach battery discharge . And LA is a self-aggrandizing urban center .
A full charge on a 110V release takes just 3.5 hours . You just pull a natural rubber stopple from the good side of the skeletal system and secure in the transformer . That ’s a lilliputian too big and heavy to easily take with you , but bring up no room under a couch or a desk . I ’ve just been plugging the thing in at night and not worry about it too much .
Still apprehensive about compass ? The smartphone app ( iOS and Android ) connects to the cycle via Bluetooth and reserve you to incrementally strain and track performance . Most significantly , it allows you to define an forthcoming drive by clock time or distance and aline motor performance to beseem the hope battery electrical capacity you ’d like at the end . you may track your rides and calculate the amount of energy they take , then use that information to inform options for future needs .
I ’m not a long - distance commuter train , but again I have not even come close to maxing out the reach of this thing in my normal use . I ’m currently at 70 percent charge following a 18 - mi ride which I begin with strange capability . And I keep it in Turbo everywhere .
Like
Takes the hard work out of ride a cycle . You ’re still rid , you ’re just not sweating .
All the affaire and fun of cycling .
All the sound advantage of a bicycle .
Benny Hill are made matt .
Excellent brakes and super - grippy tyre prompt confidence in heavy dealings .
I ’ve had unsound experience with 23 millimeter wide Armadillos , but these “ Nimbus ” modeling ride well , and forego the greasy feeling of previous generations .
Why all route bikes do n’t have disc brakes yet , I just do n’t bonk . These stop with say-so .
1×11 geared wheel are simple and give you all the range of sweat you need .
merged light are implausibly bright .
App takes shot piece of work out of range .
Charging takes astonishingly small time .
Surprisingly not painful to load up onto a railcar roof , give thanks the optimal center of gravity for that . you may pick up a single collection plate at the gymnasium , right ?
ride improbably well for such an nimble road bike . Manages LA ’s dreadful pavement very well .
Out - accelerates Porsches ( to about 15 mph ) .
No Like
Desperately cries out for an integrated USB port wine for phone charging .
Learning the terms establish 100 pct of possible converts go from maniac grins to pitiful face , instantaneously .
Walk up home or office ? You ’ll get about three stories before passing out .
Expensive cycle + expensive parts = one big lock and one cable curl , minimum .
merged lighting provide excellent vision for rider , but do n’t flash to catch the attention of the 99.9999 % of car drivers who are n’t pay attending .
A chain ring - concentrical motor would further optimize the center of gravitation while improving acceleration , braking and tantalise .
The hub motor is really the last electric part that ’s not so slickly integrated that it ’s invisible . I guess we ’re all going to have to get used to rear wheels looking like this .
Should You Buy It?
Specialized ’s ending goal is to make galvanising power available across its intact cooking stove of bikes . With this new Turbo S , it ’s already attain utterly unlined integration . The next hurdles to harness are weight and price . Mostly toll .
If a $ 7,000 metropolis wheel work financial sense for you , then there is no longer any cause to hesitate . This bike is everything you require it to be . It ’s as fun and involve as a good route cycle , with the effortless nature of an electrical , smoothly combined into a single , legally permissive product . But you Google employee are relatively few and far between and it is nameless whether or not the toll of a contest bike will transfer to the public utility company of a commuter bike .
The rest of us will have to watch and wait as this technology trickles down to levels attainable by bare mortals . This bike is awesome and this motorcycle is capable of shifting large swath of commuters out of their auto and onto bicycles , it just involve to become about seven time less expensive to do that . If this Specialized is anything to adjudicate by , you ’ll be ride an electric cycle as soon as you ’re capable .
Pictured Riding Gear :
Gloves : Racer Mickey(great dirt bike gloves that integratepalm slider , adding much clash - protection for aggressive city horseback riding ) .
Pants : Duer No Sweat(feel and respire like pajamas , do n’t soak up water , take into account freedom of drive and look like clothes pant ) .
put away : Abus Bordo Granit X Plus 6500(super warm , super compact ) .
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