The term ‘mobility’ is hot at the moment. People want options when it comes to getting from A to B and bicycles are a great way to do just that. Rather than jumping in the car or taking the bus, certain types of bikes provide an alternative way of travel and an e-bike – like the Turbo Tero X from Specialized that we’re looking at today – is an ideal mobility solution. 

Specialized says that the Turbo Tero X is a bike designed to do it all, from mid-week trail sessions to the rainy slog to the shops. It’s got loads of storage options as a result while blending the look of a usual mountain bike with that of a cargo shopper.

Inside, it’s got some of Specialized’s latest e-motor technology to help keep the pedals turning no matter what the gradient. But most importantly, this e-motor means that you can really rely on the Turbo Tero X as an alternative form of mobility, though it does come with its drawbacks as we’ll look at later. 

But should you ditch the season ticket and take the Turbo Tero X instead? We’ve been out on a variety of different routes and surfaces to see if this ‘go anywhere’ bike from Specialized is up to the challenge of daily travel. It’s certainly got more than enough tech on board, but bells and whistles aren’t always the be-all and end-all when it comes to life on two wheels. Let’s take a look in a little more detail. 

Sphere Score

For

• Super easy to get along with thanks to intuitive controls 
• Great ride quality 
• Just as capable off-road as on road 
• Motor has enough performance for most occasions

Against

• Very heavy 
• Looks might not be for everyone
• Mudguards feel a little flimsy

Tech specs

• £3,750
• Specialized e-motor with 50Nm of torque and 530kW battery
• Up to 68 miles of range of five hours on one charge when in eco mode
• Rear rack can carry up to 20kg
• RockShox Recon Silver RL front fork
• RockShox Deluxe Select R rear shock

What is the Turbo Tero X like to ride?

The Turbo Tero X 4.0 has a slightly lower height than you might be expecting. The good news is that because of this it’s a doddle to get on and off, while the standard-fit dropper post means that you adjust the saddle on the fly at the press of a switch on the handlebars. We found – as we have with other Specialized models – that the regular saddle which comes included is pretty firm, so we might be tempted to swap this out for a different version. 

However, once you’re up and rolling things are easy as pie. You can toggle through the trio of riding modes on the left-hand side of the bars, switching between Eco, Trail and Turbo modes. During a stretch on canal paths, Eco was more than enough and helped add a little extra zip to our ride, while Trail was – as you might expect – the go-to choice when heading further afield.

We didn’t trouble Turbo mode too much, in fact, as Trail felt like it provided plenty of assistance. The electric motor comes in intuitively, however, and you don’t get a big hit of power but rather a steadier application. It just means that the whole bike feels settled with an extra boost coming in just when you need it. 

Interestingly, the Turbo Tero X 4.0 comes with what’s known as a ‘mullet’ tyre configuration with a 29-inch at the front and a 27.5 at the rear. It helps the bike to feel quite composed no matter the conditions or surfaces, while the Specialized Ground Control tyres key in nicely to the dirt. If you’re spending more time on-road, then we’d switch these out for a slicker setup and we reckon the Turbo Tero X 4.0 would get a real wriggle on. 

The compact screen is usefully designed, too. Again, there’s a switch to control it on the left-hand side of the bars and you can toggle between different readouts with more information. It’s handy being able to see how long and how far you’ve been riding and it can even show you the distance you’ve climbed. It’s clear and has good graphics, plus there’s added functionality if you connect the bike to the Specialized app. 

Our test bike’s SRAM G2 RE brakes were incredibly squeaky during our ride, though the four-piston setup at the front and rear did provide plenty of stopping power despite the racket. The SRAM SX Eagle gear setup was smooth-shifting and reliable, too, while the good spread of ratios means you’re never left flailing away in a gear you don’t feel comfortable in. The wide bars give you a stable platform for climbing or descending as well and the standard grips feel good in your hands. 

The mudguards are a handy feature to help keep the grime at bay, though you might notice that the front one is missing from our photos – a slight bend in the material meant that it fouled the wheel. However, we reckon that a quick spell with a heat gun could sort this out. 

At 23.6kg, the Turbo Tero X 4.0 is quite heavy and positioning it can prove quite the task. You’ll struggle to heft it over a fence, that’s for sure, but there is handy stand to keep it upright when you are stopped. Compare it to the Crux Expert – one of the lightest bikes that Specialized makes – and it’s quite the beast. However, the centre of gravity is nice and low so it doesn’t feel unwieldy at lower speeds while we’ve got to give a special mention to the Lezyne 500 Lumen headlight which runs off the bike’s power; it’s massively powerful and is a real plus-point. It’s coupled with a Lezyne rear light to ensure you’re seen no matter the conditions. 

So should you buy it?

It’s actually quite hard to find any drawbacks with the Specialized Turbo Tero X 4.0. At £3,750, it’s still quite expensive but sits at the entry-level of the Turbo Tero range. However, it’s an awful lot more fun than taking the train – though at this price we’d be a little hesitant to leave it out at your destination, even if you can disable the motor and activate a motion sensor alarm with Specialized’s app. 

As an all-rounder, it’s really impressive. Thanks to its clever racking system and included lights, it’ll never baulk at the daily commute but, courtesy of its more mountain bike-like geometry and quality components, it’ll prove great fun off-road as well. A real mobility solution? We reckon that the Turbo Tero X 4.0 is one of the best options about.