Levo SL Gen 1 Levo SL 2023 Megathread

ghoststalker

New Member
Apr 26, 2023
23
21
Germany
So what does the review say regarding power? I've heard it feels relatively similar to the old Levo SL power and doesn't match the Fazua/TQ.
Mostly tester blabla. "Not as powerful as more powerful ebikes". What a relief 😝

Since they did not upgrade the battery I think you should ride it like gen 1 to achieve comparable ranges. The only advantage I see is if you have really steep climbs where you don't care about the watts sucked out of the battery. And additionally the range extender could come in more useful if you prefer using a higher mode.

If you don't need the extra power because you don't ride with fazua oder orbea rise riders and don't care too much about race oriented geometries, the last gen should be totally fine if the price tag matters.

Edit: the fuel EXe which uses the tq is, as far as I am informed, not significantly faster then the gen 1.
 

Zimmerframe

MUPPET
Subscriber
Jun 12, 2019
14,029
20,819
Brittany, France
Must be ok to share this as it's still visible on the net for all to see :

Forks are 44mm offset.

Suspension for anyone getting ready to swap it out straight away :

S-Works LTD : FORK All New Lyrik Ultimate Flight Attendant, 29", 160mm of travel, wirelessly controlled damping. REAR SHOCK Rockshox Flight Attendant SuperDeluxe Ultimate, 210x55

S-Works : FORK Fox 36 Factory, 29", 44mm offset, Grip 2 damper, Kashima, 160mm (Think the S1 is 150mm). REAR SHOCK S2-S6: Fox Float X Factory series, Kashima, 21x55mm, S1: Fox Float DPS Factory, Kashima, 210x50mm

Pro : (Not sure this is 100%)FORK Fox 36 Factory, 29", 44mm offset, Grip 2 damper, Kashima, S1: 150mm. REAR SHOCK S2-S6: Fox Float X Factory series, Kashima, 21x55mm, S1: Fox Float DPS Factory, Kashima, 210x50mm - has the carbon shock extension.

Comp Carbon : FORK Fox 36 Rhythm, 29", 44mm offset, Grip damper, S1: 150mm, S2-S6: 160mm travel . REAR SHOCK S2-S6: Fox Float X Performance series, 21x55mm

Hard Tail - has no rear shock :) Frameset - no forks or shock .......

Expert and Alloy models to follow.
 

rydeezie

Well-known member
Jul 26, 2020
609
862
san francisco, california
-
Must be ok to share this as it's still visible on the net for all to see :

Forks are 44mm offset.

Suspension for anyone getting ready to swap it out straight away :

S-Works LTD : FORK All New Lyrik Ultimate Flight Attendant, 29", 160mm of travel, wirelessly controlled damping. REAR SHOCK Rockshox Flight Attendant SuperDeluxe Ultimate, 210x55

S-Works : FORK Fox 36 Factory, 29", 44mm offset, Grip 2 damper, Kashima, 160mm (Think the S1 is 150mm). REAR SHOCK S2-S6: Fox Float X Factory series, Kashima, 21x55mm, S1: Fox Float DPS Factory, Kashima, 210x50mm

Pro : (Not sure this is 100%)FORK Fox 36 Factory, 29", 44mm offset, Grip 2 damper, Kashima, S1: 150mm. REAR SHOCK S2-S6: Fox Float X Factory series, Kashima, 21x55mm, S1: Fox Float DPS Factory, Kashima, 210x50mm - has the carbon shock extension.

Comp Carbon : FORK Fox 36 Rhythm, 29", 44mm offset, Grip damper, S1: 150mm, S2-S6: 160mm travel . REAR SHOCK S2-S6: Fox Float X Performance series, 21x55mm

Hard Tail - has no rear shock :) Frameset - no forks or shock .......

Expert and Alloy models to follow.
thanks

do the s-works LTD amd s-works have the same color? Just different suspension?

what is the price difference?
 

Pete N

Active member
May 10, 2020
191
127
Surrey
I’m hoping the UK does have an S-Works that isn’t the all black version.
I hope they bring in the cream one or something else unique to the LTD version.
Not that I’m likely to be able to afford any of them😂
 

G-Sport

Active member
Oct 7, 2022
324
259
Yorkshire
I'm very happy with my SL that I've had for 7 months now and very happy that I didn't wait.
BUT, I'd be very interested to upgrade to the new motor and the Mastermind TCU (if possible) IF it really is substantially quieter and better sealed and has a more common crank interface so I can have more choice in crank options.
Been considering buying a spare set of crank arms so I can weld up the existing pedal hole and re-drill and tap at a shorter length (150mm probably).
 

Cb750stu

Well-known member
Subscriber
Nov 6, 2020
504
472
United Kingdom
I'm liking the look of the new SL , I might just order one (when they are available to order) , I already have 2022 turbo levo pro but always wanted to try the SL 🤙🤟
 

Decolocsta

Active member
Aug 10, 2022
71
215
Germany
I'm very happy with my SL that I've had for 7 months now and very happy that I didn't wait.
BUT, I'd be very interested to upgrade to the new motor and the Mastermind TCU (if possible) IF it really is substantially quieter and better sealed and has a more common crank interface so I can have more choice in crank options.
Been considering buying a spare set of crank arms so I can weld up the existing pedal hole and re-drill and tap at a shorter length (150mm probably).

Its Not better sealed
 
Last edited:

Suns_PSD

Active member
Jul 12, 2022
523
441
Austin
Thought I noticed when I could still see the specs on my phone for like 2 hours that the dropper is now a 30.9mm. Surely for clearance.

** Corrected. The Levo SL does in fact use a 34.9mm inner seat tube diameter.
 
Last edited:
Dec 14, 2022
16
4
Fremont, CA
Thought I noticed when I could still see the specs on my phone for like 2 hours that the dropper is now a 30.9mm. Surely for clearance.

It's relevant as Spesh had been pushing for 34.9s on everything. It also means none of the 3 high end droppers I have would work on a new Levo SL frame.
according to the leaked spec sheet (and leaked specialized website), a 34.9mm dropper will still be used. i thought it would’ve been weird to backtrack. see below:

8E7EF4EA-863E-4453-9DBE-E3A9455B312E.png
 

p3eps

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Subscriber
Dec 14, 2019
1,982
2,401
Scotland
Thought I noticed when I could still see the specs on my phone for like 2 hours that the dropper is now a 30.9mm. Surely for clearance.

It's relevant as Spesh had been pushing for 34.9s on everything. It also means none of the 3 high end droppers I have would work on a new Levo SL frame.
All the Levo SL’s frames so far have had a 34.9 opening… just the S-Works builds have a 30.9 AXS dropper with a shim.

I suspect this will be the same, and it’s a weight saving exercise. The 30.9 AXS dropper is fractionally lighter than the equivalent 34.9 one.
 

G-Sport

Active member
Oct 7, 2022
324
259
Yorkshire
All the Levo SL’s frames so far have had a 34.9 opening… just the S-Works builds have a 30.9 AXS dropper with a shim.

I suspect this will be the same, and it’s a weight saving exercise. The 30.9 AXS dropper is fractionally lighter than the equivalent 34.9 one.
More than a fraction I suspect. First thing I did with my SL was replace the 150mm dropper it came with with a Oneup 180mm 31.6mm and a home-made shim. Gained 30mm of drop and saved over 100g. 34.9 inch size seems like an appropriate choice for larger sizes where you might well expect a 200+ lb rider with 220mm of drop, but completely inappropriate on a medium that can only just fit a 180mm.
 

p3eps

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Subscriber
Dec 14, 2019
1,982
2,401
Scotland
More than a fraction I suspect. First thing I did with my SL was replace the 150mm dropper it came with with a Oneup 180mm 31.6mm and a home-made shim. Gained 30mm of drop and saved over 100g. 34.9 inch size seems like an appropriate choice for larger sizes where you might well expect a 200+ lb rider with 220mm of drop, but completely inappropriate on a medium that can only just fit a 180mm.
Just googled this - and found that a 31.6mm 170mm AXS dropper with battery and remote is 768g.

I have a photo of my 34.9 one on the scales when I got it - along with battery and remote - 879g.

111g saving - minus whatever the weight of the shim is.
 

Murch

Active member
Aug 9, 2019
222
185
United States
Just googled this - and found that a 31.6mm 170mm AXS dropper with battery and remote is 768g.

I have a photo of my 34.9 one on the scales when I got it - along with battery and remote - 879g.

111g saving - minus whatever the weight of the shim is

I have my current SL that came with Fox dropper and shim and I will tell you it's not worth the weight savings. My buddy has a Levo Expert with a shim from the factory as well and they both develop creaking from the shim and require frequent cleaning to keep them silent.
 

Suns_PSD

Active member
Jul 12, 2022
523
441
Austin
On my SJEvo (also uses a 34.9mm seat tube) I settled on the KSLev Integra 31.9 x 200mm dropper (I'm 5'11") as the right combo of lots of drop, light weight & good functionality. I could actually have fit a 210mm Oneup but I really dislike how those feel, and they are heavier.

As I recall the shim weighed about 38 grams.
That dropper weighs 612 grams (includes the remote and cable, which isn't how anyone else weighs them).

For comparison the same dropper but in a 34.9mm diameter weighs 712 grams.

The biggest issue with the 34.9mm droppers is that they don't insert as far because at the bottom their extra width will contact something whereas the narrower droppers can often go a lot more, like another 20+ mm further in.

I've never experienced any sort of creaking or anything as a result of my 31.9mm + shim.

Another data point is that on my Spur I have a 31.6mm x 175mm KS Lev Ci, and that thing weighs 459 grams for just the post. * KS adds 40 grams to all of their weighs for the remote and cable, no one else does this.

You could literally save 380 grams located up high, hundreds of dollars & have another 5mm drop over the 34.9 AXS dropper. I just don't get that thing.
 
Last edited:

G-Sport

Active member
Oct 7, 2022
324
259
Yorkshire
^^^
Absolutely.
The smaller part can go a little deeper and this is what wins the extra travel.
I have my current SL that came with Fox dropper and shim and I will tell you it's not worth the weight savings. My buddy has a Levo Expert with a shim from the factory as well and they both develop creaking from the shim and require frequent cleaning to keep them silent.
Done nearly 1000 miles on mine, all quite tough rough terrain and no creaking at all, I'd say it's definitely worth it and probably worth it for you to see if you can get a better shim.
 

G-Sport

Active member
Oct 7, 2022
324
259
Yorkshire
Been waiting 2 weeks for a warranty 1.1 motor to arrive, now been told that there are none in the country and it could be as long as 6 weeks! Wondering if there is any chance that they will warranty with the 1.2 motor and a Mastermind TCU but compatibility seems to be hotly contested.
 

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