As much fun as we had on the Specialized Turbo Levo we felt the spec could have been a little bit better for the price. Ben was lucky enough to test the one up from the base spec, the Specialized Turbo Levo SL Comp Carbon. The suspension worked well. But this ride opened my eyes to the upside of a motor. The initial travel is supple for small bumps, and the midstroke support adds 150 mm of full travel for bigger jumps. The second generation Specialized Turbo Levo, like the first gen, is inspired by the non-electric Specialized … We put this gorgeous, handcrafted titanium machine to the test in the mountains of Colorado. Ben was lucky enough to get a chance to ride the new Specialized Turbo Levo SL Comp Carbon before it was released to the public. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased, this video and written review are not meant to be an endorsement of Specialized products. Specialized made some notable improvements to the latest Turbo Levo. Downhill, the Turbo Levo looks, sounds, and feels like a mountain bike. The head tube and fork flex were two major factors in the bike coming in second place in our eMTB Roundup for the All Trail win. Join the Pack and get the latest news and read the latest reviews on the top mountain and electric mountain bikes. When we were planning our trip to Palm Springs for the 2020 eMTB Roundup, there were a few bikes we already knew would be top contenders.The Specialized Turbo Levo Expert was one of those bikes. Followed closely by Gen 4 Bosch-equipped bikes and their 630Wh batteries. The team at Specialized modeled it after the Stumpjumper, adjusting the geometry for the added weight of the battery and motor. What we mean is that manuals, nose bonks, poppy playful lines are all welcome aboard the Levo. It’s several thousand less than the flagship S-Works model but a bit spendier than their $4,950 entry-level Levo. COMPONENT REVIEWS The person with the smartest and most helpful replies will earn some sweet new gear. I was fortunate to get to test the bike for a few days but otherwise would struggle to put together that kind of cash. You should not have to do this more than once. The YT Decoy or 2019 Specialized Turbo Levo. On the flats, I used the pedal assist to catch up to my faster companions. As with all Specialized MTBs the FSR rear suspension system gives you confident and efficient performance. Cranks: Praxis; 165mm, 32t Drive Unit: Specialized 2.1 Rx; 250w, COCKPIT I respect and understand why many outdoor enthusiasts give e-bikes a bad wrap. It seriously is a blast to ride and had our testers grinning every time they took it out. With the Levo, this wasn’t the case. The Specialized will be snappier for riders looking at an ebike with those types of characteristics. The Specialized Levo SL is a brand new lightweight e-MTB for 2020. PRIVACY POLICY They dropped 400g out of the frame over the original Levo and then remodelled the motor with a smaller, direct-mount magnesium casing to drop another 400 grams. A lightweight SRAM XX1 11-speed drivetrain takes care of the gears. During our test period, we took the Levo on more trails than we can remember. Prove Humanity: Please click here to start. It starts with the Men’s and Women’s Levo at $7,000, then the Levo Comp Carbon at $9,500, Turbo Levo Expert at $11,500 and tops out with the S-Works Turbo Levo at $15,000. If you continue to see this message, please email hello@[the site's address] for support. Mountain Biking Meets Parkour in Epic Urban Freeride Video, E-Bike Controversy: World Cycling, Moto Racing Organizations Clash. Almost anyone comfortable on a road bike would have been able to ride this trail. The battery is integrated into the frame almost seamlessly and can be charged on or off the bike. The Levo SL is a comfortable and capable climber, but again, it sets itself apart from the competition because of the fact that it is less powerful. ... Sean Leicht 2020-10-18T19:23:42-07:00. The S-WORKS Levo SL is the most premium offering in the Levo SL lineup, featuring more lightweight carbon fiber and titanium hardware (crank arms, derailleur cage plate, handlebar, saddle rails). The head tube angle, at just over 66 degrees is incredibly fun and lively on 95% of terrain, but when you get it into that 5%, it gets a bit steep. Riding the Levo takes a second to get used to, with just three variable power settings. Had I had managed the usage better, we could have seen even more terrain. Sharing in-depth conversations between the world's adventurers, athletes, and outdoorspeople, The GearJunkie Podcast is your inside look into the outdoors industry. Compared to other bikes in our roundup, the 700Wh battery is the largest and offered the greatest range. Huge selection of mountain bikes from brands such as Trek, Specialized, Giant, Santa Cruz, Norco and more. Enter before February 8th for your chance to win. The new magnesium body reduces weight by 11% and is 15% smaller than its predecessor. Read more…. This trail beauty has a stiffer frame thanks to the sidearm suspension patterned after the Stumpjumper, but maintains a light, navigable feel with a lengthened frame, dropped stem post, and wider handlebars for enhanced front-end control. The Specialized Turbo Levo Expert was one of those bikes. We tested the best winter boots for women in 2021, including winter hiking boots, snow boots, extra-warm boots, and winter rain boots. We review the Specialized Turbo Levo SL Expert Carbon electric mountain bike—a lightweight, grin-inducing ride experience in a spendy package. NEWS Shifter: SRAM S700, E-Click We tested a size large, which has a 455mm reach. Price: $8,250; It took me roughly five revolutions to figure out I was riding something different. So what's it like to ride on the trail? This kept the group from stopping much and allowed us to ride farther, together. The motor, barely audible, matched my cadence immediately, helping me climb the steep dirt hill out of the parking lot. What is the actual width of those 2.6 tires? The Turbo Levo Hardtail takes everything that makes a speedy 29er fun and efficient and then makes it even better with Turbo technology. Review: Specialized Turbo Kenevo Expert - An Electrified Freeride Machine ... After the massive update the Turbo Levo FSR received about a year … Specialized has spent some serious development dough on the 2019 Levo range so it’s more expensive at the entry level and top end. SPECIALIZED TURBO LEVO SL EXPERT CARBON REVIEW. It allows users access to new places and keeps groups together. You may unsubscribe at any time. Motor The Levo SL is propelled by Specialized's 240 watt SL 1.1 motor, the same one that's found in the Turbo Creo e-road bike. Compare forks, shocks, wheels and other components on current and past MTB’s. Adjust the power mode with your thumb. 2020. Cruising through flowy switchbacks and banked turns, I found myself dreaming of new places to ride and adventures that only the Turbo Levo would allow. And it makes the sport more accessible to more riders. Digg. c Weighing in at 44 pounds — 8 pounds less than the previous year’s model — it’s not light to lift over a tailgate. Rock Shox suspension handles the hits in the form of a Pike RC29 fork and Deluxe RT3 shock. The Specialized Turbo Levo SL bucked the trend and was among the first sub-40-pound eBikes available aimed at riders looking at a more ‘natural’ riding experience while still benefitting from electronic assistance. But I barely noticed the difference while riding it. When we were planning our trip to Palm Springs for the 2020 eMTB Roundup, there were a few bikes we already knew would be top contenders. The power level and battery life indicator. Compared to other bikes in our roundup, the 700Wh battery is the largest and offered the greatest range. Pinterest. For reference, the Turbo Levo has a 565W motor with 700Wh of battery power and a torque rating of 90Nm. Specs, reviews & prices for the 2020 Specialized Turbo Levo Hardtail. We found that the wheels on our recently reviewed Stumpjumper Evo and the Turbo Levo suffered the same issues. I definitely consider myself average. Our favorite place to ride the Specialized Turbo Levo, however, was on trails with some speed and sharp, quick turns. It performs well on rocky, chunder, and loose trails. The Levo performs comparably to a high-end mountain bike. This small battery can amplify the power you pedal by over 400 percent. Want to win some free schwag? It wasn’t an easy decision putting the Levo in second place at this year’s eMTB Roundup as it fought tooth and nail with the Trek Rail and many other notable ebikes. RockShox’ Deluxe air shock suits the bike fine and is … Specialized in-house components make up much of the cockpit and wheels. View More: E-Bikes Specialized Specialized E-Bikes Specialized Turbo Levo 2020 Specialized Turbo Levo 2021 Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay Carbon 70 E-Bike Price: $8299.00 The SRAM 11-speed drivetrain and brakes worked pretty well, but we found they both required a bit more upkeep and tuning than we would have liked. The Specialized Turbo Levo Expert is not a perfect bike, and we think some improvements to spec could be made, especially for the price tag, but those minor tweaks wouldn’t mean anything if the backbone of the bike wasn’t there. Weighing in at just over 47 pounds and retailing for $8,250, the Turbo Levo Expert is Specialized’s upper-middle-class ebike. The SL 1.1 motor doubles your effort with as much as 240 watts of assistance to your pedals. I spent a weekend riding the Specialized Turbo Levo on wet trails around Seattle, opening my eyes to the potential adventures the Levo opens up. © Copyright 2020 GearJunkie, All Rights Reserved, The Best Backcountry Ski Bindings of 2021, The Bestselling Gear at Backcountry This Week, Bikepack Beekeeping: The Craziest Quarantine Activity You’ve Never Heard Of, Red Bull Announces ‘Natural Selection’ Snowboard Tour to Crown World’s Best, Watch Now: X Games Skiers Hit the Backcountry, Female Freeski Collab: 10 Pro Rippers Dominate in 'Skivas', On-Sight Without Sight: Blind Climber Sends Extreme 'Forked Lightning' Crack, Recon Mission: Pro Skiers Seek New Routes in Cascades, Last-Minute Gifts: Up to 40% Off Gear During REI's Sale, The Bestselling Gear at Competitive Cyclist This Week. Lighter, quieter and more powerful than its competitors the 2020 Turbo Levo continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible on an electric mountain bike. View and share reviews, comments and questions on mountain bikes. Latest. Specialized has a Mission Control app that is handy and fun. Starting at the heart of the bike, Specialized uses a 2.1 Rx trail-tuned motor. The Turbo Levo is the most celebrated electric mountain bike in existence. This system keeps on working even while you are pedalling and braking. It was snappy, stiff, and we didn’t cry every time we dragged it across a rock face trying to climb weird new lines. We had a blast riding it on flatter, pedaly rides where beginners or those who aren’t looking to push the limits of gravity will ride. FEATURES TURBO LEVO. Moving on from our nitpicking and focusing on the many great things this bike has to offer, it’s easy to see why we love it. Laying this bike over in rutted corners, berms, or dropping a foot and drifting flat turns at speed all resulted in huge grins as fingers moved farther off the brake levers and firmly wrapped around the grips instead. Leave a comment and vote up the most thoughtful comments and each month we’ll pick a winner. While this price point isn’t unheard of in the electric bike world, it does mean that most consumers will never get a chance to ride one, which is a shame. I appreciate that from a first glance, I couldn’t tell the Levo was an electric bike. Review: 2020 Specialized Levo SL eMTB powers up big days on big trails. This is a bike built to take your trail riding up a gear, without exerting all that extra effort. Tyler Benedict - February 4, 2020. I had half of the battery to spare. The alloy rear end didn’t bother us at all. For the most part, the suspension and componentry remains unchanged. For those looking to get into far-flung bike adventures or those looking to get started in an otherwise intimidating sport, this is the bike for you. During our test period, we took the Levo on more trails than we can remember. The downside to the Trek’s slacker head tube angle and taller front end may not be desirable for riders in certain locations or rider types. The new magnesium body reduces weight by 11% and is 15% smaller than its predecessor. As the cheapest bike in the range, there are inevitably some spec compromises on the Levo. By Drew Rohde | Photos by Dusten Ryen With a lively and lightweight ride, 150mm of bump-eating suspension and incredible range, the Specialized Levo is a worthy adversary. By. A slack 66.5 degree head angle houses the impressive Yari fork on this version, although the S Works features Pike. With its well rounded versatility putting a smile on the faces of both novices and experts alike, the Specialized S-Works Levo deservedly wins the Best in Test. It seems like Specialized is pointing the industry in a new direction with the Turbo Levo SL, and Orbea’s new lightweight Rise seems to follow the trend. Headset: Sealed Click here for the full review on the Specialized S-Works Levo The Specialized 2.1 motor is quiet and powerful, the battery range is impressive and it rides lighter than many other bikes in the category. Facebook. As the best eMTB of 2020 it comes at a hefty price: € 11,499! Specialized Turbo Levo 2020. The Turbo Levo SLs all offer 150mm of suspension travel front and rear. That means you’ll find a FOX 36 Factory GRIP2 fork and a FOX FLOAT DPS Factory shock each offering 150 mm travel. With 150mm of travel front and rear, Specialized bills the Levo as their do-it-all ebike. The Turbo Levo is a big step forward in the electric bike world. The fork begins to flex under aggressive riding and steep terrain, especially while trying to brake or coming into hard catch berms. What's the best mountain bike under $2,000? Overall, a new frame design, longer reach, and slacker geometry offer better handling in technical terrain. Also worth noting is the weight. Read on for our first ride review of this new electric mountain bike. The Levo battled head to head with the Trek Rail for the top spot in our Trail category, so we’ll share a couple key differences in measurements. Redesigned from the bottom up, the Levo has a new chassis, motor, and battery. The overall wheelbase on the Levo is 1,235mm and sports 455mm chainstays with a 347.5mm bottom bracket height. Sometimes you get what you pay for. Specialized Turbo Levo SL technology. This time around, I noticed a notably longer battery life. Specialized have launched an eMTB based on their ever popular Stumpjumper platform, in the form of the Turbo Levo SL. We asked five pros how they made it work and what it takes to make a living in the outdoor industry "in real life.". As much as we liked the bike on the trail, it had it’s limitations. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Rider power is amplified up to 410% thanks to this 250W unit. Specialized engineers also updated the suspension, which is quite smooth. The pedal assist is smooth and intuitive to use, enabling new or slower riders to keep up with a more experienced crowd. My biggest complaint about the Turbo Levo is the price. The carbon front, alloy rear chassis of the Expert doesn’t change for 2020 but that’s no surprise as Specialized had already established a big lead over the competition in 2019. Flag for Review. Tires: Specialized Butcher Grid Casing; 29×2.6, DRIVETRAIN >>> Best electric mountain bikes for 2020. Starting at the heart of the bike, Specialized uses a 2.1 Rx trail-tuned motor. STORE, ABOUT US Although this probably isn’t a dealbreaker for many people, the Levo certainly weighs more than a traditional mountain bike. However, the fork was a bit flexy for some of our heavier or more aggressive riders on the steep descents. MOTO 2020 Specialized Turbo Levo SL need to know. From next-gen tech to ingenious innovation, our weekly peek at emerging products examines the sometimes cutting-edge, sometimes quirky world of gear design. When it comes to the tires, a lot has happened on the 20.8 kg Levo. Cassette: SRAM XG-1175; 10-42t GEAR REVIEWS Saddle: Body Geometry Phenom This isn't the bike if you want to soft-pedal and have the bike to allof the uphill work for you. RETURNS & REFUNDS, Copyright 2017-2020 The Loam Wolf | All Rights Reserved |. But once you start climbing, you realize it’s a totally new breed. Updated e-bike gets 700Wh battery for increased range; Fox 36 fork adds much needed muscle to the front end Fork: Rock Shox Pike RC29; 150mm Admittedly we had expected Specialized to update to a 12-speed drivetrain here. A lightweight, grin-inducing ride experience in a spendy package. The route had only a few technical sections. Instead, this is the bike for the rider who wants to push their own watts and … Mix. ReddIt. We had a few issues with a couple pairs of Roval wheels in recent reviews. More Sport eBikes. We also felt for the price point, it would have been nicer to get a slightly higher-end suspension spec on the bike. By Toby Hill. Featuring similar 135mm travel to its 6Fattie colleague the Turbo Levo comes in with classic all-action Specialized trail geometry. The Moots Farwell is an expensive bike. BIKE REVIEWS Seatpost: Specialized Command Post; 160mm The bike rolls fast and smooth and encourages non-ebike riding styles. It is a very precise bike, and we believe the 29er set up with 2.6-inch tires has a bit to do with it. NordicTrack wants to give you $7,500 toward your dream adventure. Akin to stepping on an escalator for the first time, I intuitively knew something was different. 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