Sure, it takes more effort to bunnyhop, and you'll probably notice the upper body workout after a long ride, but the way the motor doesn't detract from the riding experience at all is very impressive. I haven't ridden any other eMTB that makes it so easy to forget that you're on a nearly 50-pound motorized machine. That fact that the Levo feels so much like a 'regular' bike is one of its greatest strengths. The cadence that's required to make the most out of the usable power is also very natural feeling – there's no need to shift to an easier gear and spin wildly in order to maximize the output. The Levo's geometry helps when climbing too - the overall fit of the S4 felt just right for my 5'11" height, and I never felt too stretched out or cramped no matter which way the trail pointed. That smooth delivery is a huge help on trickier climbs – the are no sudden surges or decreases in power, which makes it easier to maintain traction even on steep, slippery sections of trail. It feels remarkably close to riding a non-motorized bike, if you somehow ignored the fact that you can travel much faster with much less effort. It's the Levo's seamless power delivery that sets it apart from pack. That makes it possible to be more evenly matched to a riding buddy on a less powerful bike, or to access a support level that's somewhere between the usual options. The Levo even has an onboard barometer that's used to calculate the amount of elevation gained during a ride.Īlong with the 4 typical modes – Eco, Trail, Turbo, and Walk – the Levo has a new Microtune option that allows riders to select the amount of power output in 10% increments. Multiple screen layouts can be saved, and then cycled through by pushing the top button on the controller found on the left side of the handlebar. Specialized's Mission Control app makes it possible to customize the information displayed on the screen. While many eMTBs use a display that sticks out in front of the handlebar, Specialized integrated the display for the Levo into the toptube, where it's much less likely to get damaged in the event of a crash. Having the battery level displayed as a percentage is a huge improvement over systems that display a row of bars instead. The belt on the 2.2 motor is wider and stiffer than the previous version, and is said to have a much longer lifespan. When the battery is fully depleted, a full charge of the 700 Wh battery takes 5.25 hours.Īlong with the changes to the motor sealing, there's also a new belt that Specialized's designers in Switzerland have been testing for the last two years. It's like the airlock system you see on submarines or spaceships – opening the latch on the outer plastic door reveals another square hatch that's double sealed to keep the elements at bay. The charging port is located on the non-drive side, and the sealing has been increased to help prevent water from making its way into the motor. There's plenty of clearance for up to a 2.6” tires, and chain slap and frame protection are placed in key areas of the frame. The battery takes up the space in the downtube that's usually used for a tube and snacks on Specialized's non-motorized bikes, but there is plenty of room for a water bottle, and there's a multi-tool, chain tool, and quick link stashed in the fork steerer tube. The cable routing is fully internal and guided, which means you can push a brake line through the chainstay and it'll emerge at the head tube without any fuss. The bulging bottom bracket area and the oversized downtube where the battery resides give away the fact that the Levo has a motor, but otherwise the frame shape closely resembles the Stumpjumper EVO, with a single strut running from the top tube to the seat tube. Apologies in advance for the increased blood pressure those numbers may cause. Oh, and the S-Works model goes for $15,000. The price? You might want to sit down for this one. Roval Carbon wheels are mounted with Specialized's Butcher and Eliminator tires in a 2.6” width. The Pro model I've been riding has Fox 38 fork, Float X2 shock, SRAM X01 12-speed drivetrain, and Code RSC brakes. There are currently two models available, the S-Works and the Pro, with an Expert-level option scheduled for later this year. The motor delivers up to 565 watts of power and 90 Nm of peak torque, and a 700 Wh battery provides a generous amount of ride time. The Levo has a full carbon frame, and 150mm of rear travel that's paired with a 160mm fork.
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