Levo Gen 2 Frame pretty damaged, cable rub, Levo 2020

[Grannyjones]

After just 2200 miles I've noticed the frame is pretty much damaged on the chainstay - cable rub. The hole where the brake hose go through should be about 5mm but cable rub has made it 10mm damaging this part of the frame.
If left alone I believe it could get even worse. Has anyone found a solution to stop the rub ?
All I could think of was a cable tie to stop the movement of the cables against the frame but it simply just does not fit due to the position.
Note - to add confusion the bike is turned upside down in the pics

 

[ridehard]

I am pretty amazed this is the only case reported.
I marked this as a major issue the first day I got the bike, so I wrapped the cables with some thin silicone tape and covered the chainstay entry hole with mastik tape.

Its a bad design with no protection to the cables or frame, easily prevented, its a shame.

Ask for a replacement under warranty.

 

[towzer]

Good spot, yeah that’s shoddy, should be a rubber plug etc to protect edge of hole.

Ive cut a strip of innertube and managed to wedge it about 2cm into the arm via the hole underneath the cable and the rear end ofthe hole and then fold the other bit back along the arm and fixed it with a loop of insulating tape around the arm. (So tube between cable and extended hole in above photos), will be keeping an eye on that

i might try a bit of fuel hose (or camelback water tube etc) a few cm long with a side split so I can tape round wiring But suspect that still will rub* or maybe try to clip it round edge of hole to protect the edge

 

[lumpy]

Mine has the same thing going on. I don't really care as it's just cosmetic and I can't see it being a safety issue

 

[rydeezie]

Just checked mine
Maybe i can place some rubber on contact point
Would hate for my brake line get cut while on a ride. Especially while bombing downhill

 

[steve_sordy]

I may get flamed for this, judging by the (what seems to me) massive and irrational support for Speccy Levos. But why are people so in love with them?

They are over-priced, go through motors like nobody's business, have poor water resistance to the point where owners have to buy fan heaters to dry the electrics after washing them (FFS!) Special water resistant grease is recommended to be applied to the motor and battery contacts, before first use! Bikes are launched that have such poor design that owners have to bodge up sealant kits out of foam rubber and masking tape. The latest is that Speccy have decided that things were so bad that they have doubled the motor warranty for bikes of a certain vintage. And now the above problem that seems to be down to more than just the one owner, who apparently never checks his bike from one month to the next.

I have test ridden a Levo and to be honest, I was underwhelmed. In my defence prior to starting upon my emtb owner's journey, I knew nothing of the Levo or its problems. I took it at face value as just another emtb to be tested. My awareness has since been raised by this Forum.

Yes, I know that warranty support appears to be high. Witness the guys on their 3rd or even 4th motor!! "Oh, but their customer service is superb!" I would rather not have a problem that requires customer service in the first place please, thank you very much. Especially not the same thing repeatedly.

I'm done. (Retires to don heat resistant body armour).

 

[Grannyjones]

I may get flamed for this, judging by the (what seems to me) massive and irrational support for Speccy Levos. But why are people so in love with them?

I went with Specialized because when I bought the Levo (only 9 months ago) it was the only bike that offered a 700 watt hour battery.

I was very underwhelmed with the range offered by (particularly) the 500 watt hour bikes.

Oh yes I've never purchased a heater to dry the electonics out and I've not gone through any motors yet but it's low mileage still (3600 km) so time will tell know reliable or not they are.

The first componant to fail on the bike was actually the Dropper post. I tried to fix it myself and actually snapped the mechanism underneath, which means I had to pay for it.

 

[Grannyjones]

Ask for a replacement under warranty.

Yes next time I'm there I will ask for a replacement (if this problem is warrantable)



Anyone able to provide any pictures of the work they've done to this area to prevent this happening ?

 

[Grannyjones]

Mine has the same thing going on. I don't really care as it's just cosmetic and I can't see it being a safety issue

Mine was spotted by my local mechanic. He says its more than cosmetic & if left as it is it will continue to wear away the frame and eventually to the point where it will fail.

 

[R120]

The is quite worrying IMO - I would get some 3M mastic tape in there. Surely its meant to have a Gromit?

Have you contacted Specialized?

 

[towzer]

I’m going to try a bit of this

Black Rubber U Channel Edging Trim Seal 10mm x 4mm fits 0.5mm - 2mm Per Metre | eBay

Fits - 0.5mm to 2mm material. When confirmation of order is received, this is to indicate that we have received your order. It does not indicate that a contract exists between us. We will indicate acceptance of your order, and hence a contract between us, when we send you an invoice.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[DC101]

Mine has the same thing going on. I don't really care as it's just cosmetic and I can't see it being a safety issue

It’s just cosmetic till the sharp edge that is forming on the frame cuts into your brake hose...

I have seen this on 4 bikes now. Chainstay replaced under warranty

 

[Mikerb]

On the other hand I have just checked mine and there is absolutely no wear or damage there. So has this anything to do with the a bility/or not of the hydraulic cable to flex at the pivot point....and what might prevent that. Has the cable been jammed by other internal cable work? Is it impacted by increased suspension travel over the original spec?
ps @steve_sordy .........2019 Levo Comp and my mates 2019 Levo Base..............both zero faults other than normal wear and tear replacements such as chain and cassette and wheel bearings.

 

[steve_sordy]

............

ps @steve_sordy .........2019 Levo Comp and my mates 2019 Levo Base..............both zero faults other than normal wear and tear replacements such as chain and cassette and wheel bearings.

That is what everyone should expect as a matter of course from their bike. It is what I've had from my bike, as have many others. But Speccy owners seem to be a bit more unlucky than some.

 

[lumpy]

It’s just cosmetic till the sharp edge that is forming on the frame cuts into your brake hose...

I have seen this on 4 bikes now. Chainstay replaced under warranty

I'm not seeing any cutting into the hose, but I'll swing by my LBS and see what they say.

 

[Mikerb]

That is what everyone should expect as a matter of course from their bike. It is what I've had from my bike, as have many others. But Speccy owners seem to be a bit more unlucky than some.

It has been said before but worth repeating.........there are probably as many Levos on the trails as every other EMTB brand put together. It is certainly the case that my Levo has needed considerably more maintenance.........both routine and preventative, than any previous bike I have owned.........but then I had never paid anywhere near the price of my Levo for a bike before!! This forum is also testament to the mileage done, the amount of upgrade investment Levo owners are prepared to make, and the extremes to which many subject the bike ( which is classified as a trail bike not enduro/downhill/freeride/dirt bike!)

 

[steve_sordy]

Like I said, there is a lot of love for the Levo. It has passed me by. I'm probably the worse for it, but I guess I'll never know!

 

[Mikerb]

Probably like everyone else I used my Levo for everything from natural forest trails to Welsh mountain and Peak District rocky climbs....and a bit of bike park. Having bought a Whyte E180RS I now better appreciate what the Levo is good at.........and what is beyond its comfort zone, even with a 160 Lyric Ultimate fork on it. The longer, slacker, increased travel on the Whyte is pure Enduro...it loves techy fast gravity runs, and falls asleep on normal trail riding territory! For Lockdown XC type rides mixing a it of tarmac , farmtrack, bridleway, fireroad and a bit of singletrack the Levo is in its element. I love both bikes! Horses for courses

 

[Grannyjones]

That's the problem I've always had with bike choice, the Enduro type tracks are where the most fun is, but most of the stuff I spend most of my time riding is more tame. So always end up opting for the Trail Bike.
It seems to be capable of these enduro tracks anyway, just not as fast. Way faster than my Nukeproof Scout hardcore hardtail on the downs though, and maybe slightly faster than my Stumpjumper FSR Comp.

 

[Grannyjones]

I’m going to try a bit of this

Black Rubber U Channel Edging Trim Seal 10mm x 4mm fits 0.5mm - 2mm Per Metre | eBay

Fits - 0.5mm to 2mm material. When confirmation of order is received, this is to indicate that we have received your order. It does not indicate that a contract exists between us. We will indicate acceptance of your order, and hence a contract between us, when we send you an invoice.

www.ebay.co.uk

That looks like it could be the solution. Let me know how it goes then I might buy some.

Until then, I've got some 3M Mastic tape that I will probably try first

 

[towzer]

*edited, bodge below survived a 22 Mile xc(doddering old ecoplodder) ride. So for 2.99£ Inc postage for a metre of beading (see link a few posts above) you can’t really fault the vfm.



ye

fitted, easy to cut and slide in. Bike not ridden on a real ride yet, but had a quick bounce up and down local street. i did notice that as the cable moves it either tries to push in or pull out the rubber, so it might get pulled out.........(my original bodge was using a strip of inner tube and that can be any size you want, another option would be an old fashioned thick rubber tube patch or sheet that could be cut To size, which Would allow you to have much more depth inside the arm) anyway I’ve taped it in with insulating tape and hopefully it will be ok.

 

[Mikerb]

On the other hand I have just checked mine and there is absolutely no wear or damage there. So has this anything to do with the a bility/or not of the hydraulic cable to flex at the pivot point....and what might prevent that. Has the cable been jammed by other internal cable work? Is it impacted by increased suspension travel over the original spec?
ps @steve_sordy .........2019 Levo Comp and my mates 2019 Levo Base..............both zero faults other than normal wear and tear replacements such as chain and cassette and wheel bearings.

I told my mate about this so he could check. His bike had a little bit of wear. My bike has none and yet the vast majority of the mileage each of us has done has been together. His bike is the base model in medium, mine is the comp in Large.
Does the size of the frame have any bearing on whether this wear occurs or not? The cable should stay still as the chainstay moves with the suspension, meaning the cable should have room to flex within the bottom section of the seat tube ( behind the motor). Any work on cables that run through that area could affect the brake cable original installation?

 

[Mikerb]

That's the problem I've always had with bike choice, the Enduro type tracks are where the most fun is, but most of the stuff I spend most of my time riding is more tame. So always end up opting for the Trail Bike.
It seems to be capable of these enduro tracks anyway, just not as fast. Way faster than my Nukeproof Scout hardcore hardtail on the downs though, and maybe slightly faster than my Stumpjumper FSR Comp.

The Levo can tackle most trails but the difference is on the steep techy descents my eyes are out on stalks, whereas the same run on my E180 Whyte feels far more secure and I can hit it harder. The same goes for fast singletrack descents because the Whyte can be swung from left to right so much quicker............on the same run the Levo feels harder and slower to bring back upright after a lean into a corner. That aspect is largely about the lower bb on the Whyte.

 

[Miru]

This is the solution i used when i changed my brakes on my 2019 base levo. I had to replace the hydraulic line of the rear brake so while i was feeding it through i wraped the entire segment that goes through the chainstay in electical cable wrapping tape( the textile one). Just make sure you don’t wrap it too thick.

 

[TEE]

That dosnt look too good.
Judging from the picture i am unsure if i would still ride that but that depends on your riding style. Atleast it seems to be more than 5 mm?
The problem with aluminium is that it has a pretty bad fracture behavior. It dosnt bent like steel before it breaks or starts to crack open like carbon fibre. Aluminium just breaks abruptly. And usually that happens in situations when the frame has to take a lot of force.

Id recommend to put some thick tape over your break house(and check if it got damaged before you do so).
Dont add tape on that part of the frame because then you wont see when the frame starts to crack. And keep an eye on that spot.

 

[Grannyjones]

Judging from the picture i am unsure if i would still ride that but that depends on your riding style

Quite aggressive and fast. I'm going to ride it still, ask the bike shop for a replacement chainstay next time I'm there for whatever other reason. If they don't warranty it then I'll just ride it as it is but check it doesn't get any worse every so often.

 

[NULevo]

Looks like it's happened before and not that uncommon, I'll be checking mine in the morning.

@Specialized Rider Care might be the best route to getting it resolved....

My Chainstay wore a hole in my brake line!

On my 2019 Levo, right where my brake line enters the lower chainstay, I noticed the paint was bubbling up. My bike has been sitting for the last 5 weeks while my wrist recovers from a fracture that was a result of coming up short on a double :eek: (The "crash" happened on my Kenevo, not this...

www.emtbforums.com

 

[Gavalar]

I may get flamed for this, judging by the (what seems to me) massive and irrational support for Speccy Levos. But why are people so in love with them?

They are over-priced, go through motors like nobody's business, have poor water resistance to the point where owners have to buy fan heaters to dry the electrics after washing them (FFS!) Special water resistant grease is recommended to be applied to the motor and battery contacts, before first use! Bikes are launched that have such poor design that owners have to bodge up sealant kits out of foam rubber and masking tape. The latest is that Speccy have decided that things were so bad that they have doubled the motor warranty for bikes of a certain vintage. And now the above problem that seems to be down to more than just the one owner, who apparently never checks his bike from one month to the next.

I have test ridden a Levo and to be honest, I was underwhelmed. In my defence prior to starting upon my emtb owner's journey, I knew nothing of the Levo or its problems. I took it at face value as just another emtb to be tested. My awareness has since been raised by this Forum.

Yes, I know that warranty support appears to be high. Witness the guys on their 3rd or even 4th motor!! "Oh, but their customer service is superb!" I would rather not have a problem that requires customer service in the first place please, thank you very much. Especially not the same thing repeatedly.

I'm done. (Retires to don heat resistant body armour).

BRAVO, someone had to say it!

 

[gaba]

When I bought my 2019 Levo with the 700Whr battery there was nothing that remotely competed with it. Now some companies have caught up. Still with the upgrades I put into it, 160mm fork, better seatpost etc, it shreds. I have had to replace the motor twice, but both times my bike was down less than a week. I hammer that bike up the steepest inclines, jump it regularly, and bomb down tech, rocky descents. That bike has brought me endless hours of fun. I don’t care what anyone else rides, but I don’t regret my purchase one bit. Honestly the 4year warranty on the motor is icing on the cake. Even without out it, it’s a great bike. I know at least a dozen people who feel exactly the same way I do. For my next bike will I be looking at others as well? Absolutely, I’m not an idiot.

 

[Mikerb]

Cleaning my bike after yesterdays ride I took a closer look at the brake cable entry into the chain stay. As I said before I have absolutely no wear there. What I noticed compared to some of the photos a bove is that my brake cable loops down quite a bit before entering the motor casing and the speed sensor cable is not underneath it but rather to the side of it out of the way. There is no wear on the chainstay and no sign of rubbing on the cable itself. If I press the cable where it enters the chainstay there is plenty of room for it to move so it is not tight against the chainstay entry point edge.
So my suspicion is that the damage on some bikes is due to the brake cable being run too tight and possible the speed sensor cable not being tucked out of the way on the chainstay entry point. That could be just how it was originally assembled or possibly due to the cable being run too tight when either the brake cable or speed sensor cable ( or perhaps motor) was replaced for whatever reason. I know none of those have occured on my mates bike which has just a small amount of wear, so his was obviously build like that.

I decided against trying to insert anything between the cable and the chainstay entry point since it just jammed the cable.