Levo SL Gen 1 Levo SL vs Orbea Rise **edit update**

[Chris1969]

I think it will work especially when using the EW-EN100 (as that part is still the same) - but I don't think anyone has actually confirmed it for sure There's a report here of it working with the new EP8 display but only on an Edge so far (not a watch): Garmin watch data field for Shimano STEPS EMTBs - EMTB Forums

But there is a Garmin-side bug with some of their watches: Vivoactive 4 (and Vivo 4s and possibly Venu) that prevents the bluetooth connecting - so don't try it with one of those!

I haven't used the E-Tube Ride App - but I think it might only display 5 bars and not the actual percentage - at least I haven't managed to find any screenshots of it displaying a percentage ...

*edit* I tried - doesn’t connect. Maybe because of the Vivoactive 4 (And the speed change is a NoGo).

 

[mark.ai]

*edit* I tried - doesn’t connect. Maybe because of the Vivoactive 4 (And the speed change is a NoGo).

The Orbea RS Toolbox should work on a Vivoactive 4 as it uses ANT+ (not Bluetooth) - it's only Bluetooth which has the bug.
I'd try contacting the developer of it here: Connect IQ Store | Free Watch Faces and Apps | Garmin

 

[Jed Willy]

I have a 2020 and a 2021 Levo SL. Both are expert large. The 2021 is mine, the 2020 is my wife's. My friend just bought the Orbea Rise M10 size large. I rode his bike for a bit today. You can look at their respective websites for details on spec setups. Here is my comparison of his bike and mine.

Price:
2021 Levo SL Expert MSRP: $9500
2021 Orbea Rise M10 MSRP: $8000
These bikes have similar spec details (with a possible slight edge to the Rise for having stock Fox factory suspension)... so clearly the Rise wins this category.

Weight:
2020 Levo SL Expert: 40.5lbs
2021 Levo SL Expert: 41.5lbs
2021 Orbea Rise: 41.5lbs.
All weights are with tubeless tires and platform pedals.

Specs:
Both of my Levo SLs are stock except for the suspension. I upgraded the forks on both to Fox 36 factory and the shocks are Fox DPX2 factory on both. This is the same suspension setup as is on the Rise M10. You can read the manufacturer's websites for the rest of the specs.

Setup:
My Levo SL is set with the flip chip on high, but the for is a 160mm vice the stock 150mm. The Rise was stock.

Ride:
The rise steers noticeably quicker than the SL. This makes the front feel like it is lighter and more playful than the SL, although they will both loft the front wheel equally well. While the Rise was playful, the Levo SL is predictable. Slower steering means it takes more effort to turn, but there are no surprises. Other than the steering quickness, the ride is very similar. Fox factory suspension is good stuff and they both take advantage of that.

Ergonomics:
Again, very similar. The rise comes with a flatter handlebar than the SL. But this is much more about preference than performance.

Power delivery:
This is where the two are very different. I have my SL set to 50% for trail mode (medium) which is where I ride mostly. This is reduced from the stock setting of 60%. The rise was set with factory settings in profile 2 and I rode it in its medium setting. The rise has noticeably more power... but not a ridiculous difference like with a FF bike like a Turbo Levo. The SL power curve seems to be much flatter. Once I engage the pedals, the power delivery is pretty constant. This makes it very predictable. The Rise's power is much more progressive. At slow speed, engage the pedals with a little pressure... get a little boost. Engage with a lot of pedal pressure... get a lot of boost. This is a good and bad thing. It seem like it would make very slow speed maneuvering easier with less power coming out... if you are conscious enough not to step too hard on the pedals such that the bike wants to lurch.

Shifting:
My SL has XO shifters/derailleurs. The Rise is all Shimano. While my Sram drive train is very nice and smooth, the Shimano just feels more crisp and precise.

Tires:
The SL comes with Specialized tires that are appropriate and work very well. I will replace these with the same tires when they wear out. The Rise's tires are more cross countryish. Clearly Orbea was looking for weight savings. Replacement tires will cost you some weight, but provide better performance.

Brakes:
My SL comes with Sram Code RS brakes. They are freaking awesome! Super powerful and reliable. In other words... they work as good as XTs... but they seem to have better modulation. The rise comes with XTs. Who doesn't like XTs?

Fit/finish:
Fit and finish of both bikes is excellent. Paint is perfect. Integration is spot on. Neither bike gets a nod in this area. The rise tries to be stealth with a power switch "hidden" on the seat tube and no display on the topbar... but the cooling fins on the Shimano motor screams eBike! The motor on the SL is less conspicuous, but the power switch with the LED display on the topbar is not very discrete. There is an inline LED indicator on the Rise that lets you know which setting you are in... but it is so hard to see that it is almost useless. The SL's indicator on the topbar is almost as useless if there is any direct sunlight. It's better to just feel which setting you're in on both bikes. One advantage of the SL is that there is a bar type battery level indicator that gives you an idea of remaining battery power. On the Rise, you just have to guess unless you want to use your phone app.

Overall:
The rise is a sportier ride. The progressive power delivery could be used effectively by a skilled rider. The quicker steering makes the bike feel more playful. On the other hand, the SL is rock solid stable. It is predictable and super easy to ride. No surprises and consistent performance. Both bikes look amazing. Period. I love the niche that these bikes fill. I did not and still do not want a FF eBike because it does not lend itself to the techy, slow paced riding I like to do. These bikes are like riding an analog MTB if you had super strong legs. Exactly what I love about them.

I'd say neither bike is better or worse than the other. They are just different. They feel different. But again, its more an issue of preference moreso than performance. My bike is red and his is blue, so it would be hard to say red is a better color... same for the rest of the bike. I don't think I'd swap bikes with my friend if he asked me to, but I'm thinking about getting a third bike for a spare/son's bike. Right now, I'm struggling which one would be better.


Edited comments below:

1. I was corrected below... the Rise's motor is a dumbed down version of the shimano EP8
2. The LED indicator on the Rise will indicate when you get to 20% power... still kinda useless
3. The LED indicator on the Rise can be augmented with the Shimano SC-EM800 display as an option.
4. My friend told me that he discovered how to change the level of progressiveness in power delivery.

I just picked up a rise after riding Turbo Levo- both awsome bikes in their own way. How did you change the power delivery on the rise?
I have been trying to find info on how to do that?

 

[Bman]

I just picked up a rise after riding Turbo Levo- both awsome bikes in their own way. How did you change the power delivery on the rise?
I have been trying to find info on how to do that?

Through the Shimano E-tube app.

 

[carlbiker]

Hmmm I’m taking a rise out on a demo this week but still deciding SL vs Rise, which fares beat for techy steep dh stuff? Looking for something more agile then my wild basically

 

[Jeffsy29]

For the shorter riders out there, there's a massive 8 cm difference in standover height in size S according to the spec sheet. The difference shrinks to 4 cm in size L. The figures may not be 100% comparable but it does seem that the Rise frame is a good deal lower in that area. It never bothered me on the SL in size L, but my gf has mentioned a couple of times that her Levo is a bit too tall when standing over.

@TorAtle - how tall is your GF? My wife has a Small Rise M10 on order and we're considering a small Levo SL as well, but that 787mm standover height spec seems enormous vs. 710mm on the Rise.

My wife is 5'0" even. Inseam is about 730mm in biking shoes with feet comfortably apart. Seems like a non-starter for the Levo SL.

 

[boBE]

@TorAtle - how tall is your GF? My wife has a Small Rise M10 on order and we're considering a small Levo SL as well, but that 787mm standover height spec seems enormous vs. 710mm on the Rise.

My wife is 5'0" even. Inseam is about 730mm in biking shoes with feet comfortably apart. Seems like a non-starter for the Levo SL.

I was not happy with the standover height of my SL and changed to 27.5" wheels. Much better (in several ways) with a standover height of about 700 to 735 depending where on the tube I measure it (aluminum frame Medium). 787 does not seem correct even though that is what Specialized specifies.

 

[R120]