Levo Gen 2 2021 levo to arrive early

[salko]

For small rocks/stones yes, but not for the big ones.

 

[2wheeledwalbert]

For small rocks/stones yes, but not for the big ones.

Nowt wrong with a couple battle wounds

 

[MrBrownstone]

Those welds are nice. What is not nice is deep stonechip on a carbon frame.

Yeah plastic and roc

Invisiframe

Lol.

 

[MrBrownstone]

ive broken plastic frames on rock. Never broke alu frame on rock. Function.

 

[2wheeledwalbert]

ive broken plastic frames on rock. Never broke alu frame on rock. Function.

Lol

 

[KeithR]

Those welds are nice. What is not nice is deep stonechip on a carbon frame.

Yep.

I know enough about carbon fibre to have a real problem with the potentially "stealth" nature of failure - I chose the alloy frame over carbon fibre for just that reason.

 

[StevoKickstart]

There never was a carbon comp. Certainly not on the 19/20 models in the UK anyway.

I have a 2019 Carbon Comp and so does my neighbour (bought Dec-18). They were available in dark blue and also an orangey/ red

The blue one is lovely as you can see the carbon patterns in bright sunlight

 

[maynard]

My 19 is carbon . I like it . Its a very flashy bike . The alu levos are so heavy . Cos u know 6 or 700 grams makes a massive difference . I have crashed it a few times and its still good .

 

[2wheeledwalbert]

My 19 is carbon . I like it . Its a very flashy bike . The alu levos are so heavy . Cos u know 6 or 700 grams makes a massive difference . I have crashed it a few times and its still good .

Couldn't agree more with that. The 2020 alloy comp with the 700wh battery is terrible compared to the 19 comp carbon with 500wh.

 

[Murch]

Been riding since 1988, never had an alloy frame last more than 2 years before failure some more painful than others. I switched to Carbon frames in 2013 and not a single one has failed. I do miss getting a new frame ever couple of years as it changes up the color, but I don't miss having to get new parts for the new standards.

 

[maynard]

This is funny . I play harmonica and people debate about comb material. In the harp world there's wood . Aluminium and plastic . Ohh and real expensive stuff like silver and brass . For harps plastic is the most durable type

 

[salko]

But you don't ride harmonica down the very steep and rocky trail... Every material has its purpose.

 

[maynard]

Well aren't they all designed to do that . And yes both are great . I love my alu hardtail cube . I recently added a weeride too it . The back section is held on by tape ( good quality tape ) my baby loves riding on the eeb with dad . Best thing ever. I wouldn't do that with my precious carbon Levo

 

[KeithR]

In the (many) years I've been riding, I've seen literally thousands of bikes being ridden.

The only two I've ever seen fail catastrophically were carbon fibre frames - not cheap Chinese frames either, both were "brand" mountain bikes.

It wasn't pretty...

And the fraction of the bikes I've seen over the years that were made of carbon fibre is obviously tiny, compared to the number of steel and alloy frames.

So - for me - the potential risks attached to carbon fibre outweigh the benefits.

It's a simple, demonstrable fact that how carbon fibre reacts to damaging impacts is more "binary" than metal frames: an impact that might dent (say) an alloy frame, could well see off a carbon fibre frame: or - arguably worse - cause invisible damage that bites the rider on the arse hard at the worst possible moment.

There's nothing hypothetical about this.

Carbon fibre ages differently too - the resins used can degrade over time, weakening the frame at a structural level.

Again, this isn't just a theoretical issue.

Weight for weight, carbon fibre is incredibly strong, but it's not tough in the way that metals used in bike frames are. I'll take tough over strong any day.

Even Specialized's own advice is unambiguous: if you crash or bash a carbon fibre Speccy, you're supposed to stop riding it immediately and get it examined by a dealer. This is from the SL user manual:

Great care should be taken not to damage carbon fiber or composite material. Any damage may result in a loss of structural integrity, which may result in catastrophic failure. The damage may or may not be visible during inspection. Before each ride, and after any crash, you should carefully inspect your bicycle for any fraying, gouging, scratches through the paint, chipping, bending, or any other signs of damage. Do not ride if your bicycle shows any of these signs. After any crash, and before you ride any further, take your bicycle to an Authorized Specialized Retailer for a complete inspection.

Life's too short to have to worry about that stuff.

I'm not trying to get anyone off their carbon fibre bike - I really don't care what other people choose to ride - but there are good, solid, objective reasons to prefer aluminium when it comes to mountain bikes and ebikes.