Levo Gen 3 Gen 3 Levo Base Model Upgrades: Handling

[Coedwig]

Hi, first post on the forums and first EMTB. I have a Gen 3 Turbo Levo base model alloy (S5). Coming from a short travel mtb I’m finding the handling a little on the heavy side. Is this to be expected?

What upgrades would you recommend? I’ve put new stem, bar and grips and have changed the shifter and derailleur to GX Eagle. Everything else is as standard.

What upgrades would make a difference to handling and improve the agility of the bike? Would upgrading the fork make a noticeable difference? I don’t do jumps but it is pretty steep and rocky where I live (North Wales). Would a better fork make any difference to the handling on turns etc?

What about a longer dropper? I find myself getting off balance on some narrow singletrack or switchbacks in a way a never did on my normal bike. The weight of the bike seems to want to ‘go’ away from me at times in a way I’m not familiar with. Would a longer dropper help? I have a 170 but there is still loads of post out.

Then there’s brakes and tyres. Seems to be mixed opinions on the Specialized tyres. How do others find them on wet rocks and roots? Worth changing? I was thinking about Schwalbe or Continental but haven’t tried either.

What would you do? Or should I just part exchange it for a lightweight emtb?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Stihldog]

…What would you do? Or should I just part exchange it for a lightweight emtb?

Thanks in advance.

Welcome to the forums.
I would get both.(if I had to do it again). And upgrading can be fun …over time.

 

[Coedwig]

Thanks for replying. Unfortunately, I can’t afford both bikes so it’s one or the other I’m afraid. Are the lightweight bikes light enough to make a difference and to compensate for the reduced power?

Alternatively, which one of the upgrades I mentioned do you think would make the biggest improvement?

Cheers.

 

[brigcampbell]

Carbon bars, no brainer

 

[Coedwig]

What difference would carbon bars make?

 

[brigcampbell]

What difference would carbon bars make?

Significantly smooths out the rattle / chatter of the bars. Huge difference.

One up bars are your friend.

 

[rzr]

just ride more to feel the bike more.
Most important upgrades (for me):
* brakes (i've changed srams to saints (i'd do that on ANY bike)
* later tires: 2x assegai (or DHR2 at the back), possibly DH casing and inserts if you want to run lower pressure.

on mine, I've also changed fork to ZEB 170mm and Cascade Long travel link+RS SuperDelux RCT, rear 29", OneUp carbon handlebar 20mm, revgrips, and drivetrain to Shimano XT 11s.
basically everything

standard specialized stem is enough, I see some proposes riser bars 50mm :O I wouldn't do that, handlebars so high will compromise your position on a bike and front end grip.

 

[Polar]

High rise bars like Burgtec 50mm and brakes

 

[Dave_B]

Tyres and Forks are going to make the biggest immediate difference.

I’ve upgraded to Zeb Ultimates and I run Schwalbe Magic Mary out front and Big Betty at the rear.

Next would be rear shock. I’ve gone coil.
Then brakes (I’ve chosen Hope Tech 4 E4).

Dropper post - got one that fits as low as possible into the seat tube but when extended gives you the correct saddle height. Mine is 170mm (I’m also on an S5), it is just about fully inserted, so completely out of the way when dropped but it the correct height when up for pedalling.

After all that, you can then look at carbon rims with better hubs.

My bars are high rise (40mm I think), but I’m still playing around with the stack height to get the best fit)

 

[Tooks]

Hi, first post on the forums and first EMTB. I have a Gen 3 Turbo Levo base model alloy (S5). Coming from a short travel mtb I’m finding the handling a little on the heavy side. Is this to be expected?

What upgrades would you recommend? I’ve put new stem, bar and grips and have changed the shifter and derailleur to GX Eagle. Everything else is as standard.

What upgrades would make a difference to handling and improve the agility of the bike? Would upgrading the fork make a noticeable difference? I don’t do jumps but it is pretty steep and rocky where I live (North Wales). Would a better fork make any difference to the handling on turns etc?

What about a longer dropper? I find myself getting off balance on some narrow singletrack or switchbacks in a way a never did on my normal bike. The weight of the bike seems to want to ‘go’ away from me at times in a way I’m not familiar with. Would a longer dropper help? I have a 170 but there is still loads of post out.

Then there’s brakes and tyres. Seems to be mixed opinions on the Specialized tyres. How do others find them on wet rocks and roots? Worth changing? I was thinking about Schwalbe or Continental but haven’t tried either.

What would you do? Or should I just part exchange it for a lightweight emtb?

Thanks in advance.

I’ve got a base Levo as well, but also regularly ride a 30lb long travel standard mtb along with a Focus Jam2 378Wh, which is noticeably lighter than the Levo.

There’s no getting away from the fact that a 52lb Levo is less agile than the short travel mtb you’ve been used to, but it’s swings and roundabouts really as the Levo has other talents.

For steering feel, perhaps think about experimenting with different stem lengths and stack heights? The Levo came with some adjustment cups to slacken or steepen the head angle, and you can also adjust the rear geo a little, steepening the head angle will make it quicker steering, but depends where and how you ride.

The tyres were the first thing I changed on mine, others get on with them but I had my first off in a long time when the front washed out. I tried some Maxxis I had in the shed which felt better, but run some Michelins now and it’s more planted on the trails I ride.

I also upgraded the RS Silver 35 TK (a surprisingly good basic fork) with a RS Domain I had spare retrofitted with a Charger 2.1 Damper (so basically now a Zeb) and that feels great and more suited to the weight of the bike (and me!).

My Focus is a good 7lbs lighter than the Levo, and does feel lighter and ‘poppier’ to ride than the Levo.

People who ride the Levo SLs do tend to rave about them, and although I’ve not ridden one myself I can see how knocking 10-12lbs off the Levo would change the riding experience. You’re giving up some power though, so always a compromise somewhere.

The only person who can decide what will work for you is you really, tyres and forks I agree are the areas to make the biggest difference, that and playing with the geo and equally importantly spending some time on the bike.

 

[Coedwig]

I’ve got a base Levo as well, but also regularly ride a 30lb long travel standard mtb along with a Focus Jam2 378Wh, which is noticeably lighter than the Levo.

There’s no getting away from the fact that a 52lb Levo is less agile than the short travel mtb you’ve been used to, but it’s swings and roundabouts really as the Levo has other talents.

For steering feel, perhaps think about experimenting with different stem lengths and stack heights? The Levo came with some adjustment cups to slacken or steepen the head angle, and you can also adjust the rear geo a little, steepening the head angle will make it quicker steering, but depends where and how you ride.

The tyres were the first thing I changed on mine, others get on with them but I had my first off in a long time when the front washed out. I tried some Maxxis I had in the shed which felt better, but run some Michelins now and it’s more planted on the trails I ride.

I also upgraded the RS Silver 35 TK (a surprisingly good basic fork) with a RS Domain I had spare retrofitted with a Charger 2.1 Damper (so basically now a Zeb) and that feels great and more suited to the weight of the bike (and me!).

My Focus is a good 7lbs lighter than the Levo, and does feel lighter and ‘poppier’ to ride than the Levo.

People who ride the Levo SLs do tend to rave about them, and although I’ve not ridden one myself I can see how knocking 10-12lbs off the Levo would change the riding experience. You’re giving up some power though, so always a compromise somewhere.

The only person who can decide what will work for you is you really, tyres and forks I agree are the areas to make the biggest difference, that and playing with the geo and equally importantly spending some time on the bike.

Thanks that’s really helpful. I think I will look into changing the tyres as soon as I’ve recovered from my injury. I too felt the front washed out and also I’ve heard some noises from the rear tyre that sounded like it was perhaps folding or losing it shape somehow over rocks and roots.

How are the Michelins in the wet?

 

[Tooks]

Thanks that’s really helpful. I think I will look into changing the tyres as soon as I’ve recovered from my injury. I too felt the front washed out and also I’ve heard some noises from the rear tyre that sounded like it was perhaps folding or losing it shape somehow over rocks and roots.

How are the Michelins in the wet?

I went for the Michelin 29” Wild AM2 on the front and 27.5” Force AM2 for the rear.

There’s a very muddy and rocky descent on one of my regular routes, and it’s in a dark tree tunnel so always damp and wet.

That’s my measure of how good a tyre is in the wet, and I find they work fine, as do the Maxxis Ardent tyres I run on my other two bikes.

There was something about the Specialized T7 & T9 that made them feel very sketchy on that descent.

I also have a set of Specilaized Hillbilly’s for when it gets proper muddy, and they’re great and shed the mud as well as holding on pretty well when it’s awful, so they do make some good tyres.

 

[Mikerb]

What changes when you go up the Levo range is the performance of brakes, suspension and drivetrain typically. Nothing there to do with the weight of the bike. I suggest not messing with the bike but rather riding it more and learning how to handle it. The extra weight means you need to be a bit more physical with the bike and you notice that in terms of upper body strength and fitness...........if you lack either.........but it will soon build the more you ride. In return, the bike is far more stable especially at speed on rough terrain than an analogue or half fat emtb.

Not sure what you mean by a longer dropper.........if you cannot slam the saddle low enough you need one with a smaller "insert" length. Maybe you have your existing dropper set too high? You really do not need a super efficient seated height on an EMTB and 170 is a lot of extra/drop!

Tyres are personal choice but also need to suit the sort of terrain you typically ride. Tyres also perform best at specific pressures. Tubeless allows you to run lower pressures, and lower pressures typically increases grip but in order to maintain protection of the rim those tyres need to be better protected...............e.g if Maxxis, a DD on the back and ECO+ on the front.
In short, change the tyres to a type more suitable for your terrain if you cannot get on with the ones you have but do some experimentation first.

First thing to get right on any new bike is cockpit fit. Whilst you can move the saddle on its rails the most difference is made with bar rise and width.

First (expensive) thing I would change on a base Levo would be the fork...............but only if you are riding trails needing more front end performance...........my choice would be Lyric Ultimate if lower cost airspring/damper upgrades proved useless.........but it does not take much in the way of that sort of upgrade before you would have been better off buying a model higher up the range!!

 

[Stihldog]

The OP may have already done this but a good place to start, on a new eMTB, is were you touch the bike. Grips, peddles and seat. Then play around with different geometry settings after each ride.

Once you get comfortable with your bike …upgrade the things you feel need upgrading. Upgrades can be costly, but if you make the wrong choice, it can be very costly.

 

[maynard]

Put a 27 on the front.

 

[Polar]

Put a 27 on the front.

.5

 

[gaba]

Ride. You’ll get used to it. Now I prefer the added weight of my ebike honestly. The bike doesn’t get kicked around by rocky terrain and feels more planted. Like anything it takes some time getting adjusted. I don’t think a bunch of expensive upgrades are necessary but if you have the means. I did stem (diety) and bars (renthal carbon), as well as brakes (Saint), tires(maxxis dhr2 DHF) and fork (fox 36). I’d start with tires. I use maxxis with the cushcore insert. You’ll find a massive improvement with cushcore. Maybe enough that you don’t need to change tires yet (try some different ones when these wear out). Running tubeless with cushcore allows much lower tire pressures and almost acts like added suspension for small bump compliance. They are a pain in the ass to get set up the first time and when you have to change a tire, but honestly I haven’t flatted in YEARS of rides 3 x a week. I wouldn’t ride without them anymore honestly.

Seat height makes a big difference. Try lowering you seat a bit when peddling on flat but technical terrain. Not all the way down but drop it an inch or 2. As for post length, make sure when it’s all the way down your descending position feels right. If the post is still too high you might swap for a longer one.

 

[Hicksy 92]

Yea ride it , I really like the weight of a full fat ebike , actually feels more planted, could go either way your grow to love it or hate it , I’m on my 3rd ebike now , 1st was a gen 1 levo , that did feel like a tank after riding an orange 4, second was a cube 160 action team stereo, that felt nimble to the levo , and now I’m on the gen 3 levo , which did take some getting use to after the cube , it’s my first mullet bike , any how it took a good couple of weeks to get comfy on it and really love it , such a fast capable bike , I’ve change everything apart from the suspension as atm I think it’s really comfy for me , that’s with the fox 36 up front , all the other bits I changed was to make it more nibble like you have asked just upgrading the standard stuff

 

[R2thek]

Hi, first post on the forums and first EMTB. I have a Gen 3 Turbo Levo base model alloy (S5). Coming from a short travel mtb I’m finding the handling a little on the heavy side. Is this to be expected?

What upgrades would you recommend? I’ve put new stem, bar and grips and have changed the shifter and derailleur to GX Eagle. Everything else is as standard.

What upgrades would make a difference to handling and improve the agility of the bike? Would upgrading the fork make a noticeable difference? I don’t do jumps but it is pretty steep and rocky where I live (North Wales). Would a better fork make any difference to the handling on turns etc?

What about a longer dropper? I find myself getting off balance on some narrow singletrack or switchbacks in a way a never did on my normal bike. The weight of the bike seems to want to ‘go’ away from me at times in a way I’m not familiar with. Would a longer dropper help? I have a 170 but there is still loads of post out.

Then there’s brakes and tyres. Seems to be mixed opinions on the Specialized tyres. How do others find them on wet rocks and roots? Worth changing? I was thinking about Schwalbe or Continental but haven’t tried either.

What would you do? Or should I just part exchange it for a lightweight emtb?

Thanks in advance.

I found that lleaning away was an issue with the heavy turbo levo. Switched to the orbea rise and that’s not an issue.

 

[Sir-Case-A-Lot]

Before spending more money, have you tried changing the geometry of the bike? Try the steep head angle setting on head tube. The Levo out of the box is pretty slack at 64.5. The slacker the HA, the more you have to lean the bike to complete the turn. A steeper HA you can rely more on just steering with handlebars. Not saying this will make your Levo feel like 30 lbs trail bike, but it will help.

Here’s the app that shows you what settings will do what:

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/turbo-levo-geometry/

 

[Pedal power1972]

I have the same bike and the stock tyres are garbage, i have installed assegai DD soft tread up front and a Minion DHR DD on the rear and the difference is night and day..
I could not ride with the rockshox standard fork as it always made a hissing noise on compression and it put me off my stride so I swapped that out with a rockshox zeb base model, I then acquired as super select plus + rear shock as it was a bargain but in truth the original shock was not that bad for trails local to me…
Long descents I have had brake fade which is a common issue with the base model brakes so i will upgrade the brakes after exmas…
The bike geo is a dream as I find it quite nimble on tight trails considering it’s a ebike and it jumps really well and feels playful.
Remember it’s a base model ie a blank canvas and upgrades are inevitable
This summer I rode bpw 2 times as well as dirt farm and Cwmcarn.. your lucky you have such trails and more on your doorstep.

 

[NCMike]

Significantly smooths out the rattle / chatter of the bars. Huge difference.

One up bars are your friend.

I just put a set of One up carbon bars on my gen 3 Levo Expert and I didn’t notice any difference over my stock aluminum bars. They’re cut down to 750 mm, so that might reduce the benefit some over full length bars. I did it for reduced hand fatigue since I ride very rough terrain for 2-3 hours each ride , but didn’t notice a difference with that or with the bike handling.
As to your primary question, I had to change my riding style after getting the Levo. I also rode shorter travel trail bikes, and was used to “flicking” my bike around. The heavier bike and longer travel requires leaning the bike over more than I used to, picking more flowing lines (and Letting the suspension absorb things I would have avoided on my trail bike), and just using better technique than I used to do on my analog trail bike. After watching lots of YouTube videos on the proper way to weight the outside pedal and lean the bike correctly, I can absolutely FLY on this bike. It’s unbelievable how fast this bike can be once getting the hang of it. I have the expert, so the Fox 38 and X2 shock may be helping over the suspension of the comp, but my guess is technique changes and more experience on the bike will do more then component changes.
As for a lower power bike, I considered that as well before buying the Levo, but I’m glad I didn’t. With the Levo, I can ride with anyone. Full power, partial power, or analog, I can just change my power output as needed and I’m good to go. If I bought a partial power bike, I’d be underpowered for riding with nearly every other Ebike rider I’ve ridden with. With the Levo, I’ve never been underpowered or left behind on a ride. I’m usually the one waiting on other full powered bikes to catch up!

 

[NCMike]

I just put a set of One up carbon bars on my gen 3 Levo Expert and I didn’t notice any difference over my stock aluminum bars. They’re cut down to 750 mm, so that might reduce the benefit some over full length bars. I did it for reduced hand fatigue since I ride very rough terrain for 2-3 hours each ride , but didn’t notice a difference with that or with the bike handling.
As to your primary question, I had to change my riding style after getting the Levo. I also rode shorter travel trail bikes, and was used to “flicking” my bike around. The heavier bike and longer travel requires leaning the bike over more than I used to, picking more flowing lines (and Letting the suspension absorb things I would have avoided on my trail bike), and just using better technique than I used to do on my analog trail bike. After watching lots of YouTube videos on the proper way to weight the outside pedal and lean the bike correctly, I can absolutely FLY on this bike. It’s unbelievable how fast this bike can be once getting the hang of it. I have the expert, so the Fox 38 and X2 shock may be helping over the suspension of the comp, but my guess is technique changes and more experience on the bike will do more then component changes.
As for a lower power bike, I considered that as well before buying the Levo, but I’m glad I didn’t. With the Levo, I can ride with anyone. Full power, partial power, or analog, I can just change my power output as needed and I’m good to go. If I bought a partial power bike, I’d be underpowered for riding with nearly every other Ebike rider I’ve ridden with. With the Levo, I’ve never been underpowered or left behind on a ride. I’m usually the one waiting on other full powered bikes to catch up!

I forgot to mention, I switched to the steeper head tube cup (made a noticeable difference), run tubless on the stock tires at 20 lbs front and 25 rear, and lowered my seat height to help get the bike over farther in the corners compared to where I sat on my analog trail bike. Learning to lean the bike correctly also stopped the front end from washing that I was experiencing when I first got the bike. It’s never a problem anymore now that I’ve learned how to ride the bike correctly.

 

[Moshe]

Hi, first post on the forums and first EMTB. I have a Gen 3 Turbo Levo base model alloy (S5). Coming from a short travel mtb I’m finding the handling a little on the heavy side. Is this to be expected?

What upgrades would you recommend? I’ve put new stem, bar and grips and have changed the shifter and derailleur to GX Eagle. Everything else is as standard.

What upgrades would make a difference to handling and improve the agility of the bike? Would upgrading the fork make a noticeable difference? I don’t do jumps but it is pretty steep and rocky where I live (North Wales). Would a better fork make any difference to the handling on turns etc?

What about a longer dropper? I find myself getting off balance on some narrow singletrack or switchbacks in a way a never did on my normal bike. The weight of the bike seems to want to ‘go’ away from me at times in a way I’m not familiar with. Would a longer dropper help? I have a 170 but there is still loads of post out.

Then there’s brakes and tyres. Seems to be mixed opinions on the Specialized tyres. How do others find them on wet rocks and roots? Worth changing? I was thinking about Schwalbe or Continental but haven’t tried either.

What would you do? Or should I just part exchange it for a lightweight emtb?

Thanks in advance.

I have a Kenevo SL. I love the lighter weight and handling but I am always wishing it had more power. I thought it would be enough power for me but I was wrong.
I will keep the Kenevo SL until full power emtbs become as light as today’s super lights.

 

[James_C]

I would do nothing but ride it for now.

I felt similar when I switched over to the dark side, gradually I got used to it, then started preferring it. There are trade offs, it feels slower turning, and heavier to move around. But the extra stability is useful, as is the ability to plough through undergrowth etc without getting hung up on something. In the air it also feels more stable.

After that I sold my non emtb with no regrets so far.