Levo Gen 3 Levo Gen 4 2024 Rumours... And assorted random chat ....

[Ou812]

Have a set of I9’s on my meat powered bike, had to buy a ti axle because I broke 3 rear axles in alloy. If you plan on running I9’s on a e bike, plan on an axle replacement.

The classic hubs are better than the Hydra hubs but I still wouldn’t use I9 anything on an e-bike. I’ve broken a few axles on my hydras and I’m not even a big guy, seems to be a pretty common thing with them.

 

[xtraman122]

The classic hubs are better than the Hydra hubs but I still wouldn’t use I9 anything on an e-bike. I’ve broken a few axles on my hydras and I’m not even a big guy, seems to be a pretty common thing with them.

Weird, haven’t heard of that. I did hear of an issue with the Hydra hub that they rectified that left a bad taste in many people’s mouths. Forgot exactly what it was off the top of my head, something with the bearings I think? But it was a common issue and they did address it with a manufacturing change that seems to have improved them from what I’ve heard.

 

[Ou812]

Weird, haven’t heard of that. I did hear of an issue with the Hydra hub that they rectified that left a bad taste in many people’s mouths. Forgot exactly what it was off the top of my head, something with the bearings I think? But it was a common issue and they did address it with a manufacturing change that seems to have improved them from what I’ve heard.

Axles snapping and pawls shearing is pretty common, even after the updated manufacturing changes. The bearing life has always sucked with I9, even more so if you ride in a lot of wet weather.

 

[ah1]

Axles snapping and pawls shearing is pretty common, even after the updated manufacturing changes. The bearing life has always sucked with I9, even more so if you ride in a lot of wet weather.

I wouldn't use I9 on anything - period. Broke several 305 wheels and I'm not an ews racer or anything. They somehow built a brand of reliability and bomb proof but they're anything but that. DT all the way

 

[electricbogaloo]

Yeah, dt is the best for pre built wheels.

 

[mustclime]

The classic hubs are better than the Hydra hubs but I still wouldn’t use I9 anything on an e-bike. I’ve broken a few axles on my hydras and I’m not even a big guy, seems to be a pretty common thing with them.

These are a must for hydra hubs

Forever Axle for Industry Nine Hydra rear hub.

Now made exclusively in titanium! Replaces the standard aluminum axle found in your Industry Nine Hydra rear hub. Now featuring a hybrid design, made from titanium and aluminum, which reduces the overall weight of the part while maintaining stiffness and strength. This super strong upgrade will...

pinnermachineshop.com

 

[Black Bear Trail]

Can’t say a gen 4 levo excites me. Having bought a gen 3 recently and then demoing a pivot shuttle am I’ve realised the levo is heavy, hard to manoeuvre, challenging to keep on track. And sadly just not fun. The pivot ( I’m not a pivot fan boy ) just feels better all round for my style of riding and I’ll likely upgrade to the pivot soon. Plus specialized have been a bit useless when it comes to help trying to tune the bike to get it riding well. Stock and supplies have been poor for a long time. Colour options are so limited ( unless you want black ). They persist in not allowing tcu upgrades for gen 3 owners without the mastermind controller ( and that’s purely a software lockout they could resolve ). I can’t say at this point I’d feel much desire to buy a new specialized bike.

Thanks. What's the full name of the bike and model name that you rode? I'll look into it.

 

[Black Bear Trail]

I know a certain shop owner that’s best mates with a Specialized sponsored rider, I’ll see if he can get any info out of him.

Thanks. Curious to hear release date and what changes there'll be to the Gen 4 Levo.

 

[Ride 2d@y]

My (wild) guess is the big S will finally legitimize SRAM Powertrain - it is Brose based etc.

Eagle Powertrain Welcome Guide - SRAM

Eagle Powertrain Welcome Guide, SRAM

www.sram.com

 

[ah1]

My (wild) guess is the big S will finally legitimize SRAM Powertrain - it is Brose based etc.

Eagle Powertrain Welcome Guide - SRAM

Eagle Powertrain Welcome Guide, SRAM

www.sram.com

I wouldn't bet on it but it is a legitimate wild guess, snd if that happens probably the nail in the coffin for Shimano mtb motors (seeing as Bosch is already taking market share)

 

[sluette]

My (wild) guess is the big S will finally legitimize SRAM Powertrain - it is Brose based etc.

Eagle Powertrain Welcome Guide - SRAM

Eagle Powertrain Welcome Guide, SRAM

www.sram.com

SRAM would have to bring out an entirely new motor for that. Specialized has never built on an existing concept but has always introduced an exclusive new motor version to the market.

 

[Dax]

Thanks. What's the full name of the bike and model name that you rode? I'll look into it.

As in his post:

Can’t say a gen 4 levo excites me. Having bought a gen 3 recently and then demoing a pivot shuttle am I’ve realised the levo is heavy, hard to manoeuvre, challenging to keep on track. And sadly just not fun.

I wonder how much of this is the extra weight of the zebs? The Shuttle AM is fantastic, particularly if you ride it actively, but I wouldn’t say the Levo mk3 isn’t fun, I’ve done a few laps on them and always had a laugh.

 

[rzr]

My (wild) guess is the big S will finally legitimize SRAM Powertrain - it is Brose based etc.

Eagle Powertrain Welcome Guide - SRAM

Eagle Powertrain Welcome Guide, SRAM

www.sram.com

but it's the same motor, probably with the same problems... (belt life expectancy ~3500-4000km)

 

[Doomanic]

(belt life expectancy ~3500-4000km)

FTFY.

 

[Doomanic]

I have heard it's a completely different motor and the bike is absolute killer.

 

[rzr]

someone was saying about Mahle (the same company that makes motor for SL) ?

also, it's quiet about ZF motor, which has parameters like other motors but looks smaller

 

[westcoastmtbr]

I would imagine Specialized will have to introduce a real game changer, and will. They are 1 step ahead always. Don't count them out in this game, but yikes, how much will it cost? Rumor has it that the SL will eventually get a big bump in power and let us not forget the display will be updated too.

 

[emtbeast]

Anything to close to reality in this thread magically disappeared from it...for those that followed the thread from beginning, know that talk was about a german motor, a 48V system,...and some other bits mentioned that were apparently to close to reality...

Imo S really doesn't care to much about what other's out there do, they always did their own thing and I bet are at it, as pointed out before, I'm sure the delay is just because of overstock(financial planning) At projects like this you don't go back to the drawing board for a while to do changes on key points, just because someone got a competitive product on the market, these things are planned ahead.

Food for thought...the SL already has a german motor, it's been relatively reliable, had a tech upgrade midlife with a power bump, and got quieter, it's a 48V system with a compact design,...etc...I can totaly imagine a bigger ff version of it. If it's capable of a midlife power bump just like the SL had it's just a bonus for S to boost sales once the first sell wave settle.

 

[xtraman122]

Anything to close to reality in this thread magically disappeared from it...for those that followed the thread from beginning, know that talk was about a german motor, a 48V system,...and some other bits mentioned that were apparently to close to reality...

Imo S really doesn't care to much about what other's out there do, they always did their own thing and I bet are at it, as pointed out before, I'm sure the delay is just because of overstock(financial planning) At projects like this you don't go back to the drawing board for a while to do changes on key points, just because someone got a competitive product on the market, these things are planned ahead.

Food for thought...the SL already has a german motor, it's been relatively reliable, had a tech upgrade midlife with a power bump, and got quieter, it's a 48V system with a compact design,...etc...I can totaly imagine a bigger ff version of it. If it's capable of a midlife power bump just like the SL had it's just a bonus for S to boost sales once the first sell wave settle.

Nobody is (hopefully) debating that the new Brose 48v system will be the motor that's used.

 

[Doomanic]

Whatever they do, I'm sure they'll do their best to ensure there's no backwards compatibility.

 

[Dax]

Whatever they do, I'm sure they'll do their best to ensure there's no backwards compatibility.

Back compatibility doesn’t sell bikes

 

[rzr]

I would imagine Specialized will have to introduce a real game changer, and will.

you mean reliability? that was the only thing missing (no one needs more power). If they add adjustable geo (like current) and option with more travel, that will be a winner. and like now (unlike Bosch), battery quite low and close to the motor, however without that big bulb around BB (bigger than a chainring :/ )

 

[mrhaboobi]

Thanks. What's the full name of the bike and model name that you rode? I'll look into it.

Ride? I own a gen 3 levo alloy 2023 with essentially full upgrade to the equivalent of the recent levo limited edition, but RockShox rather than ohlins gear.

 

[mrhaboobi]

As in his post:



I wonder how much of this is the extra weight of the zebs? The Shuttle AM is fantastic, particularly if you ride it actively, but I wouldn’t say the Levo mk3 isn’t fun, I’ve done a few laps on them and always had a laugh.

Could well be the zebs playing a part . It’s a nice bike, planted, goes down nice, goes up ok . But the pivot I felt really stood out and side by side riding over a day on the same trails just made the levo not shine imo

 

[rzr]

ZEB alone would be 100g more ? not a big difference, maybe suspension set-up? what was battery size/weight (625Wh weights ~1kg less than 750Wh) on your Shuttle AM? do you compare to Carbon Levo or Alu? (there is ~2kg difference?)

 

[mrhaboobi]

A

ZEB alone would be 100g more ? not a big difference, maybe suspension set-up? what was battery size/weight (625Wh weights ~1kg less than 750Wh) on your Shuttle AM? do you compare to Carbon Levo or Alu? (there is ~2kg difference?)

Alloy. 500w battery compared to shuttle 750w battery. Carbon frame has a lot to do with it though. I’ve not tried a carbon levo. No frames available to buy either. Plus the medium shuttle is a touch smaller than s4 levo . Might make a difference

 

[emtbeast]

Nobody is (hopefully) debating that the new Brose 48v system will be the motor that's used.

Yes coincidentally the new Brose is a 48V system, some are/were debating about it, not the one I was referring to, the motor S is using on the SL despite named Specialized is made by Mahle. The one thing that's interesting to me is that Mahle allowed S not mentioning their name in marketing and product specs, most probably they have a really good r&d relationship with Mahle following how the motor has evolved. Imo If they are developing something new it definitely needs thorough testing(time) not to repeat the Brose belt debacle.
Been following some other sources, talk was two bikes should come, first the trail flagship levo with a new brand motor and later a new LT model with the new Brose replacing the Kenevo, plausible as Brose didn't finish testing their new unit until late this summer.
A reliable motor with a wide cadence/torque curve(no need for more power) good control integration, adjustable geometry with 29/27,5 choice, size specific chainstays(the Gen 3 levo had a bit short stays especially for big users), service friendly cable routing, removable and two battery choices with 21700cells is what Imo the new release needs to be a hit.

 

[RichMorr]

Yes coincidentally the new Brose is a 48V system, some are/were debating about it, not the one I was referring to, the motor S is using on the SL despite named Specialized is made by Mahle. The one thing that's interesting to me is that Mahle allowed S not mentioning their name in marketing and product specs, most probably they have a really good r&d relationship with Mahle following how the motor has evolved. Imo If they are developing something new it definitely needs thorough testing(time) not to repeat the Brose belt debacle.
Been following some other sources, talk was two bikes should come, first the trail flagship levo with a new brand motor and later a new LT model with the new Brose replacing the Kenevo, plausible as Brose didn't finish testing their new unit until late this summer.
A reliable motor with a wide cadence/torque curve(no need for more power) good control integration, adjustable geometry with 29/27,5 choice, size specific chainstays(the Gen 3 levo had a bit short stays especially for big users), service friendly cable routing, removable and two battery choices with 21700cells is what Imo the new release needs to be a hit.

I do think motor reliability is at the top of the list specialized even confirmed this in an EMBN interview. In addition another interview on EMBN it was confirmed the ebike motor centre has the new brose drive peak 3 motor in for testing, which I can imagine is for water ingress knowing the problem the with the current motor.

 

[Dax]

Could well be the zebs playing a part . It’s a nice bike, planted, goes down nice, goes up ok . But the pivot I felt really stood out and side by side riding over a day on the same trails just made the levo not shine imo

Ahh that makes sense. The levo is a nice bike. It’s just the shuttle is fantastic. There’s probably a couple of kg of weight difference too, iirc my shuttle is just over 23kg.

 

[electricbogaloo]

Until the new bosch bikes dropped the carbon levo was the lightest full power emtb with a removable battery and non clacking motor in its class.

According to this test the s works levo is 22,1 kg with an 38 and 700 wh battery. With the 500 wh battery it would weigh just a tad more than the entry level amflow with a quickly removable battery and the option to increase the travel with an airshaft and cascade link into proper Enduro territory.

Specialized S-Works Turbo Levo – Im großen E-Mountainbike-Vergleichstest 2022

Das Specialized S-Works Turbo Levo ist ein alter Bekannter in unseren großem E-Mountainbike-Vergleichstest. Für die Saison 2022 geht es unverändert an den Start. Kann das auf Trailperformance getrimmte E-MTB mit kraftvollem Motor, 700-Wh-Akku, progressivem Geometriekonzept und aufwendigen...

ebike-mtb.com