Specialized took its time to craft and refine the first Turbo and in 2014 introduced the Turbo S which has a larger battery pack, smaller more integrated display / input system and a new color… black. It’s a stiffer electric bike that foregoes suspension in favor of power transfer and speed. The motor is silent but powerful and the battery pack is so well disguised in the downtube that it almost disappears. It even has water bottle cage mounting points built right into the pack! While I prefer the support of full suspension and knobby tires (especially at 28+ mile per hour) the addition of a Thudbuster, Body Float or Suntour NCX SP12 make for an excellent ride here. The Turbo feels solid and its Electrak tires offer more give than a traditionall narrow 700c road tire would.
The motor on the Specialized Turbo offers 250 watts nominal with ~700 peak for excellent acceleration and climbing. It’s gearless, relying on large magnets inside to generate force, and this makes it very quiet and durable. There aren’t any gears inside rubbing to create noise or wear out over time. It’s also very responsive, relying on torque and speed sensing pedal assist. The motor is mounted to the rear drop outs in a direct drive configuration with a sturdy 15mm thru-axle. This keeps the wheel straight at higher speeds which is great because I had no problem reaching 30 miles per hour when riding. The original Turbo was one of the first electric bicycles to top 20 miles per hour in pedal assist mode and continues to focus on speed and performance here. The motor itself is made by Go SwissDrive and retails for ~$1,100 on its own (still having to be laced into a wheel) so considering quality components, battery and display in use here it’s a solid deal.
The battery pack on the Turbo S uses energy dense Lithium-ion cells that will last for 1,000+ charge cycles if cared for. While the original Turbo offered 36 volts of power and only 9 amp hours of capacity the 2014 model offers 14 amp hours for increased range. This also adds some weight to the bike but it’s all kept low and center with the downtube battery design. This thing is beautiful (hardly noticeable on the black design) and doesn’t rattle when riding. On the side there’s an LED scale that can be activated for a quick power reading (kind of like on a Mac laptop). The on/off button for the entire bike is right at the top of the pack and also looks like a computer switch. I love that the battery pack includes bosses for mounting a water bottle cage (something I wish other ebikes did) but I wish there was some way to disable the bike when not in use (like with a key or something) because as-is anybody can turn the bike on and mess with the display.
The display has undergone improvements for 2014 as well and now resides on the right portion of the handlebars instead of the center. Before there was a break out panel with rubberized + and – buttons but now it’s all combined with the display and actually built into the right brake lever. The design is sleek, adding to the “stealth” factor of the bike and since it’s made of aluminum alloy to match the brake levers it feels really solid. The downside here is that it’s not removable and if you adjust the angle of the display you also end up adjusting the angle of the brake lever. Given the simplicity of the modes on this bike (ranging from regen to zero to eco and turbo) it’s not something you need to stare at very often when riding. Instead of rubberized buttons the new input system uses a transparent rubberized joystick. Up and down let you change assist levels and if you hold up it doubles as a throttle which propels the bike up to ~11 miles per hour even from rest. The display and joystick light up for easy night use and activate the headlight and tail light when pressed in. By pushing left or right you can see distance and battery readouts. Again, it’s just so simple and easy to reach without looking down and it works very well with the trigger shifters (also on the right grip).
While the latest iteration of the Turbo isn’t perfect I don’t mind the little issues. This thing is solid, fast and fun to ride. I feel like I must be fooling everyone when I pass by at high speed because it’s just so quiet and the battery is so well hidden. The bottle cage is perfect and there’s tons of room between the top tube, seat tube and downtube for mounting this thing on car racks and stuff. As much as I complain about bumpy roads and the jerkiness of electric bikes at high speed it’s almost worth the extra abrasion here because the speed and power transfer are so satisfying. It’s an electric road bike… and on smooth roads it’s fantastic. The acceleration and torque of the rear hub motor is nice vs. mid-drive systems that sort of change depending on the gear you’re in and the addition of braze ons for adding fenders and racks make this a versatile ride. One big downside to the motor design here is that the rear wheel doesn’t freewheel and spins less efficiently when the bike is off due to cogging (the magnets inside repel the stater and slow it down, see video review). This enables regeneration but could ruin a ride if you run out of juice prematurely. Thankfully, the larger 14ah pack helps a lot here by extending the range.
Pros:
- One of the quietest, smoothest and fastest electric bikes I’ve tested (based on the motor, stiff frame and tires)
- New LCD display panel with joystick is easy to adjust when riding, doesn’t stand out visually and appears to be very rugged
- Integrated LED tail lights stay out of the way, Supernova E3 headlight is bright and sturdy
- New Lithium-ion battery pack is five amp hours larger than the old version for extended range
- There are bottle cage mounts built right into the battery pack so you don’t have to skip on water
- This bike is super stealth because the battery is so well integrated, motor is super quiet and display is so small
- Battery pack can be charged on or of the bike for convenient fill-ups at the office, charger is fast and silent
- Electrak tires are a bit larger than standard road tires for more air and cushion when riding
- Plenty of braze ons (front and rear) for adding fenders or racks so you can stay dry or carry more gear
- Regenerative braking with right brake lever and regen mode for coasting down hills (even works in zero mode)
- Solid two year warranty for the motor and battery system, lifetime frame warranty
Cons:
- Handle bars are fairly wide and mirror on left bar sticks out when going through doors (doesn’t swivel easily)
- Stiffer frame improves power transfer but makes for a rough ride, suggest seat post suspension or padded riding shorts
- Since the LCD computer display is integrated into the brake lever they cannot be adjusted independently (for improved viewing angle or brake position)
- Throttle mode cuts out at ~11 miles per hour (better than no throttle but less than 20mph legal limit)
- This ebike is more expensive than comparable designs but features a high quality finish and warranty
- Since the new tail light is integrated right into the saddle, if you swap seats you lose your light and if you’re wearing a long shirt or jacket it might cover the lights
- If the battery is left on the frame anybody can turn the display on (display is not removable) and mess with the bike
- More cogging than geared motor designs and even some gearless given the large magnets inside (doesn’t freewheel as efficiently)
Resources:
- Official Site: http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/ebike/turbo/turbo-s
- More Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/BhiEiTGLZDq3rucg6
James McClellan says
What do you need nobby tires for? Off road? Because that’s all they are meant for. Less grip on the street. Less grip when it’s wet. At 28mph the last thing you want is a nobby tire. Road tourers do well in excess of 50 mph on much smaller tires riding on skinny slicks.
Early adopter says
I think the review captures the pro and cons accurately. I like the bike a lot and have ridden it around 1000 miles. In that time I’ve had to replace the control unit twice. To me, it’s the major flaw. Otherwise the bike is really great. Battery life is good if commute is not more than 30 miles total. I also like being able to haul heavy pack with me with impunity. It is exercize, which is nice, and it’s more fun than my motorcycles!
Early adopter says
They replace the display unit which is attached to the brake assembly with 2 screws. Takes 5 minutes. I believe this could be an issue with the bike, but it’s guaranteed for life I think and they will sort it out before long. No big deal.
Early Adopter says
Here is my 9 month update: replaced control unitr three times, battery once, I have a loaner back wheel because the motor on mine stopped working. All this in less than 3000 miles!!! I have an old Ferrari that is more dependable than the Specialized Turbo. My last update wasn’t posted, and I think it is fair for people to know that this bike was not built and designed with reliability in mind. I’m giving it back.
Court Rye says
Hi Peter, I manually approve all comments so I have approved your first comment now, sorry it took a while… I’m not trying to sensor anyone :)
Court Rye says
Thanks for the great testimonial! Sorry to hear about the display panel issues… Did they have to replace the entire right brake lever along with the display or do you have one of the 2013 Turbo’s with the center mounted unit? What was the issue you had?
AG says
Specialized Turbo S Availability: I went by the largest specialized dealer in my town (Houston) and they have not seen nor were aware of the Turbo S. I tested the 2013 model – nice but missing the a few of the features such as the side control, upgraded seat, rearview mirror. Thoughts on the Turbo S model availability? Will it be hitting more markets soon? Thank you for any information.
Court Rye says
Great question AG… I tried the one in this review at a friends house. I’m not sure where he ordered it but you can ask him in the forums here. His name is Brambor :)
Michael Hedrick says
Can you make all bike reviews on that trail and with that kind of detail?! Love it! Also, without recking is there a way you could tell us what gear you are in, especially when showing Hill climb and top speed?
Court Rye says
Hey Michael, thanks for the suggestions and feedback. I don’t remember which gears I was in (I try to change them frequently during ride tests to listen for mashing and get a feel for how shifting works). This location was at a private residence in Maine near Portland. The bike belonged to my friend and I was just visiting so there may never be another review shot there unfortunately. Often times I have to work with the landscape (and time frame) available given the bike. I travel all across the US to get these reviews but I’m working to improve their quality and provide better demonstrations :)
Rob Guthrie says
Hi Court,
Test-rode the Turbo S last week at my local dealer — really fun, quiet ride! From YouTube, I learned that for 2015, Specialized will be introducing a Turbo X model, presumably a hard-tail, with front shocks and tread tires: http://youtu.be/ppZqlEZOe4s
Hoping they’ll include a thud buster on the seat post, and increase the battery capacity to expand the range a bit, like they did with the 2014 edition.
Court Rye says
That’s awesome! Thanks for the heads up Rob. I’m excited about the new Specialized Turbo bikes and intrigued by their naming convention… Reminds me of Tesla with their Model S, upcoming Model X and I heard they wanted to do a Model E but Ford was claiming a copyright on that name (for their old Model E car). Anyway, the idea was to have three models that spell S, E, X… clever ;) I agree that a suspension seat post or maybe even their coblgoblr post would be nice on the Turbo X. I’ll keep an eye out for it at Interbike!
Rick Zehr says
Good review. I’ve got about 400 miles on mine (with Thudbuster ST), and it is a delight. Solid, stable, and the motor is perfectly modulated with the torque sensor. Well, at least it is until something comes loose in the electronics under the battery at the bottom bracket, leading to a JERK when you start from a stop. This has required adjustment at the shop twice so far. I have also had the display/controller fail. First it started dropping into Regen mode when climbing steep hills, and then the joystick became loose and failed entirely (replaced under warrantee). So it’s a really nice bike, but I’d have to knock my opinion down to a 3 of 5, based on these issues.
Court Rye says
Thanks for the critical input here Rick! Sorry to hear that a few of the parts have failed on your bike. Hopefully future versions will have a stronger joystick interface, I’ve heard a couple people mention that this can become unresponsive with wear over time.
Spyridon says
I purchased the Specialized Turbo but had many problems and the dealer was not able to provide much help. Here is the log of me explaining problems and trying to get help from them.
Court Rye says
Thanks for sharing your experience Spyridon, so sorry to hear that there were issues with your bike… It appears that you’re located in Europe or perhaps somewhere outside of the US? Do you mind sharing where, it sounds like it was hard to get support there :(
Spyridon says
Hi and thanks for the hospitality. I am located in Greece. The European headquarters located in Holland. A friend in Germany’s Specialized inform me there is a big supply of parts for Turbo. Everything like batteries, motors, and everything you can imagine. The Greek distributor also is for Cyprus and Malta. I checked all the emails between Holland’s and Greek’s, and believe it or not there is a mess from Holland. They can’t give a solution.
As already check the U.S. specialized don’t even answer to my problem. A company like specialized the first thing has to do after a lot of days is to replace the bike. Also as anyone who check the history they will knew the technician for Turbo he is not anymore in Specialized. The first time they told me that I won’t believe it, but then I check it with my connection and is 100% truth. I shared my so far experience with this site because people have to know what is happened, and also for the purchase for the bike your review helped me to decide a lot.
To give 6000 for a bike is for people who need something special and give them some new experience like nothing so far, and the turbo the first 29 days it was great. Of course I also have a great road bike for my training. Now the only thing I want is my money back. I can’t have a bike with no tech support and every time something wrong I have nightmares. This is the reputation of Specialized. Thank you again and keep going with great reviews.
Court Rye says
Yeah, that’s just such a bummer. I’m so sorry the bike didn’t work out for you and I hope that things will be resolved. My goal is to help people find great bikes and it is sad when they have a bad experience because it impacts the entire space. Thanks Spyridon for sharing here.
early adopter says
I’ve had the 2014 Specialized Turbo S for 8 months. The controller unit on the handlebar has been replaced 3 times!!!!! Electric bikes can’t be that complicated, but Specialized seems unable to get it right. Buy one if the shop is walking distance to where you live.
Overspeed says
I’ve had my turbo s for two months and not a single problem so far. Love the bike, using it to commute to work, 20 mile round trip, uses between 50-60% of the battery in Turbo mode. Its gotten me active.. worth every penny.
Court Rye says
Wow, that’s awesome! Pretty great range there, especially in Turbo mode. Thanks for the testimonial and data… Feel free to share your height and weight here to help other similar sized riders if you feel comfortable doing so :)
Overspeed says
Short and 220 lb’s – looking to get back to 160lb’s – should make a difference to acceleration and range :)
Early adopter says
New update: first 8 months, 3 control units. Month 9, new battery. Month 11: dead motor. Total miles: 2800. The bike is fun when it works. Quality control is non-existent. specialized should take it back. I’ll see what they end up doing.
Spyridon says
Update. 1200 km so far. They replaced the controller on my Turbo S 2014 because it stops backlit, and was unreadable at night. I was wait for replacement three months. The new battery so far works great. At the controller once I saw M ERR message. They still don’t replace the wheels as out of the box they damaged. The lights sometimes they refused to ON or OFF from the controller and only from the button on the front light. Of course is fun and pleasure to ride it. At 29th of April I have a curt against Greek distributor. As said in my previous message they don’t give a bother about a customer.
Court Rye says
Thanks for your feedback Spyridon, I’m sorry that the purchase has had some rough moments and I hope they continue to smooth out. It’s great to hear that you enjoy riding the bike when it does work :)
Rick says
The comments from “early adopter” are troubling in the apparent conclusion of enjoying thousands of miles with only occasional five minute, except for motor replacement, service swapout issues before ‘giving’ it back.
First bike miles are not the same as car ones, anymore then scooter or cycle odometer readings book out depreciation wise comparably. Government auctions routinely give away police traffic Harlie’s for pennies on the dollar often after only a few thousand miles.
The reviewer’s name is ignored by the ultimate attitude of no quality control. The manufacturer is not about the reliability of the dashboard. If there was a safety issue it would be different. Strategic failure engineering is awesomely important but there is silence on that.
For those of us who want the talent on knowledge real bike builders build to have minds open to incorporating modern materials and systems being a relatively early adopter, if we are to become the main presence on roads, as we must, we all now are, still, then we must be tolerant to unintentional however apparently avoidable issues like those mentioned.
The Chevy volt just shed a few hundred pounds. Yet we carp about delta’s of fractional dozen between models.
I believe any bike company that does not support the weak legged is soon to not be mainstream. For commuting being able to procure something that weighs less then us and is not the work of idiots or zealots but rather is a tool, of non-sociopathic design, even in cities, remains a challenge that this company pursues as a pioneer, a true hero, and one I have no difficulty forgiving for costing dollars a mile in the worst case to use it’s flagship model.
Judging it by mean time between failures anecdotally is like wanting gigs of foreign continent roaming for free on your watch. Just swap it out every few hundred miles for a new one and your reliability concerns are addressed largely. This is what the automakers do for years with there ‘innovations’ like seat-belts etc. before being forced to bring them to actual market.
Perhaps there is a lesson here about how not to stand behind one’s product- do not make it to easy or free to get repairs. Do not encourage someone who would not pay for the work to remain a customer, at the first sign of there unrealistic expectations pay what you need to to look fair to get the product back, and put it into someones hands who understands the risks being mutually taken better.
Ty says
Any idea when the 2016 model Turbo S will be available? And do you know the confirmed upgrades? Very much considering purchasing one of these but due to the price, I might as well wait for the 2016’s. Thanks
Court Rye says
Hi Ty! No clue… I haven’t heard anything about it, just the new Turbo Mountain eBike that was launched in Europe (looks like we might see that model early next year).
lfogelquist says
Hi Court… I just wanted to thank you for the GREAT review of the 2014-2015 Turbo S. I learned a lot of valuable information about this bike. For instance, why, when it’s in no assist mode is it harder to pedal? Mystery solved! So far I’ve put almost 500 miles on the bike without any significant issues. I’m totally in love with it. And it’s all but replaced my car. So I guess that’s it… just wanted to express my gratitude… and also thanks so much for the great work that you’re doing. I really believe that eBikes are the wave of the future and your site has become the ‘go to’ site for my questions.
Court Rye says
Awesome! Glad the details here have helped you to master your bike, sounds like you’re really enjoying it :D
Donna Baker says
I’m thinking about purchasing a 2014 Turbo S bike with a 28” designation on the back wheel electric gear cylinder. I am 5’6”. Is this bike a correct size for my height? I tried it out and was able to set the seat to get a full leg extension, but wasn’t sure since I couldn’t compare the bike to a larger frame, fsbo situation.
Court says
Hi Donna! I wonder which frame size you were on? The Turbo is an awesome ebike, but batteries and displays can wear out and be difficult to replace when you’re dealing with a very custom high performance ebike. If you go for it, I’d suggest looking over the bike closely to make sure that the prior owner was careful with it. My own Specialized mountain bike is from that same time period, but it’s not electric, so most of the components are easier to deal with and replace if needed.