Levo Gen 3 Advice on Turbo Levo

[maynard]

You owe to yourself and the store to buy that bike!

 

[Deleted member 7401]

Lol. Probably was a shop demo anyway. If not..the store deserves that for being so smart to lend the bike out with the conditions they had. He doesn’t owe them anything.

 

[RJUK]

Yes, it's one of a limited number of test bikes they had. I was hoping it wouldn't be very clean to begin with, as I booked the test ride a few weeks in advance and then the weather had been fairly wet. It was dry whilst we were out riding, but rained heavily whilst I was collecting the bike, so the trails were very wet and squelchy compared to 3 weeks ago when we were there last and it was just a bit dusty. Of course they gave me a brand new bike and told me I was taking it out on its first ride...! Luckily it was Ride-Wrapped at least.

The bike shop charges £30 to clean the bike if you bring it back dirty, so I rushed home with it in the back of the car and gave it a good Muc Off bath before returning it to the store. Was pretty clean when I gave it back, though admittedly I didn't have time to thoroughly clean the chain, so that was still a bit dirty. I think with an ebike you need it in a stand to clean the chain, since there doesn't seem to be any way to rotate the chain and cassette backwards without lifting the rear wheel. I didn't have time to do that, but they were happy with how I returned it.

My friend's bike ran out of charge at the end of our ride and I think the Levo had more than 50% charge left, maybe even 60% or more. I was happy to keep riding, but my friend needed to leave and I had to get the bike washed.

I tried to look after it - even fitted Mud guards!

I won't be buying that one though - that's their tester and had a sticker on the top tube saying that.

I'm hoping I can work out getting an Expert from them though.

 

[Ou812]

Yes, it's one of a limited number of test bikes they had. I was hoping it wouldn't be very clean to begin with, as I booked the test ride a few weeks in advance and then the weather had been fairly wet. It was dry whilst we were out riding, but rained heavily whilst I was collecting the bike, so the trails were very wet and squelchy compared to 3 weeks ago when we were there last and it was just a bit dusty. Of course they gave me a brand new bike and told me I was taking it out on its first ride...! Luckily it was Ride-Wrapped at least.

The bike shop charges £30 to clean the bike if you bring it back dirty, so I rushed home with it in the back of the car and gave it a good Muc Off bath before returning it to the store. Was pretty clean when I gave it back, though admittedly I didn't have time to thoroughly clean the chain, so that was still a bit dirty. I think with an ebike you need it in a stand to clean the chain, since there doesn't seem to be any way to rotate the chain and cassette backwards without lifting the rear wheel. I didn't have time to do that, but they were happy with how I returned it.

My friend's bike ran out of charge at the end of our ride and I think the Levo had more than 50% charge left, maybe even 60% or more. I was happy to keep riding, but my friend needed to leave and I had to get the bike washed.

I tried to look after it - even fitted Mud guards!

I won't be buying that one though - that's their tester and had a sticker on the top tube saying that.

I'm hoping I can work out getting an Expert from them though.

Stick an allen key in the chainring bolt and rotate the crank backwards until it’s up against the allen key. You’ll be able to backpedal to clean the drivetrain, it’s the way Specialized says to do it anyway.

The clunk noise was most likely from bottoming out, I’ve found that I had to put a bit more air pressure in the shock than what was recommended. I could bottom the bike out fairly easy with Spesh’s starting points.

 

[RJUK]

OK thanks. I had the shop set it up. There was a bit left on the shaft that the o ring hadn't slid over, but I'm not sure exactly where it bottoms out.

Thanks for the tip in the chain cleaning also.

 

[NCMike]

Glad you had a fun ride. My experience is the same as yours, as far as riding farther, faster, having more fun, but still getting a great work out. I only made it 10 minutes in the original eco mode before going to trail mode and have never gone back to the original eco. I changed my settings in Master Mind so my eco is now 35/100, trail 50/100, and turbo 100/100. Interesting enough, my experience is also the same as yours with test riding a noisy alloy bike. The derailer and cassette seemed to be out of alignment or something. It made a lot of racket and was detracting to the enjoyment of the ride. I ended up buying an expert for the higher speced components and carbon frame, and it’s been flawless. And the suspension, wow, do I love the fox 38 and x2. Amazing ride quality! I had the problem some have reported with the fork likely being over greased and not using its travel correctly during the first few rides, but it’s worked it’s self out and now is terrific.
I just heard something interesting on Sam’s Bikes on YouTube about his alloy super build bike. He mentioned they could feel the heat from the motor radiating into the frame and making the frame hot. Anyone with an allow frame experienced this? He always rides in Turbo mode, so I wonder it that makes enough heat to be felt in the frame?

 

[Zimmerframe]

I just heard something interesting on Sam’s Bikes on YouTube about his alloy super build bike.

I'd be surprised. I did several heat scans after turbo runs on a kenevo and there wasn't much heat. I think @Bearing Man has done similar.

An alloy frame should conduct and radiate any heat away pretty quickly.

The gen3 also did away with the flat top frame over the motor and re introduced the angled frame, so there should be more air over the motor.

 

[Bearing Man]

Yup, nothing to worry about.

 

[RJUK]

Glad you had a fun ride. My experience is the same as yours, as far as riding farther, faster, having more fun, but still getting a great work out. I only made it 10 minutes in the original eco mode before going to trail mode and have never gone back to the original eco. I changed my settings in Master Mind so my eco is now 35/100, trail 50/100, and turbo 100/100. Interesting enough, my experience is also the same as yours with test riding a noisy alloy bike. The derailer and cassette seemed to be out of alignment or something. It made a lot of racket and was detracting to the enjoyment of the ride. I ended up buying an expert for the higher speced components and carbon frame, and it’s been flawless. And the suspension, wow, do I love the fox 38 and x2. Amazing ride quality! I had the problem some have reported with the fork likely being over greased and not using its travel correctly during the first few rides, but it’s worked it’s self out and now is terrific.
I just heard something interesting on Sam’s Bikes on YouTube about his alloy super build bike. He mentioned they could feel the heat from the motor radiating into the frame and making the frame hot. Anyone with an allow frame experienced this? He always rides in Turbo mode, so I wonder it that makes enough heat to be felt in the frame?

I decided to flick it in Eco at certain points when I didn't want the surge of overrun. Initially it felt like the bike was pulling me forwards too much and pushing me into things at awkward speeds, but I think it was just a case of getting used to the overrun. I also did a couple of harsh gear changes because I didn't take the overrun into account, so started pedalling lighter to change, but still got the nasty full power clunky gear change. Again, just something to remember and get used to.

One of the most fun things was riding up a long, steepish gravel track that I had walked 3 weeks ago, pushing my bike, feeling knackered and defeated, but this time going full pelt, feeling the exertion, but not dying from it, and racing past a non-ebiker who was struggling his way up the hill.

Immediately I could see why regular bikers hate ebikers. It just means there are no "bad bits" anymore, because even the up hills are fun and don't make you too knackered to fully enjoy the downhills.

I also got chatting with a another ebiker who was waiting for the rest of his group (all non-ebikers) at the top of a hill (he had a Trek Rail) and he had much the same to say. He was a bit older than me and said it had completely reinvigorated MTB for him and made him enjoy it so much more.

He wheeled out what I'm sure is a well-worn phrase that the muscles that get the biggest workout on an ebike are your jaw muscles from all the grinning you do.

 

[Dave_B]

My alloy bike is silent, completely rattle free. It’s all to do with how well it’s built and how well the internal cables are restricted from rattling. (Although I have full AXS so I’m a few cables less than other builds).

 

[Zimmerframe]

My alloy bike is silent, completely rattle free. It’s all to do with how well it’s built and how well the internal cables are restricted from rattling. (Although I have full AXS so I’m a few cables less than other builds).

View attachment 110278

Wouldn't logic in this case dictate that it's the paint that rattled ? ;-)

 

[RJUK]

There was no rattle on the test bike either - we're talking a real loud clack when jumping (and only sometimes). Most likely the rear suspension bottoming out, I guess.

 

[maynard]

Lol. Probably was a shop demo anyway. If not..the store deserves that for being so smart to lend the bike out with the conditions they had. He doesn’t owe them anything.

I was trying to be funny .