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

[Coolcmsc]

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.

Sad to say, I agree — not safe and the only way to prove who’s correct is a bit dangerous, depending on what you ride.

But you’re in a such tough place just now with choosing what to do about that — feel for you mate. I speak from experience — although not with a Levo on this occasion (am a Levo owner).

 

[gaba]

Doesn’t seem to be an issue with the carbon rear on the SWorks. Seems like they planned for more wear there in the design. 2019 model.

 

[daju]

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.

Ditto

 

[Coolcmsc]

Ditto

And ditto again.
A fantastic bike, especially if you go 160 up front and take out a spacer (depending on yer weight). Some say mulleting with a 2.6 -> 2.8 +- flip chip adds a bit more pop. I advise better brakes: your choice, but mine was MT5 with the one finger levers.
Sad to say, tho’ I had to give it back... I was definitely an outlier. Mine off the road due to electrics x6 and not just the three motors. There was the two TCU’s, the three motor/battery looms, the speed sensor and the battery connector upgrade. It just became too much for me and Specialized and my LBS supported me fully — big shout out to both ?
So, fettled, a fantastic all round ride.
LBS couldn’t get another to replace, so got my money back. Lost personal confidence in the Levo reliability, especially as I’m retired and those Kong uphill pushes home are something for the younger folks. But I’d still advise all those here buying one without any hesitation ?
What did I replace it with? Why, a Bullit of course —lucky boy that I am, I had the Expert Carbon, so not sush along reach to the S build on the Bullit. I’ve rated them against each other elsewhere.

 

[Moshe]

After reading all of this I am happier with my decision to buy my Haibike instead of waiting for an available Levo last Spring.

 

[Coolcmsc]

After reading all of this I am happier with my decision to buy my Haibike instead of waiting for an available Levo last Spring.

Spoke to a guy the other day who made the same decision. He was ecstatically pleased. Having an e-bike, any e-bike, delivers the main joy ?

 

[drm31078]

About to pickup my 2021 Levo...what year are your bikes with (or without) this issue?

 

[Mikerb]

2019 Comp.....1200 miles (it would be more but for the last 8 months I have had 2 EMTBS!) , 2 years of riding ...........no issues, no faults.

 

[Grannyjones]

1200 miles really is not much for an E Bike is it

I've done 2500 miles on mine in 9 months and feels like I don't use it much for something I've spent so much on

 

[Mikerb]

1200 miles really is not much for an E Bike is it

I've done 2500 miles on mine in 9 months and feels like I don't use it much for something I've spent so much on

I only MTB when there is not enough wind to windsurf!!

 

[head]

I had a rear brake failure today. After some investigation it looks that the brake hose was cut because of this issue. The thing is that I was aware of this issue and I regularly checked my bike and it looked that the hose isn't rubbing agains the frame. It looks that I was wrong .

 

[Coolcmsc]

I had a rear brake failure today. After some investigation it looks that the brake hose was cut because of this issue. The thing is that I was aware of this issue and I regularly checked my bike and it looked that the hose isn't rubbing agains the frame. It looks that I was wrong .

This is an IMPORTANT post, thank you for your honesty.

It’s so easy — for me at least — to imagine matters as seen in the bike stand as representative of riding down a bumpy trail.

This understandable perspective whilst cool and flattering of ones insightful brilliance can lead to misinterpretation and even disaster.

So glad to hear your able to report this after a brake failure.

There’s a current thread on the forum discussing bike racks for e-bikes. Some of the comments there are not as insightful as they might be. The only real test of a bike rack is your conversation with the police and or the insurance company about the outcome of a high deceleration accident.....

Risk is more than just a measure of likelihood, its also a measure of the consequence...

 

[head]

Fortunately it wasn't a sudden brake failure. I presume that the hole in the hose was pretty small, because the brake worked, but it was slowly getting softer and softer until it failed completely today. Btw. the brake fluid damaged the sensor cable and also frame paint. The bike is in the service and I hope that I'll have it back next week.

 

[Wrinkled]

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.
View attachment 53944 View attachment 53945

 

[Wrinkled]

Hi Miru,
I noticed from your post you had to do the same thing that I am struggling with on my 2019 Turbo Levo. I am trying to replace the rear brake line and see that the line has to be routed through an internal plastic tube. Before I start I would get advice on any tips or tricks on how this is done. Seems like there may be a lot of resistance trying to pull the new line through the plastic tube. Any advice would be great!

 

[Coolcmsc]

Hi Miru,
I noticed from your post you had to do the same thing that I am struggling with on my 2019 Turbo Levo. I am trying to replace the rear brake line and see that the line has to be routed through an internal plastic tube. Before I start I would get advice on any tips or tricks on how this is done. Seems like there may be a lot of resistance trying to pull the new line through the plastic tube. Any advice would be great!

Your manual has a good picture of where the internal routing tubes go. I think you’ll have to drop the motor out (OK if you have the tools including a stand and a torque wrench + the manual as the torque numbers for reassembly).

 

[daju]

I was able to replace rear brake line without dropping the motor. It wasn't easy peasy though

 

[lumpy]

I was able to replace rear brake line without dropping the motor. It wasn't easy peasy though

Same here. Just fed it in slowly from the bottom and used that cool little connector thing (can't remember who makes it or what it's called) threaded to the old hose to feed, push/pull the new hose through

 

[Zimmerframe]

Same here. Just fed it in slowly from the bottom and used that cool little connector thing (can't remember who makes it or what it's called) threaded to the old hose to feed, push/pull the new hose through

Rockshox Stealth Barb Connector :

2019 Levo Rear Brake Cable

Hi All, Has anyone had the experience of routing a rear brake cable through the frame of a 2019 Levo? Just wanted to know how hard/easy it is and any pointers you can give me. Thanks.

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You can also use a small screw, cut the head off and use it as a barb screwed into the ends of the new and old cable.

 

[Miru]

Hi Miru,
I noticed from your post you had to do the same thing that I am struggling with on my 2019 Turbo Levo. I am trying to replace the rear brake line and see that the line has to be routed through an internal plastic tube. Before I start I would get advice on any tips or tricks on how this is done. Seems like there may be a lot of resistance trying to pull the new line through the plastic tube. Any advice would be great!

Hey, the way i did it was to cut the old brake hose at the caliper side, take the new hose that was cut at the brake lever side and mate it with the old hose( i cut the ridged part of the barb

that goes inside the hydraulic line and put it half inside the new hose and half inside the old hose because i didn't have access to one of this bad boys

) and then slowly pulled on the old hydraulic line from the brake lever side until i had the new line all the way through the frame.
Just be careful to do this in one go without forcing it as to separate the two lines because than it might happen that the plastic hydraulic line guide inside your chain stay or frame to dislodged itself and then you have 10x more work to do to put it back in place so the line can smoothly pass through

 

[Wrinkled]

Wow - Thanks! great idea - I will give it a go.

 

[Mxsledder]

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.

Any idea if the gen 3 is any better?

 

[Grannyjones]

UPDATE
After 6 months the bike shop replaced the chainstay by warranty but put no protection in place to prevent this from happening again
I bought one of those Rubber U Challels (Black Rubber U Channel Edging Trim Seal 10mm x 4mm fits 0.5mm - 2mm | eBay)

I have just checked the bike again recently. It looks like a level of cable rub has happened again! The replacement chain stay is getting worn again by the cable. The same thing is going on again FFS

 

[kombos]

Just had this issue in mine last week. Was aware of the risk and was checking it on occasion and all seemed fine. One day my rear brake felt a bit mushy. Thought maybe a recent bleed I did had left a bit of air in the system. Rebled and seemed good but when riding and warming up the brakes, they felt mushy again. It was when cleaning the bike I noticed the small bit of fluid at the chainstay.

Apparently a tiny pinhole had started in the line. Replaced it without pulling the motor, using the little SRAM tool to pull the new line thru the frame. Added a short piece of vinyl tubing as future protection over the brake line at the chainstay port.

 

[dobbyhasfriends]

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).

 

[daju]

Just had this issue in mine last week. Was aware of the risk and was checking it on occasion and all seemed fine. One day my rear brake felt a bit mushy. Thought maybe a recent bleed I did had left a bit of air in the system. Rebled and seemed good but when riding and warming up the brakes, they felt mushy again. It was when cleaning the bike I noticed the small bit of fluid at the chainstay.

Apparently a tiny pinhole had started in the line. Replaced it without pulling the motor, using the little SRAM tool to pull the new line thru the frame. Added a short piece of vinyl tubing as future protection over the brake line at the chainstay port.

Can you say more about the little SRAM tool?---I need it

 

[Pyr0]

I think kombos meant the rockshox barb connector

rockshox barb connector - Google Search

 

[RebornRider]

FWIW, my 2019 Levo w/alloy chain stays has no visible wear in the chain stay slot or the hose. This is my only bike and it has a LOT of miles.

 

[daju]

I think kombos meant the rockshox barb connector

rockshox barb connector - Google Search

Thanks, Pyro

 

[muzzman1]

This happened to me back in 2019.

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...

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