Levo Kenevo Levo demo day.
Was lucky enough to go to the Spesh demo day at Gap Creek yesterday and test out some of the range.
First up was a guided ride on a Levo expert with the carbon front frame, carbon wheels Öhlins fork ect. This was a XL and at 6ft I’m used to a L frame normally. I totally loved this bike it had lots of pop and handled well and the weight was not felt, however it felt a tad heavy in the front, but I put this down to it being a XL when I’m used to a Large. It was great at all speeds, lively, flighty but at real fast stuff did not feel as planted, but was still great.
Next I took out a Kenevo Large frame, and immediately could tell I was on a alloy bike and it felt a bit heavy. On the climb up the fire road the front felt unweighted. On the slower to medium speed single trail it felt doughy with less pop. However when it got steep and fast it real shined and came alive, with the 180mm travel and coil shock soaking it all up, it had come alive, felt planted and safe.
Last was the base alloy Levo in large. This did not come with a dropper which I missed as I’m so used to it. No probs, as I slammed it down as far as it would go, and who needs pedal efficiency when you got turbo power anyway. I could not really get it down enough as it was long and fouled the frame, but it was good enough for a test. It felt doughy on really slow stuff and lacked a bit of pop. I put this down to the lower spec RS forks and bit heavier alloy frame. It shined with a bit more speed and when it got fast and steep felt really well planted but not as plush as the coiled Kenevo. This is the bike I am looking to buy to replace my alloy Norco Sight, which it will do. But it’s only because it’s the cheapest at $6000 and I can’t afford the $10500 for the expert or $9000 for the Kenevo which does not suit me anyway. I would have to add a dropper, which will bump it up a bit, and would also have to put up with the smaller 460wh battery over the 504wh on the others. Overall it’s a great bike still, not as polished as the higher end stuff but still good enough for me.
Conclusion
If you got the money, go as high a spec in the carbon you can afford. Lively for all trail riding and able to handle all the rough fast stuff you can throw at it.
If you like to go fast and steep all the time going down and cruise to the top get the Kenevo, but if 75% is trail riding, and 25% is gravity your better off with a Levo, and you’ll have more fun imo.
If your on a budget, you can’t beat the Base Alloy Levo, but I would add a dropper to take full advantage, and it will still do all you want even tho a little less polished than the carbon big brothers.
Hope my honest review helps if looking to buy. But keep in mind, they were demo bikes, and were not as dialled in the set up as I would of liked.
Was lucky enough to go to the Spesh demo day at Gap Creek yesterday and test out some of the range.
First up was a guided ride on a Levo expert with the carbon front frame, carbon wheels Öhlins fork ect. This was a XL and at 6ft I’m used to a L frame normally. I totally loved this bike it had lots of pop and handled well and the weight was not felt, however it felt a tad heavy in the front, but I put this down to it being a XL when I’m used to a Large. It was great at all speeds, lively, flighty but at real fast stuff did not feel as planted, but was still great.
Next I took out a Kenevo Large frame, and immediately could tell I was on a alloy bike and it felt a bit heavy. On the climb up the fire road the front felt unweighted. On the slower to medium speed single trail it felt doughy with less pop. However when it got steep and fast it real shined and came alive, with the 180mm travel and coil shock soaking it all up, it had come alive, felt planted and safe.
Last was the base alloy Levo in large. This did not come with a dropper which I missed as I’m so used to it. No probs, as I slammed it down as far as it would go, and who needs pedal efficiency when you got turbo power anyway. I could not really get it down enough as it was long and fouled the frame, but it was good enough for a test. It felt doughy on really slow stuff and lacked a bit of pop. I put this down to the lower spec RS forks and bit heavier alloy frame. It shined with a bit more speed and when it got fast and steep felt really well planted but not as plush as the coiled Kenevo. This is the bike I am looking to buy to replace my alloy Norco Sight, which it will do. But it’s only because it’s the cheapest at $6000 and I can’t afford the $10500 for the expert or $9000 for the Kenevo which does not suit me anyway. I would have to add a dropper, which will bump it up a bit, and would also have to put up with the smaller 460wh battery over the 504wh on the others. Overall it’s a great bike still, not as polished as the higher end stuff but still good enough for me.
Conclusion
If you got the money, go as high a spec in the carbon you can afford. Lively for all trail riding and able to handle all the rough fast stuff you can throw at it.
If you like to go fast and steep all the time going down and cruise to the top get the Kenevo, but if 75% is trail riding, and 25% is gravity your better off with a Levo, and you’ll have more fun imo.
If your on a budget, you can’t beat the Base Alloy Levo, but I would add a dropper to take full advantage, and it will still do all you want even tho a little less polished than the carbon big brothers.
Hope my honest review helps if looking to buy. But keep in mind, they were demo bikes, and were not as dialled in the set up as I would of liked.
