Specialized reliability?

[Eebs]

You think a spesh employee is going to tell you the true failure rate? Imagine if he said 1 in 3 fail. Would you buy it? No chance. The fact he said 5% rather than the stock reply of 1% is telling in itself. The market knows they are unreliable. They just dont know how bad it is. You will know just how bad it is when Brose is a gone from the next Levo/kenevo redesign.

Also selling a Levo 1 year in of course you have no issues. The problems will start when 2020 models end of warranty and the market is well educated and bike shops are telling customers to steer clear of Brose motors.

Also what does depreciation on some random used bike have to do with future value of unreliable specialized bikes?

People are far too accepting of this problem. No other product would be expected to have this kind of failure rate. Imagine if your tesla blew motors like Brose does. There would be class action suits all over america already.

I see you own or owned a Decoy, how is their reliability going?

A post on the decoy forums from another member. "Hi All, as many other have shared on these threads, I'm having a nightmare with my Decoy, I have no faith in the long term reliability of the system and I no longer wish to own the bike. I'm really struggling with my YT experience and was wondering if anyone else here has been through similar and can offer advice. "

NOTHING IS 100% reliable. People need to educate themselves on expensive purchases and then make a decision, I bought one knowing the risks and warranty period and I will be buying one again.

I am pointing out that 1000 bucks to cover a new motor is very small in comparison to the investment really or selling secondhand.

 

[SquireRides]

Tesla Model 3 Loses CR Recommendation Over Reliability Issues

The Tesla Model 3 has lost its CR recommendation. Consumer Reports can no longer recommend the electric sedan because CR members say they’ve identified a number of reliability problems with their cars.

www.consumerreports.org

 

[Zero]

I see you own or owned a Decoy, how is their reliability going?

A post on the decoy forums from another member. "Hi All, as many other have shared on these threads, I'm having a nightmare with my Decoy, I have no faith in the long term reliability of the system and I no longer wish to own the bike. I'm really struggling with my YT experience and was wondering if anyone else here has been through similar and can offer advice. "

NOTHING IS 100% reliable. People need to educate themselves on expensive purchases and then make a decision, I bought one knowing the risks and warranty period and I will be buying one again.

I am pointing out that 1000 bucks to cover a new motor is very small in comparison to the investment really or selling secondhand.

My Decoy problems are e13 related. The motor and battery are fine. Shimano is reliable enough and the big players in motors do a much better job of making reliable systems. Nobody is saying they are perfect as all have issues. But the Brose motor is a different problem. Nobody has said that they have had 6 Shimano motors. Thats the difference.

If you think paying $1000 for a new motor is acceptable on a 2 year old bike then i have some investments to sell you in some Nigerian mining companies. Ill send you a link over with an attachment to download... Whats your email address..... and sort code and account number...

 

[Eebs]

My Decoy problems are e13 related. The motor and battery are fine. Shimano is reliable enough and the big players in motors do a much better job of making reliable systems. Nobody is saying they are perfect as all have issues. But the Brose motor is a different problem. Nobody has said that they have had 6 Shimano motors. Thats the difference.

If you think paying $1000 for a new motor is acceptable on a 2 year old bike then i have some investments to sell you in some Nigerian mining companies. Ill send you a link over with an attachment to download... Whats your email address..... and sort code and account number...

What happens when your vehicle is out of warranty and you blow your engine?? It's all comparable

My Decoy problems are e13 related. The motor and battery are fine. Shimano is reliable enough and the big players in motors do a much better job of making reliable systems. Nobody is saying they are perfect as all have issues. But the Brose motor is a different problem. Nobody has said that they have had 6 Shimano motors. Thats the difference.

If you think paying $1000 for a new motor is acceptable on a 2 year old bike then i have some investments to sell you in some Nigerian mining companies. Ill send you a link over with an attachment to download... Whats your email address..... and sort code and account number...

YOUR issues a specific to the e13. I'm reading many more problems than that. Every single company are having reliability issues and will do for the foreseeable future. Maybe ebikes aren't for you.

I've read multiple posts of people receiving free motors from specialized outside of warranties. 1000 bucks really isn't that much money these days, you would spend more on coffee per year. It's all relative to your enjoyment and usage. Take your trash talk elsewhere bud. Getting salty over reliability issues for a bike you don't own?? Sigh.

 

[Zero]

What happens when your vehicle is out of warranty and you blow your engine?? It's all comparable

YOUR issues a specific to the e13. I'm reading many more problems than that. Every single company are having reliability issues and will do for the foreseeable future. Maybe ebikes aren't for you.

I've read multiple posts of people receiving free motors from specialized outside of warranties. 1000 bucks really isn't that much money these days, you would spend more on coffee per year. It's all relative to your enjoyment and usage. Take your trash talk elsewhere bud. Getting salty over reliability issues for a bike you don't own?? Sigh.

Ive never had an engine blow up. Ever. I also have extended warranty options on a car. I dont expect my car to have 6 new engines in 1 year either.

You read specialized replacing motors outside of warranty because the owners probably invoked their consumer rights inside the UK.

Im not salty i just find your attitude quite ridiculous. Unless you work in the industry and are somehow trying to justify this crap to people. People hand over large sums of money for these bikes which quit frankly arent worth anywhere near their price tags. They should expect better.

Are you really arguing that they shouldnt?

 

[Eebs]

Ive never had an engine blow up. Ever. I also have extended warranty options on a car. I dont expect my car to have 6 new engines in 1 year either.

You read specialized replacing motors outside of warranty because the owners probably invoked their consumer rights inside the UK.

Im not salty i just find your attitude quite ridiculous. Unless you work in the industry and are somehow trying to justify this crap to people. People hand over large sums of money for these bikes which quit frankly arent worth anywhere near their price tags. They should expect better.

Are you really arguing that they shouldnt?

No you don't, but it happens. Have a look at jeep! And again what are the circumstances of this bike going through 6 motors??

My attitude? Because I don't agree with you? I am aware of the issues but the enjoyment I had on the bike far outweighed the possibility of a motor being replaced under warranty. These issues will be ironed out in the future so until then there is no point throwing your toys outside the pen because the product isn't bullet proof or to your liking. I challenge you to find me an emtb that hasn't got reliability issues. Every brand I have skimmed over on this forums has threads with issues including motors blowing up.

No I don't think they are worth the price tags, I can agree on that. We are paying for the technology which is really still in its infancy and with that comes these reliability issues.

 

[Fivetones]

@Zero are you related to @Fx1 by any chance? ?

 

[blacktiger]

One thing I know from motorcycle forums of all makes is that they tend to magnify the number of problems. This is because people tend to come onto a forum WHEN they have a problem, to ask how to fix it. So even though the number on here that have had motor failures looks to be high, in reality it's a very low number when you consider the number of bikes sold. Well, that's what I'm hoping anyway. My 2019 Levo has only covered about 300 miles on varied terrain so far and it's still OK. I haven't got to any real steep mountains yet though because of lockdown.

 

[MattyB]

One thing I know from motorcycle forums of all makes is that they tend to magnify the number of problems. This is because people tend to come onto a forum WHEN they have a problem, to ask how to fix it. So even though the number on here that have had motor failures looks to be high, in reality it's a very low number when you consider the number of bikes sold. Well, that's what I'm hoping anyway. My 2019 Levo has only covered about 300 miles on varied terrain so far and it's still OK. I haven't got to any real steep mountains yet though because of lockdown.

Agreed. I think it is also magnified by the fact this forum has a high percentage of UK and European members, and it's clear these issues are more prevalent in wet climates where people ride all year round. My personal view is that whilst all ebike motors are lacking in overall reliability at this point, Brose is definitely the worst based on riders in my local area. Given that and the lack of ebike expertise at my local Specialized LBS I would not buy one at this point. The Mahle looks much better though, it seems to have been designed with improved reliability as a core goal.

 

[Mikeyusic]

One of my buddy’s is on his 3rd Motor within warranty. I’m just going to wait until specialized worked on their reliability. Yeah I get the point that u also have to invest in a new fork for example in a couple of years, but the failure within this short period of time is not a good quality sign for that price tag.
I get that people are enjoying those bikes beside the fear of a motor failure, but when I’m on a tour In a rural area on my own I need a bike that is reliable. Brose and other manufacturers are not their yet.

 

[Murch]

I can only speak for my local area , I don't know a single owner of a 2019 or newer Levo that hasn't had a motor failure, which is about 10 people. They all have different riding styles, weight, age, gender. We don't really ride in the wet here, but we do have a lot of roots, rocks, and punchy root climbs. All failures have been the same in either it's the belt or sprag bearing. It's to the point that the shop doesn't want to keep selling them as they know they will be back for a motor.

 

[RodC]

It seems many people is blaming Specialized for the motor problems, when the manufacturer is Brose...
Specifically Specialized products, IMHO, are very good. The frame is awesome

What's really important , for me, is how these problems are isued by the brand and by their dealers.

 

[Kentish]

@Zero are you related to @Fx1 by any chance? ?

I’m starting to think they’re the same person.

Well come on, have you ever seen them in the same room at the same time? ?

 

[lumpy]

My 2019 Levo Expert reliably takes me out for brilliant adventures every day!

 

[cozzy]

I've always thought it's those that abuse their bike. I also thought the 1.3 appeared the more durable motor, so wouldn't happen to me.
I noticed up/down play in my driveside crankshaft yesterday when investigating the crank bolt, quite a visible amount of movement, must be the bearing. Motor also sounded louder throughout the day. 300km, never seen water or mud.
Better get it to the shop.
Also there was another rider I bumped I to yesterday who's belt had gone with the dreaded zzziiiipppp sound mid ride.

 

[Murch]

Welcome to the club unfortunately. I can promise you my bike is not abused and is just be used as it was designed. Like all other new technologies in mountain biking it will take about ten years for the industry to get to reliable motors.

 

[maynard]

Check out this reliable beast .

 

[comtn]

I'm hoping my new motor has the updated sprag bearing. Otherwise I will be back to the dealer in another 500 miles. I believe motors manufactured starting in January have the updated part. I'm going to take off the cover to see if I can find a date stamp of any kind. The new motor is somehow louder than the original. My wife's new '20 is quieter.

 

[Murch]

Your new serial number has the date code in it, the middle between the dash last is the year, month, and day from what I was told and seems to match my three motors serial numbers. This is my first motor 190427 is 2019/04/27

 

[RodC]

I'm hoping my new motor has the updated sprag bearing. Otherwise I will be back to the dealer in another 500 miles. I believe motors manufactured starting in January have the updated part. I'm going to take off the cover to see if I can find a date stamp of any kind. The new motor is somehow louder than the original. My wife's new '20 is quieter.

My bike was manufactured on dec 19. I really hope it’s a revised engine. So far no problems but it’s really new

 

[blacktiger]

Check out this reliable beast .

View attachment 32832

I have a similar maintenance stand but I hang my bike on the top tube between the shock mount and the seat tube. The bike hangs more level doing that.

 

[Binhill1]

I have a similar maintenance stand but I hang my bike on the top tube between the shock mount and the seat tube. The bike hangs more level doing that.

Yes I broke the seatpost clamp tilting it up , could easily have been the end of the carbon frame

 

[woodsy]

My 2018 Kenevo in 2 years and 1800 miles only needed 1 motor and 2 batteries which I didn't think was too bad.
My 2020 Kenevo in 6 months and 400 miles has had the power lead replaced, 700w battery replaced, 2 rear shocks replaced and it's currently having a new motor fitted. Not impressed is an under statement

 

[Careyj1]

my 2019 S works Tubo Levo motor went out at 600 miles. It was the belt. The shop told me the new motor has a thicker belt. The shop did a great job with the turn around.

 

[maynard]

I have a similar maintenance stand but I hang my bike on the top tube between the shock mount and the seat tube. The bike hangs more level doing that.

Ok . I'm not shore of the spot your talking about. Picture pls ?

 

[blacktiger]

Ok . I'm not shore of the spot your talking about. Picture pls ?

The oval tube that runs between the top shock mount and the seat tube.

 

[maynard]

The oval tube that runs between the top shock mount and the seat tube.

View attachment 32891

I thought you couldn't attach to carbon frames. Won't the weight damage the frame ?

 

[comtn]

Your new serial number has the date code in it, the middle between the dash last is the year, month, and day from what I was told and seems to match my three motors serial numbers. This is my first motor 190427 is 2019/04/27

View attachment 32834

Thanks. It looks like 1-22 and 2-24 so I should have the updates parts. The app also let me know my battery pack is broken so that’s awesome ??‍ It still works. Thoughts?

 

[Murch]

It will be interesting to see my current motor is 200109 so yours is even newer. I am hoping mine wasn't too early in Jan. That sucks about the bad battery, hopefully it's a quick turn around on a replacement.

 

[comtn]

It will be interesting to see my current motor is 200109 so yours is even newer. I am hoping mine wasn't too early in Jan. That sucks about the bad battery, hopefully it's a quick turn around on a replacement.

When I got the bike back from the dealer after the first ride I went to turn it off and it turned back on. I wonder if this is to give you a heads up something isn’t right? It still does this when I turn it off. It takes 2 tries for it to turn off.