2020 Ultralight Levo rumors

[Fivetones]

just when i thought i had my new bicycle addiction under control...ugh

Exactly, me too.

 

[Paul Mac]

If this was the new standard, everyone would have brought the LaPierre zesty e.
This bike will still be a marked difference from a regular full power ebike.
It certainly doesn't ring my bell.

 

[Peaky Rider]

I'm struggling to see how this is wildly different to the Lapiere E Zesty ( maybe someone will explain) and that hasn't exactly set the e-mtb world on fire.
No doubt though that the Spesh publicity machine will convince people to hand over huge wads of cash and I will probably be one of them as I do find existing bikes unnecessarily heavy.

 

[Fivetones]

My guesses:

- Two models. S-Works (Pike Ultimate, AXS etc) and Expert Carbon Evo (Fox 34 step cast)
- 120mm rear and 130mm front travel
- 65 deg head angle and 75deg seat.
- Longer reach than the Levo (add 15mm)
- two sizes s2 and s3
- £11500, £9500 prices.
- 16.5kg, 17.5kg

For many reasons I find the concept compelling. I know, pointless guessing but I have time to spare.

 

[Al Boneta]

The reason Lapierre E-Zesty hasn’t been all that successful has more to do with the parent company of Lapierre, Ghost, Raleigh, Izip and Haibike; Alta Cycling Group. This company is in such pitiful financial shape it is selling off assets like Diamondback and Redline to stay afloat.
We were told a week ago that the Haibike Flyon model bikes will not be coming to the USA. No word on when the vastly improved 2020 lineup will make it here either.
They have no money to market Lapierre or any of their other brands or to even have enough bikes manufactured.
If you can’t tell the story of the bike you are trying to sell, if you can’t get your dealers to support the bike you are trying to sell and if you can’t even make the bike you are trying to sell, you aren’t going to sell that bike.

The Levo SL won’t be for everyone. If you’re the sort that can’t ride an Emtb without derestricting it or ride a non assist Mtb on the same trails you ride your Emtb, this probably won’t work for you.
The Levo is 4x your power, the Levo SL is 2x your power. If you think the current Levo is underpowered, this probably won’t work for you.

 

[Al Boneta]

My guesses:

- Two models. S-Works (Pike Ultimate, AXS etc) and Expert Carbon Evo (Fox 34 step cast)
- 120mm rear and 130mm front travel
- 65 deg head angle and 75deg seat.
- Longer reach than the Levo (add 15mm)
- two sizes s2 and s3
- £11500, £9500 prices.
- 16.5kg, 17.5kg

For many reasons I find the concept compelling. I know, pointless guessing but I have time to spare.

 

[Fivetones]

Haha, worth a try Al ?

 

[James_MTB]

Hope it's like the new enduro but with a motor

 

[Al Boneta]

Haha, worth a try Al ?

My next bike won’t be a Levo SL
It will be one of these

 

[Al Boneta]

Hope it's like the new enduro but with a motor

It won’t be
Sorry had to jump back in and edit this

How would the new Enduro with a motor be an ultralight Levo?

 

[Fivetones]

My next bike won’t be a Levo SL
It will be one of these

ooh nice. Reminds me, I’m due to dig out my NS Suburban 24” from the garage soon.I bought that to replace my stolen BMX About 12 years ago.

 

[R120]

I watched that vid last week, and reminded me of when Brooklyn Machine Works where knocking out prototype FS BMX's

 

[Al Boneta]

ooh nice. Reminds me, I’m due to dig out my NS Suburban 24” from the garage soon.I bought that to replace my stolen BMX About 12 years ago.

Off topic, but I have had a real itch (should get that looked at) to ride pumptrack lately

 

[Doomanic]

Rory Breaker is one of my favourite movie characters ever.

 

[Rusty]

Shame I’ve just dropped a small fortune on a Trek Rail 9.9!
This sounds like it’s exactly what I was looking for - just a couple of weeks too late.

Will see what happens on the 4th Feb... as I’ll still be within my 30 day swap period then.

Don't sweat it - not sure one would equate this with a rail.

 

[Hoppy]

I like the idea since my levo which is carbon is 47# with the 500wh battery. I usually come home with 40-50% Battery left
i have been trying power limited to 65% but that is like 60nm right? Some of the technical climbs i like to do need at least that. Not sure 40nm will work. I don’t want to get sucked into the SL then end up having to push my bike up hill. There are very few times if any I have to push my levo even at 65%. Was in eco 70% and trail 30% no turbo

 

[TorAtle]

40Nm and 320Wh doesn't sound a lot. Shouldn't the Levo SL be compensated for the extra weight and lesser efficiency due to dampers and tyres? What works on the Creo may not be sufficient on a trail bike.

 

[Slowroller]

I wonder if they're training us to eventually buy analog Levos with a giant
Swat box at a $2000 premium

"So light!"
"With 0nm of added torque which is all you need!"
"Booster batteries for extra range, only $500!"

 

[Dpca10]

Hmm, I thought I was going to drop some news but yeah sources say early next week, and I heard 9 pounds lighter but that might have been a round up from the 3.8kg just quoted which is like 8.3 lbs. But I heard something even more exciting but that’s for 2021... not exciting enough to pass on this though. I think spec will is really going to capture all the skeptics in the US market with this. (It’s still pretty annoying over here if you’ve ridden in Europe and seen what a non issue ebikes are).

 

[Kave]

So, I guess we have to pay more to get less. Less travel, less battery, lesser power but still much more expensive. I think it is a wise move, current bikes mostly attract a certain group of trail riders and park and alpine. This new bike will seek new markets.

 

[Al Boneta]

So, I guess we have to pay more to get less. Less travel, less battery, lesser power but still much more expensive. I think it is a wise move, current bikes mostly attract a certain group of trail riders and park and alpine. This new bike will seek new markets.

Like I said in a previous post, this won’t be for everyone.
In the bike world you always pay more for less; that is less weight.
My S-works Levo felt like an anchor after riding the Levo SL, especially on the flats and descents. Being able to pedal past the 20mph motor limit was a game changer.
Less battery is less weight. With a motor that only draws half the power, a 700wh battery isn’t needed. The range extender adds 120wh and only adds 2.2lbs. At 480wh with both batteries combined, it will get better range.
You could easily carry two more range extenders in a hydration pack.
Or don’t carry any range extenders and when the bike goes dead, you can ride it just like a non assisted bike..
Less power was a concern until I rode it.
It doesn’t really feel like less power because you use more of your own power. The ride feels more natural and doesn’t have that Ebike surge feel.
It’s more expensive, but in this case less is more

 

[eebit]

Like I said in a previous post, this won’t be for everyone.
In the bike world you always pay more for less; that is less weight.
My S-works Levo felt like an anchor after riding the Levo SL, especially on the flats and descents. Being able to pedal past the 20mph motor limit was a game changer.
Less battery is less weight. With a motor that only draws half the power, a 700wh battery isn’t needed. The range extender adds 120wh and only adds 2.2lbs. At 480wh with both batteries combined, it will get better range.
You could easily carry two more range extenders in a hydration pack.
Or don’t carry any range extenders and when the bike goes dead, you can ride it just like a non assisted bike..
Less power was a concern until I rode it.
It doesn’t really feel like less power because you use more of your own power. The ride feels more natural and doesn’t have that Ebike surge feel.
It’s more expensive, but in this case less is more

Sounds super interesting, will for sure check it out! I actually really like the eBike surge feeling. More the better I reckon, especially uphill. Of course its all about the overall feeling though and I do prefer eBikes which I can move around a lot as I have a pretty active riding style. 20-22KG is light enough for me at the moment, and the stability is great on gnarly downhills and catching decent size air. eZesty was too weak for me to switch over despite the lighter weight and great looks, so not sure how this can be much different , but I guess you don't know what you don't know, so excited to give it a try!

 

[TorAtle]

I can't help but compare the Specialized SL 1.1 motor to the Bosch CX gen4. The Bosch is 850 grams heavier but with nearly twice the torque and little internal resistance over the speed limit. It also feels pretty natural when riding in low-power mode - doesn't all motors? It's harder to detect a motor when it's not adding much.

The Mondraker Crafty Carbon RR SL is 19.3kg with Fox 36 and a 625Wh battery, so about the same as the Levo SL with 2 extenders. Edit: apparently, the 19.3kg weight is with a 500Wh battery.

The Levo SL is still hugely interesting and I may buy one

 

[Paceman]

Like I said in a previous post, this won’t be for everyone.
In the bike world you always pay more for less; that is less weight.
My S-works Levo felt like an anchor after riding the Levo SL, especially on the flats and descents. Being able to pedal past the 20mph motor limit was a game changer.
Less battery is less weight. With a motor that only draws half the power, a 700wh battery isn’t needed. The range extender adds 120wh and only adds 2.2lbs. At 480wh with both batteries combined, it will get better range.
You could easily carry two more range extenders in a hydration pack.
Or don’t carry any range extenders and when the bike goes dead, you can ride it just like a non assisted bike..
Less power was a concern until I rode it.
It doesn’t really feel like less power because you use more of your own power. The ride feels more natural and doesn’t have that Ebike surge feel.
It’s more expensive, but in this case less is more

Ooooh... that does sound interesting. I could definitely live with a little less power, I very rarely use Turbo mode.

 

[gmurad]

Just got a 2020 Levo Comp a couple of days ago, first e-mtb, maybe the SL would have worked better for me, tough to know with my experience.

 

[Slowroller]

It doesn’t really feel like less power because you use more of your own power

For me, that would feel like less power.

 

[gmurad]

With a motor that only draws half the power, a 700wh battery isn’t needed. The range extender adds 120wh and only adds 2.2lbs. At 480wh with both batteries combined, it will get better range.

From my experience building other electric vehicles I would say that an extra 220Wh trumps the difference in weight of less than 10lbs. So if it gets better range it would probably be due to the rider providing more power.

 

[Al Boneta]

From my experience building other electric vehicles I would say that an extra 220Wh trumps the difference in weight of less than 10lbs. So if it gets better range it would probably be due to the rider providing more power.

Exactly, I thought the whole point of riding bikes was to ride them.
And like I have said a few times, it won’t be for everyone.
This also won’t replace the current Levo, the SL series of bikes that started with Creo SL, will be for more active and engaged riders.
The fat bloated bikes they make will be for the fat bloated riders who prefer to have the bike do most of the work. Riders like me

 

[All Mountain Coaching]

This sounds right up my street! Can't wait to see it and read/ride it.

Will it be available in frame only too?

 

[Hoppy]

I just looked up the numbers. If I could buy a 350-400wh battery based on the new cells 21700’s I could save 4lbs over the 700wh. Or I guess the question would be how many wh’s will fit in a 4lb(1.8kg) battery. Then instead of an SL I would just buy the lighter battery