Tero X5 posts

The X Teros are long gone in the UK, but in 2026 the city-focussed Specialized Vado 3 range was updated and some got the X (full sus) treatment, with an entry level X 4.0, the midrange X 5.0 I’m comparing here, and the premium X 6.0 with all the digital bells and whistles. And soon after, the Levo 4 X ‘Electric Overland’ came out – a racked up carbon Levo going for over £12,000.

These new-for-2026 Specialized urban-trekking or overlanding X bikes more or less pick up where the do-it-all X Teros left off a few years ago, so without ever seeing either bike, let’s compare my 2023 Tero X5 with the new Vado 3 X 5.0 and Levo 4 X. Are the new bikes better, and if yes, how? First, a quick comparison table.

So, compared to my Tero X5, the Vado and Levo batteries are 15% bigger (plus optional 280Wh bottle cage extender), the motors have at least 50% more torque and 40% more peak power, and the Vado tyres are now fat 27.5 x 2.6 cruisers all round. The Levo X stays mullet. With the Vado there’s a full rack with a built-in key lock, plus integrated lights, kickstand, bell, fenders and a slim front rack option. The Levo X gets a front- and a huge cantilever rear rack off the rear suspension (10kg + 12kg rated) but no lights or stand. Or bell.

The Vado’s TCD display is integrated into the handlebar stem (above), as is the front light, with the rear light (with brake light) integrated higher into the rack. The battery now loads and locks much more neatly from the side, has a better port cover and claims to be IP67. Same on the Levo.
On both new bikes the rear air shocks are now inline with the top tube, freeing up room in the front triangle for full sized bottles, and where there are no less than three pairs of bottle mounts. The Vado’s remote switch cluster is different (hopefully more waterproof), with full beam control, and the front cabling dives straight into the height adjustable head tube and is much tidier. Same on the Levo.

Overall, all the Vado refinements are improvements: more acceleration, less damage prone lights and display (though the handlebar is no longer normal), OE Schrader valves (hidden in all studio pics) and more space in the triangle. The whole battery access and locking set up has been much improved on both, and I don’t think a front 27.5 tyre would massively detract off-road on a bike that now weighs 33-kilos in XL with just 130mm of travel.
The motor from the current Levo 4 has masses of power – ‘0-25kph in 3 seconds’ – but that just means more drivetrain wear, and you wonder how well a fat-tyred, 33-kilo Vado rolls on the flat beyond the 25kph cut-off. The Levo comes with the ‘Electric Overland’ slogan but is it really? Four hours of battery and a rear rack that hangs out in another time zone.
The Vado 3 X costs £5900 in the UK so I can’t see it being any more of a hit than the Tero was. Watch out for UK discounts in a year or so. If I lost my Tero X5 tomorrow with little chance of finding another one as good, I’d probably just get the best suspended Levo of which there are loads in the UK, then add the travel gear I needed.