If this were my bike, Id for sure fit a Butcher up front with the new T9 rubber compound to improve traction even further. Workouts on the e-bike did not come without faults. The Specialized Turbo Levo SL Expert Carbon is an agile eMTB that allows you to easily forget it's electric when you're out on the trails. If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments! At 190cm tall, I would have preferred a bit more reach to feel comfortable descending at speed. We ended up riding more than usual. Pricing is TBC. We recently tested the Orbea Rise M10, which is the most prominent competitor to the Specialized Levo SL Expert Carbon. Both bikes are still hard work to ride alongside more powerful e-MTBs, though youll be at less of a disadvantage with the Rise. The Specialized Levo SL Expert Carbon is ideally suited to anyone who wants to up their off-road game with an electric mountain bike. - Active, traction-seeking suspension The price range varies from $11,100 AUD for the entry-level Levo SL Comp, and goes up to a dizzying $22,300 AUD for the S-Works Levo SL. Adding to that is the design, which is clearly the end product of a seasoned team whove developed bikes for a long time. Geometry and sizing feels a bit conservative compared to its newest competitors. E-bikes are bicycles with a battery-powered assist that comes via pedaling, so when you push the pedals a motor engages and gives you a boost. On our Medium sized test bike, it means theres almost a perfect 50:50 split between the reach and rear centre length. Lighter weight and less powerful, this is the e-bike for the rider who seeks a "regular" trail bike experience with a just a little pedal assistance View at Specialized Price: $7,000 List Manufacturer: Specialized By Jeremy Benson, Joshua Hutchens, Chris McNamara Mar 7, 2022 72 OVERALL SCORE RANKED #7 of 7 Downhill Performance - 30% 9.0 Electrical assistance is limited to 240W of power, whereas the regular Levo can deliver up to 565W. Seb studied experimental physics at university, and he's now happily using his degree experimenting with and testing different mountain bike setups, trying to work out what works best and why. The Butcher front tire and Eliminator rubber at the rear deliver substantial dollops of grip on loose ground, though fair less well on hard, wet surfaces. The result is a much heavier bike that weighs in at 22.06kg for the Levo Pro weve been testing. Author is *not* training for DH. Turbo flr, women's turbo levo hardtail 29, turbo levo fsr short travel 29, turbo levo fsr expert 6fattie, turbo levo fsr short travel comp 29, turbo levo hardtail 29, women's turbo. According to Specialized, because the cable tethers it to the bike, combined with the side-entry bottle cage, it makes dropping the range extender a non-issue. Squish duties are handled by a Fox Performance 34 Float fork and Fox Float DPS Performance rear shock on the Expert Carbon model. Heres how it works. 2020 Specialized Levo SL Expert Carbon Contact Specialized https://www.specialized.com Weight 17.6kg Positives - Easy, intuitive handling package sets a whole new standard - Smooth and efficient motor performance - Clean and practical frame design - Mission Control app offers huge tuning potential Negatives - Rattly internal cables The finishing details are well considered, with secure cable ports and an effective chainstay protector that does well to quieten chain-slap. Youd rather stick with a cheap and cheerful electric mountain bike. Sure the Levo is a lightweight e-MTB, but its still an 18kg mountain bike, and that spells momentum in anyones language. Admittedly the Float DPX2 shock doesnt feel drastically different to the DPS, but the piggyback reservoir means that the higher oil volume is more resistant to heat build-up. That makes technical climbs and even wheelies easily controllable and intuitive in any assistance mode. As mentioned earlier, the Levo and Levo SL both share the same amount of rear wheel travel at 150mm. Even if youre not a fan of premium price tags, its hard not to concede that the Specialized Levo SL Expert Carbon model does represent good value for money. Changing from the stock 0.6 volume spacer to a bigger 0.86 spacer did the trick, making a considerable improvement to the suspension performance. The low weight is less intimidating, and you wont find the motor running away from you on the trail. Perhaps the most appealing aspect of this, and the bike as a whole, is that purists who dont feel immediately drawn to using electric power can enjoy their time on this bike by riding it without assistance. It's a fun fitness and technical skills challenge. The 66 head angle and 51mm fork offset provides nice and light steering, and the whole bike initiates turns easily without fuss. Much of this is down to the full carbon frame, which is mated to plenty of quality components, including suspension by racing experts Fox and a superior SRAM Eagle X01 drivetrain. You can even use the app to set a target heart rate and the bike will provide more assistance if your heart rate goes above this number or drop the assistance when it gets too low. I can upload workouts from TrainerRoad onto the display of the Wahoo Element Bolt computer. Id also love to see Specialized incorporate some of the adjustable geometry features found on the latest Levo and Kenevo SL, particularly the option to adjust the chainstay length. Thats a hefty difference that youll appreciate when loading the bike into the back of a car, and its also very noticeable on the trail. 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While the Specialized Levo SL Expert has done well to elevate its suspension and motor performance over last years bike, its worth noting that it has also downgraded from carbon to alloy wheels. For example, there are plenty of roads and moto trails to ride around the Boise, Idaho, area where I live and train. Originally, I was using Specialized's Mission Control app and its Smart Control feature paired with the Wahoo heart rate monitor. Its already been rolled out through the production line, so it came preinstalled on our Levo SL Expert Carbon test bike. Updated e-bike gets 700Wh battery for increased range TrainerRoad provided me a structured training plan designed to reach peak fitness for the Downieville Classic. yup. I broke my wrist near the end of summer 2020. Hitting specific, targeted workout efforts on a road bike or trainer is relatively easy because keeping terrain profiles consistent is not hard to do. Nothing! As youll see from looking at any of the other best e-bike models on the market, theres something to suit any kind of cycling interest. My experience has been mixed: I haven't raced in a few years and haven't been actively "training", but I have been focused on progressing my technical/downhill skills over that same time period. The suspension rate is quite linear, which means its very plush and comfortable, something you do appreciate during seated climbing on rough sections of trail. That goal is only possible with on-trail experience. The trails that I spend most of my time on include massive climbs. Federgabel: RockShox Reba SL 150 mm Dmpfer: RockShox Monarch Plus RT 135 mm Pedale: BC Flatpedals Griffe: Ride Alpha DH Motor/Batterie: Specialized Custom/ Turbo 1.3 460 Wh Schaltung: SRAM NX Bremsen: SRAM Level T 200/200 mm Vorbau: Specialized Trail 55 mm Lenker: Specialized 780 mm Laufrder: Roval Traverse 27.5" Reifen: Specialized Butcher . There was already a lot to like about the original Specialized Levo SL Expert we tested last year. - Intuitive power delivery, - Motor is still quite noisy On the trail the Levo dishes out way more power than the Levo SL. I got my 2018 comp carbon levo down to 20.7 kilos, i dont understand how they can ask the same money for a bike that has less battery, frame and motor weight, and really only saving +2kilos. But for a trail bike, the handling is well-balanced and easy to get used to when riding mellower terrain. Cleverly, the app uses the barometer in your phone to measure elevation changes, along with the bikes inbuilt odometer to measure distance. I investigated options for automatic motor control based on my body's output. Its a fun bike to ride, and it hides its weight well. Seems like a fun tool to have in the quiver if you have the coin for it, but maybe not necessarily the most cost effective. The remainder would be low intensity. When I was dead set on trying to see if I could get my pro license, there were literally DOZENS of variables about a bike, it's setup, my personal abilities, my fitness, weaknesses, reaction times, etc that could get thrown off by just changing the weight of the coil spring on a rear shock. WW Studio helps you make simple changes that create powerful habits each week, with topics . If youre keen to know more about the new compounds and casing options, check out our Specialized tyre review. The low weight is the obvious drawcard for the Specialized Levo SL. The motor performance is exceptional, and its also much quieter than the whiney drive unit on the Levo SL. From the rest to interval portions of the work, I can use the Levo SL's motor, as well as its built in power meter. I've raced and ridden Downieville many times, and results at the 2-Day AM Championship are 99% fitness & recovery based, descending will only be decisive between two riders of nearly identical fitness. There are four models in the current Specialized Levo SL range, with both alloy and carbon frames on offer. In their place youll now find a Fox 36 GRIP2 fork and a Float DPX2 piggyback shock. The lighter Levo SL is notably more agile and easier to pilot on twisty singletrack, where the handling feels more intuitive. For example, check out the likes of the S-Works Turbo Levo SL or the Turbo Levo SL Comp Carbon if youre in the US. Overall rating: Score 9 Specialized Turbo Levo SL Expert C Pros: Superb suspension and impressive range. Expensive considering the parts package. He's raced downhill, enduro and cross-country, and while no athlete, still enters the occasional race. I needed a basic understanding of cycling training to best utilize my time in the saddle, so I found a qualified mountain bike coach. This descent is the closest a rider in the area can get to some prolonged DH- or enduro-level skill and speed training without heading a few hours up into the mountains. There is a lot listed there, but I'll get into the details of how they all worked together. Previously the motor could cut out during choppy pedalling, and it also struggled to react during high-RPM bursts on technical climbs. Really awesome article. To suit our 70-75kg riding weight range, we ran the low-speed rebound just five clicks off the fastest setting (13/18 clicks), and the low-speed compression dial a third of the . Wheels | Roval Traverse SL, Carbon Rims, 30mm Inner Rim Width; . The light steering means it is twitchier at high speeds, and it doesnt inspire as much confidence when pointing down near-vertical chutes. Also interesting was the increased range over the Kenevo SL. The Levo SL's motor and power meter assisted me with staying consistent and hitting the my workout's effort range (in watts). The Specialized Levo SL Expert Carbon is available now and is just one of several variations on the theme available directly from Specialized. Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only). I have a lot of training knowledge when it pertains to running. The problem was the system's exclusive reliance on heart rate. The Specialized Turbo Levo SL Expert C gets its own Fact m11 carbon frame that builds into an impressive 18.57kg (40.94lb) complete bike. It also helps that the Levo SL is one of the lightest e-bikes available. The Traverse wheels are only a little bit heavier (1,947g confirmed), and perhaps theres an argument that an alloy wheelset is a more practical choice for an e-MTB, since alloy rims are much cheaper to replace. Not helping things, the rear brake calliper on our test bike suffered from sticky pistons right out of the box, resulting in some irritating brake rub. Experienced riders with good fitness will appreciate the spry handling and playful nature of the Levo SL. The main difference here is the more powerful motor on the Rise, which sucks more energy but also gives you a slightly higher average climbing speed. On an acoustic' bike (non-motorized bicycle), you dont cover any ground. This makes climbing without assistance far easier than most e-bikes, which usually sport big chainrings and smaller cassettes (as well as more weight). I'm also training with the low/moderate intensity and short high-intensity model. Those newer Specialized models also feature the snazzy MasterMind TCU display, and we really like the crisp glass screen and how it displays the battery level as a percentage. Our test bike is the Levo SL Expert Carbon, which is a full $7K cheaper than the S-Works model. The charge port door is simple but effective, and I like that it takes just 2.5 hours to fully charge the battery. I've demo'ed a Levo SL, it's so much fun! I steadily bumped up the pressure until I was up at 220psi with just 25% sag. Since he's been all-digital he has run the Innovation channel during a few years at Microsoft as well as turning out regular news, reviews, features and other content for the likes of TechRadar, TechRadar Pro, Tom's Guide, Fit&Well, Gizmodo, Shortlist, Automotive Interiors World, Automotive Testing Technology International, Future of Transportation and Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology International. This is an electric mountain bike that is lightweight but strong. Turbo Levo SL Expert Carbon Rider Reviews 4.9 15 Reviews Write a review 1 2 Sort By: 08/21/2022 Money well spent The bike is amazing. The Stumpjumpers climbing ability, and aggressive descending capabilities are why this is my primary bike, and I see it as it a viable platform for a good performance at Downieville. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Joel had mentioned that one of the main disadvantages of training for an 'acoustic' bike race on an electric, power-assist mountain bike was that the e-MTBs ride differently. Turbo levo fsr short travel ce 29; With a 66-degree head angle and 455mm reach in size large, the Levo SL would be consideredconservative. As a result its nowhere near as thirsty, allowing Specialized to build the Levo with a much smaller and lighter 320Wh battery. On less demanding trails, its a comfortable and intuitive bike to ride, which makes it well suited to newer riders and those who arent necessarily ripping at warp speed. Central to the appeal for many will be the capability of the 150mm suspension front and rear, which is made all the more effective courtesy of Foxs 36 Performance Elite fork and DPX2 shock combination. As youd expect, the knobbly tires work brilliantly on trails and through the mud. New Specialized-developed motor weighs 1.9kg, while motor and battery combined tip the scales less than just the motor on the Turbo Levo Weight and space saving comes from power reduction power 240w output and 320wh battery New Range Extender battery with 160wh fits into bike's bottle cage Theres also a Walk mode for when youve bitten off a little more than you can chew. The Turbo Creo SL Comp Carbon EVO features out Fact 11r carbon chassis. This is not an article designed to downgrade mountain bikes in comparison to e-MTBs. Save 25% + DMR Trail Gloves + DeathGrips when you subscribe to MBUK magazine, *Spring Savings* Try 6 issues of Cycling Plus for just 9.99 | Save 74% today, Instantly familiar trail-bike handling; one of the smoothest, most refined motors on the market; impressive range while being much faster than a regular bike, Some components, especially the fork, compromise performance for gram-counting; harder work / won't keep up with full-power e-bikes on steep climbs, weight isnt necessarily a bad thing when descending, Rims: Roval Traverse Carbon 29. hookless carbon, 30mm inner width We first tested the 3rd generation Specialized Levo when it launched earlier this year, though Mick has since held onto it as a long-term test bike. I managed to climb the grunts and whoops of Trail 4 with a minimal and controlled effort that was within the range of my training. Frames on offer the motor Performance is exceptional, and you wont find the motor could out... 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