Battery for Specialized Turbo Levo FSR

[Uppy]

Hi can anyone tell me where I can get a replacement battery in the U.K. for my Specialized Turbo Levo FSR?

Having trouble finding them.

Any input anyone.

 

[Pendo]

Try Chris Reilly at Berkshire Cycles. He knows more than most and is a top bloke, even helped me out with parts here in Australia!

 

[Kiwi in Wales]

I currently have a 460Wh battery.

I gave up looking for a new 504Wh battery a few weeks ago after trying a number of different ebike shops (all the main players) in the UK and Europe including going direct to Specialized via their Concept shops. It appears everyone sold out due to high demand. I believe they are due back in stock in the next few weeks but like I said I gave up a few weeks trying to find a new one and went down the second hand route. Your best bet for information on a new one is to call Specialized directly as things may have moved on now.

I managed to get a near new second hand 460Wh (Only 5 Charge cycles) at a reasonable price so I am happy with the current outcome. I have heard rumours of a much high capacity battery coming out so I will now wait and see what happens.

A few things to note when purchasing a new ebike battery.

1. They are very expensive, especially a Levo/Kenevo one, if you have the available cash flow great! If not then you need to think smart about how you can manage your battery usage a lot better. The BLevo App may help you in this area.

2. You will find it very difficult for any shop to deliver it to you as a lithium battery of ebike proportions is in the Class 9 dangerous goods classification. So buying a battery is a ‘visit bike shop’ or ‘visit supplier’ trip which is not a problem unless you are like me and live in the middle of nowhere ?

3. What is the reason for you buying a spare battery in the first place? Is it to extend your range? Is it just to have a spare in case the one in your bike fails? I bought my spare battery purely to double my range when visiting Bike Park Wales or any other bike park where the runs all congregate more or less to the same start point so replacing the battery when exhausted was a quick visit to the car park after a number of ascents and descents for a 5 minute change over.

I like to travel very light when riding so take the bearest minimum of tools and water with me which I attached to the bike and not me. For me personally, carrying a spare battery in a pack, especially a Levo/Kenevo battery is a no go for me as the huge weight of the battery really affects my riding ability.

Hope the above helps

 

[Levorunner]

Specialized Canada just received their shipment of 504 batteries from China. I have been waiting since January when I bought my Levo. LBS said the rumoured new 640 batteries probably will not be compatible with older turbo levos.

 

[RobbieJay]

Specialized Canada just received their shipment of 504 batteries from China. I have been waiting since January when I bought my Levo. LBS said the rumoured new 640 batteries probably will not be compatible with older turbo levos.

I hope that's untrue?

The 504wh battery's were compatible with the older 2017 Levos that came with an older Brose 1.2 motor and 460wh battery pack etc, i would hope that the trend would continue.

A higher capacity battery "should" be compatible with all current hardware in every conceivable way (electronically speaking) as it's just more (or higher density) individual internal packs.

However, if that is indeed true, it's very telling because "IF" the battery is NOT compatible with the entire current 2017/2018 Levo/Kenevo range, then it's more likely due to a structural change i.e. It's a different shape to fit the design of the new bike, or there is a new updated/redesigned motor that requires different power requirements and the battery is specifically designed to deliver different amp/volts to the bike and therefore could overpower/under power the older motor etc.

The sales lost through a decision like this could be substantial too, as I suspect that a large chunk of current Levo/Kenevo owners would have purchased an upgraded battery pack for their bikes, at £700 a pop that's a huge market, sales and happy customers. I'd buy a larger capacity battery right away, and use my 504 as my spare/backup/extender.

However, if it's NOT compatible thats 2 years of potential customers and all new Kenevo owners etc left without any way to upgrade their bike and move it forward with technology, leaving it a tad obsolete incredibly quickly, so I'm hoping the bike shop guy has that wrong.

 

[Hinett]

That’s the point, they make it incompatible with the older bikes to make you buy the new model. Not much point releasing a new bike if everyone just keeps the old one and upgraded the components

 

[npatrix]

I think the market of eMTB still has a huge potential, the big opportunity is to recruit from “analogue” into electric rather then in current users to upgrade.
Unless there is a significant structural change that require a new shape of battery, I do see more advantages on keep it compatible (this would be a good sales argument too)

 

[R120]

I think that’s the big difference between companies using the shimano and Bosch systems and those using proprietary systems.

Shimano and Bosch have an interest in retro compatibility as they are parts companies, But Specialized and others using the Brose system are more likely to have full redesigns since they are essentially putting together their own kit of parts, so not so restricted by having to stick to specific build kits.

If Specialized think that a total redesign will make a better bike, then they will go for it.

Wouldn’t surprise me if the keep the existing Levo in the line up, but bring out a whole new ebike too.

 

[ccrdave]

there's always the third party batteries like the range extender

 

[Doomanic]

the rumoured new 640 batteries

Where are these rumours? Last time I looked this forum was the only place with any rumours.

 

[Levorunner]

To increase capacity from 504 to 640 they need to add more cells in the battery itself, if they can not fit more cells in the current design of the battery, they will have to make it longer or wider. That means a longer down tube. So in theory it probably will not fit in any of the current Levos. Just my 2 cents!

 

[ccrdave]

unless they have denser cells

 

[Doomanic]

20700 and 21700 are available and not much larger, but from what I've (briefly) read have higher internal resistance which causes more voltage drop under load and generates more heat, shortening cell life. Going from 10S4P to 10S5P is the simplest way to increase capacity but obviously increases physical size by 25%. Not a problem on most bikes running external batteries, but a pretty large stumbling block for all the pretty boy integrated battery bikes.

 

[Mountie]

I have an 18 Levo and also an older 460w from Levo one it has been updated and now works with the handlebar switch which it didn’t before the update. Also has infinitune now as well.

 

[Highflyer]

Your all forgetting the unused space at the top of the down tube where most people hide spare inner tubes etc... the new battery could be 2 inches longer.....

 

[R120]

I hadn't realised quite how big the Spesh battery is compared to others, if you compare it to the Shimano, which has same capacity, it look like they could squeeze some more capacity into the existing chassis.

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

I hadn't realised quite how big the Spesh battery is compared to others, if you compare it to the Shimano, which has same capacity, it look like they could squeeze some more capacity into the existing chassis.

View attachment 2483

There is also some spare space in the frame above the battery. They could potentially extend the length if the needed.

 

[Kiwi in Wales]

Remember folks the 40 batteries in the Levo/Kenevo at the moment are 18mm x 65mm and in a long line of 2 x 20 cells. If the battery boffins were smart and added another line of 20 cells to it, in theory, it would only create a hump out the front of the downtube of around 20 to 22mm or so? This would still give you plenty of tyre clearance and increase the capacity by at least 252Wh. Please Mr Specialized battery designer, make it happen ?

And before anyone says it, Yes, it would weigh a lot more and some of us would not like the extra weight as the battery is already a heavy beast.....For me personally, the extra capacity would out weigh the extra weight.