Squeaky new 2020 Levo Turbo (see video)

gmurad

Member
Jan 26, 2020
87
70
Toronto, ON
Hey,

After the first ride which was about 20km on an asphalt road the noise started (bike wasn't even washed). This weekend I rode 36kms on real MTB trails and now the noise is even worse than before.

I diagnosed a bit and I know it's not the cranks. It's coming from the chainring or something inside the motor that the chainring is attached to, nothing on the outside is rubbing against the chainring. Anyone has ideas?

I'm hoping it's not something inside the motor :(

Turn Audio on to hear the squeak:
 
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gmurad

Member
Jan 26, 2020
87
70
Toronto, ON
No what? There is rubber inside the motor too. It does sound like rubber, maybe the belt?
 
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Rick53

Member
Feb 12, 2020
43
21
Muskegon, MI, USA
I showed the video to a guy in another forum : He owns a Vado 5 and says : Yeah the belts squeak when you peddle with Motor off : He told me to tell you to quit it. It's just How a Mid-drive is : He said it's normal : The belts are tight : SO your hearing it because your motor and chain are off : Makes sense
 

gmurad

Member
Jan 26, 2020
87
70
Toronto, ON
My levo doesn't make any noise like that, I'd take it back to the shop.
Definitely not normal. Just hoping someone might point it out what it could be and maybe there is an easy fix and I don't need to take it to the shop.

Unfortunately my LBS is very annoying about owners fixing their own issues, they really discourage it and threaten that warranty might be lost. I would have already taken it apart if not for that.
 

Rick53

Member
Feb 12, 2020
43
21
Muskegon, MI, USA
Definitely not normal. Just hoping someone might point it out what it could be and maybe there is an easy fix and I don't need to take it to the shop.

Unfortunately my LBS is very annoying about owners fixing their own issues, they really discourage it and threaten that warranty might be lost. I would have already taken it apart if not for that.
Is this the same Bike you snapped the Bolt of the crank arm on last month >
 

Rick53

Member
Feb 12, 2020
43
21
Muskegon, MI, USA
I have a 2020 Levo and this is not normal. You need to take it back to the shop.
Not normal but after listening to it and posting the video on another forum : Almost every response was dry plastic rubbing : I kinda doubt this is some major issue : Hopefully anyway ;) Maybe loosen the bolts on the sprocket and then re-tighten to torque in a Kitty corner pattern :
 

gmurad

Member
Jan 26, 2020
87
70
Toronto, ON
My shop is not confident that they can look into my bike before they might need to close the business due to coronavirus issues... So I guess I don't have the option to bring it there. I will try diagnosing a bit further.
 

jsharpe

Active member
May 15, 2019
181
185
USA
I have a new 2020 comp with just under 50 miles (7 rides, it’s still very much winter here) that has also started squeaking like this. In my case it’s definitely and obviously the belt. However it only does it at very slow cadence with no pedal pressure (I.e. slowly turning by hand). Speeding up to any reasonable cadence or crank load it stops. Unless it starts doing it while actually riding it I’m not going to worry about it. I suspect it will eventually go away on its own as the belt breaks in. It just sounds to me like squeaky clean rubber on a new pulley.
 

jsharpe

Active member
May 15, 2019
181
185
USA
Thankfully Mine ended up being the rubber oring under the crankset. Lithium grease solved it.
Actually I need to retract my earlier post above. The symptoms I described were accurate and it's definitely a "rubber" sound but the location is "outside" the motor housing where the crankshaft enters it. So I think I have your same o-ring scream. :O
 

gmurad

Member
Jan 26, 2020
87
70
Toronto, ON
Actually I need to retract my earlier post above. The symptoms I described were accurate and it's definitely a "rubber" sound but the location is "outside" the motor housing where the crankshaft enters it. So I think I have your same o-ring scream. :O
Yes, sounds like the same problem.
 

boneht

Member
Sep 22, 2019
78
49
oxon
My 2020 levo made exactly this noise when it was new, at low cadence, disappear at higher cadence. Bike shop said don't worry about it so I didn't. After a few rides it went away and hasn't recurred ,done about 1000km squeak free ?
 

Rod

New Member
Mar 21, 2020
19
7
Australia
Spray a little bit of fine oil or WD40 behind the sprocket while turning. If the shaft seal is dry and squeaky, this will test it. The rubber seal or o-ring prevents water entering the motor.
 

gmurad

Member
Jan 26, 2020
87
70
Toronto, ON
Is it still quiet? I have the same problem sprayed lithium grease around the O-ring behind the chainring and the noise so far has dissapeared.

Yes, still quiet. I've been riding the bike since then and the noise hasn't come back. In my case I took some parts out to apply the grease directly on the rubber o-ring under the crankset.
 

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