Kenevo SL Official 2022 Kenevo SL (KSL) Megathread!

Doomanic

🛠️Wrecker🛠️
Patreon
Founding Member
Jan 21, 2018
8,724
10,389
UK
No idea... :ROFLMAO:

The bike was in for a different issue and the (great) mechanic at Raceco noticed the play and swapped the motor.
 

bowoff

Member
Oct 30, 2021
6
9
Italy
Hello everybody!
I have a Levo SL and I love it... but I am seriously thinking to buy a Kenevo SL. I ride mostly enduro trails and also long mountain rides.
Who is riding a Kenevo SL and swapped from a Levo SL, what's your advice? I am interested in downhill differences most.
Thanks in advance for your comments!
 

Blownoutrides

Active member
Mar 22, 2021
241
176
USA
Hello everybody!
I have a Levo SL and I love it... but I am seriously thinking to buy a Kenevo SL. I ride mostly enduro trails and also long mountain rides.
Who is riding a Kenevo SL and swapped from a Levo SL, what's your advice? I am interested in downhill differences most.
Thanks in advance for your comments!
Didn’t come from a Levo SL myself but a buddy of mine did and claims Kenevo SL is the best bike he’s ever ridden, E or otherwise. He owns a bike shop.
 

CjP

PRIME TIME
Subscriber
Jan 1, 2019
1,671
2,394
Everywhere
Hello everybody!
I have a Levo SL and I love it... but I am seriously thinking to buy a Kenevo SL. I ride mostly enduro trails and also long mountain rides.
Who is riding a Kenevo SL and swapped from a Levo SL, what's your advice? I am interested in downhill differences most.
Thanks in advance for your comments!
I had a heavily modified Levo SL and now a Kenevo SL.
Main difference is the KSL does Gravity easier, like it’s not phased at all by it. The Levo SL is more playful and nimble being a tad lighter and not as long or slack. With the right mods though, still very capable and a great bike!
The KSL I felt pedals better than the Levo SL but that could be my imagination.
In any case if your a gravity guy you should really be on the KSL. It’s what it was born to do and it does it with ease!
 

roQer

Member
Jun 29, 2019
82
71
Ludwigshafen am Rhein
I seem to have a small amount of play in my cranks (side to side across the bike)
Not noticed it before.
Anyone else have this or do they need tightening. If so any idea of how?

Many thanks

Same on my bike but just on the drive side. Torqued everything to spec, play remains, though.
Doesn’t bother me yet while riding but wonder if it gets more.
My bike gets a load of abuse because it’s my do it all bike and l‘m riding exclusively harsh trails and bike parks. Up to now everything holds quite well besides the one crankarm.
 

scooby82r

Member
Aug 15, 2020
81
47
Manchester, England
Same on my bike but just on the drive side. Torqued everything to spec, play remains, though.
Doesn’t bother me yet while riding but wonder if it gets more.
My bike gets a load of abuse because it’s my do it all bike and l‘m riding exclusively harsh trails and bike parks. Up to now everything holds quite well besides the one crankarm.
Nice one, good to know 👍🏾
 

ebikerider

Active member
Oct 1, 2019
706
484
Australia
My bike has developed a somewhat annoying squeaking when pedaling coming from the motor. It sounds like the main motor axle rubbing on a dry seal and it creates enough friction that when I rotate the cranks backwards the entire drivetrain will rotate for multiple turns until it eventually lets go and only the cranks turn. It has started to squeak at irregular intervals when pedaling normally that's why I've gotten more curious.

Can someone try this on their bike to compare please? Does your drivetrain rotate at all? Is there much friction or is it completely free?

Also has anyone had any drama with the headset cup and frame interface creaking and cracking under load? My bike has done it from new and it is incredibly distracting when it starts as it sounds like carbon cracking. Only remedy was to remove the front end, clean and regrease. I was getting 5 or 6 rides before it started again but now its all the time no matter what I do.

To be clear its only when the fork is under heavy load will this occur so normal trail riding is fine but heavy braking on steeps into jumps, the landings always get a good crack....every time is happens it makes me cringe! I've changed bearings and forks multiple times, everything is torqued to spec (over and under to check also). The difference between the outer diameter of the cup and the inner diameter of the frame is 1.2mm which Specialized seem to think is ok. Replacement cups have been on order since christmas..

Couple of pics of the wear on the cups
Top headset cup.jpg
Top cup outer wear.jpg
Bottom cup outer wear.jpg
 

HarzEnduro

Member
Jan 23, 2022
73
102
Germany
Same thing for my headset cup. It only started with the angled cup though. The bearing is rusty too only after a couple of muddy rides. I'll get some other bearing to test it with. The ones from Chris King should work. I have regreased it with marine grease and will see how long this will last.
 
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ebikerider

Active member
Oct 1, 2019
706
484
Australia
Same thing for my headset cup. It only started with the angled cup though. The bearing is rusty too only after a couple of muddy rides. I'll get some other bearing to test it with. The ones from Chris King should work. I have regreased it with marine grease and will see how long this will last.
I’ve tried multiple different bearings including a Chris King lower bearing and a few different high pressure greases but still end up with the cups cracking and creaking.
Have you measured the ID of the frame and the OD of the lower cup? My frame is about 1.6mm bigger than the OD of the lower cup. Not sure if this clearance should be smaller to help stop it moving…waiting for Specialized to respond directly to that question.
 

Madog

Member
May 29, 2020
17
18
Kentucky
I’ve tried multiple different bearings including a Chris King lower bearing and a few different high pressure greases but still end up with the cups cracking and creaking.
Have you measured the ID of the frame and the OD of the lower cup? My frame is about 1.6mm bigger than the OD of the lower cup. Not sure if this clearance should be smaller to help stop it moving…waiting for Specialized to respond directly to that question.
Have you tried copper grease?
 

HarzEnduro

Member
Jan 23, 2022
73
102
Germany
I have just sent an email to riders care about the motor axle play (that results in a clicking noise when under load). I'll report what the've replied.
 

R3Z3N

Member
Mar 2, 2022
82
64
California
Nice! Rocky Peak. I need to get back out there, coming from SB, hit it maybe 6x a year. BTW I do shuttle runs for SB if people want, usually Cold Springs (1-2x) Tunnel, Arroyo Burro.
 
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Jcregut

New Member
Apr 11, 2022
6
8
So-Cal
Nice! Rocky Peak. I need to get back out there, coming from SB, hit it maybe 6x a year. BTW I do shuttle runs for SB if people want, usually Cold Springs (1-2x) Tunnel, Arroyo Burro.
Yes sir! Trails are running pretty good right now 🤙🏼 Never been up to SB but need to… very likely this summer to escape the Simi Valley heat 😉
 

ebikerider

Active member
Oct 1, 2019
706
484
Australia
Got word from Specialized for the fix re my motor squeaking and binding when rotating backwards.
New motor.
Waiting on new headset cups to be replaced to troubleshoot the headset/frame interface creak.
 

Jcregut

New Member
Apr 11, 2022
6
8
So-Cal
Is the bike too long for you? Because you have pushed the saddle all the way to the front.
No not to long, I have a 35.5” inseam so a very high seat height, putting the saddle forward in the rails makes for a comfy position 🤷🏼‍♂️
I’m 6’1 ish riding a S4 with a 210mm dropper 👍🏼 I think I’ve since moved the saddle forward about 10mm
 
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Kenevieve

Member
Sep 21, 2021
28
66
Perämettä
Mission Control tells me that there is a new firmware available, but I have to take the bike dealer if I want update it. Has anyone updated their KSL with that new firmware?
 

Jcregut

New Member
Apr 11, 2022
6
8
So-Cal
Mission Control tells me that there is a new firmware available, but I have to take the bike dealer if I want update it. Has anyone updated their KSL with that new firmware?
Checked mine after your post, had an update but was able to do it over my phone.
 

R3Z3N

Member
Mar 2, 2022
82
64
California
Silly that one has to use mission control to "lock" the bike, but cannot via just the remote. I rarely ride with my phone, only when on epic shuttle days for pics.
 

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