Levo SL Gen 1 The Reason for delay in 2023 Levo SL...(and various other discussions on lightweight bikes......)

Alexbn921

Well-known member
Sep 27, 2021
545
512
East Bay CA
That is a proper ride where it would require a good bit more calories if you were using an SL. In which case I’d happily choose a FF bike. Maybe when I retire retire I’ll take a FF if I can live in an area like Tahoe. But forsure I’d be getting a granny seat for that much seated riding. It would be amazing to knock 60 miles and 5k feet on the free weekends. I wonder what the caloric requirement of this would be if not using an ebike.….
My true calories where around 4k+. I brought 3 liters of water and 3500 calories. All of it was consumed.
I don't think that many people are capable of my ride without E. It's very rocky and has tons of false flat rock garden technical climbs. Even at my peak as a xc racer I wouldn't have attempted it.
 

KnollyBro

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Dec 3, 2020
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Vancouver
id say the levo sl was generally a flop , had difficulty selling mine , was the only bike one could get through he crazy bike demand covid times !
What made the SL a flop in your opinion ? What type of trails do you ride? Which bike do you ride now?
 

nobbyq

Active member
Feb 17, 2019
197
117
jersey
What made the SL a flop in your opinion ? What type of trails do you ride? Which bike do you ride now?
imo and thats all it is , the sl was under powered too loud and geo too conservative , like i said the bike is and was always available and now spesh can't sell the remaining stock , i now ride a rise and find 60nm to be the sweet spot .
 

KnollyBro

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Dec 3, 2020
1,015
2,372
Vancouver
imo and thats all it is , the sl was under powered too loud and geo too conservative , like i said the bike is and was always available and now spesh can't sell the remaining stock , i now ride a rise and find 60nm to be the sweet spot .
Thanks for your response but I missed the part on what type of trails you ride. I also felt the the Levo SL had some issues in the area of suspension which is why I changed it including going mullet (modified the geometry). For my wife and I, we rarely need Turbo to climb up the FSRs and climbing trails to access our local here trails on the North Shore and Squamish. The Rise seems like it would need a more suspension to enjoy the trails we ride. Did you keep yours stock or make any modifications?
 

George_KSL

Active member
Sep 11, 2021
256
294
Slovak Republic
I still love both my KSL and my wife's LevoSL, but he's not wrong imho. When we bought my wife's bike last September, we just casually asked them to mark it (Comp Carbon) down to 5000 Euro straight (was on floor for 6,5k down from 7,9? I think. They didn't even blink, it took grand total of 3 seconds to confirm.
That was the biggest Specialized Concept Store in our country. 2000kms later, year went by, we didn't meet a single another LSL, but we do meet about 100 Turbo Levos per week...

The bike criticism is hyperbolic though :- ). For short riders under 5,8"/175cm with average leg size, the seat angle is completely ok. The fork in actual measurement with 160mm Zeb is 64,5 on wife's bike. The 35nm is more than enough at 85rpm even for my 90kg ass on KSL.

The noise though is another thing though... That criticism is valid million times. I have perfect hearing and the whine is horrible in pitch. It can be heard million miles when going uphill with proper cadence.
I would not buy LSL again today, but I would still buy KSL again since that bike is so good as bike it overcomes any negative of its motor. The LSL isn't such great and Trek XE's TQ model is better in every way. But you will not get that Trek for 5K Euro :- ). Last year Trek didn't exist, and there was not a single Rise anywhere to get. So I consider the LSL to have been perfect deal and I am super happy we bought it. I am pretty sure we'll put another 6-8K kms before we sell it for something newer, maybe in 2 years.
 
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jimslade

Member
Jun 14, 2019
81
59
south lake tahoe, ca
It's the straight cut gears that cause most of the whine with the SL motors. It is more efficient than a helical cut gear but more noisy, it's also more compact than the belt drive used in the Brose motor.
I'd try a helical retrofit if it was available. I love my SL in every way, except for the whine.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: Dax

boBE

Active member
Apr 12, 2020
415
363
FL
I'd try a helical retrofit if it was available. I love my SL in every way, except for the whine.
The whine is annoying, not so bad on gravel/crushed surfaces but on smooth dirt or paved it is easy to hear. :( Helical gears are one answer but they add an axial load to the gears, the SL motor housing and bearings are probably not made to handle the load.
 

squeegee

Well-known member
Aug 19, 2019
373
281
USA
imo and thats all it is , the sl was under powered too loud and geo too conservative , like i said the bike is and was always available and now spesh can't sell the remaining stock , i now ride a rise and find 60nm to be the sweet spot .
I've run my SL mulleted pretty much from the start when I bought about 2 years ago, I like the geometry much better than in 29 form because of 64ish HTA from 275 rear. Also have ridden a friend's Rise pretty extensively and it is a nice riding bike but the rear suspension is noticeably shorter feeling compared to the SL, that part has always been a deal breaker for me w/Rise. Same friend is finally going to long shock/mullet his Rise in the next week or so, should be about 160 rear with long shock and fork already 160 and 64ish HTA with these mods. Very interested in giving it a go after mods.

As to the motors, and this is just my opinion, the EP8RS is definitely stronger more initially at slower speeds but once under heavy load it does not feel appreciably different than the SL motor to me. When it hits the wall, i.e. torque limitation it's pretty underwhelming compared to a FF motor, same is true on SL. I also don't get hung up on SL motor noise or clacking of EP8 going down, I just don't care enough about that to let it influence my choices vs. how a bike actually rides.
 

KnollyBro

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Dec 3, 2020
1,015
2,372
Vancouver
The bike criticism is hyperbolic though :- )...
The noise though is another thing though... That criticism is valid million times. I have perfect hearing and the whine is horrible in pitch. It can be heard million miles when going uphill with proper cadence.
What an excellent example of a hyperbole! We consider the motor sound to both a built in bear alarm and it also encourages other slower riders to move off the climbing trails (or pedal faster) when we come up behind them :D
 
May 4, 2018
133
38
Canberra
Here you will find what is being live listed in stocks.

There's am insane amount of unsold Levo SL stocks showing on Specialized UK website alone. I added stocks until I reached the stock limit of each bikes. Got bored adding more bikes to basket. I can only imagine how much unsold stocks there is right now in a worldwide. This was only a small selection of the complete rang of bikes.

I think there will be lots of unhappy dealers if a new bike was announcede soon.

View attachment 96374
View attachment 96375
Is this a result of other lightweight competitors coming out of the woodwork ??
 

Alexbn921

Well-known member
Sep 27, 2021
545
512
East Bay CA
what bike? also how much trail in this mileage?
Kenevo S5 With 2.8 eddy currents and Cushcore.
40ish miles was very rocky single track
15 fireroad
5 road.

PXL_20220702_005505971.jpg
 

KnollyBro

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Dec 3, 2020
1,015
2,372
Vancouver
A Real man's ride. 😎

Kenevo S5 With 2.8 eddy currents and Cushcore.
40ish miles was very rocky single track
15 fireroad
5 road.

View attachment 96929

Intense! Was the 40 miles of rocky single trail up hill or down hill? Which part of the ride did you enjoy the most? At any time during your 60 mile ride, did you use a boost mode greater than 2 times your input?
 

Alexbn921

Well-known member
Sep 27, 2021
545
512
East Bay CA
Intense! Was the 40 miles of rocky single trail up hill or down hill? Which part of the ride did you enjoy the most? At any time during your 60 mile ride, did you use a boost mode greater than 2 times your input?
Big Chief was the most fun part. It's a black diamond MTB build 8 mile all DH trail with the top part almost double black.. Overall it's always up or down on the single track. No flat land.
Most of the ride was at 10% assist or 0.4x and I never used more than 15% or 0.6x. A ride like this is all about battery management.
 

KnollyBro

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Dec 3, 2020
1,015
2,372
Vancouver
Big Chief was the most fun part. It's a black diamond MTB build 8 mile all DH trail with the top part almost double black.. Overall it's always up or down on the single track. No flat land.
Most of the ride was at 10% assist or 0.4x and I never used more than 15% or 0.6x. A ride like this is all about battery management.
Nice! The reason I was asking is that most people on this Forum probably have not been in your area and do not realized how diverse the terrain can be to ride on. Pics would be great! Also since this was posted in thread talking about SL bikes and you are riding a Kenevo, I was wondering how much of the time you were using full power or if your ride could be done on an SL bike (would you run out of battery or would it take way longer with more input from you) and if you would need a range extender.
 

Alexbn921

Well-known member
Sep 27, 2021
545
512
East Bay CA
I feel the reason the SL bikes are not as popular as FF is:

Range. This is the big thing for me. You just can't go as far with a small battery. Adding a range extender is not a good compromise as it adds more weight per watt hour and takes up a water bottle cage.

Weight. The difference from an SL motor to a FF motor is less than a 1kg, but you lose 2/3 of the power. 90% of the time on a climb I don't need the power, but when I do, it means I'm not walking. We have 40%+ grades. 100% of the time on the DH trails I use full power.

Personally I want a DH bike with DH tires, Cush core, triple clamp fork and a coil shock. The extra battery/motor weight is a small percentage of the total weight. I'm also on an XL bike. That 2kg I would drop on an SL would half my range and make it imposable to climb out of some trails. It would also remove the snap out of the corners that I love.

I just don't see the appeal of the SL bikes vs FF and when I count Ebikes on the trail its 30:1 or higher.
 

chamaruco

Inactive Member
Dec 28, 2020
393
329
Arezzo
And your opinion weights? 1 or more? Personally i've found the extra power of a ff bike boring, but i don't try to explain how lazy you are, the risk is to see just a little corner of a biiiiiiiig picture. Talk about you and don’t try to speak about others. If you feel more confident as part of big numbers..it's just your need. I prefer feel good and funny riding my bike.
and say what? The whine is symptomatic that a reliable motor is working. I know about silent motors so silent that stops to work sometime.
now leave everyone to be happy or unhappy about own bike. And talk about how you are good with your ff bike like milions riders with the same bike to your wife that needs to understand why we are so addicted to this topic
 

ebikerider

Active member
Oct 1, 2019
706
484
Australia
FF riders be like…those puny SL bikes are useless. SL riders be like….lazy bastards on FF bikes aren’t real riders. Analogue riders…ebikes are shit and their riders are old fat and lazy.
That covers it I think.

My KSL is great for riding alone or I guess with other SL bikes (I don’t know anyone with one so can’t be sure). It is rubbish for riding with FF bikes and even though I’m fit and strong there is no way I can maintain flat out to keep up with them going uphill. I feel bad having my mates wait for me too….my fragile ego!
There really isn’t much of a weight difference between the KSL and a Levo and …here’s the controversial part…there isn’t enough of a disparity between my normal bike and the KSL so I’m actually replacing the KSL with a Levo. The rides I do on the KSL are the same elevation and length as my human powered (HP) bike but the time and effort are reduced slightly. I figure I can get more in with a FF in less time and with less effort which leaves me fresher to train on my other days or hit the HP bike harder when I’m out in that.

SL motor is a whiny bastard. I’m also on my third one.
My last Levo also did 3 motors.
So I figure they are as reliable as each other. But whatever, that’s what warranty is for.

Who cares what you ride. Just ride.
 

KnollyBro

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Dec 3, 2020
1,015
2,372
Vancouver
I feel the reason the SL bikes are not as popular as FF is:

Range. This is the big thing for me. You just can't go as far with a small battery. Adding a range extender is not a good compromise as it adds more weight per watt hour and takes up a water bottle cage.

Weight. The difference from an SL motor to a FF motor is less than a 1kg, but you lose 2/3 of the power. 90% of the time on a climb I don't need the power, but when I do, it means I'm not walking. We have 40%+ grades. 100% of the time on the DH trails I use full power.

Personally I want a DH bike with DH tires, Cush core, triple clamp fork and a coil shock. The extra battery/motor weight is a small percentage of the total weight. I'm also on an XL bike. That 2kg I would drop on an SL would half my range and make it imposable to climb out of some trails. It would also remove the snap out of the corners that I love.

I just don't see the appeal of the SL bikes vs FF and when I count Ebikes on the trail its 30:1 or higher.

While I am not sure this thread is about the popularity of SL bikes compared to FF bikes (30:1 is possbile!), I am not sure range and weight are your strongest arguements in favour of FF bikes. I used to have a Kenevo but found it too heavy to be close enough to the acoustic mountain bike experience I was used to, when riding down the mountain. My experience of the SL design of bike was to get riders up a mountain and not have unnecessary extra weight on the way down.
My wife and I both ride Levo SLs with EXO+, Cushcore and coil shocks. They weigh close to 40 lbs. i also have a Kenevo SL with the same setup but have another wheel set with DH tires that I put on when I ride the bike parks. It weighs 44 lbs. I can ride either bike on any of the trails in my area including the Whistler Bike Park. My Kenevo FF was weighing in over 55 lbs.
You mentioned you have climbing grades of 40%+ and you use full power 100% on the DH trails (going down?). Does that mean you have to climb up the DH trails and you are going MEGA fast on the way down :eek:? Did you remove the speed limiter on your bike as I tend to need brakes on the way down, not a motor? We have dedicated climbing trails in our area that rarely exceed 20% grade, which is not a problem, as long as you are not in a big hurry. I may be in the minority but 3 to 4 hours, with a mixture of climbs and descents, are enough for me. Then again, I am 60!
In the end, this Forum is reaching out to people all over the world and with a diverse set of interests and values. I find it a similar microcosm of humanity that if you don't like my bike/trails/passion, you must be wrong!
 
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boBE

Active member
Apr 12, 2020
415
363
FL
I feel the reason the SL bikes are not as popular as FF is:


Weight. The difference from an SL motor to a FF motor is less than a 1kg, but you lose 2/3 of the power. 90% of the time on a climb I don't need the power, but when I do, it means I'm not walking. We have 40%+ grades. 100% of the time on the DH trails I use full power.
We are still confusing power with torque. Levo has more torque than a SL, a Caterpillar backhoe has more torque than my Mustang GT but *not* more power. Levo has 565 watts of *peak* power, 240 watts sustained. SL has 240 watts sustained, peak power not provided.
 

Alexbn921

Well-known member
Sep 27, 2021
545
512
East Bay CA
A levo will sustain a 750watt draw from the battery until it's dead. An SL will only draw around 250.
I don't care if someone wants an SL. My father in law has one and I ride it.

Your confused as torque at rpm is power.
 

Alexbn921

Well-known member
Sep 27, 2021
545
512
East Bay CA
While I am not sure this thread is about the popularity of SL bikes compared to FF bikes (30:1 is possbile!), I am not sure range and weight are your strongest arguements in favour of FF bikes. I used to have a Kenevo but found it too heavy to be close enough to the acoustic mountain bike experience I was used to, when riding down the mountain. My experience of the SL design of bike was to get riders up a mountain and not have unnecessary extra weight on the way down.
My wife and I both ride Levo SLs with EXO+, Cushcore and coil shocks. They weigh close to 40 lbs. i also have a Kenevo SL with the same setup but have another wheel set with DH tires that I put on when I ride the bike parks. It weighs 44 lbs. I can ride either bike on any of the trails in my area including the Whistler Bike Park. My Kenevo FF was weighing in over 55 lbs.
You mentioned you have climbing grades of 40%+ and you use full power 100% on the DH trails (going down?). Does that mean you have to climb up the DH trails and you are going MEGA fast on the way down :eek:? Did you remove the speed limiter on your bike as I tend to need brakes on the way down, not a motor? We have dedicated climbing trails in our area that rarely exceed 20% grade, which is not a problem, as long as you are not in a big hurry. I may be in the minority but 3 to 4 hours, with a mixture of climbs and descents, are enough for me. Then again, I am 60!
In the end, this Forum is reaching out to people all over the world and with a diverse set of interests and values. I find it a similar microcosm of humanity that if you don't like my bike/trails/passion, you must be wrong!
We climb the fire roads and descend crazy single track. Everything is straight up or straight down.
 

chamaruco

Inactive Member
Dec 28, 2020
393
329
Arezzo
SL motor is a whiny bastard. I’m also on my third one.
My last Levo also did 3 motors.
So I figure they are as reliable as each other. But whatever, that’s what warranty is for..
It sounds like…no matter what 's the bike, i can destroy it.
 
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KnollyBro

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Dec 3, 2020
1,015
2,372
Vancouver
my ebike is 37lbs in sending it form.
my DH bikes are 33 lbs and 35 lbs. a 50lb FF would suck balls

fact is there are way more fat people on this planet needing a FF ebike Than there are light weight people. For-sure a 115 lb young fit hot woman on an SL would smoke a 300lb fat ass man on a FF up a mountain AND use less battery power and total system power. Again, fact is the majority of humans in 1 st world countries are above obesity’s body fat percentage. We’re all bitching about 1st world problems.

View attachment 96997

View attachment 96996 View attachment 96998
Word!
 

ebikerider

Active member
Oct 1, 2019
706
484
Australia
my ebike is 37lbs in sending it form.
my DH bikes are 33 lbs and 35 lbs. a 50lb FF would suck balls

fact is there are way more fat people on this planet needing a FF ebike Than there are light weight people. For-sure a 115 lb young fit hot woman on an SL would smoke a 300lb fat ass man on a FF up a mountain AND use less battery power and total system power. Again, fact is the majority of humans in 1 st world countries are above obesity’s body fat percentage. We’re all bitching about 1st world problems.
37lb ebike that sends….cmon. Not over rocks or anything with an edge because you have to be running XC tyres to get near that weight so that effectively cancels out the sending part. You might make it down the same trails but no way near the same pace as something with decent tyres.

Also, the rotund people need the SL not the FF. SL bikes are for fit and/or light people imo.
 

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