Levo SL Gen 1 Levo SL Pedals by itself and then fails

[Ferd]

Anyone else have this happen? Bike freaked out today and then died completely. Terrible product or I’m terribly unlucky. 150 miles total. 30 miles on the 2nd motor.
... continued 3/1/21
Specialized rep out of Salt Lake called me. Thanks for the help here @Christian a d @Specialized Rider Care !

we’ll see what turns up and will update this as I get any info/ answers/ working machine

Edit: 3/8/21 It’s been repaired. Specialized sent two super techs out to my dealer to work their craft. And they were Super fast to get it done. I had the bike ready to roll by this weekend!
My dealer’s tech didn't have any answers however... Said they replaced something.. not the motor. I’m hoping to speak with the Salt Lake guy later this week to get more detail.

Hoping I’ve just had 3,000 miles worth of problems in 250...

Levo SL Fail. Again. AGAIN…Aaannnd Fixed. ??

😂Fucking pussies: (write-up below) Update 3/20/21: OK… apparently the new TCU, the component replaced by the A- Team a few weeks ago, came with a new PIN code that needed to be used when conn…

asmuchdirtaspossible.blog

Levo SL Fail. Again. AGAIN…Aaannnd Fixed. ??

😂Fucking pussies: (write-up below) Update 3/20/21: OK… apparently the new TCU, the component replaced by the A- Team a few weeks ago, came with a new PIN code that needed to be used when conn…

asmuchdirtaspossible.blog

 

[CjP]

Have you tried to take your finger off the walk button. I can do that too on mine.

 

[Ferd]

Theres a link to the vids

 

[CjP]

Wow, did it make that binky blink before or after you threw the bike into the tree.
So aggressive mate, it’s just a bike yeah.

You always have the option to sell it and get a different brands bike.

 

[Zimmerframe]

Terrible product or I’m terribly unlucky. 150 miles total. 30 miles on the 2nd motor.

You said in your other post that you'd spoken to a rep and they were having 100% failures .. with 150 miles total, it sounds a bit like your rep's taking the motors out and putting them in backwards ??

These bikes are experiencing 100% failures based on my convo with a big chain’s rep.

I think it's fair to say you're quite "passionate" .. with your reactions From the first motor :

Motherfuking assholes.. Bike was in the shop for goddam month. I finally got the call it was done. Took time off work and drove to pick it up.. fucking thing now doesnt even fucking run. I shoulda test rode it. They sure as hell didnt. MIKES BIKES in Berkeley...
Calling you out.

EDIT: I should be more patient. Turns out that the tech didn’t perform the sacred ceremony of marrying the new motor to the old controller. They fixed it in 15 minutes..
still cost me a couple hundred bucks of time off work driving in traffic but I’m less annoyed now.

that’s sometjing I’m learning about these Technology bikes... They expressly prohibit one from repairing on one’s own. Locking you in to being bound to a dealer for repairs. Not unlike CANBUS japanese car...I need the VW equivalent Emtb where I can buy computer and do my own fix...

And from your blog :

"This goddam bike was in the shop for 6 weeks to get a new motor and on my 3rd ride it’s failed again. I got so pissed I picked up the. Ike by tje rear wheel and swung it around and smacked it against a tree. Hoping to snap something into pieces. But that brought it back to life…"

Doesn't really seem overly rational as you complained you had to ride with no motor, yet somewhere in your head you were hoping to smash it up and carry it out of there ? I think if I was Spesh, I'd be nulling your warranty. From what you've said there, it sounds like you maybe just have a loose connection somewhere or possibly a faulty controller switch/button stuck down ?

And from your blog again :

And the remainder of my ride was no assist. About 1250′ and 11 miles. Luckily mostly downhill. (But Really not what a guy with heart failure wants from the bike he bought to help not die.)

It sounds like you need to relax a little ? I know this is frustrating, but from what you're saying, your approach isn't doing you any favours ?

EDIT : I'm still trying to piece this one together. Something about what you're saying and how you're saying it doesn't seem to add up.

Having just borrowed an SL I can exactly replicate the same thing @Christian says with just holding the walk button down. Is it possible that you crashed the bike, damaged the controller or the wire and it's shorting out and enabling walk mode. This sounds far more likely to be the cause of the symptoms ?

Then your story about throwing the bike against a tree out of frustration because it wasn't working ? Even though it's an SL and it's not totally the end of the world in those situations. You're riding with mates, so if you're concerned about your heart I'm sure they'd swap bikes for climbs.

The whole thing sounds so ridiculous that it sounds made up ? Is it possible you crashed the bike again quite badly and it brought back the controller problem again, which you just assumed was a motor failure caused by the crash and didn't want to be stuck with a repair bill for something you thought you caused ? So "as proof" for the bike shop, you stick it this way round on the blog in a hope to get a refund rather than be stuck with a bike you think you've broken ? (which probably just needs a new controller/cable) They're pretty hardy ! I should know ..

 

[Ferd]

You said in your other post that you'd spoken to a rep and they were having 100% failures .. with 150 miles total, it sounds a bit like your rep's taking the motors out and putting them in backwards ??



I think it's fair to say you're quite "passionate" .. with your reactions From the first motor :



And from your blog :

"This goddam bike was in the shop for 6 weeks to get a new motor and on my 3rd ride it’s failed again. I got so pissed I picked up the. Ike by tje rear wheel and swung it around and smacked it against a tree. Hoping to snap something into pieces. But that brought it back to life…"

Doesn't really seem overly rational as you complained you had to ride with no motor, yet somewhere in your head you were hoping to smash it up and carry it out of there ? I think if I was Spesh, I'd be nulling your warranty. From what you've said there, it sounds like you maybe just have a loose connection somewhere or possibly a faulty controller switch/button stuck down ?

And from your blog again :

And the remainder of my ride was no assist. About 1250′ and 11 miles. Luckily mostly downhill. (But Really not what a guy with heart failure wants from the bike he bought to help not die.)

It sounds like you need to relax a little ? I know this is frustrating, but from what you're saying, your approach isn't doing you any favours ?

EDIT : I'm still trying to piece this one together. Something about what you're saying and how you're saying it doesn't seem to add up.

Having just borrowed an SL I can exactly replicate the same thing @Christian says with just holding the walk button down. Is it possible that you crashed the bike, damaged the controller or the wire and it's shorting out and enabling walk mode. This sounds far more likely to be the cause of the symptoms ?

Then your story about throwing the bike against a tree out of frustration because it wasn't working ? Even though it's an SL and it's not totally the end of the world in those situations. You're riding with mates, so if you're concerned about your heart I'm sure they'd swap bikes for climbs.

The whole thing sounds so ridiculous that it sounds made up ? Is it possible you crashed the bike again quite badly and it brought back the controller problem again, which you just assumed was a motor failure caused by the crash and didn't want to be stuck with a repair bill for something you thought you caused ? So "as proof" for the bike shop, you stick it this way round on the blog in a hope to get a refund rather than be stuck with a bike you think you've broken ? (which probably just needs a new controller/cable) They're pretty hardy ! I should know ..

yeah I made it up. Lol..
the bike’s never been crashed. It barely been ridden. Im not a real big guy, my smash into the tree didnt do shit. And wouldn't have. Bikes need to be tougher than that to just survive trail riding.

I was and am pissed to all hell. When I drive 3 hours on my only day to ride and I choose the fuckin expensive bike that is, all appearances, in perfect working order, and something that’s not repairable happens. And then to be told to keep rebooting.. well I should have been smarter than to trust a salesman that should have said “go back the the car immediately” I get pissed at both the manufacturer a d myself for not using better judgement. I have three better riding Evil 29ers in my garage. i just need slower pedaling friends I guess. ? Seriously though its tought to find friends who rip steeps that arent alao in fucking great shape for uphills

 

[Ferd]

What rpm do you pedal at?

I pedal at a pretty high rpm. It’s mulleted and the gearing is low. I run it at 15% support 95% of the time when going uphill..

 

[Ferd]

Wow, did it make that binky blink before or after you threw the bike into the tree.
So aggressive mate, it’s just a bike yeah.

You always have the option to sell it and get a different brands bike.

It went blinky blinky Way after the weird pedal on its own stuff started. I had a good 45 minutes of normal operation after the 10th (or so) hard reboot. And then near the bottom of the downhill it just went into blink mode.

There arent really any other 40 pound ebikes. And to be honest the SL seems overpowered so theres no way I would want more weight and more power.

I found two other posts about this kind of thing happening. Also to folks with very few miles...

 

[Zimmerframe]

Bikes need to be tougher than that to just survive trail riding.

Bikes are tough, but it doesn't mean that components don't break in crashes. We've all broken brake levers, bars, wheels when we accidentally ride over the edge of cliffs or into trees at 90kph.

What I was trying to explain is that maybe your first motor wasn't even broken. That you crashed, damaged your controller switch or the cable. The bike shop maybe weren't that experiences in diagnosing it, diagnosed it incorrectly or maybe you insisted to them it was the motor and for a quiet life they changed that.

So if the problem was/is the controller or cable, then if it wasn't fixed in the first place - you would continue to have problems down the line as the cable/stretched/shorted out again or the controller internals jiggled around into a shorting position.

Going on your various posts and continuing just to post the same thing in various places (which seems to be a new phenomena over the last week - the post the same story in as many threads as possible technique) and even duplicating your original post 4 hours later (which looks like it's been deleted by the mods) it seems like you've just decided it's sh1t and it's more important for you to tell the world your opinion rather than fix it or find out what's actually really wrong.

 

[R120]

Generally speaking we have seen very few reports of SL's having issues, unlike the Brose motored bikes it seems to be pretty reliable - I get your frustration, nothing worse that just wanting to ride and the bike not playing ball.

It does sound like it might be something to do with the electronics rather than the motor this time?

 

[CjP]

It went blinky blinky Way after the weird pedal on its own stuff started. I had a good 45 minutes of normal operation after the 10th (or so) hard reboot. And then near the bottom of the downhill it just went into blink mode.

There arent really any other 40 pound ebikes. And to be honest the SL seems overpowered so theres no way I would want more weight and more power.

I found two other posts about this kind of thing happening. Also to folks with very few miles...

Can you replicate the self driving mode and the lights? If so can you take a video of it from a little further back so we can see the whole bike. It will help with your warranty case if you can prove beyond doubt your bike is malfunctioning.

Also for future reference I’m pretty sure chucking hissy fits is not part of any bike companies R&D.
It maybe more efficient to voice your disappointment to the shop where you bought the bike or maybe even call up Specialized themselves. I’ve done this in the past when I had some issues and they are really helpful.
If that doesn’t sort your problems out then come here and private message @Specialized Rider Care (see what I did there) as he’s really awesome and helpful.
If after all that your problem isn’t sorted then by all means cry, bitch, moan, slag or just put your case forward with minimal profanities (there are women and children on here - well children level intelligence who get just as offended) and let the people help you.

 

[Specialized Rider Care]

@Christian thanks for the namecheck.
@Ferd sorry to hear you've not had a good experience with the SL to date - as @R120 says this is pretty unusual but we'd love to try and help get to the bottom of it for you. Have sent you a PM.

 

[Ferd]

Wow, did it make that binky blink before or after you threw the bike into the tree.
So aggressive mate, it’s just a bike yeah.

You always have the option to sell it and get a different brands bike.

There arent really any other 40 pound ebikes. And to be honest the SL seems overpowered so theres no way I would want more weight and more power.

@Christian thanks for the namecheck.
@Ferd sorry to hear you've not had a good experience with the SL to date - as @R120 says this is pretty unusual but we'd love to try and help get to the bottom of it for you. Have sent you a PM.

Thanks!!

 

[Ferd]

Can you replicate the self driving mode and the lights? If so can you take a video of it from a little further back so we can see the whole bike. It will help with your warranty case if you can prove beyond doubt your bike is malfunctioning.

Also for future reference I’m pretty sure chucking hissy fits is not part of any bike companies R&D.
It maybe more efficient to voice your disappointment to the shop where you bought the bike or maybe even call up Specialized themselves. I’ve done this in the past when I had some issues and they are really helpful.
If that doesn’t sort your problems out then come here and private message @Specialized Rider Care (see what I did there) as he’s really awesome and helpful.
If after all that your problem isn’t sorted then by all means cry, bitch, moan, slag or just put your case forward with minimal profanities (there are women and children on here - well children level intelligence who get just as offended) and let the people help you.

Ahh, that's actually very cool. Yeah hissy fits.. only happen here when it's electronic BS. I'm not proud, but I'm not apologizing to any adults who are offended by language either. (I did apologize to my friends who had to watch and laugh at me though that was me trying to save face)

 

[Cyclopath1000]

If I had a 12 yo young shredder child reading this I would want you to follow decorum. Are you also the type of person that swerves around me on the right on the interstate at 95 mph, has your front windows tinted so no one can see what you are up to and does other aggressive things to get to your trailhead ? Post where you are going to ride so we all can make other plans.

 

[Ferd]

You know nothing about me. See you on the steeps... ? Betting not

 

[Cyclopath1000]

So being good on the steeps makes your miserable way of communicating ok? Oh I didn't realize. So sorry .....not

 

[Specialized Rider Care]

Hoping to bring this thread back on track. We reached out to @Ferd to find out more last week and arranged to get his bike back to the store together with one of our field specialists.

As a few of you had suggested above, it looks like there was a blend of electronic issues together with a small element of store training and we were glad to partner with the store to get this resolved. Hoping to hear some good news back on that front in due course, getting stranded on an eBike is hugely disappointing and we understand the frustration it causes.

 

[Ferd]

So being good on the steeps makes your miserable way of communicating ok? Oh I didn't realize. So sorry .....not

Naw it was my way of telling you and other like you that I wouldnt share where I ride, and if I did you wouldnt ride there anyway.. A long winded way of saying feckoff...
maybe just saying “bye Karen” woulda been more appropriate?

 

[Cyclopath1000]

Go curse someone out. You will feel better. Thanks for not telling me where you ride. Less chance of running into ya.

 

[Ferd]

Go curse someone out. You will feel better. Thanks for not telling me where you ride. Less chance of running into ya.

Thanks for steering clear Karen

 

[CjP]

Thanks for steering clear Karen

That’s better! ?

 

[Ferd]

I can be goddam assholish...

Seriously been riding mtb for 35+ years and bicycles for 42+
I get impatient.
I absolutely agonize over my base valve face shims and don’t get me started about ring shims...
I take way too much time to get it right for as impatient as I am.

I am super thankful for the help I received here. The bike is working flawlessly now. AND I’ve received very detailed information about the repair.
I do believe the issues are more than I bargained for but am giving it another chance..

Because when it works it’s brilliant. I took a proper fork and the Cascade linkage and brakes and a 27.5” wheel but it’s about as perfect as I could ever ask for. It pops so good and bangs through tight corners well enough that I can’t choose my non-assist bike over the Levo for any reason other than how well it stops...

I’ll probably update the blog with any details that maybe seem esoteric... will be installing a new Fox 36 and might dig into that new damper.
And will definitely be revalving the OEM shock (DPS)
Gah, life is too short. Ride more.

 

[levity]

I can be goddam a$$holish...

Agreed

 

[Cyclopath1000]

Please just remember that this site is accessable by children. Enjoy your working ride.

 

[Ferd]

Post deleted as not appropriate on a public forum.

Member banned for endlessly foul language.

 

[Ferd]

Please just remember that this site is accessable by children. Enjoy your working ride.

Reply deleted as not appropriate on a public forum.

 

[Konanige]

Maybe your phones broke!

 

[Ferd]

Phone works for all my other devices...
All up to date.