Article Specialized Levo SL is a 16.9KG Super Light emtb
- Thread starter Rob Rides EMTB
- Start date
That is no way a QC issue. This many failures is a design problem.
I have read they blame the british wet winters but the americans have had problems too. Its possible that 90nm and 410% assistance was overly ambitious. Might be a reason why Bosch and shimano stick to 350ish and 70 odd nm.
Good report! I've also got a cast berry comp carbon on order. Yes they are expensive but it's the exact bike I've been wanting and I'm ready to buy now. Don't want to wait a year or two for the competition to catch up. And I highly doubt it will be any cheaper when they do. Maybe some of the direct to consumer brands like YT can bring the price down but I want the local support and I want to support my local bike shop. I rode the SL and regular levo back to back and the weight difference is significant and really impacts the feel of the bike. If you don't need the extra power the SL makes allot of sense.
Jeff McD
Well-known member
Cool video Z, literally! Was that a Hillbilly tire on the front of your bike? 2.3 or 2.6?
Awesome! You won’t need them now!!
All the major motor manufacturers need to get the issue of reliability sorted ,my E8000 motor lasted 18 months and 1600 miles before I got the dreaded EO10 error code, 2 guys I ride with have a Levo and a Kenevo both have had new motors and one has had a new battery, there is simply no excuse for this, there is no reason why motors shouldn't be able to cover many thousands of miles,if designed with reliability in mind and not light weight, it will be very interesting to see how this new specialized motor stands up to the rigours of mountain biking, I wouldn't want to be a beta tester for them
Peter Hill
Active member
The big worry is what happens after the warranty runs out, new motors should get a renewed 2 year warranty period in my opinion and not from the purchase date of the bike! I guess their problem with that would mean possibly replacing motors for the lifetime of the bike!!! On the other hand if I had paid up to £10000 for a car I would not expect to have replace the engine in the first two years ?Hope the new motor is more reliable .
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Waynetta
E*POWAH Master
I’m in exactly the same situation as you. Worried about spending 5k and not being happy with the spec. test ride booked but hidiou weather forecast so cancelled till next week.
Bencab
Well-known member
Could not agree with you more!
Selling my Guerrilla Gravity Pedalhead and Yeti 5.5c (Pushed coil front; Pushed 11/6 rear).
I just ordered the YT Decoy. £4300 with full fox elite suspension and XT drive train in full carbon. 160mm travel.
I could buy a spare battery and motor and still have money left over before I even got to specialized expert model price.
Dont be fooled in to this local bike store crap either most are chains and dont give a crap. You ain't supporting a mom and pop store usually and even then they will still fix a problem cheap. Only big warranty claims need to go back. If I cant use the bike I'll go to the pub or do one of my other sports it's really no big deal.
Specialized are ripping off the uk Ive seen a price in europe which was 17% full rrp less. They also breach uk and European law. Explain why euro dealers are not allowed to ship to uk inside the so called single market? Dealers are scared to show discounted 2020 bikes online which is also illegal price control. All the videos online are paid propaganda nearly all breach uk law because they fail to inform it's not a review it's a paid promotion.
That comp model is a joke. My 2016 stumpjumper had better suspension and spec. One levo model didnt even come with a dropper post!!!
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Peter Hill
Active member
I do agree that for the prices Specialise charge they could include a better spec on some components, they don’t compare well to other brands in this respect. I guess it means they can always offer an S-Works model which has the components that we all want. I’m sure they are able to buy components at a good deal in the volumes of bikes they sell? This should be passed on to the consumer. They also make sure they lend as many bikes out as possible to reviewers so they always get pretty ‘favourable’ reviews! After all these guys will want more bikes to test and ride in the future right? They are good at marketing and the recent live forum was however a brave step with some slightly awkward questions that were skilfully answered.
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miPbiP
E*POWAH Master
Yeah but I don't want a YT Decoy.
Right now the only bike in the short chainstay lightweight 29" sector is the SL.
Yeah they're pricey. It's a market, buy it or don't. We all have choice.
I want an SL but I think I'll sit it out for now - a test ride may change that tho.
But I'm 53. The clock is ticking and I want to ride. I'm also fortunate that on paper I can afford it. How long do I wait?
My dealer's OK but your point is sound.
Our glorious Brexit has ****ed GBP. (Don't look at me on that one!).
I look forwards to the day when dealer support isn't necessary for an emtb. I don't need dealer support for my bio bikes, I fix them myself.
ps I don't know the law on paid promotion but I think channels need to watch they don't get perceived as Spesh shills and loose their independent authority. Perhaps that's why Santa Cruz didn't bother with some of the emtb channels for the Heckler launch.
Right now the only bike in the short chainstay lightweight 29" sector is the SL.
Yeah they're pricey. It's a market, buy it or don't. We all have choice.
I want an SL but I think I'll sit it out for now - a test ride may change that tho.
But I'm 53. The clock is ticking and I want to ride. I'm also fortunate that on paper I can afford it. How long do I wait?
My dealer's OK but your point is sound.
Our glorious Brexit has ****ed GBP. (Don't look at me on that one!).
I look forwards to the day when dealer support isn't necessary for an emtb. I don't need dealer support for my bio bikes, I fix them myself.
ps I don't know the law on paid promotion but I think channels need to watch they don't get perceived as Spesh shills and loose their independent authority. Perhaps that's why Santa Cruz didn't bother with some of the emtb channels for the Heckler launch.
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It's not light weight though is it. Its just lighter than normal. Only the top s works model is light. The comp is 19.5kg without pedals.
2.3" tyres are pants compared to 2.5 or 2.6. Trail compound on a 20kg bike without range extender. I forget specialized casing names but is that the thin wall?
Looks to me like some major compromises to save a couple of kg off the bike.
16.9kg S Works is the bait for £11,000. Walk out of the store with a 20kg comp for the normal biker with half the normal assistance, less range and an untested motor.
miPbiP
E*POWAH Master
Each to their own mate, enjoy your YT.
Yes Spesh are good marketers. Nothing wrong with that, business is business, no one's being exploited by expensive ebikes.
Yes Spesh are good marketers. Nothing wrong with that, business is business, no one's being exploited by expensive ebikes.
Rusty
E*POWAH BOSS
Have only managed a carpark ride as have been flat on my back for 2 weeks and missed a chance to ride one on the trails. Based on 10 minutes playing around I think for me comparing this to a Levo Comp, the Comp has the nod.
However, I think the new Scott I am looking at with the G4 Bosch not only has the range, but is a far better value for money package. I'm happy to pony up for my toys, but with my second Levo motor doing strange things with how much range I get from 1 charge to the next it is out the door once the new bike arrives.
However, I think the new Scott I am looking at with the G4 Bosch not only has the range, but is a far better value for money package. I'm happy to pony up for my toys, but with my second Levo motor doing strange things with how much range I get from 1 charge to the next it is out the door once the new bike arrives.
Peter Hill
Active member
True, just wish they were a bit less expensive. I have an S-Works Levo, had to spend a long time trying to justify the expense ! Just for the record a year old and three motors!! I still love the bike though
I know I could have bought a cheaper model with the same motor but hey ho ? I think the weight of the new SL is now a bigger consideration with the smaller Less powerful motor making the S-Works SL more desirable due to the 16.9Kg weight.
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miPbiP
E*POWAH Master
Yeah Peter I wish it too.
But let's keep it real, these are just expensive toys. Plenty of people out there using food banks just to get through the week. "Affordability" is very relative.
Bummer about the motors, that's not great. A lot of people stretch to afford these things, they need to deliver.
But let's keep it real, these are just expensive toys. Plenty of people out there using food banks just to get through the week. "Affordability" is very relative.
Bummer about the motors, that's not great. A lot of people stretch to afford these things, they need to deliver.
Emtb network and their sister youtube channel gmtb network.
YouTubes algorithm has started putting "contains paid promotion" on some videos but most do not. This is under threat from regulators.
The real murky situation is when they sponsor adverts but give a bike to review for free. Whilst it's not direct paid reviews the threat of them pulling advert spend means that rarely a bad word is said . If a commercial agreement exists then it is all considered paid promotion. The regulator is going after individual Instagram influencers with huge fines for the same reasons.
Ebike-mtb given 2 weeks exclusive access to the SL. This is a commercial advantage and also considered paid for content.
This in my opinion is no different than paying for fake reviews on amazon. Its just more sophisticated in its method.
End of the day money talks.
You can walk out of the store for £6750 with a Levo SL Expert - and it’s 17.7kg. A few tweaks, and I think I can get it nearer 17kg.
I’ve been riding a 22+kg Trek Rail 9.9 for the last few weeks, and have decided the excess weight is not for me.
17kg is still a heavy bike - but 5kg is a LOT of weight to shed.
The SL won’t be for everyone. That’s a fact! People who have been riding Bosch / Shimano and Brose motors will be difficult to convert since they’re used to so much more power. For me, I want something to give me a little boost - not to rocket up the hills like a trail bike.
The 2.3 tyre saves 60g over the 2.6 tyre. Specialized run the Stumpjumper and Levo now with a 2.3 rear and a 2.6 front. I’ll be adding 60g onto my Expert and putting a 2.6 on the front!
- Thread starter
- #381
You raise some interesting points. As a YouTube creator I’d like to add a few things.
“Contains paid promotion” tagged videos are not a YouTube algorithm. The creator must physically tag when a video contains paid content. This isn’t a YouTube algorithm but a declaration by the video creator.
EMBN have clearly tagged that their video contained paid promotion.
On the ‘free’ bike aspect, all manufacturers loan bikes out to media outlets to test. I have a test bike. It’s not mine. I do not own it. At some point Specialized will ask for it back.
There is no agreement that I make content. No contract. Nothing.
This is the same with most bike companies.
I’m actually going to make a YouTube video on paid content to explain my position here as there’s a few things I want to be clear on.
I'd say your videos are well balanced. As an individual it's likely easier to be as well.
But there is an algorithm that youtube does use for paid for content. That check box is self declaration. A friend of mine had a threat of channel deletion because he was not telling his audience that BOTB were sponsoring his content. YouTube are scared the regulators will hold them personally responsible. Once a channel is flagged then someone reviews the content and if they feel its promotion then they issue the channel strike warning.
Publications receive marketing spend to run adverts and that is how they pay staff and host the website. Without this spend they would not exist. Who do you think is paying for all those trips around the world to ride bikes? At what point is that bike given for free to review without catches?
If you stopped making videos rob would they continue to keep giving you bikes? So that contract might not be on paper but it's there isn't it.
Let's be perfectly clear here, as a failed gigolo, I'm perfectly open and available for all forms of paid promotion.
If you dont get 15% off then you didnt haggle with the right shop. I'd also say the expert is the minimum spec I'd consider in their whole range now. Anything below is too gimped
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14% but direct to consumer pricing is different.
Fully priced the race model with full factory fox spec is 40% cheaper than S works. Right now its 50% cheaper than S works for 2019 bikes.
miPbiP
E*POWAH Master
but. it's. not. the. same. bike.
Nobody said it was?
Nobody is offended.
But when I got in to this sport I wished someone had pointed out to me that specialized charges top price for bargain bin parts on its comp models with corners even cut on its S works.
It didnt take me long to find the limit of those parts even on a trail centre ride. Then came the reliability problems from specialized own brand junk they substituted in to the bike. Soft metal that bends in the fingers. Dropper posts that get stuck. An alloy defect that sheared off and sent me hitting the floor at 30mph. The s works enduro washed out 3 times before I chucked the tyres in the bin and I wasnt even pushing it. Swapping out internal parts of suspension and making customers think they get full fat ohlins when really you get a budget version hidden in ohlins wrapper.
Whilst i have no problem with the price of premium bikes. I do have a problem with corner cutting and then charging a premium. Got the scars to prove it.
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