Look, it’s the Specialized Levo 4

The fourth iteration of the Specialized Levo is here. It’s still a Brose powered bike with 150/160 mm suspension travel and mullet wheels. But it’s also a very different bike. Check out Rob's video, and continue reading below.

The frame​

Specialized always had a bar between the seat tube and top tube. This was a signature look for the Levo. But it also meant the shock was offset to the left. On some models, I remember my leg occasionally touching the shock and nudging the lock-out lever into a firm position. That should be a thing of the past.

Specialized was possibly the first to have a detachable battery without making a big hole in the downtube. They just created a small hole at the bottom of the frame where the battery could slide out. This saves weight but it makes it more difficult connecting the battery to the motor. Specialized solved this with an external Rosenberger plug. The motor had to be tilted upwards to make room for the battery in front of it. It meant the bottom bracket area was quite bulky.


This has all changed with Levo 4. Now there is a big hole in the downtube for removing the battery. It's not at the underside though. Specialized found out placing it on the side makes the frame more rigid. Consequently, the Rosenberger plug is no longer needed and the bottom bracket area is much sleeker. Now the frame looks very different. It has perhaps abandoned some of its identity, but I like it.

Frame geometry​

The Levo 4 has surprisingly short chainstays at 435 mm, we don’t see such short stays much these days. I can appreciate a short rear end, but those who prefer a longer one can extend it to 444 mm. The head angle is 64.5°. It seems this figure has become the industry standard, and I think it’s a nice compromise between steering responsiveness and stability. As expected, the head angle is adjustable. It can be steepened or slackened by 1°.

The size L, I mean S4 has a wheelbase measuring 1254 mm. That’s not very long for the frame size, but that’s down to the short rear end. Extend the chainstays to 444 mm and the wheelbase becomes 1263 mm. And it will be further extended if you drop the head angle to 63.5°. Even though the chainstays extends, the bike is not rated for a 29er rear wheel.


The effective seat angle is 77° and it’s a straight seat tube, meaning the actual seat angle remains close to 77° as the saddle height is increased. This positions the rider weight forwards and it makes shorter chainstays work better when climbing seated. The 350 mm bottom bracket height is also adjustable and can be reduced to 344 mm.

New motor and batteries​

The new Specialized 3.1 motor is a very different motor to its predecessor. The belt inside the motor has been replaced with full metal gears. The motor comes in two versions. If you want maximum power, you need the S-Works 3.1 motor with 111 Nm and 720 W peak power. If you’d rather save a healthy amount of cash, the standard 3.1 motor offers 101 Nm and 666 W peak power.


Specialized claim the motor is more silent. They go on to say it’s very easy to control despite being more powerful than ever before. Also, they’ve changed the internal gear ratio of the motor. A lower internal gear ratio allows the motor to spin close to its native rpm. This means less heat loss and improved efficiency.

When combining what’s allegedly a more efficient motor with bigger batteries, range should improve significantly. Specialized and Brose decided to go 48 V on the new motor. The batteries are 840 and 600 Wh and they can be combined with a 280 Wh range extender.


Most Specialized Levo 4 models come with a 4A charger, but there’s also a 12A fast charger that is standard for the S-Works. In the fastest setting, it will allegedly charge the 840 Wh battery from 0 to 80% in less than 1 hour. You can also choose to charge slower, there is a 5A standard mode and an Eco mode. There is even a mode that limits the charge to 80% for maximum battery care. This charger can be purchased separately.

A new display​

I like the look of the new MasterMind screen with the more square shape. It has of course got Bluetooth support, and it can do everything the app can. Sure, it might be easier to change assistance settings in the app, but the MasterMind can do it. There are now more options to tweak the motor behavior. Motor-overrun can be adjusted, and you can decide if you want it to be canceled by backpedaling or not. Also, the display has Apple Air integrated, an airtag feature that lets you track your bike.

Specs and prices​

We have four spec levels to choose from, all with a carbon frame and the 840 Wh battery. They all have wireless shifting and various models of four-piston Sram Maven brakes. The weight seems to range between 24.4 kg for the Comp and 23.7 kg for the S-Works.

Specialized Levo S-Works: £12.499 / €13.499
Specialized Levo Pro: £10.299 / €11.999
Specialized Levo Expert: £8.499 / €9.999
Specialized Levo Comp: £6.799 / €7.999

Final thoughts​

The Levo 4 seems like a very different bike to the old one. Sure, frame geometry is similar and it’s still a mullet bike with 150/160 mm suspension. But the batteries are new, and they’re integrated in a very different way. The frame just looks completely new. And the motor too should be a big upgrade. It’s been completely redesigned to be more durable and powerful while also being more silent and easier to control.

If you want a bike from the first batch, you need to to be quick to grab one. But more will trickle in over the coming weeks.