Specialized has launched a grocery-getting, kid-moving machine that’s equipped with top-level features. The e-cargo bike is called the Specialized Turbo Porto. While most e-cargo bikes ship without accessories, the Porto comes with some well-considered ones, so you can put it to work right away.
The Specialized Turbo Porto drive unit
At the heart of the Specialized Turbo Porto is the company’s 2.2 motor, made in partnership with Brose. It provides you with 90 Nm of torque, which is more than some eMTBs. The 710-Wh battery has enough juice for roughly five hours of riding. Speaking of five-hours, that’s also the amount of time it takes to charge it fully. The head unit—the MasterMind Turbo Connect Display—lets you select one of three assist modes: eco, sport and turbo. You can customize the behaviour of each level using Specialized’s app. Also, as you are riding, you can switch into Micro Tune, which lets you set assist levels on the fly.
While not part of the drive unit, the Garmin rear radar is wired into the system. It’s like a set of eyes watching the road behind you. It will alert you when there’s a vehicle approaching.
Other key components of the Specialized Turbo Porto
The Turbo Porto uses the Enviolo shifting system. It has a belt drive, and no gears. Yup. No gears. When you use the grip shift, you don’t select cogs or set crank-to-wheel-rotation ratios. Instead, the bearings and rings within the rear hub let you move through a range of ratios smoothly, not in steps. I’m sure you’ve found yourself wanting a gear right between, say, the fourth and fifth cog. Well, with the Enviolo system, you have a seemingly infinite amount of settings between the top and bottom end of the range.
A set of four-piston Tektro Dorado brakes bring the Turbo Porto to a stop. They work in conjunction with 203-mm-diameter rotors.
A mullet setup for an e-cargo bike
The bike has a low centre of gravity to keep it stable, especially under loads. It can handle a maximum weight, rider and cargo, of 160 kg. The bike itself ain’t light, about 40 kg, which is comparable to the Trek Fetch+ 2. The frame has a step-through design so it’s easy to get on and off.
The Specialized Turbo Porto can fit riders from 155 cm to 195 cm (5′ to 6’4″). Its stem and seatpost are adjustable.
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