Kenevo SL Kenevo SL 2 - Would you even notice?!

[Geas]

For anyone wondering, this 180mm OneUp dropper is at max insertion. There’s still 83mm of post left exposed (top of collar to wiper seal).

View attachment 129224

Wow, that's quite a lot! I thought it should be 12mm max from top of collar to wiper seal for an S5 with a 180mm Dropper. Specialized websites claims 255mm max insertion depth for an S5 Kenevo SL. Length of bottom part of the 180mm One Up V2 should be 267mm (480mm total length - 213 stack height = 267mm). What is wrong in my calculations?

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

Wow, that's quite a lot! I thought it should be 12mm max from top of collar to wiper seal for an S5 with a 180mm Dropper. Specialized websites claims 255mm max insertion depth for an S5 Kenevo SL. Length of bottom part of the 180mm One Up V2 should be 267mm (480mm total length - 213 stack height = 267mm). What is wrong in my calculations?

View attachment 129227

It’s 200mm according to this.

 

[Geniusbiker]

That will probably not happen before the bike industry has gotten rid of their huge stocks and everything is balanced out once again. My guess would be that we won't see an all new KSL before 2025.

I´m sure that Specialized is completely aware of their old stocks and the fact that the "old" Kenevo Sl was not a "highseller".
My prediction is that also this Kenevo SL2 will not be sold in high quantities and that Specialized for this reason will keep their stocks on a relatively low level. From an economic point of view it would be not recommendable to make the same "mistake" again and produce this model in large quantities. Also their dealers will be careful: they have made their experiences with selling (or not selling) the KSL1. My dealer told me: KSL? Only on reliable order confirmation and pre-payment by the customer.

 

[Geas]

It’s 200mm according to this.

View attachment 129228

wow, the data in the Kenevo SL geometry finder says 255. This is a night and day difference!

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

wow, the data in the Kenevo SL geometry finder says 255. This is a night and day difference! View attachment 129249

Almost every number on that is different haha. Someone is wrong, and I know I can’t get that dropper any lower. Tried three times!!

EDIt- I see that’s Slack / High some some small differences in geo make sense.

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

Ok, I just took the dropper out to measure. I put some electrical tape on the post to measure the max insertion.

Technically- they are correct with 250mm, however, the OneUp dropper has the actuator and ferrule on the end and then the cable running out the bottom.

So it is 250mm until it hits the carbon bridge at the bottom of the frame, but you’re never gonna get it slammed that low with a dropper of this design.

 

[Geas]

Ok, I just took the dropper out to measure. I put some electrical tape on the post to measure the max insertion.

Technically- they are correct with 250mm, however, the OneUp dropper has the actuator and ferrule on the end and then the cable running out the bottom.

So it is 250mm until it hits the carbon bridge at the bottom of the frame, but you’re never gonna get it slammed that low with a dropper of this design.

View attachment 129258 View attachment 129259

Thank you @Rob Rides EMTB, very good to know! This is really a bummer and the main reason I am gonna wait for a KSL with a new frame design.

 

[Ribinrobin]

More like a Kenevo 1.2 - but a welcome motor update, but still with some needed frame changes

Very honest review Rob. I own a enduro and if we think back thats been same frame since 2020 which is on the kenevo sl now. So this new bike (that will in theory be around for 3 more years?) is already pretty much at its end of cycle (frame)

The sl 2 levo offered alot more, new frame update etc it is a worth while upgrade. The kenevo sl2 makes no sense for a sl1 owner as a upgrade unless you got money to burn.


Totally agree with the points towards the FF kenevo as well, its got to take a certain rider to want to choose a bike thats only 2kg lighter with alot less range for nearly double the price, over the full power kenevo.

 

[Geniusbiker]

Very honest review Rob. I own a enduro and if we think back thats been same frame since 2020 which is on the kenevo sl now. So this new bike (that will in theory be around for 3 more years?) is already pretty much at its end of cycle (frame)

The sl 2 levo offered alot more, new frame update etc it is a worth while upgrade. The kenevo sl2 makes no sense for a sl1 owner as a upgrade unless you got money to burn.


Totally agree with the points towards the FF kenevo as well, its got to take a certain rider to want to choose a bike thats only 2kg lighter with alot less range for nearly double the price, over the full power kenevo.

I personally don´t think that it will last for three more years. For me this KSL2 is not more than a interim solution. People wanted the KSL with the new motor; Specialized gave it to them.
I´m pretty sure that they are already developing the new Enduro and also the next Kenevo SL and that they will be released in 2024 or latest in 2025.

 

[Ribinrobin]

I personally don´t think that it will last for three more years. For me this KSL2 is not more than a interim solution. People wanted the KSL with the new motor; Specialized gave it to them.
I´m pretty sure that they are already developing the new Enduro and also the next Kenevo SL and that they will be released in 2024 or latest in 2025.

Interesting theory as with the levo/stumpy evo its gone the other way. We got the new levo sl frame which has yet to be released as a analogue stumpjumper evo. Where i imagine we'll have a new enduro analogue next year (and stumpy evo) followed by kenevo sl version late 25 early 26. All guess work!

 

[Geniusbiker]

Interesting theory as with the levo/stumpy evo its gone the other way. We got the new levo sl frame which has yet to be released as a analogue stumpjumper evo. Where i imagine we'll have a new enduro analogue next year (and stumpy evo) followed by kenevo sl version late 25 early 26. All guess work!

Some people in the German mountainbike forum are pretty sure that there will be no more Stumpjumper and Stumpjumper EVO in the next generation, but only one bike as a do it all Stumpjumper. Makes sense in my opinion. Like Trek did it with the Fuel EX generation 6. If that becomes reality I think it´s not too far away to say that this bike will be a analogue brother of the new Levo SL.

 

[G-Sport]

Very honest review Rob. I own a enduro and if we think back thats been same frame since 2020 which is on the kenevo sl now. So this new bike (that will in theory be around for 3 more years?) is already pretty much at its end of cycle (frame)

The sl 2 levo offered alot more, new frame update etc it is a worth while upgrade. The kenevo sl2 makes no sense for a sl1 owner as a upgrade unless you got money to burn.


Totally agree with the points towards the FF kenevo as well, its got to take a certain rider to want to choose a bike thats only 2kg lighter with alot less range for nearly double the price, over the full power kenevo.

2kg is a lot.
The problem is that when you add 2kg to the motor and battery you possibly need to add a little bit of weight to everything else to account for it.
I've made quite a lot of changes to my LevoSL to get the weight down from about 19kg to 18.5kg without compromising on tyres etc and that half kg is really noticeable. 2kg would completely change the character of the bike.

 

[Doomanic]

2kg is a lot.

This.

2kg would completely change the character of the bike.

And this.

If I doing laps I'll set the TCU to discharge the RE first and then take it off once empty. The difference is immediately noticeable.

 

[p3eps]

2kg is a lot.
The problem is that when you add 2kg to the motor and battery you possibly need to add a little bit of weight to everything else to account for it.
I've made quite a lot of changes to my LevoSL to get the weight down from about 19kg to 18.5kg without compromising on tyres etc and that half kg is really noticeable. 2kg would completely change the character of the bike.

What do you have on your Levo SL? Mine is 17.1kg without compromising on anything. I also know where I can knock a couple of hundred g’s off it, which I might do some of for summer.

 

[Zimmerframe]

And this.

If I doing laps I'll set the TCU to discharge the RE first and then take it off once empty. The difference is immediately noticeable.

I do the same. Except I add 10 * 1kg weights to the bike at the start and each lap I take one off.

By the end, the bike feels amazing and I didn't need to spend any money making the bike lighter.

If you use gold, 1kg is only 11.8cm*5.3cm*0.8cm (off the shelf size, you can make your own if you like or buy FactoryMTBGold which is Kashima coated for that gold look - but costs more). They're small and work out much cheaper than trying to save even 10% of that weight buying expensive mountain bike parts !

 

[G-Sport]

What do you have on your Levo SL? Mine is 17.1kg without compromising on anything. I also know where I can knock a couple of hundred g’s off it, which I might do some of for summer.

I don't want to derail the thread, but aluminium rims, 1000g tyres, lightweight inserts, 180mm shimmed 31.6 dropper, carbon bars, Magura trail brakes, 200mm rotors, fox 36, atlas flat pedals.

 

[G-Sport]

I do the same. Except I add 10 * 1kg weights to the bike at the start and each lap I take one off.

By the end, the bike feels amazing and I didn't need to spend any money making the bike lighter.

If you use gold, 1kg is only 11.8cm*5.3cm*0.8cm (off the shelf size, you can make your own if you like or buy FactoryMTBGold which is Kashima coated for that gold look - but costs more). They're small and work out much cheaper than trying to save even 10% of that weight buying expensive mountain bike parts !

I suppose the best measure would be the ratio of bike weight to rider weight?

 

[Ribinrobin]

Some people in the German mountainbike forum are pretty sure that there will be no more Stumpjumper and Stumpjumper EVO in the next generation, but only one bike as a do it all Stumpjumper. Makes sense in my opinion. Like Trek did it with the Fuel EX generation 6. If that becomes reality I think it´s not too far away to say that this bike will be a analogue brother of the new Levo SL.

2kg is a lot.

True! I have the enduro without a motor and the kenevo sl handles nothing like it. I think I’m just agreeing with robs statement That the ksl2 just don’t seem a big enough upgrade to warrant purchasing for owners of the old one.

 

[Doomanic]

the ksl2 just don’t seem a big enough upgrade to warrant purchasing for owners of the old one.

It's not.

 

[Mcharza]

Interesting weights you guys have. When I have FF Kenovo Comp it weights 24 kg with pedals and my Kenovo SL Gen 1 weights 19,5 kg with pedals. Both bike are size S3
That weight different is huge and absolutely you can feel it.

 

[Arron M]

Interesting weights you guys have. When I have FF Kenovo Comp it weights 24 kg with pedals and my Kenovo SL Gen 1 weights 19,5 kg with pedals. Both bike are size S3
That weight different is huge and absolutely you can feel it.

Absolutely you can, I’m not sure 2kg is a fair comparison, my trek rail (push coil, DH alloy rims, inserts and DD tyres, DH forks and bars) weighs 26.6kg. I understand this is not a lightweight build, but that’s the point.
My KSL (carbon rims and bars, exo+ fr DD rr tyres, no inserts) weighed in at 18.2kg.
The difference is huge, one rides like a monster truck, it will bash over the rough stuff at warp speed, but cannot get near the other anywhere else. The KSL is the closest thing (e-bike) I’ve ever ridden to an analog enduro bike.

IMO the lightweight, enduro/DH e-bike category is a very niche segment and the KSL is possibly the best there is ATM. If range and motor power is your concern, you’ve bought the wrong bike.

 

[Doomanic]

IMO the lightweight, enduro/DH e-bike category is a very niche segment and the KSL is possibly the best there is ATM.

This.

If range and motor power is your concern, you’ve bought the wrong bike.

And this.

 

[#lazy]

I’m toying with either a 24 sl expert or 24 ff expert , can get a full ride2work voucher so nearly half price !! Head scratch
Rode a mates sl and love the lighter feel but should I wait for the new frame ?

 

[Doomanic]

Get it on R2W and enjoy it until the new bike comes out then get that on R2W. Rinse and repeat.

 

[Dax]

I’m toying with either a 24 sl expert or 24 ff expert , can get a full ride2work voucher so nearly half price !! Head scratch
Rode a mates sl and love the lighter feel but should I wait for the new frame ?

You’ll be waiting a long time for a new KSL frame.

 

[Geniusbiker]

You’ll be waiting a long time for a new KSL frame.

I don´t think so...

 

[p3eps]

I don´t think so...

I can’t see them releasing a ‘new’ bike and not keeping it for at least a year - if not 2.

Yes, everyone knows it’s just the same bike with an updated motor and a few new components… but imagine the outcry if they release a KSL 3 (they are actually branding the new one as a KSL 2) within a year.

 

[Doomanic]

The first S-Works Levo was replaced after only 12 months...

 

[Zimmerframe]

The first S-Works Levo was replaced after only 12 months...

There were a lot more dentists then who were desperate to buy a new one... most have retired now and no new ones have come along.

 

[G-Sport]

The first S-Works Levo was replaced after only 12 months...

But that was just the build spec rather than a new frame surely?