Levo SL Gen 1 SL for spouse to keep up with me on my analog bike?

[Momark]

My wife is not in shape, and wants to be able to keep up with me when I ride my Ibis Ripley on non-technical (but bumpy) terrain. I ride nearly every day, so I'm very much in shape.

Would the Levo SL be the right bike for my wife? She wants to be able to get a workout. The SL would make sense only if she would be able to keep up with me when she rides in the least-assist setting. (If she would need to use full assist, she would be limited in distance.)

 

[Jackware]

Believe me, you'll be chasing her though I'd have thought a 'full fat' emtb would be better unless you've got designs on the SL

 

[Zimmerframe]

I don't have an SL so can't answer from that aspect.

A lot of it depends on how fit you are and how much of a work out she's committed to.

If you're super fit for instance, to use an example, one guy I ride with is exceedingly fit and strong. He runs in 160km 10,000m climb races and fun things like that ... He'll often go for a quick ride and put in 800-1000m climb before he'll ride with us and then think nothing of climbing another 1000m. I'm on a full fat Kenevo and in Eco I will struggle to stay with him if he decides to go for it on the climbs.

If you're like that, then ultimately, I don't think she'd find the SL fun in it's low setting keeping up with you. Where as a full fat I think she'd find fun. If you're more sedate than that, then maybe the SL would suffice. As @Jackware says, the Full fat might be the better way to go.

 

[KeithR]

I'm inclined to agree that a FF bike would be the better option: I don't really hold with the idea that bikes like the SL are "gateway" emtbs - not to people who are new to this kind of cycling generally, at any rate - and while it is certainly true that the SL will give the lady a workout, it might be more than is welcome, at any power setting.

With an FF ebike the option still exists to dial things down, power-wise - but it's always going to be there when it's needed, which might not be true to a sufficient extent with an SL.

And I write as an SL rider: in my view it's a pretty niche option, and not really the place for non-cyclists to start from.

 

[cleoent]

Another vote for FF Levo. I got one for my wife to keep up with me on my regular bike. It was so much fun I got one for myself.

 

[R120]

Buy yourself an SL and her an FF

Seriously though I would go with the FF, simply because that will definitely meet the criteria you stated, and also will improve her fitness. The SL is great and it will do what you want , but my concern would be the length of the rides, if you are riding 20 miles plus then go for the FF as she will be able to stay with you no matter what the mode.

 

[Momark]

I'm very fit, but not super fit. My wife is somewhat overweight. We do want to do 20-30 mile rides.
I'm getting the sense that FF is the way to go.

 

[R120]

Definitely in that case IMO

 

[cleoent]

I'm very fit, but not super fit. My wife is somewhat overweight. We do want to do 20-30 mile rides.
I'm getting the sense that FF is the way to go.

The truth is, whether she's fit, wants to be fit, or is not fit, the FF levo can handle all of those requirements. She could do a full turbo ride and not have to worry about battery. Once she gets fit, she can just turn down the assistance and work more. It's very versatile.

 

[DtEW]

My wife is not in shape, and wants to be able to keep up with me when I ride my Ibis Ripley on non-technical (but bumpy) terrain. I ride nearly every day, so I'm very much in shape.

Would the Levo SL be the right bike for my wife? She wants to be able to get a workout. The SL would make sense only if she would be able to keep up with me when she rides in the least-assist setting. (If she would need to use full assist, she would be limited in distance.)

We were in the exact same boat about 3 months ago. She demo’ed both the Specialized Turbo Levo SL (‘21 Expert w/36) and the FF Levo (‘20 Comp), in that order.

What happened was that we ended up buying a his-and-hers pair of ‘21 FF Levo Comps, mostly because 1) I was overdue for a modern bike, motor-or-not; 2) Santa Cruz’s Heckler video opened my eyes to the possibilities that an E-bike (in particular a FF version) can open; and 3) I was disappointed in the parts spec of the ‘21 Levo SL Comp Carbon, while more-or-less satisfied by that of the ‘21 FF Levo Comp. So why did it turn out to be my choice?

She did not have a strong preference for either. She found the assistance more-than-sufficient in both versions to not only keep up with me, but drop me at a moment's notice in either depending on the assistance mode that she can call up at her fingertips. This was anticipated. However, my anticipated issue for her, the 8/10lb mass differential (between the FF Levo Comp and the Levo SL Comp/SL Comp Carbon) turned out to be a non-issue as well. I think this came down to either/the-combination-of two things: 1) she used to ride a motor scooter as her primary mode of transportation for more than a decade; and 2) on a MTB, she’s really still only a bike “steerer”, not-so-much a “handler”, not to mention a “finesser” nor “manhandler”. So the mass differential was some combination of not-a-bother relative to other 2-wheeled vehicles she's used to, and/or inconsequential for her current performance envelope . Her only (soft) preference was that the E-bike not look like an E-bike due to joking comments (“you’re cheating!”) received from a random passed rider during her demo days on our local trails. (The comments weren’t as well-received as I thought they might’ve been intended.) So she had a soft preference for the SL based on imperfect memory of the demo, and product photos. However, seeing the E-bikes again in real life made her realize that neither could pass as a manual bike, so my advice that the '21 FF Levo Comp was the better-spec’ed bike for the lower expenditure level took precedence.

At this early juncture the Levo isn’t opening new opportunities for me (no epics yet). But it is allowing her to progress quickly, as my diagnosis for how an E-bike could expand her riding envelope was more-or-less on-the-mark. The primary reason we became interested in an E-bike in the first place was my diagnosis that her trouble with small roots and mild rock patches on anything even slightly uphill was largely due to the fact that she lacked the power and momentum to roll through them, which was worsened by the fact she was trying to do it on an old-school 26’er hardtail. This is obviously not a problem for anybody who's a relative old-schooler (raises hand), and not a problem for a rider with a modicum of power... but it also was no longer a problem that needed to be overcome in purely the old school ways (i.e. get stronger and/or better technique). Because almost everything contemporary (big wheels, full-suspension, motor assistance) would help for this, making the learning curve much easier to surmount (pun unintended) or even non-existent, so it was no longer a gating issue. The '21 FF Levo Comp has been mostly successful in addressing this, which has allowed her to move onto other skills challenges such as rocky descents and switchbacks. It has greatly expanded her riding envelope, not to mention range.

So why a his-and-hers pair of '21 FF Levo Comps? Why all this backstory?

Having a RS Domain (running at a shortened 149mm of travel) on my main manual bike (a Santa Cruz Heckler 5), I wasn't going to be happy on anything less than a 35mm Rock Shox or a Fox 36 for running at 160mm. That bike also has a GX/NX Eagle drivetrain on it, which familiarized me with SRAM's cost-per-mile, and allowed me to realize the better bang-for-the-buck of the later-to-market Shimano SLX m7100 group, esp. when supplemented with choice XT m8100 bits. The '21 FF Levo Comp's drivetrain cost-per-mile was something easy to justify on purely her interests even if she herself was not aware of drivetrain consumable consumption rate of an E-bike. And the field-removeable (read: swappable) battery was an added bonus for the purpose of charge equalization in my interest of epics for two riders who were going to be riding at significantly different assistance levels.

This is all to say that if the interest was purely about acquiring one E-bike for her to ride with me on my manual bike, either the SL or the FF would have sufficed, with maybe an edge to the SL for its lower mass and greater ease for riding without assistance... at the cost of worse bang-for-the-buck drivetrain consumables, and higher single-bike sticker price (that is, we would have aimed for a '21 Levo SL Comp Carbon; the SL is a bike that is more worthwhile to invest not-insubstantial-money into mass reduction). The Fox 34 probably won't be noticed by her for a long time, if at all. But being that the interest was for two E-bikes, the '21 FF Levo Comp would 1) better satisfy both riders, 2) open up more possibilities (i.e. battery swap/charge equalization for maximizing group range), 3) simplify tuning/maintenance (i.e. standardization of tools/consumables), and 4) mitigate total outlay, since we're now buying two E-bikes. The undiscussed advantage (that I kinda knew) is that there will be lower impediments to further expenditures/upgrades... if you just buy it for her/shared-use as well. I mean, I just blew ~$1k on a new bike rack and stocking up (shared) drivetrain consumables with nary any resistance. Depending on your particular budgetary arrangement with your significant other, this might be a significant consideration.

So... before you recommend a path for your significant other, consider whether there might be an E-bike in your own near future as well. It could affect your optimal group setup.

 

[CjP]

I’d 100% go for the SL. It has more than enough power to keep up with any analogue rider. If as you say she is unfit then you wont be going as hard anyway until she gets her bike legs. I have ridden with people new to FF bikes and smoked them on climbs as they’re not used to the weight of a FF bike.
As her fitness improves and it will, you can then take the SL as your new bike (and you will) and upgrade her to the FF.

 

[KeithR]

and upgrade her to the FF.

That wouldn't be an upgrade, if fitness is the key aim.

 

[CjP]

I was trying to polish a turd so he’d buy two ebikes.

 

[Jilleride45]

My vote is for the SL. The extra weight and power of the FF is a lot for a girl, sure it is fun and doable but I think women notice a lot more than guys. I had a FF for 2 years and an SL for one. A lot of miles and types of terrain ridden. I do not know yours wife’s weight but for me I can easily do 50 miles 6000 feet on the internal battery riding mostly in eco at 25/100. Be realistic, if she does not ride, 10 miles is going to hurt her butt, hands legs everything. On the SL put the 3 levels on 25/100 50/100 90/100. Let her ride on trail, she will be waiting for you.

 

[Momark]

I’d 100% go for the SL. It has more than enough power to keep up with any analogue rider. If as you say she is unfit then you wont be going as hard anyway until she gets her bike legs.

I definitely intend to ride hard. I love intense exercise.

Will my wife be able to keep with me if she rides the SL in the lower assist mode?

One advantage of the SL is that I might ride it sometimes as well.

 

[Momark]

My vote is for the SL. The extra weight and power of the FF is a lot for a girl, sure it is fun and doable but I think women notice a lot more than guys.

Maybe the best compromise is an Orbea Rise? Similar weight to SL but somewhat more power.

 

[Momark]

My vote is for the SL. The extra weight and power of the FF is a lot for a girl, sure it is fun and doable but I think women notice a lot more than guys. I had a FF for 2 years and an SL for one. A lot of miles and types of terrain ridden. I do not know yours wife’s weight but for me I can easily do 50 miles 6000 feet on the internal battery riding mostly in eco at 25/100. Be realistic, if she does not ride, 10 miles is going to hurt her butt, hands legs everything. On the SL put the 3 levels on 25/100 50/100 90/100. Let her ride on trail, she will be waiting for you.

Some more info: she's 4'11.5" and has a BMI of 28.
I have a full suspension Ventana ECDM tandem bike, and we've done a good number of 1.5 hour rides, so she's used to riding that amount. I'd want to start at 1.5 hour rides on an emtb, and progress upwards gradually.

 

[CjP]

I definitely intend to ride hard. I love intense exercise.

Will my wife be able to keep with me if she rides the SL in the lower assist mode?

One advantage of the SL is that I might ride it sometimes as well.

With my analogue mates who can ride, I mostly stay in eco/trail and I am of intermediate fitness. I would assume based on how you described yourself, she would be more trail/turbo to keep up with you. My SL weighs 18.6 kgs as I have a few mods on it and I weigh around 85kgs kitted. I get around 35km and 1000-1200m elevation on flat out turbo. Any other setting closer to 50km.

You will get a workout with any ebike regardless, if you want it to. Don’t be fooled by people saying otherwise. I have never been fitter as the ebike has allowed me to get out more often, I also choose a lower power setting and ride flat out so I always get a workout.
As for the whole FF, Skinny Fat, half fat ebike debate thats entirely a personal choice.
I came from two Kenevos and absolutely love the SL. Sure there are a few times I wanted a little more power but at no time have I ever wanted more weight. It’s so much more enjoyable riding a lightweight ebike I will never go back. I can still get up almost any of the places I ride and the couple times I couldn’t it wasn’t really an issue.
Try hire them before you go, it’s really hard to know what suits you. One ride of each though, even for an hour will tell you all you need to know

 

[Winger]

With my analogue mates who can ride, I mostly stay in eco/trail and I am of intermediate fitness. I would assume based on how you described yourself, she would be more trail/turbo to keep up with you. My SL weighs 18.6 kgs as I have a few mods on it and I weigh around 85kgs kitted. I get around 35km and 1000-1200m elevation on flat out turbo. Any other setting closer to 50km.

You will get a workout with any ebike regardless, if you want it to. Don’t be fooled by people saying otherwise. I have never been fitter as the ebike has allowed me to get out more often, I also choose a lower power setting and ride flat out so I always get a workout.
As for the whole FF, Skinny Fat, half fat ebike debate thats entirely a personal choice.
I came from two Kenevos and absolutely love the SL. Sure there are a few times I wanted a little more power but at no time have I ever wanted more weight. It’s so much more enjoyable riding a lightweight ebike I will never go back. I can still get up almost any of the places I ride and the couple times I couldn’t it wasn’t really an issue.
Try hire them before you go, it’s really hard to know what suits you. One ride of each though, even for an hour will tell you all you need to know

 

[Winger]

Our situation was similar to others, with this Covid thing...feb of last year started to ride our mountain bikes more,wifey was struggling to keep up went into local bike shop bought her a Whyte 150s, as we walked out of the shop guy says to my wife ‘don’t let him ride it he’ll back within a week’ it was 3 days actually.....

I bought a TL and a couple of months ago my wife swapped her Whyte for a Cube 160 both bikes run Bosch motors neither are as quick as my TL, so there’s not a hope in hell of the OP keeping up with his wife on a normal bike no matter who is fit or isn’t, but even on my TL lost half a stone and I wan’t even over weight to start with.

 

[MrSimmo]

Hang on hang on hang on,

isnt one of the main purposes of mtb’s is to escape spouses?! ?

 

[boBE]

Get the SL, unless you are in great shape an extra 240 watts should let her keep up. Since the level of assist is adjustable any mode can be set up for full power (the aggressiveness is different and can't be changed, Turbo comes on with a bang).

 

[paquo]

I definitely intend to ride hard. I love intense exercise.

Will my wife be able to keep with me if she rides the SL in the lower assist mode?

With the range extender you can run the SL at full assist for 30+ miles
Vs. the ff levo it will definitely slow on the hills but stay with it everywhere else
Rise would be nice too but backordered

 

[Tobers]

I think she’ll keep up just fine when you hit the inclines. You might need to be gentle on the flats when she’ll be pedalling unassisted above 15.5mph or whatever it is, so possibly slower than you if you are rapid.

 

[Norcalsl]

Mountain biking with a less-experienced, less-conditioned wife? If it's anything like skiing, count me out

 

[DtEW]

Mountain biking with a less-experienced, less-conditioned wife? If it's anything like skiing, count me out

I envy you for the wide roster of expert riders/skiers in your household for which you have options with during the pandemic.

 

[Jilleride45]

Whichever you get at 4’11” definitely an XS and throw on some 27.5 wheels with 2.8 or 3.0 tires

 

[Housenotes]

I ride an SL with a friend on a FF. I have no problem keeping up with him except I AM slower than him on the climbs. I, and I believe your wife, will love the lighter weight of the SL. it is so much more fun to ride! And as for as distance, I have ridden 30 miles on my SL On just the factory batte. She should expect at least 20+ miles on the regular battery and 30+ including the extender. And believe me, 20 or 30 miles of true mountain biking is ALL she is going to want to do! She will also appreciate the lighter SL when it comes time to lift the bike over fallen down trees!?

 

[mopar04]

I have a FF Levo, a Levo SL, and a Stumpjumper Evo. An SL in turbo mode will keep up with any non-pro level rider on an analog bike pretty easily, but she’d be working a moderate amount on steeper trails if you do those. If you just want her to tag along with no intention of making a real workout out of it, the FF is the way to go. If most of your riding is easy to moderate undulating trails or XC type runs without any climbs, an SL will be more than enough. If I could only pick one of my bikes to keep, it would be the SL. It’s a really good compromise between the two

 

[alirawk]

I had a similar ambition with my wife as the OP. So we demo’d a FF Levo for a weekend. We went to a local trail. Easy fire road. She loved going up the trail. And especially enjoyed dusting me on my analogue bike going UP. But when it came to any descent, she was not down. She was terrified. The fire road was dry, not particularly loose nor rutty, about as safe as could be. She simply didnt like the feeling of going down. It scared her. Too much speed and possibilities to get hurt. This is something we who ride often might take for granted and not consider enough when introducing new riders to the freedom of the hills. All the more of a concern for her given that we’re older, in our 40’s/50’s — don‘t want to end up in a hospital, especially these days, especially since we’re southern California. A little bit of gravel on a curve and blood everywhere. I think a little blood on my kit is a badge of rad — more blood, more rad — not so much for my wife. We were back at the LBS an hour after we had rented the bike. All of which to say — OP might want to take his wife on an easy mountain ride before going further down this path. There’s a huge chasm of elements that come into play moving from tarmac on a tandem to terrain on an MTB, much less an EMTB that can get you up steeper and taller hills with little to no effort very quickly.