Levo SL Gen 1 Is the Spec Turbo Levo SL ridiculous for Clydes?

[Jeffsy29]

Shopping for an e-Bike. I'm 260 lbs and looking for any experience or advice you folks might have on the Spec Turbo Levo vs Levo SL. I test-rode both yesterday in urban setting (park/stairs). I like the toss-ability of the Levo SL, but didn't feel as confident powering some of the gnarlier tech uphill sections or consecutive stairs I did on the Levo (which admittedly seems like more torque than one needs). Current ride is '18 YT Jeffsy29. I am also considering YT Decoy29 - but imagine that will be feel more like the Levo - heavy, planted and powerful, and even more on the Enduro side (geometry).

Any heavier riders have experiences with Levo SL, or considering one?

 

[R120]

Whats the weight limit on it? I would check, but aside from that maybe being an issue I would say if you are fit enough that sill having to work a bit uphill doesn't matter, and then if you like the way the bike rides go for it. How tall are you? The XL doesn't have that large a reach IIRC

 

[Jeffsy29]

Whats the weight limit on it? I would check, but aside from that maybe being an issue I would say if you are fit enough that sill having to work a bit uphill doesn't matter, and then if you like the way the bike rides go for it. How tall are you? The XL doesn't have that large a reach IIRC

5'10" - Rode a Large and seemed right. My Jeffsy has just 444mm reach, so 455 on the LevoSL felt long enough from what I'm used to.

I don't see a 'max rider weight' spec in the Levo SL manual. The general Specialized manual states 100kg max for all models! But then caveats that some models may differ. I'm guessing it's the wheels that dictate max-system weight (rider+bike+gear). The wheel homepage doesn't state max system weight but a similar DT SWISS H 1700 max system weight is 150kg (330lbs). So I should be *just* ok w/ a hydration pack.

 

[R120]

Double check with the store - only reason it may be an issue is if you ever need to warranty anything, but I cant imagine an LBS making an issue out of it if they sold you the bike in the first place.

 

[levity]

... looking for any experience or advice you folks might have on the Spec Turbo Levo vs Levo SL...

"Levity's Levo Logic":
Rider <160 lb - the SL is sweet, just doesn't have that boost accelerating or climbing
Rider >200 lb - you'll definitely appreciate the power of the FF, especially going up
Rider 160-200 lb - which is more important: nimble handling (SL), or power on tap (FF)?

@Jeffsy29 - I'm 100 lb lighter weight than you, and it still took me two months of riding the SL to decide I could sell my FF and live with less power under the hood.

 

[Bacalao]

How many downhills do you want to do on a typical 1-3 hour ride?

Less, get SL
More, get FF

FF will get you to the top quicker and less winded.

 

[Jeffsy29]

"Levity's Levo Logic":
Rider <160 lb - the SL is sweet, just doesn't have that boost accelerating or climbing
Rider >200 lb - you'll definitely appreciate the power of the FF, especially going up
Rider 160-200 lb - which is more important: nimble handling (SL), or power on tap (FF)?

@Jeffsy29 - I'm 100 lb lighter weight than you, and it still took me two months of riding the SL to decide I could sell my FF and live with less power under the hood.

Thanks for the LLLogic! I'm going the e-bike route primarily to save my knees. It's not as much cardio (though I'm not extremely fit). Knees are pretty knackered after even 1-1.5 hrs of hard trail riding. They just give out at some point and I won't even ride back-to-back trail rides. Road alternating is ok on flats. So, maybe the SL is out for me.

Did you cross shop the Trek Rail or anything else before getting the Levo? I'm really tempted to get the YT Decoy Pro29 at that price-range for entry-level Levo. Parts are much more preferred on that YT build but I've heard the Shimano motor isn't nearly as nice. The Spec/Brose motor felt very natural except when in Turbo mode on the SL.

 

[Fivetones]

You should try a Shimano E8000. It’s a great motor particularly if you’re a little heavier. Perhaps the things you’ve heard are for the early software revisions?

 

[Jeffsy29]

You should try a Shimano E8000. It’s a great motor particularly if you’re a little heavier.

Why do you say particularly for heavier folks? Do you just mean in comparison to the Levo 1.1 motor or just in-general?

I'll need to see what local bikes have the Shimano. Looks like Trek Rail 7 is Bosch. I've just read that the Shimano 8000 is noisier and on youtube vids comparing vs. other motor types. Very much like a RC-car from childhood.

 

[paquo]

. Knees are pretty knackered after even 1-1.5 hrs of hard trail riding. They just give out at some point .

The nice part of riding the levo w/ 700 w battery is you can turn up the assist and get home easily if you burn out.

 

[Fivetones]

Why do you say particularly for heavier folks? Do you just mean in comparison to the Levo 1.1 motor or just in-general?

I'll need to see what local bikes have the Shimano. Looks like Trek Rail 7 is Bosch. I've just read that the Shimano 8000 is noisier and on youtube vids comparing vs. other motor types. Very much like a RC-car from childhood.

The way Boost is delivered is different to Brose Turbo (mind you I only test rode the 2019 levo/brose 2.1). I also tested an SL, the ride was short but it was up the steepest hill I could find to test the assistance. I own an Orange Surge Factory with E8000 which I love and chose over the Levo FF.

Noise never bothers me as you tune it out anyway. I’m not arsed whether people think I’m cheating on an ebike. The SL is similar to the E8000 noise wise.

If you’re worried about knees I’d go brose/E8000. The SL is much more like an augmented analogue bike. I quite like that but I’m only 65kg.

 

[Jeffsy29]

If you’re worried about knees I’d go brose/E8000. The SL is much more like an augmented analogue bike. I quite like that but I’m only 65kg.

Lol....damn, I'm nearly 2x your mass! Point noted. I have a feeling I'd be tapping deep into the Brose 1.1 motor support much of the time vs. the 2.1/Shimano.

Funny, the first guy at my LBS was saying "Oh, definitely get the Levo" as advice for a heavier guy. Then the 2nd sales/tech fella at LBS - who was much more petite and a serious technical biker - says: "Definitely the SL is a much better bike for our local trails and much more maneuverable in technical stuff". I'm guessing he can say that more easily as someone more your size.

 

[Fivetones]

I often find that thoughts on power/torque delivery for different motors go down to size and age of the rider. With the FF bikes there‘s something so cool about the ability to hoist up to the top of hills and get more runs down hill. The SL seems much closer to a traditional MTB and I find that super interesting too.

 

[R120]

if you are comparing the motors, in reality its much of a muchness when you are out on the trails - what you will notice as a heavier gentlemen is that you use far more battery than a lighter fella, no matter what made you are in. So if looking at a regular bike you are going to want to go with a big capacity battery, and if going with the SL the range extender and maybe a spare.

 

[Murch]

So I am 6’2 235lbs with gear on and have been on an SL a bit while my Levo motor is getting replaced. I will tell you I miss the power of the Levo on almost every ride. I get about the same battery life on the same trails between the two bikes and I run the SL in turbo full time. I find myself hitting the plus button a lot on the SL trying to find more power. It is more poppy and playful but not enough to warranty having the extra power of the levo motor.

I did a little experiment of the two on a climb

 

[Moe Ped]

Surely only taking into account the climbing part of a ride the SL is going to lose but rides have flat and downhill and the balance overall would be better for comparison.

I really like the fact that the SL feels more like a real bike and I have to work harder, I am 100kgs.

I also have a Scott strike and Merida 10k which I use if I am with other full ebikes or feel lazy.

 

[Murch]

It was only one test and I saw there were a lot of other videos comparing it on flat ground.

My son prefers the SL for the handling and him not needing as much support (18 yrs old and former XC racer now enduro). He took the SL out last night and set the 4th fastest time out of all the e-bikes on one of the trails here, everyone else is on non-SL.

I prefer to have the option of more power and torque when I need it, the Levo lets me ride at the speeds I love without taking all my energy out on the climbs. The handling is not that far off between the two but the power sure is.

 

[Moe Ped]

Strangely enough I find the handling to be very different to my other bikes, I have not ridden a full Levo so not sure about that.

 

[Careyj1]

Levo, unless your rides are less than 1500ft of climbing. I have rode both, but have a Levo. My friend bought a 2020 Carbon Expert SL, had it for two months sold it and picked up a new 2019 Sworks Turbo Levo, are rides are 2 hours or longer and 3000 to 4000ft of climbing.

 

[Jeffsy29]

Levo, unless your rides are less than 1500ft of climbing. I have rode both, but have a Levo. My friend bought a 2020 Carbon Expert SL, had it for two months sold it and picked up a new 2019 Sworks Turbo Levo, are rides are 2 hours or longer and 3000 to 4000ft of climbing.

Honestly I don’t regularly exceed much more than 1000 ft elevation gain/loss on RidewithGPS. But still my knees tend to take a beating. Cardio I can address with breaks or going slower, but knees tend to just limit the time/mileage.

Sounds like my main goal might be only half addressed by the SL. Or I’ll just be running it in “max” turbo all the time.

On my test ride the Levo FF in turbo setting seemed truly ludicrous. But the support in “trail” was impressive for opening up short technical uphills I wouldn’t have attempted otherwise.

 

[Careyj1]

Honestly I don’t regularly exceed much more than 1000 ft elevation gain/loss on RidewithGPS. But still my knees tend to take a beating. Cardio I can address with breaks or going slower, but knees tend to just limit the time/mileage.

Sounds like my main goal might be only half addressed by the SL. Or I’ll just be running it in “max” turbo all the time.

On my test ride the Levo FF in turbo setting seemed truly ludicrous. But the support in “trail” was impressive for opening up short technical uphills I wouldn’t have attempted otherwise.

The SL will work well for you. The LEVO's power is needed for big climbs then bombing downhill. SL feels more like a non-e mountain bike. If there was less climbing around here, I would have went with the SL. My ride today was 30 miles with 4,455ft of climbing, 2 hours and 21 minutes. I did it all on Level one, I was trying to see how much climbing on level one.

 

[davarello]

If you're not doing a lot of climbing and like a flickable bike the SL would probably be ok, but I really think for a big rider the extra torque and battery capacity of the Levo is important. I test rode a Creo with a Mahle motor and it was full Turbo the whole way up climbs and judging by the noise and battery I went through it didn't like carrying 125kg at all! Also don't worry about the assist levels, you can change them all with the app if the Turbo is too much etc.

 

[Konanige]

I'll not try to advise, just give you my experience of the Sl. First off I tried the FF levo and just didn't like the weight of it (head above parapet here) so took a punt on the Sl. Picked up Sl 1 week before lockdown. 104 kg before Lockdown with bad knees. 750km on 98.5 kg no change in diet, knees feeling stronger, yesterday's ride 25miles 2600ft climbing, just getting ready to go out again, I love this bike! Make of this what you will.

 

[Konanige]

As an aside, max weight is on a label somewhere on the bike, EU regulations and all that. Levo Sl label is under top tube above shock. Alu comp is 19kg bike weight, 136kg combined.

 

[Murch]

So it's going to be up to you, I recommend you ride them both and choose the one that makes you the happiest.

 

[Konanige]

So it's going to be up to you, I recommend you ride them both and choose the one that makes you the happiest.[/QUOTE

This is ALWAYS the best advice.

 

[Jeffsy29]

Thanks all for the advice. Unfortunately none of the LBSs do long-term 'rental' demo test rides where I could get it out on the trail. I have a feeling that would help immensely. My local shop is smack in the middle of urban Wash DC - so I'm scrounging up a test loop as much as I can with some grassy undulating hills in a city park and series of steps at a university. I rode both and liked both for their respective strengths. FF was ego-inspiring and confident up nasty tech climbs/stairs; SL was noticeably more tossable but I felt like I needed max-power to get the same support and was too timid to attempt some of the nasty climbs I did on the FF (I'd try on my own bike but worry about wrecking a $6k bike on a test-ride).

 

[Murch]

Here is another thought, while the 34 fork on the SL is pretty good at my size and riding style I much prefer the 36 on the FF.

 

[Jeffsy29]

Here is another thought, while the 34 fork on the SL is pretty good at my size and riding style I much prefer the 36 on the FF.

@Murch - Did you get the Expert Carbon? I rode the Comp Levo FF with the Lyrik fork (35mm). Seemed ok - not all that different from my Fox 34 Performance Elite. I too, at my weight, much prefer a stouter 36mm fork if possible.

For a FF bike though, it begs the question if I should just go for the YT Decoy 29 Pro at $5600. The spec is near top-tier: full-carbon frame, Fox 36 Perf Elite/ Fox DPX2 rear, XT drivetrain, SRAM CODE RSC brakes.... the only wildcard is service on battery/motor. With my Jeffsy it's no biggie to pay a LBS work on it, but I don't think we've had enough time with e-MTBs to judge reliability/repair issues on Shimano motor.

 

[Murch]

I have the 2019 Expert with the Pike and the SL Comp I am riding right now has the 34 Performance. Don't get me wrong the 34 is a good fork, I like the damper better than the Pike but it's still no 36 which is my preferred fork. I will soon be changing my Pike to a 38, the Pike has developed a CSU creak and I really don't like the spike I get with high-speed compression when I am not centered on the bike.