Other 2022 Kenevo SL Rumours ..

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CjP

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Just wondering, have you ever ridden a levo SL? And better, did you tried full fat and SL back to back?
Because I did, and I can ensure you there is a real difference in handling between both, I'm not only talking about pedaling above the speed limit.
SL is simply more agile, and no need to be a pro racer to feel it!
Saying otherwise is pure non sense! No offence bud.
I’ve had two Kenevo’s, ridden 1st and 2nd Gen levos and have now had a Levo Sl for a year so yeah I have a bit of experience with them both.

The SL is near perfect for what it is. For my bike I wanted more from it so I added parts to it which made it heavier. It still climbs and handles fine but is a beast down gravity lines.

My comment that you quoted was referencing the previous comment from @h.grenade where he was suggesting that Specialized add extra weight (larger battery) to the SL line as Husky people need more torque to carry their extra girth uphills.

For the record I disagree with this as the SL has the perfect weight as it is and adding more weight in the form of a bigger (heavier) battery is a terrible idea.
 

h.grenade

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I was told that it will be closer to 50nm by a specialized guy so maybe we will all be happy. I am guessing eco on the full fat is turbo on the SL and trail would be an SL with 60nm. I could give up FF turbo for more agility for sure. For me the deciding factor is dual crown or not. Then I can sell my levo and DH bike. I ride more motocross than bike trails :oops:
 

CjP

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I was told that it will be closer to 50nm by a specialized guy so maybe we will all be happy. I am guessing eco on the full fat is turbo on the SL and trail would be an SL with 60nm. I could give up FF turbo for more agility for sure. For me the deciding factor is dual crown or not. Then I can sell my levo and DH bike. I ride more motocross than bike trails :oops:
Turbo on the SL is somewhere between eco and trail on a full fat. As per the torque it’s roughly a 1/3 of feel. 50nm would make the SL’s turbo fall somewhere between trail and turbo on the FF.
The difference in weight between the bikes also helps in motor efficiency and overall playfulness, the latter being the most noticeable benefit of lightweight ebikes.
?you are right though.
I’m already smashing my FF mates downhill and on range would be nice to keep up on the ups.

ps you can upgrade to dual crowns anytime you like. Just gotta stay with in the travel limits.
 

Mohawk3a

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Turbo on the SL is somewhere between eco and trail on a full fat. As per the torque it’s roughly a 1/3 of feel. 50nm would make the SL’s turbo fall somewhere between trail and turbo on the FF.
The difference in weight between the bikes also helps in motor efficiency and overall playfulness, the latter being the most noticeable benefit of lightweight ebikes.
?you are right though.
I’m already smashing my FF mates downhill and on range would be nice to keep up on the ups.

ps you can upgrade to dual crowns anytime you like. Just gotta stay with in the travel limits.

I have both an sl and a FF levo. I have to lower the eco on my FF levo down to 25% in order to get the same strava times as my SL.

In my experience, the standard eco mode on a full fat is more power than boost on my sl.
 

CjP

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I have both an sl and a FF levo. I have to lower the eco on my FF levo down to 25% in order to get the same strava times as my SL.

In my experience, the standard eco mode on a full fat is more power than boost on my sl.
Interesting, my guestimations are based on seat of pants feel and it feels noticeably more power than FF eco to me. I could be wrong but all the FF’s I ride with are in either trail or turbo trying to keep up with me on Turbo and we are all of similar fitness. Maybe the FF weight tires them out quicker. Maybe the power has made them lazy and less fit while I’m getting fitter.
I will say though, I won’t be going back to a FF ever again.
 

jcmonty

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Interesting, my guestimations are based on seat of pants feel and it feels noticeably more power than FF eco to me. I could be wrong but all the FF’s I ride with are in either trail or turbo trying to keep up with me on Turbo and we are all of similar fitness. Maybe the FF weight tires them out quicker. Maybe the power has made them lazy and less fit while I’m getting fitter.
I will say though, I won’t be going back to a FF ever again.
When I had my old style Kenevo, I had set it about 50% power ( don’t remember support) to stay in the ballpark when I was riding with a friend who was fitter than me. My sl normally was in 30/100 mode if I recall. All anecdotal and ymmv but between stock eco and trail seems about right
 

h.grenade

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Yeah I really think 50-60 would be the sweet spot for me. Turbo is seriously fun but I would give it up to have less tank like feel. This is a new motor too so maybe lighter weight for more power. I wish they would just leak the specs already haha

@Christian yeah I just mean with factory “approval” - I just noticed in the manual that the levo is only rated for 100kg and what they call class 4 (no bike park). What a piece of shit if that’s the case. What is the point of a bike that you can’t have fun on. I didn’t buy it just to get exercise on paved bike paths.
 

CjP

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Yeah I really think 50-60 would be the sweet spot for me. Turbo is seriously fun but I would give it up to have less tank like feel. This is a new motor too so maybe lighter weight for more power. I wish they would just leak the specs already haha

@Christian yeah I just mean with factory “approval” - I just noticed in the manual that the levo is only rated for 100kg and what they call class 4 (no bike park). What a piece of shit if that’s the case. What is the point of a bike that you can’t have fun on. I didn’t buy it just to get exercise on paved bike paths.
Well we all want the holy grail bike!
I’m betting with current available tech, this new Kenevo SL will be the closest thing to it.
 

Ficus

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The site of specialized is down;) could this be it?

joined this forum only to stay up to date on kenevo sl rumours. I think this is my dream bike and would be my first emtb. Going to test a levo sl next weekend to atleast allready know what that one deels like
 

Chris1969

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Last testride of the new Kenevo yesterday in direct comparison to the Levo SL. Motor seems the same torquewise and max Watt power. Battery as well. Just way plusher rear with more progression and bigger fork. Handling is in between FF and SL Bike. Not sure who is the perfect customer for this. As a bike park rig it would need changeable battery. As a light E-Enduro it feels a bit heavy and too much for trailriding. ?
 

h.grenade

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Last testride of the new Kenevo yesterday in direct comparison to the Levo SL. Motor seems the same torquewise and max Watt power. Battery as well. Just way plusher rear with more progression and bigger fork. Handling is in between FF and SL Bike. Not sure who is the perfect customer for this. As a bike park rig it would need changeable battery. As a light E-Enduro it feels a bit heavy and too much for trailriding. ?

if it’s only 30, I will just keep the levo and the analog DH bike. For bike park days I would actually want to remove the battery to drop the weight. A good enduro machine should feel pretty boring on standard bike trails. But when you are landing big jumps and drops the extra suspension really helps.
 

Mcharza

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Last testride of the new Kenevo yesterday in direct comparison to the Levo SL. Motor seems the same torquewise and max Watt power. Battery as well. Just way plusher rear with more progression and bigger fork. Handling is in between FF and SL Bike. Not sure who is the perfect customer for this. As a bike park rig it would need changeable battery. As a light E-Enduro it feels a bit heavy and too much for trailriding. ?
I announce myself as such a customer, because I've already ordered it ?
 

#lazy

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Last testride of the new Kenevo yesterday in direct comparison to the Levo SL. Motor seems the same torquewise and max Watt power. Battery as well. Just way plusher rear with more progression and bigger fork. Handling is in between FF and SL Bike. Not sure who is the perfect customer for this. As a bike park rig it would need changeable battery. As a light E-Enduro it feels a bit heavy and too much for trailriding. ?
Mate in Surrey you’ll see kenevo’s being used as canal bikes so it’ll sell ?
We all know the Berkshire shop , I know they’ve sold kenevo’s to 60 years + non mtbers who like the softness of a 180mm bike ! Don’t blame him thought ☺️
 
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Chris1969

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Mate in Surrey you’ll see kenevo’s being used as canal bikes so it’ll sell ?
We all know the Berkshire shop , I know they’ve sold kenevo’s to 60 years + non mtbers who like the softness of a 180mm bike ! Don’t blame him thought ☺️
I should have been more precise. I tested the new Keneveo SL. The old Kenevo is a great and reasonable DH rig with big battery and strong motor as a shuttle option. The SL is even longer/lower/slacker, quite heavy (19,1 with light 29“ tires) and small battery/small motor. I don‘t see the perfect match buyer for that one. But thats just me ?
 

Chriso82

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I should have been more precise. I tested the new Keneveo SL. The old Kenevo is a great and reasonable DH rig with big battery and strong motor as a shuttle option. The SL is even longer/lower/slacker, quite heavy (19,1 with light 29“ tires) and small battery/small motor. I don‘t see the perfect match buyer for that one. But thats just me ?
By the time you put good tyres on to cope with enduro riding it'll be nearly 20kg, what's a new levo 21kg??
 

Zimmerframe

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By the time you put good tyres on to cope with enduro riding it'll be nearly 20kg, what's a new levo 21kg??
That's kind of comparing apples and oranges though ? A Gen3 S-works is 22/23kg. The new KSL will be hopefully "burlier" and with longer travel suspension. But yes, just as general weights - they're getting closer, but for different type bikes .. Will be interesting. Sometime like a Siryon is 17-18.5 depending on spec. I think some SL's have been weighed in about 20 - again depending on spec (ally).

Ultimately, with a lighter motor and battery it will be lower weight for similar spec to something else. But as @Chris1969 says, it's a fine line as to whether it will appeal or not. A FF Kenevo is aboout 23.5+ depending on spec.

Obviously @Chris1969 can't say much and we can't ask.

I think @Christian's 180 carbon SL is about 18.5 ????????
 

Chriso82

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Jan 28, 2021
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That's kind of comparing apples and oranges though ? A Gen3 S-works is 22/23kg. The new KSL will be hopefully "burlier" and with longer travel suspension. But yes, just as general weights - they're getting closer, but for different type bikes .. Will be interesting. Sometime like a Siryon is 17-18.5 depending on spec. I think some SL's have been weighed in about 20 - again depending on spec (ally).

Ultimately, with a lighter motor and battery it will be lower weight for similar spec to something else. But as @Chris1969 says, it's a fine line as to whether it will appeal or not. A FF Kenevo is aboout 23.5+ depending on spec.

Obviously @Chris1969 can't say much and we can't ask.

I think @Christian's 180 carbon SL is about 18.5 ????????
Guess we'll have to see what specs come out, but for more weight you need more power to at least equal the old levo sl, in range and climbing. Plus being light weight makes it closer feeling to a normal bike downhill, which is se of the point of the sl. Will be interesting to see what specialized run in the e-ews.
 

CjP

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I think @Christian's 180 carbon SL is about 18.5 ????????
18.5kgs was my old set up. Lyric with Secus and proper tires, brakes.
Current 20.5kg with range extender and dualies.
Barely noticeable to be honest, maybe slightly livelier. Range pretty much the same, no real testing though.
I would of guessed based off my many combos of parts the enduro SL should sit between 18kgs (Sworks) to around 20/21kg (Comp) model.
The frame would have to be beefed up for enduro and heavier duty components adds up.
I would of guessed if they were smart enough they increase the torque at least 5nm to offset that weight or maybe 10nm to give it that shuttle ability.
They don’t need to compete with anyone else, they just need to add the minimal amount of power/weight to the current Enduro which is near perfect to make it fun up or down.
Lightweight bikes should be for lightweight/fit people.
Full fats for everyone else.
 

h.grenade

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How is that the Orbea Rise is 60nm and around the same weight. The SL is like 30nm, right? Maybe the torque doesn't make that big of a difference beyond a certain amount. I'm asking about climbing assist (with respect to how many watts I need to put out) not how fast it is overall. I could climb in turbo and reach the top very quickly but I am not racing uphill : ) Climbing in trail I guess could equal the same assistance if I'm not in a hurry. Or do I have this all wrong? Is more torque just always better?

I am asking because I'm the kind of rider that literally hates the climb. I want to expend my energy on the down. I like speed, jumps and popping off everything on the trail. The FF bike just handles like a bit of a tank. You really have to preload and pop to pull up the front. I like precision and choosing my lines, not plowing through stuff. I'm also old and out of shape : )
 
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CjP

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Well at a guess they’re either bullshitting on their quoted weight stats or they’re using the lightest of every component possible.
They’re using light case trail tires for starters which are useless for anything serious.
The cables are exposed over the motor so I assume they have hugged the motor tight where as the SL has all internal cabling. Possibly a few grams saved there. Wether that’s compromised the overall frame strength we will see over time I guess.
The SL can be thrown down double black DH runs over and over again and no problems yet, or so I’ve heard ?
As for climbing, I have yet to find a hill I can’t get up and I’m on a 36T rear. Sure there are some super steep hills that all that FF torque will make light work of but that comes at a cost.

In the end, you need to see both bikes in the flesh and see for yourself. I would take what anyone (including me) says with a grain of salt.

Ps I was joking about (including me)
What I say is the truth.
 

Chris1969

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With comparable spec, the Levo SL is 1,5 Kilos lighter than the Rise. In my test the Levo SL Expert was 17,8 Kilos with 800 Gramms heavier wheelset (including sturdier tires) and aluminium bar and cranks. The Orbea Rise M10 with additional carbon wheels, cranks and bar was 18,3 Kilos. Both size L.
 

Bencab

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Release is mid-May. Big bike 29er front and rear; I think this bike is for big rough terrain. Motor is identical to SL so it can use the same battery extenders used in SL.
 
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