Specialized Turbo Tero X ebike harnesses mountain bike tech for cargo

Full suspension meets 90Nm electric motor, 12-speed SRAM Eagle drivetrain and 20kg-capacity rear rack

This competition is now closed

By Jack Evans

Published: February 28, 2023 at 5:00 pm

Specialized has launched the Turbo Tero X, an electric bike designed for transporting heavy loads over rough surfaces in comfort.

The new full-suspension "SUV in ebike form" has the range and carrying capacity for a weekend camping trip or a full grocery shop with children in tow, according to the brand.

The Turbo Tero X will sit alongside the existing hardtail Specialized Turbo Tero in the brand's electric mountain bike range.

Besides rear suspension, the Turbo Tero X gains a further 20mm of front travel versus the Turbo Tero, plus more features of the best commuter bikes as standard.

The entry-level Turbo Tero X 4.0 costs £4,000 / $4,500 / €4,350 / AU$7,200. The mid-tier Turbo Tero X 5.0 costs £5,000 / $5,500 / €5,200 / AU$8,900, while the top-spec Turbo Tero X 6.0 costs £6,000 / $6,500 / €6,200 / AU$10,900.

The whole Turbo Tero X range is equipped with a kickstand, mudguards, integrated front and rear bike lights and a 20kg-capacity rear rack.

Furthermore, the Turbo Tero X can accommodate the Specialized Front Rack and Adventure Plate. These can carry an additional 10kg in total.

In order to fit a rear trailer, Specialized says the rider can swap the standard thru-axle for a trailer-compatible 148x12mm thru-axle. The tow limit of 60kg is enough to carry children, according to the brand.

Specialized says the combination of 130mm of front and 120mm of rear travel enables the rider to remain seated over potholes, bumps and rocks, without causing excessive movement.

The handlebar-actuated dropper post is included to make the bike easier to dismount – for example, at traffic lights when riding to work – according to the US brand.

The mullet setup pairs a 29in front wheel with a 27.5in rear wheel. Specialized says this is to lower the rider's centre of gravity, which should increase ride stability and control.

The exception is on the smallest frame size, where both wheels are 27.5in.

The Specialized Turbo Tero X is powered by a proprietary 250W electric bike motor. The Turbo Tero X 5.0 and Turbo Tero X 6.0 each have a 710Wh battery, while the Turbo Tero X 4.0 drops down to 530Wh capacity.

Specialized estimates the range is up to 130km in Eco mode at 25km/h or up to 110km at 32km/h, depending on the type of battery and motor.

The bikes use Specialized's Turbo System display. It has Eco, Trail and Turbo modes, while the ‘Microshift’ option enables the rider to adjust assistance level in 10 per cent increments.

The removable battery is housed in the down tube. It can be charged on and off the bike and locked with a supplied key.

The bottom bracket mount can carry a bike lock, although this isn't supplied with the bike.

For additional security, the ‘Turbo System Lock’ disables the electric bike motor and activates a motion sensor. This triggers an alarm if someone moves the bike without unlocking it via the Mission Control app on your smartphone.

The rider can also connect a heart rate monitor via Bluetooth or ANT+ to the Turbo System. Using the Smart Control option, the rider can tailor the level of motor assist to maintain a specific heart-rate range.

Software updates to the Turbo Tero X come through the Mission Control app over Bluetooth.

The bikes are built around the same Specialized E5-level aluminium frame.

The more expensive models are equipped with higher-spec 12-speed SRAM GX Eagle drivetrains, RockShox suspension forks and more powerful motors and batteries.

Fork: RockShox Recon Silver RL, lockout, 130mm, mudguard mounts

Shock: RockShox Deluxe Select R, 45x190mm

Motor: Specialized 2.0E, 50Nm torque, 250W

Battery: Specialized U2-530, 530Wh

Drivetain: SRAM SX Eagle, 12-speed

Front brake: SRAM G2 RE, E-MTB specific brake, 4-piston caliper, hydraulic, 200mm rotor

Rear brake: Praxis forged M30

Wheels: Roval Traverse 27.5, hookless alloy, 30mm inner width, tubeless ready

Tyres: Ground Control Grid T7, 2Bliss Ready

Lights: Lezyne ebike Classic STV50 E500, 500 Lumen, 12V

Handlebar: Specialized Trail, 6061 alloy, 8-degree backsweep, 6-degree upsweep, 27mm rise, 31.8mm clamp

Stem: Specialized Stealth Stem, alloy, 14 deg, 31.8mm

Seatpost: TranzX dropper, 34.9mm

Weight: 26.7kg

Fork: RockShox 35 Silver TK, lockout, 130mm, mudguard mounts

Shock: RockShox Deluxe Select R, 45x190mm

Motor: Specialized 2.0, 70Nm torque, 250W

Battery: Specialized U2-710, 710Wh

Drivetain: SRAM GX Eagle, 12-speed

Front brake: SRAM Code R, 4-piston caliper, hydraulic disc, 220mm

Rear brake: SRAM Code R, 4-piston caliper, hydraulic disc, 180mm

Wheels: Roval Traverse 27.5, hookless alloy, 30mm inner width, tubeless ready

Tyres: Ground Control Grid T7, 2Bliss Ready

Front light: Lezyne ebike super STVZO E600, 600 Lumen, 12V

Rear light: Lezyne ebike fender rear STVZO, 12V

Handlebar: Specialized Trail, 6061 alloy, 8-degree backsweep, 6-degree upsweep, 27mm rise, 31.8mm clamp

Stem: Specialized Stealth Stem, alloy, 14 deg, 31.8mm

Seatpost: TranzX dropper, 34.9mm

Weight: 27.2kg

Fork: RockShox Lyric Select+, 130mm

Shock: RockShox Deluxe Select+ 45x190mm

Motor: Specialized Full Power 2.2, 250W / 90Nm

Battery: 710Wh

Drivetrain: SRAM X01 Eagle, 12-speed

Front brake: SRAM Code RSC, 4-piston caliper, hydraulic disc, 200mm

Rear brake: SRAM Code RSC, 4-piston caliper, hydraulic disc, 200mm

Wheels: Roval Traverse 27.5, hookless alloy, 30mm inner width, tubeless ready

Tyres: Ground Control Grid T7, 2Bliss Ready

Front lights: Lezyne ebike Super HB STVZO E1000, 1,000 lumen, 12V

Rear light: Lezyne ebike fender brake alert STVZO, 12V

Handlebar: Specialized Trail, 6061 alloy, 8-degree backsweep, 6-degree upsweep, 27mm rise, 31.8mm clamp

Stem: Specialized Stealth Stem, alloy, 14 deg, 31.8mm

Seatpost: X-Fusion Manic, handlebar remote, 34.9mm

Weight: 26.4kg

Digital Writer

Jack Evans is a digital writer for BikeRadar.com Jack learnt to ride on rough Cotswold trails before switching to tarmac in his teens. Gravel riding and cyclocross racing (badly) has since taken him back to his roots. Most at home scaling south Wales climbs, Jack more commonly escapes his home in Birmingham via the lanes and bridleways of Worcestershire, riding either his Canyon Ultimate road bike or Canyon Grail gravel bike. He wishes he was as good at riding as he is drinking espresso. But he has completed the 296km Dragon Devil sportive in under 10 hours and finished in the top 100 at the 2022 UK National Hill Climb Championships. Jack is an NCTJ-trained journalist and a former press agency hack with bylines in The Times, Daily Telegraph and Daily Mirror. He was once electrocuted for a Sun frontpage exclusive and taste-tested camel milk for The Times.

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