Levo Gen 2 Can I adjust bike size from M to L with longer dropper and 40mm riser h/bars?

[EME]

At 178 cm , I had always been on the cusp of Medium / Large bike. Its only after 2000km+ that I've felt I could need a little longer distance to pedals on the Medium TL Comp that I originally purchased. This is borne out with standard tests/measurements but seat post / dropper are at maximum extension for a 150mm dropper post.

My LBS has made 2 suggestions:-
- Buy a Large ( option dismissed by me ) or
- Fit a 170mm dropper and Renthal DH 40mm bars

The option of longer dropper and higher-rise bars sounded a good cost-effective compromise. Then I read the Internet and , naturally, there were differing views. Some folks suggesting it was a good solution and some that it would destroy the feel of the bike but all related to road bikes rather than MTB.

Has anyone here done this mod or can any of the resident experts comment on the desirability or otherwise ?

 

[Zimmerframe]

I'd imagine @Gary would probably be able to give the the best break down from both a technical stand point and the real life implications for the rider of the changes.

 

[Gary]

178mm doesnt sound particularly tall to ride a medium. Is that a typo? If not do you have a very large inseam measurement for your height?
Mine is 33" and I ride a few frames with shorter seat tube lengths than a M Levo and long seatposts.
Are you sure the 150mm dropper doesn't have enough height raised to the limit?
If not. Yeah, by all means fit a longer dropper.
But bars wise. I wouldn't expect at your height you'd need to go to a 40mm rise. Bar height on an mtb should always be set for stood up control over seated comfort.
Many many noobs get this wrong and run bars too high resulting in poor handling and grip.if you're just a leisure rider rather than a mtber fine. But be aware of the issue if you are planning on riding mtb. Especially technical or fast trails (up and downł

 

[EME]

@Gary Thanks very much for your reply.

Like many old f**** ( apparently ), I have shrunk with age and Im now somewhere between 178 and 179. 178 is recommended as upper limit for Medium and lower limit for Large . As I intimated I was made aware given the choice when I bought the bike . Being only able to test the Medium I felt more than happy ... but behaviour more like a kid being offered sweets than any knowledgeable decision-making.

I first noticed as I was increasingly moving to the rear of the saddle on flat sections and when pedalling 'felt' like I needed a couple cms more.

My inner seam measurement is 33" as well (as Im new to these terms, I mean inner groin to mid ankle bone ) , and ankle to floor 3 1/4 " .

You're absolutely right to question as to checking actual seat post insertion. , I haven't checked that the dropper and post are at maximum height. Its just what the LBS owner 'remembered' from my initial purchase. It wasn't checked by either of us so I must do that tomorrow. Distance from top/mid saddle to centre bottom bracket is 74.6 cm ( 29.5") as well btw . Thanks.

As regards handlebar rise. I wouldn't say that I understand enough about my own balance yet to seriously consider changing the rise based upon what you write.

Ive been standing up when descending 'all the time' only for a couple of months so whatever I do with the dropper I'll leave the bars exactly where they are. They seem absolutely fine for me to move my weight around and although I feel that my 'arse is too high' , I suspect that the real solution to that is to move further back

Thanks Again for the advice, and for the explanations as to what I should be focused on, that helps a lot. I may well be losing some advice from my LBS as my language skills aren't up to technical MTB/VTT.

 

[Mcharza]

And remember, when you rise the handlebar, you shorten the reach. Of course you can compensate it pushing the handlebar forward.

 

[Mikerb]

I am 183cm with 34inch inseam and ride a large.....but I have ridden a medium and found it both stiffer and more playful/manoeuvrable that my own bike downhill. OK it felt a little small when riding on the level seated mostly in terms of leg length but with the motor assist you do not really need a fully efficient pedalling position. I think a lot depends on your body shape though...and the type of riding you do. I am long legged but relatively short in the body so the cockpit felt fine. I also consider riding on the flat to be just transitions between downhill runs so not that bothered about efficiency. On my own bike I often run the dropper lower than its max height on the level, the exception being on tarmac...but I rarely ride on tarmac.
I see no reason why you could not try a bigger dropper but be aware at full height it will mean leaning forward more to reach the bars so some cockpit adjustment may be required .

 

[Dfriz]

178mm doesnt sound particularly tall to ride a medium. Is that a typo? If not do you have a very large inseam measurement for your height?
Mine is 33" and I ride a few frames with shorter seat tube lengths than a M Levo and long seatposts.
Are you sure the 150mm dropper doesn't have enough height raised to the limit?
If not. Yeah, by all means fit a longer dropper.
But bars wise. I wouldn't expect at your height you'd need to go to a 40mm rise. Bar height on an mtb should always be set for stood up control over seated comfort.
Many many noobs get this wrong and run bars too high resulting in poor handling and grip.if you're just a leisure rider rather than a mtber fine. But be aware of the issue if you are planning on riding mtb. Especially technical or fast trails (up and downł

Why does everyone think that high rise handle bars effect grip and handling?

 

[Gary]

Perhaps Because it does? All contact point positioning affects grip and handling

Too high a bar and you will struggle to weight the front properly. is this really such a difficult concept to grasp?

178cm isn't tall

 

[Dfriz]

Yes because it hasn't effected my riding at all

 

[Gary]

Awesome

 

[tnull5]

I worked in shops and was a store manager in the late 80's. Back then, we had a long stem and bars with no rise. The difference between saddle height and bar was significant back then. Much more road bike like. More weight on the front compared to now. So it is all relative. We rode very demanding trails with very little suspension travel. A longer stem will move more weight over the front. Bad thing? No, just a different feel. A little more extension will stretch you out just a bit and change how the bike handles a bit. Bad? No. Different? Yes. Back in the day, bikes had more aggressive geometry and you steered around stuff, not just point and ride over it. You had an inch, maybe two of front and no rear travel. 1.95 tires. Flat, 680mm bars. Now, you can literally point and let the bike go, the travel absorbs what would have trashed us back then if we did not use our arms and legs to absorb the impacts. So yes, in my opinion you can simply get a longer post and a bit longer stem. I cut my bars down to 760 from 800, because it felt too wide. Stem and post are relatively inexpensive to experiment with.

 

[Singletrackmind]

I worked in shops and was a store manager in the late 80's. Back then, we had a long stem and bars with no rise. The difference between saddle height and bar was significant back then. Much more road bike like. More weight on the front compared to now. So it is all relative. We rode very demanding trails with very little suspension travel. A longer stem will move more weight over the front. Bad thing? No, just a different feel. A little more extension will stretch you out just a bit and change how the bike handles a bit. Bad? No. Different? Yes. Back in the day, bikes had more aggressive geometry and you steered around stuff, not just point and ride over it. You had an inch, maybe two of front and no rear travel. 1.95 tires. Flat, 680mm bars. Now, you can literally point and let the bike go, the travel absorbs what would have trashed us back then if we did not use our arms and legs to absorb the impacts. So yes, in my opinion you can simply get a longer post and a bit longer stem. I cut my bars down to 760 from 800, because it felt too wide. Stem and post are relatively inexpensive to experiment with.

I remember those good old days when you made changes to components exactly as you stated to make fit adjustments. Whilst I do appreciate modern geometry, It didn't feel obsolete on my mtbs from 1980's and 90's!

 

[Singletrackmind]

And remember, when you rise the handlebar, you shorten the reach. Of course you can compensate it pushing the handlebar forward.

You are spot on about rising a handlebar with spacers that it will shorten the reach. I do believe get bars with more rise wouldn't effect reach but would alter riding characteristics (mostly impacting performance when riding up hills).

 

[Mcharza]

You are spot on about rising a handlebar with spacers that it will shorten the reach. I do believe get bars with more rise wouldn't effect reach but would alter riding characteristics (mostly impacting performance when riding up hills).

You're right, I answered a little wrong. But here's a good story, reading this will give you a better idea. Answer at least to the original questioner.

The right handlebar rise – all you need to know

Is front wheel traction getting you down? If so, it's time to think about your handlebar height. We experiment to find the perfect MTB bar height.

enduro-mtb.com

 

[Sean1.0]

Something doesn't add up for me... I don't see how a 150mm dropper won't fit perfectly for a 178cm rider with a 33" inside leg on a M size Levo (seat tube is what ? 420 ish?) ... must be loads of room to raise it way too high if needed ?... I would expect a 150mm dropper to be around 30mm from fully inserted (give or take for pref and crank length) .. so plenty to play with to 'min insertion' level on the dropper.

Are you sure that the dropper is not fully inserted ? ... and by 'maximum extension' you just mean it's fully extended to 150mm whilst actually being slammed into the seatube ... ie: the collar of the dropper is not raised up from the top of the seat tube at all ?

 

[EME]

@Sean1.0 Its my turn not to understand, Im afraid.

Collar of the dropper is raised up from top of seat tube. Its not my inner leg that is 33". its my inner seam.

Dropper extends to 150mm ( when it works properly), collar to top of tube = 64mm , sole of my cycling shoes to depth of my crotch .. 901mm ......... oh , and I have VERY small hands.

 

[Sean1.0]

@Sean1.0 Its my turn not to understand, Im afraid.

Collar of the dropper is raised up from top of seat tube. Its not my inner leg that is 33". its my inner seam.

Dropper extends to 150mm ( when it works properly), collar to top of tube = 64mm , sole of my cycling shoes to depth of my crotch .. 901mm ......... oh , and I have VERY small hands.

Ok... I get it ... you must have very long legs as well as very small hands then

Worth a try but I'll get my coat.

In that case I would say go with a 170mm dropper fist ... and then probly go with the 40mm riser bar too.

 

[Gary]

• +165mm : average EMTB crank length
• -15mm : 30mm thick pedals stack height from axle center
• +420mm : frame seat tube length
• +359mm : 150mm brand x dropper at full extension inserted 100mm
• 40mm : very low saddle stack (rails to top)

= 969mm

RAISE YOUR SEATPOST!

 

[EME]

@Gary I tried quickly today but was 'stuck' and I couldn't pull further without excess force which I didn't have time to investigate. . I'm not going to be very happy if cable has been cut too short.. I take motor more off tomorrow to investigate.

If a new cable (and 359mm total) is number Im looking for then worst case is a new cable and a guy in an LBS learning some new Anglo-Saxon.

 

[willeco]

I am 178 cm (lost 3cm while aging ) and I opted for the Large.
I tested both L and M versions and felt much more at ease on the L (where I have even 3 spacers under the stem).
The M was probably the option to have a even more playful and agile bike, but at my age and driving style the L suits me much better.
Not in the least because the 29 Large was much more direct and playful than my previous Giant Trance E2 Pro (27").

 

[Gary]

You simply need to feed an internal dropper cable into the frame as you raise the seat post.

it "could" be fouled internally by the motor/battery/connectors etc.
Your outer cable "could" be cut too short and if so will need replacing with longer inner and outer cable.

359mm is the external limit of a 150mm brand X dropper when inserted to the 100mm min insertion limit.
other posts dimentions vary but the BX is one of the shortest 150mm posts. only a One Up is noticably shorter, As is X-Fusion but only by around 20-30mm so should still raise plenty high enough for you.

Not sure why you haven't bothered stating which dropper post you actually have. it would have saved an awful lot of replies.

 

[EME]

Not sure why you haven't bothered stating which dropper post you actually have. it would have saved an awful lot of replies.

if I'd thought the brand relevant I obviously would have. I assumed that from your experience as written above you knew .

The answer is :-
X-Fusion Manic, infinite adjustable, two-bolt head, bottom mount cable routing, remote SRL LE lever, 34.9mm, M: 150mm

 

[Gary]

Yeah. I'm fairly sure that's about 30mm shorter than the brand X. so should be fine raised.
Thanks for confirming.

I don't have a Levo. or any Specialized anymore for that matter. Have worked on plenty though.
Zim just tagged me as he knows I know shit loads about bikes and sizing in general

 

[EME]

@Gary Thanks .. !

 

[KeithR]

I am 178 (lost 3cm while aging )

That's still an impressive age to be riding a bike...

 

[willeco]

That's still an impressive age to be riding a bike...

Subtract 110 to see the real value

 

[EME]

@willeco Still a child !

 

[willeco]

@willeco Still a child !

In my mind yes...

 

[Norcalsl]

Longer stem and move your seat back all the way? That's what I did.

 

[Mikerb]

You're right, I answered a little wrong. But here's a good story, reading this will give you a better idea. Answer at least to the original questioner.

The right handlebar rise – all you need to know

Is front wheel traction getting you down? If so, it's time to think about your handlebar height. We experiment to find the perfect MTB bar height.

enduro-mtb.com

yes that is an excellent article and to their credit, they state in the final paragraph that whilst their test shows the potential pros and cons of going higher or lower, your starting position ( ie your existing set up) will be dictated by your body shape and shock set up etc. In the end it is really about your body position on the bike during the 3 different phases of riding....on the flat, on a climb, or descending. It is also the case of course that you can ( and should) alter your weight distribution to meet the needs of the terrain you are riding. I am short bodied so like a bike with short reach so I used an extra stem spacer but also use a moderate riser bar which puts me in more control downhill whilst not compromising control of the front wheel on climbs. I do have to compensate uphill by leaning rather more over the bars than before I made the changes but that becomes second nature after a bit of experimentation.