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

[Zimmerframe]

He’s not limited to only getting a new bike. He can also get new wives. The options then become limitless.

 

[celbii]

As someone with health issues and a lower weighing person (123lbs 5'7") my vote is for the SL. I just picked up an SL and I have been riding again! I am fairly easily hitting 10 mile rides in a mix of trail/turbo mode and I am not completely 100% killed when I get home, though I do ride full out the whole time so I get a great work out (vs not riding at all). On my anaolouge bike I get quite tired after riding about 3 or 4 miles so this has been game changing for me, though do note due to weather I've only got about 45 miles on the SL since I bought it a few weeks ago. I am 100% confident I can work my way up to 20 miles here in a few months and beyond that after. The SL Is already a heavy bike when it weights 1/3rd of your weight, if I was a shorter woman I would hate to have a FF levo to be perfectly honest, the weight would just be a huge turn off for me. I haven't felt the need for gobs of more power though I do have a 34T chainring to install now because I find with the 30T chainring I am always riding on the lowest(smallest) gear very often. And if you want to have more fun I've thought about installing a delimiter along with a range extender so I can really push the SL as fast as it will go the whole ride.

Overall for a small person whos working on their fitness and regaining their health I would pick the SL any day of the week over the FF. Yes she probably won't be churning out 20 mile rides right off the bat(maybe she will if shes in better shape than me), but it wont be hard to work up to that. Now if she was signicantly taller and weighed more I would possibly consider the FF as you could factor the weight of it in more.

The FF will carry you, the SL will grow to be one with you.

 

[Sally]

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.)

I bought the 2016 Levo, with Eco set at 30% assist I can keep up! I also found after a while that my max heart rate went from 165 to 172 still able to do rolling recovery!!! I set to trail, 50% assist, for short periods to get up a steep climb, then change back. I have been known to use turbo, just for fun. Eco uses the 460w battery 20% per hour the way I have it set up. You might have to modify your habits until she gains confidence and some fitness. Beware, she might be waiting for you on corners in a few months time. My change in attitude was awesome.

 

[wrayb]

I still cannot understand why anyone would buy an SL. I have ridden both. The SL is a well made bike but so is the full Levo (sorry I can't use the 3 letter word because it doesn't accurately describe the bike). Hereafter I will simply use Levo to refer to my non-SL bike.

I have been riding my 2019 Levo for 2 years and the bike has never felt heavy unless I completely turn off the assist (and even then only going uphill)....and I am comparing it to my pedal only $10k full XTR 21 pound Sworks Epic. Seriously. The motor assistance makes the 48 pound Levo ride way lighter than my Epic. There are obstacles on the trail I struggle to get over on the Epic and I just float over them on the Levo. Going uphill the Levo is SO light! No comparison to the "heavier" Epic. The Levo is so "light" I have to turn the assist down to 20 percent to make the bike feel as heavy as the Epic. Even with zero assist the Levo is still a great ride on flat and downhill trail.

Why anyone would buy an SL puzzles me. Far less battery and far less power. At MORE cost? Just get a full Levo. You get everything the SL offers and alot more...and save $1000!

 

[wrayb]

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.

Why couldn't she get the same (or better) workout on the FF? Just turn down the assistance and save $1K.

 

[mopar04]

Why couldn't she get the same (or better) workout on the FF? Just turn down the assistance and save $1K.

The FF is more awkward than the SL at lower speeds due to the weight, especially for someone newer to biking. It’s also quite a bit more intimidating to ride at first for the same reason. It’s a lot easier to get comfortable with the SL and get to a point where you can be “playful” than with the FF. The FF excels in situations where newbies need/want to just steamroll through challenging climbs or features. For the $1k in savings it may be worth looking at, but all things being equal I don’t think it’s the best fit.

 

[KeithR]

I still cannot understand why anyone would buy an SL.

Levo Gen 2 - Levo vs Levo sl dilemma please help

Many thanks I have actually order a carbon Levo sl Christmas Day so super excited !!!!!!!! Just got to wait until Monday to find out when I can collect it going to keep my Levo full fat aswell and hopefully keep up the payments on both? you'll love it.

www.emtbforums.com

But I still think that FF will be the best bet for the lady in question.

 

[wrayb]

The FF is more awkward than the SL at lower speeds due to the weight, especially for someone newer to biking. It’s also quite a bit more intimidating to ride at first for the same reason. It’s a lot easier to get comfortable with the SL and get to a point where you can be “playful” than with the FF. The FF excels in situations where newbies need/want to just steamroll through challenging climbs or features. For the $1k in savings it may be worth looking at, but all things being equal I don’t think it’s the best fit.

I will just say I have never experienced any problems with weight with the Levo at slow speeds and leave it at that. Enjoy your SL.

 

[mopar04]

I will just say I have never experienced any problems with weight with the Levo at slow speeds and leave it at that. Enjoy your SL.

Are you a new/out of shape rider? Because that’s more what I’m referring to. I have the regular Levo as well, my wife (who’s 5’2” and not a great cyclist) is much more comfortable on the SL though.

 

[wrayb]

Are you a new/out of shape rider? Because that’s more what I’m referring to. I have the regular Levo as well, my wife (who’s 5’2” and not a great cyclist) is much more comfortable on the SL though.

No I am not a new/out of shape rider. As I said, the weight of the Levo has never been a problem for me and I will just leave it at that.

Enjoy your SL.

 

[wrayb]

Levo Gen 2 - Levo vs Levo sl dilemma please help

Many thanks I have actually order a carbon Levo sl Christmas Day so super excited !!!!!!!! Just got to wait until Monday to find out when I can collect it going to keep my Levo full fat aswell and hopefully keep up the payments on both? you'll love it.

www.emtbforums.com

But I still think that FF will be the best bet for the lady in question.

KeithR, I saw that thread and read the posts. I still do not see why anyone would buy an SL. The only advantage is about 10 pounds. My Levo is 20 pounds heavier than my Epic and it seems lighter when I ride it so I wouldn't buy an SL if it were 20 pounds lighter. I wouldn't buy an SL even if it were $1000 cheaper than my Levo either. The fact it cost $1000 more is puzzling. Just buy a Levo and reduce the assist.

I am not trying to knock the SL. I know it is a great bike and fits the needs for some. I am just saying the Levo can do everything the SL can and a lot more for less cost.

 

[KeithR]

I am just saying the Levo can do everything the SL can and a lot more for less cost.

While - for those of us who appreciate the bike - being less agile, more cumbersome, heavier, and - frankly - just less fun to ride.

 

[wrayb]

While - for those of us who appreciate the bike - being less agile, more cumbersome, heavier, and - frankly - just less fun to ride.

I would disagree with "less agile, more cumbersome, and - frankly - just less fun to ride". I can do anything on my Levo I could do on an SL and have more fun because I can do it faster, longer, and easier. But to each his/her own. Enjoy your SL. It is a great bike.

 

[celbii]

Are you a new/out of shape rider? Because that’s more what I’m referring to. I have the regular Levo as well, my wife (who’s 5’2” and not a great cyclist) is much more comfortable on the SL though.

100% this which is what I tried to place emphasis on at the end of my post, "The FF will carry you, the SL will grow to be one with you. "

Taking the SL on some mini steep climbs and unpredictable dirt mounds a few days ago I would have beat myself up if I was on FF levo, but then again I am not a fit strong in shape rider. Everytime my bike wanted to tip over or I was in too high of a gear for a climb and was able to recover, I think I would have hated the extra weight of a FF levo at those points(though one could argue the power of the FF levo would have powered through those particular instances and it wouldn't have been a problem, but thats not the point of the SL in my eyes which I am using as a tool to aid me in my recovery and fitness)

I am 122Lbs 5'7 and recovering from an illness in april. The lighter weight of the SL means everything to me when it is already 1/3rd of my body weight. Plus when I ride the SL I give it 100% of what I got riding the SL at max and we push each other. If I had a FF levo I wouldn't nearly be able to push it at the max as hard as I do the SL with 4x the power, it would just be doing every bit of the work for me at that point, with the SL I am getting stronger for the riding style that I do since it doesn't have extra gobs of power on demand.

 

[wrayb]

If I had a FF levo I wouldn't nearly be able to push it at the max as hard as I do the SL with 4x the power, it would just be doing every bit of the work for me at that point, with the SL I am getting stronger for the riding style that I do since it doesn't have extra gobs of power on demand.

If you want to push yourself just lower the assist level on the Levo. You can go down to zero assist and push 10 extra pounds you couldn't push on the SL. That's my point, you have a larger range of power options with the Levo.

 

[paquo]

While - for those of us who appreciate the bike - being less agile, more cumbersome, heavier, and - frankly - just less fun to ride.

levo is ok, it's kind of flat feeling until you get up to a higher speed and then it comes into its own

 

[celbii]

If you want to push yourself just lower the assist level on the Levo. You can go down to zero assist and push 10 extra pounds you couldn't push on the SL. That's my point, you have a larger range of power options with the Levo.

I think you are missing my point, I can achieve exactly what you said by lowering the assist or turning it off on the SL without having a bike thats closer to 1/2 my bodyweight than 1/3rd like the SL all while being way more comfortable on a bike that better fits my bodyweight.

 

[wrayb]

levo is ok, it's kind of flat feeling until you get up to a higher speed and then it comes into its own

You might want to take your Levo to your LBS. My Levo is stronger than the SL I rode from a speed of zero up to 20 mph. If your bike is feeling "flat" there is definitely something wrong (maybe check your assist, motor, accel, and shuttle settings in mission control).

 

[wrayb]

This tells me that you’re not doing anything very sporty on your bike. I assure you if you aggressively ride then you’d def not say that. Also for less strong riders that 15 lbs or so makes a world of difference. Just see all the youtube videos of people saying how easier the SL is to lift.

I’d bet that you can’t bunny hop your bike more than a couple inches off the ground. And that you use your bike as a cruiser. This isn’t what anyone I ride with does.

I am actually racing my Levo in the GNCC series here in the US. This is an extremely challenging off-road series with very difficult courses consisting of mostly motorcycle and quad trails. These courses are many times more technical than a typical mountain bike trail. Here is a link: eMTB Racing Information - GNCC Racing. I have tried the SL on practice day at one of the courses. It is a fine bike. It just doesn't have the power (or the battery) needed to compete with the Levo for racing. I am not sure where you live but if you want to challenge yourself you should consider attempting one of these races. I hope to see you on the starting line one day.

 

[celbii]

I am actually racing my Levo in the GNCC series here in the US. This is an extremely challenging off-road series with very difficult courses consisting of mostly motorcycle and quad trails. These courses are many times more technical than a typical mountain bike trail. Here is a link: eMTB Racing Information - GNCC Racing. I have tried the SL on practice day at one of the courses. It is a fine bike. It just doesn't have the power (or the battery) needed to compete with the Levo for racing. I am not sure where you live but if you want to challenge yourself you should consider attempting one of these races. I hope to see you on the starting line one day.

That is quite impressive but shines all the more light on my reason for getting the SL over the FF, if I was racing at that level and fitness I would probably be more interested in the FF but for the OP's purpose I think the SL is much more suited and will allow his lady to get in shape as you have to put in some extra work on the SL as well as let her keep up with him on his acoustic bike, all while having a better weighted bike to her body and height.

 

[wrayb]

I think the SL is much more suited and will allow his lady to get in shape as you have to put in some extra work on the SL as well as let her keep up with him on his acoustic bike, all while having a better weighted bike to her body and height.

To reiterate once more my point...just reduce the assist on the Levo and anyone can get in all the work they want...more so than the SL...and the weight isn't an issue with support.

 

[wrayb]

Looks 100% XC. Cool story man. Of you actually race and cannot feel 10-15 lbs difference then something bad is going on. Even on a kids size pump track the weight difference is HUGE. SO your ‘I’m a racer’ flexing does nothing.

I would love a better power to weight ratio! The SL just doesn't deliver. Less weight but much less power (and battery) to compete.

 

[wrayb]

Sorry everyone, I really didn't mean to stir up controversy! The SL is a really nice bike. I really like the colors Specialized has available for the SL. I wish the they had these (and more) color options on the Levo. I simply believe the OP will be happier in the long run with the original Levo (not the SL Levo) because it is more versatile and will give his wife more options as she becomes familiar with the bike. Either way, I believe whatever bike she gets she will really enjoy it.

 

[Pan]

I have a ff and my wife thought it was just too much for her, she went levo sl. At under 5 feet the sl will be plenty of bike, a ff levo will feel like a tank. In addition a lighter rider will get more range out of the Sl.

From what i read of rider weight, fitness level, type of terrain, SL without a doubt. A ff will be like riding a harley for her.

best bet is to have her try it, f possible

 

[KeithR]

Sorry everyone, I really didn't mean to stir up controversy!

You haven't - it's all good, and I completely agree that for the OP and his lady, FF is the way to go - she might well want for more power if she's on an SL, but that's very unlikely to be the case on an FF bike; and as we both point out, you can always dial an FF bike down to approximate the power (if not the experience) of an SL.

But trust me, there's a particular charm and appeal to the SL, and it's just not there in FF bikes.

 

[KeithR]

levo is ok, it's kind of flat feeling until you get up to a higher speed and then it comes into its own

FF bikes in general (I have a well-sorted Cube/Bosch FF too - which I haven't wanted to ride since I got my SL last July) just have a rather plodding "beast of burden" feel to them compared to the lightweight, lower-powered bikes - muscle car vs. agile, nippy sports-car.

There's a place for both, which is why I remain of the view that FF would be better for the OP's other half, but I also remain committed to the idea that the lightweight bikes are better suited to riders with some prior experience, and with a bit of fitness.

 

[Sherman]

20-30 miles is quite a lot if she's not used to cycling or fit, I would get the FF. But the first question when buying a bike for SO, does he/she really want it? I mean REALLY want it?

 

[Sherman]

Here’s a table top which is a blast to clear on my mountianbike. I for sure have to pump harder to just make it to land on the landing side of the ramp on my SL. It would take a good deal more speed to clean this jump on a FF ebike because of the extra weight which you claim to not notice.

How do you know wrayb doesn't have Sam Pilgrim level jumping skills and could clear that easily, no matter on which or how heavy bike he's riding?

 

[jsharpe]

I don’t think anyone saw it as controversy. It’s just that everything you’d say about an epic feeling the same as a Levo at 20% power and an SL not being more nimble is just absurd. It’s your opinion but the way you justify the ff Levo over an SL shows you can’t possibly have ever had even one bike tire off the ground and that you have no understanding of pumping and maintaining flow on trails. Now it’s not likely that anyone’s wives would be using the ebike for free riding (that means big jumps) but there’s just such a huge benefit of lightweight bikes for every type of rider.

for someone who has used the SL for bike park and free riding it would really suck to have to have the heavier bike because I’d need more speed and more open suspension settings to be able to pump it to clear the larger jumps

Here’s a table top which is a blast to clear on my mountianbike. I for sure have to pump harder to just make it to land on the landing side of the ramp on my SL. It would take a good deal more speed to clean this jump on a FF ebike because of the extra weight which you claim to not notice.


View attachment 49856

Really no offense intended to anyone, but I had to chuckle at the thought of the OP's SO hitting that table or any similar park style features
Putting my wife in those shoes there is no way she would ever even want to ever attempt those kinds things. XC style riding with the tires firmly on the ground is where she finds enjoyment.

Reading through all the comments in this thread is seems there is a trend that the folks that like catching air (of any size) and generally tossing the bike prefer the lighter weight of the SL, while those that are more into XC style riding don't mind the extra weight of the FF and appreciate its strengths. So as much as the selection criteria has some dependency on things like rider skill and weight, I think it's also important to consider the type of riding for the majority of time spent on the bike, whether by choice or availability/access. We are fortunate where I live we to have a large and wide choice with over 700 miles of mapped local trails of all types and difficulties and a few hundred yards out our back door is a park filled with things like this:

 

[Zimmerframe]

or perusing the life of an online influencer.

Do you have many followers yet ?