Without a doubt the very best ebike to carry on board a superyacht is the GoCycle. It is stylish, lightweight, does not rust and can be folded away and stowed into the smallest of spaces. As regular readers of this website will know, we have owned two of the range upgrading when each new and innovative model was released and I still believe it to be the best choice any Captain considering buying a new ebike could make.
But times change and the fact is, we are doing less yachting and more land cruising in Voyager, our custom designed campervan. So, we have decided to invest in new ebikes to carry as tenders to our very own landyacht.
We still need a superlight bike with a good range, but we no longer needed the ability for it to fold. Further, we have found that as we tour the UK in Voyager, there are times when we need to cycle along canal side tow paths and rougher terrain. This meant we were seeking a larger wheel size and a wider tyre.
So we have bought two perfectly balanced Super Light Turbo Como 5.0 e-bikes from Specialized the Californian based manufacturer. For us it seems the best combination of power, range, and usability in a comfort e-bike.
Test riding a bike is essential before you cough up the cash and that’s where we are luck. Our small independent ebike specialist allows all would be customers to test ride any bike from their very extensive stock of brands and models. We sat down with Tony one of the sales managers at Energise E Bikes and gave him our long list of requirements. It was his idea that we try the 5.0 although when I first saw it I was less than impressed. But when Tony said the front basket could be removed and once that had happened, I was much happier with the look of the bike.
The Turbo Como Super Light (SL) is designed for running around town and beyond. Able to carry twice its weight in cargo, it’s a surprising all round bike that’s as exciting to ride as it is easy to own.
We particularly love the low-maintenance easy-ownership that comes from the Internal gear hub and belt drive. This system protects the working gears from the weather and road grime, extends their life up to four times that of a derailleur/chain drive, and eliminates chain grease completely. Best of all, we can shift gears anytime, yes, even when stopped—take that traffic lights.
The Turbo Como Super Light’s design is ready to go whenever you are—day and night, rain or shine—with battery-powered integrated lights, mudguards, and plenty of storage capability.
The 320Wh battery is securely hidden in the downtube, making it almost indistinguishable from a regular bike at first glance. But on days when we want to do more, we can attach the optional range extender which fits into the bottle carrier and ride up to 93 miles without needing to recharge.
It has 8-speed Alfine internal gears for shifting that can be used when stopped, extended bike performance, and minimal at-home bike maintenance.
Power assistance comes from a custom lightweight 240W motor that offers up to 180% assistance and speeds up to 28mph.
We like the bright, integrated front and rear lighting that allows us to see and be seen and Frances likes the frame-mounted front rack with a basket and top net. I have to confess this makes the bike look somewhat girly in my opinion. So on my bike, it has been removed and looks all the better for it.
But in order that I can carry my fair share of cargo, the bikes are always fitted with mounted pannier-compatible rear racks. To these, we have added Aqua Black delux Pannier bags that cost around £75 each.
The bikes own turbo connect display computer is included in the price and was centrally located on the handlebars between the handles. We have removed these and much prefer to use our iPhones which we mount in its place. The Drytech mud guards are incredibly effective at doing what they are meant to and really keep us dry.
We really like the clean internal cable routing and reflective graphics.
Durable 650b wheels paired with Nimbus 2.3 tires smooth out rough roads, and trail tracks and hydraulic disc brakes make for maximum stopping power.
We made a couple of changes to the standard bike. Firstly, we added our gel saddles we had earlier put on our GoCycles and replaced the ones the bike came with but even had we not done this, I still feel the ride would have been comfortable. The second change we made was to add suspension to the seat post by adding a Thudbuster ST G4 shock absorber to cushion the bumps when we go off road.
With all our mods the bikes came in at £4500 each. Not cheap but I think we will get our money’s worth from our new Turbo Como Super Light 5.0 ebikes from Specialized