E -bike snobbery

[Krisj]

Hi all just wanted to get this of my chest as it’s killing me. (Not literally either ?)
What’s with all this mountain bike snobbery , this is crap , that’s no good , moan moan moan.
The way people talk sometimes you'd think they were World Cup riders needing World Cup bikes.
I just wanted to share my thoughts on the Levo as I’ve found it so far after 7 months of riding my new E-Bike. I’ve done this to help people out there who are new to the e-bike mine field and give an honest opinion , I hope it’s helps others when choosing there new bike.
I’ve got a basic 2018 Levo I’ve tricked it up a bit nothing too expensive as I’ve not got a bottom less wallet and family comes first.
New stem (shorter )
New bars (wider)
New pedals (alloy)
Only for my personal preference

I’m 47 years young , I’ve raced downhill back in the 90’s , I’ve raced mx and freestyle mx , rode bmx dirt and park so I considered myself as been an alright rider who still tries to rip and shred up dirt when ever I can I’ve got KOM around all of our tracks locally not been big headed but I am competitive more so as I’m getting older ,just trying to prove to myself I can still hold my own. I’m 6.2 and train at the gym so I’m not a small guy either. 105kg kitted out.
So with my back ground been described let’s get on with my findings on the basic Levo.
Ive rode it in all conditions and have found it handles amazing when it’s all set up right.
The suspension has handled everything I’ve thrown at it so far , big jumps , drops , rock sections, technical fast and slow ,even the odd river bed section. Admittedly it took some setting up and it’s no way professional level but it handles everything it comes across with ease.
The brakes I know people have commented how rubbish they are and how they don’t work , me personally have never come across any situations yet that have left my pants soiled from my brakes failing. ??
The other components are again of good quality and I’ve not found myself thinking I need to change that because it’s terrible.
The wheels and tyres I’ve no problem with , they are a strong well balanced wheel and tyre set and I’ve yet to find an issue. I have gone tubeless from day one and Specialized supply everything you need too , my local bike shop did this for free as part of my set up.
Over all I’ve found the 2018 Levo a great pleasure to ride and it keeps me smiling ride after ride and continues to impress me.
So if your reading this and you’ve got a tight budget and confused
I found the Levo to be a excellent bike for the money and you’ll not regret buying one , and hopefully you’ll have the confidence to go out and part with your hard earned cash
Keep riding and most of all keep smiling ???✌?

 

[Mike Smith]

Second that Krisj
I've done the same apart from changing the stem and can relate 100% to your post..
just love it and riding it

 

[Hedge Monkey]

I agree
Loving my levo ??

 

[R120]

To be fair you get a lot of the same with normal MTB's.

All that matters is that you love your bike, and the riding it lets you do - and thats the best thing about any e-mtb, is it enables a lot of us to ride more, and smile more!

I have had more people sneer at my bike being a Vitus than it being an E-MTB!

 

[Krisj]

To be fair you get a lot of the same with normal MTB's.

All that matters is that you love your bike, and the riding it lets you do - and thats the best thing about any e-mtb, is it enables a lot of us to ride more, and smile more!

I have had more people sneer at my bike being a Vitus than it being an E-MTB![/QUOTE

Totally agree I have way more fun now than I’ve ever had. What’s more it’s allowed me and the wife to enjoy mountain biking together , she only started riding 2 years ago and now she’s doing reds with confidence and ripping it up I might add I’m well proud of her. The only downside is my 10 year old daughter can’t keep up on her analogue bike ,I turn mine off when she rides with us ,I wish I had the funds to buy her an e-bike too so she was at our level. That’s the only down side I could ever say about e-bikes if you enjoy biking together as a family it can be a very dear hobby. ??

 

[Swissrob]

The main problem with any bike nowadays is the f@#kin internet, too much information and opinions. This sows the seeds of doubt it which didn't happen 20 years ago, you just got on your bike and rode. I am a Levo rider and keep worrying about the brakes and forks but found no issues with them. Last night I had little time being a family man so I grabbed the bike, set it on turbo and blasted one of the best rides of my life in an hour and pondered if it would have been better with a 2019.
Stats
52yo drinker and smoker.
500m vert. 19.2km. 59min.
If I had betterbike maybe I would have cracked 20kms but at the end of the day I had an hour and had a blast which I probably could done on any number of e-bikes.

 

[Slowroller]

He who has the most fun on their bike wins. Tough to beat this kid. Just get out and ride.

 

[Stumpy]

Feeling the In the forum ??

I My Levo too!

 

[R120]

Its hard not to love your Levo!

 

[Mike Smith]

We all need a group hug and download this

 

[Tamas]

Hi all just wanted to get this of my chest as it’s killing me. (Not literally either ?)
What’s with all this mountain bike snobbery , this is crap , that’s no good , moan moan moan.
The way people talk sometimes you'd think they were World Cup riders needing World Cup bikes.
I just wanted to share my thoughts on the Levo as I’ve found it so far after 7 months of riding my new E-Bike. I’ve done this to help people out there who are new to the e-bike mine field and give an honest opinion , I hope it’s helps others when choosing there new bike.
I’ve got a basic 2018 Levo I’ve tricked it up a bit nothing too expensive as I’ve not got a bottom less wallet and family comes first.
New stem (shorter )
New bars (wider)
New pedals (alloy)
Only for my personal preference

I’m 47 years young , I’ve raced downhill back in the 90’s , I’ve raced mx and freestyle mx , rode bmx dirt and park so I considered myself as been an alright rider who still tries to rip and shred up dirt when ever I can I’ve got KOM around all of our tracks locally not been big headed but I am competitive more so as I’m getting older ,just trying to prove to myself I can still hold my own. I’m 6.2 and train at the gym so I’m not a small guy either. 105kg kitted out.
So with my back ground been described let’s get on with my findings on the basic Levo.
Ive rode it in all conditions and have found it handles amazing when it’s all set up right.
The suspension has handled everything I’ve thrown at it so far , big jumps , drops , rock sections, technical fast and slow ,even the odd river bed section. Admittedly it took some setting up and it’s no way professional level but it handles everything it comes across with ease.
The brakes I know people have commented how rubbish they are and how they don’t work , me personally have never come across any situations yet that have left my pants soiled from my brakes failing. ??
The other components are again of good quality and I’ve not found myself thinking I need to change that because it’s terrible.
The wheels and tyres I’ve no problem with , they are a strong well balanced wheel and tyre set and I’ve yet to find an issue. I have gone tubeless from day one and Specialized supply everything you need too , my local bike shop did this for free as part of my set up.
Over all I’ve found the 2018 Levo a great pleasure to ride and it keeps me smiling ride after ride and continues to impress me.
So if your reading this and you’ve got a tight budget and confused
I found the Levo to be a excellent bike for the money and you’ll not regret buying one , and hopefully you’ll have the confidence to go out and part with your hard earned cash
Keep riding and most of all keep smiling ???✌?

You are satisfied with your bike and all that matters. People who complain about the suspension components, brakes etc. on the entry level Levos probably rode better ones before and don't want to take a step back. They will feel the 150mm travel 32mm stanchion fork flexy, and the power of an XC brake underwhelming on a 20+kg ebike. It all comes down to personal preferences and what you are used to, it's not necessarily snobbery... There is a big selection of models/components so everybody can find what he/she wants and can be happy with it.

 

[Gary]

You are satisfied with your bike and all that matters. People who complain about the suspension components, brakes etc. on the entry level Levos probably rode better ones before and don't want to take a step back. They will feel the 150mm travel 32mm stanchion fork flexy, and the power of an XC brake underwhelming on a 20+kg ebike. It all comes down to personal preferences and what you are used to, it's not necessarily snobbery... There is a big selection of models/components so everybody can find what he/she wants and can be happy with it.

I didn't even get what his rant was about, Thanks for explaining.

I don't really get bike/component snobbery at all. A decent rider on a 20yr out of date hardtail with V-brakes and knackered 100mm fork will still look better to me than many folk who will buy a shiny new 8 grand muntainbike every year to ride once a week at a trail centre or whatever.

There's always a better bike than yours and there;s always a better rider than you so just get over it and enjoy riding what you have/can afford etc..

 

[Tamas]

I didn't even get what his rant was about, Thanks for explaining.

I don't really get bike/component snobbery at all. A decent rider on a 20yr out of date hardtail with V-brakes and knackered 100mm fork will still look better to me than many folk who will buy a shiny new 8 grand muntainbike every year to ride once a week at a trail centre or whatever.

There's always a better bike than yours and there;s always a better rider than you so just get over it and enjoy riding what you have/can afford etc..

Exactly... and also, who is 'qualified' to determine where the snobbery starts from? For many people, even the base model Levo is absolute snobbery...

 

[Krisj]

My point was people that are new to e-bikes
Get confused and put off by bike and components tarts with bottom less wallets.
I was giving the basic Levo the recognition it deserves as a good entry bike.
And from the comments back it’s helped a few people (so job done. )
To be honest Half the people with high end components and bikes can’t even ride they just need to look the part (the people who can ride will not take offence to this either )
The ones guilty will be offended (sorry it’s true ?)

 

[Gary]

I'm not really sure why you care. It's their choice.

We're (mostly) ALL new to Ebikes

 

[R120]

We are lucky to live in an age when even lower spec components offer very good performance that shame the top end parts of not so long ago.

Buying a bike is often as much an emotional purchase as a rational one, as most of us get seduce by a bit of bling and it’s easy enough to fall in love with a more expensive/higher spec bike than you need.

EMTBs are slightly different to normal bikes in that for me the most important parts need to be tough enough to handle the extra weight.

Often a more basic part is the more fit for purpose option on an e-bike.

 

[Tamas]

My point was people that are new to e-bikes
Get confused and put off by bike and components tarts with bottom less wallets.
I was giving the basic Levo the recognition it deserves as a good entry bike.
And from the comments back it’s helped a few people (so job done. )
To be honest Half the people with high end components and bikes can’t even ride they just need to look the part (the people who can ride will not take offence to this either )
The ones guilty will be offended (sorry it’s true ?)

New to ebikes or new to bikes in general? The parts used are pretty much identical in both only the bikes' weights are different which kind of requires the more robust components on ebikes. If somebody has knowledge of bikes/parts then it applies to ebikes too as all manufacturers are building bikes from the same parts apart from the frames - and motor systems in the ebike world. If no knowledge then 'name recognition' comes in and if it's a Specialized then it must be good. In my opinion for wallet-conscious people, there are much better choices than Specialized... but I'm not judging anybody where/how they spend their money.

 

[John Locke]

My friend has a turbo Levo, the lowest cost carbon fiber version, $7000USD. He likes it. I ride a Haibike Xduro All Mtn 6.0, $4000USD. Mine is aluminum, about 3lbs heavier. We both have lots of fun going places we normally wouldn't with our old specialized stump jumpers, because now we "HAVE THE POWER". Here are some differences to note for these two 2018 ebikes.

Levo doesn't have a display. It doesn't record anything and you can't easily see which of the 3 levels of power assist you're using. The Haibike has a handlebar display that tells you miles left, battery percentage left, miles traveled, and best of all ... It has a bright multi-color led that indicates which of the 5 levels of assist you're using.

The battery on the Levo is more difficult to remove, having to unscrew from the frame. Although the Levo battery is better hidden in the frame, it's a much longer and skinnier battery for the 500wh capacity. The Haibike battery removes quite easy with a key, twist and remove, quicker and easier. Removing the battery isn't something you need to do very often, only times like traveling and staying in a hotel when you need to charge the battery in the room overnight, leaving the bike on the car rack, locked of course. The Haibike 500wh battery is shorter and fatter which makes it more convenient to carry an extra battery in a backpack for long rides, which again isn't very often for me.

Both bikes have about the same range. The 2.8" wide tires are incredibly fun and solid when riding, feeling less like a bicycle and more like a motorcycle. Ebikes are the bomb! The Levo has a better look IMO, but is more minimalist by design. It's very cool that the Levo is carbon fiber for such a good price, but with the mid-board power I don't think the few pounds in weight savings is very important to maximize fun. The geometry is more important IMO. I like the Specialized brand, I still have my Stumpjumper, however anyone on a budget would be happy with the Haibike. Both are very fun.

 

[Lazy Biker 84]

Ive never been a balls out MTB rider but my Levo does provide me with enough confidence to push myself further and faster than ive ever ridden before. I love my Levo, its only the 2018 Comp (non carbon) but I genuinely believe you don't need more. Everyone's welcome to spend what they want on a bike, its their money at the end of the day but for me, the Levo is the sweet spot when it comes to "bang per buck".

 

[Dax]

Great write up @Krisj i could have done with that when I was shopping a few months back!

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

Hi all just wanted to get this of my chest as it’s killing me. (Not literally either ?)
What’s with all this mountain bike snobbery , this is crap , that’s no good , moan moan moan.
The way people talk sometimes you'd think they were World Cup riders needing World Cup bikes.
I just wanted to share my thoughts on the Levo as I’ve found it so far after 7 months of riding my new E-Bike. I’ve done this to help people out there who are new to the e-bike mine field and give an honest opinion , I hope it’s helps others when choosing there new bike.
I’ve got a basic 2018 Levo I’ve tricked it up a bit nothing too expensive as I’ve not got a bottom less wallet and family comes first.
New stem (shorter )
New bars (wider)
New pedals (alloy)
Only for my personal preference

I’m 47 years young , I’ve raced downhill back in the 90’s , I’ve raced mx and freestyle mx , rode bmx dirt and park so I considered myself as been an alright rider who still tries to rip and shred up dirt when ever I can I’ve got KOM around all of our tracks locally not been big headed but I am competitive more so as I’m getting older ,just trying to prove to myself I can still hold my own. I’m 6.2 and train at the gym so I’m not a small guy either. 105kg kitted out.
So with my back ground been described let’s get on with my findings on the basic Levo.
Ive rode it in all conditions and have found it handles amazing when it’s all set up right.
The suspension has handled everything I’ve thrown at it so far , big jumps , drops , rock sections, technical fast and slow ,even the odd river bed section. Admittedly it took some setting up and it’s no way professional level but it handles everything it comes across with ease.
The brakes I know people have commented how rubbish they are and how they don’t work , me personally have never come across any situations yet that have left my pants soiled from my brakes failing. ??
The other components are again of good quality and I’ve not found myself thinking I need to change that because it’s terrible.
The wheels and tyres I’ve no problem with , they are a strong well balanced wheel and tyre set and I’ve yet to find an issue. I have gone tubeless from day one and Specialized supply everything you need too , my local bike shop did this for free as part of my set up.
Over all I’ve found the 2018 Levo a great pleasure to ride and it keeps me smiling ride after ride and continues to impress me.
So if your reading this and you’ve got a tight budget and confused
I found the Levo to be a excellent bike for the money and you’ll not regret buying one , and hopefully you’ll have the confidence to go out and part with your hard earned cash
Keep riding and most of all keep smiling ???✌?

I've had many, many messages from folks asking about bikes, many first timers and some from people getting back into MTB after a long while off. Many ask which specs to go for and it it worth paying for models higher up in the range. Some really analyse spec for spec and sweat the detail (which is fine). But at the end of the day if you can get 95% of the fun and experience, but spend 60% of what you thought you may need then that’s a winner in my book. I'm going to use this as a resource, and have already directed folks to your message @Krisj

@Gary I believe this thread was started as a result of some of the feedback towards the component spec level that the 2019 Levo comes with as standard (let’s not go down that hole again though ???)

 

[Gary]

Make a little more sense now. Thanks @Rob Hancill

 

[Sjc501]

Hi great post for newbie looking to buy a Levo . Is there a link to the different spec or models available? Cheers

 

[outerlimits]

I’m super happy with my base model 2018 Levo.
I found I had to change only 3 things to make it safer to ride how and where I ride it.
Added a dropper, and changed the tyres to Maxxis Minions DHF & DHR combo. ( Butchers were slippery on my local trails)
And DMR vault pedals as the factory ones only suitable for road rides imo.

This has just made the bike safer to ride for where I ride it, and if I changed nothing else it would do everything I ask.

Now for the comfort mods just 2 things maybe 3 in time. Changed the grips to ODI Rouge as I have big hands, and fitted a front mudguard. That’s it, the comfort level is right for me. But I could go a 3rd in the comfort stakes and it would improve the performance as well. That is up grade the fork from the stock Reba. Might make it a bit more comfortable, would improve the performance, may make it a bit safer, but it is a costly mod.

But tell the truth, it’s still plenty comfortable and safe as it is for me.

 

[Kaelidoz]

I feel like an alien on this forum with a 2000€ emtb and around 1000 of parts, upgrades and accessories.

But it's often the case for any hobby I get into; Mechanical Keyboards, Vapes, PC hardware.

Anyway the forums would be boring without some high-end stuff.

 

[Mike Smith]

Hi great post for newbie looking to buy a Levo . Is there a link to the different spec or models available? Cheers

Here we go LINKY and welcome on board @Sjc501

 

[Tamas]

I feel like an alien on this forum with a 2000€ emtb and around 1000 of parts, upgrades and accessories.

But it's often the case for any hobby I get into; Mechanical Keyboards, Vapes, PC hardware.

Anyway the forums would be boring without some high-end stuff.

You shouldn't feel like an alien just enjoy riding whatever you have!
All hobbies are like this. When you get deeper into them the sky is the limit and - more often than not - or our wallets... Even when you have 'X" amount of money you can spend it on different ways. Someone spends their money on 'name', others are looking for the 'best bang for their buck' and usually, you don't get the two together...

 

[MarkH]

If you think ebikes are expensive you should try keeping a coral reef tank. Mine currently stands at about 2 S Works??

 

[ccrdave]

If you think ebikes are expensive you should try keeping a coral reef tank. Mine currently stands at about 2 S Works??

haha i have been there!

 

[Lazy Biker 84]

haha i have been there!

I actually contemplated going there, loved the thought of it, just too expensive! Bought another house, was the cheaper option! ?