This was the second time I’ve been able to test ride a Specialized Turbo Levo model and thankfully I got some help from Garret at Rock N’ Road Cyclery in Laguna Niguel California. This shop has some demo models and in addition to the footage shown in the video review above, Garret has gone off-road and spent time attending the Specialized ebike clinic. His guidance in the video review really digs in deep with all of the high end hardware. My takeaways as someone who focuses purely on electric bikes were that the Levo models, which rely on the Brose mid-drive motor, are extremely quiet and responsive. I didn’t feel the same powerful zip and pull that some other drive systems produce (namely Bosch, Bafang and Yamaha) but the integration was much cleaner. This is one of the few trail or mountain ready electric bikes around that actually blends in… all the way up to the bars.
One downside of the clean integration is that display interface and interaction points are limited or cut out all together. To turn on the bike and switch between assist levels you use a rubberized button pad near the top of the downtube on the left side. Ten LED lights come on indicating how full the battery is and you can arrow up or down to choose from three assist levels. If you change your mind about this setting once the ride has begun… you either have to pull over and reach down or try to do it while riding one handed. I missed the up/down button pad that Bosch, Impulse and other ebike makers offer which you can click easily with your thumb without taking your hands completely off the grips. I also missed the LCD display panel showing speed, distance, assist level, time, temperature etc. but Specialized has delivered a sort of solution through their Mission Control smart phone app. Frankly, I haven’t used it enough to have an opinion yet but the GPS trip planning (with battery monitor) and Strava integration seems cool. As someone with a fablet (extra large smart phone) I’d be a little concerned about damage if the bike crashed and also just wearing down my battery and exposing the display to the sun which I believe can be harmful to it. The upside to Specialized’s approach is that the bike doesn’t look electric, has fewer distractions and less parts that could get damaged.
The motor and battery are completely built into the frame which looks cool and they don’t rattle which is nice for an off-road model like the Levo FSR Comp. One potential complaint about the battery however, is that the thru-axle mounting point that is used to secure it to the frame doesn’t seem to lock… So anyone with a hex wrench could steal your $800 battery if you left the bike unattended for a few minutes. Probably not much of an issue, hopefully people will play nice but this concerns me about eating lunch in a mountain lodge with the bike “locked up” out front. The frame and wheels might stay but the battery could walk off. Anyway, you also get thru-axles on the front and rear wheels for improved stiffness. Quality suspension fork and for bar suspension rear to reduce bobbing. Incremental suspension adjust on the fork and Fox CTD (climb trail descend) at the rear. It performs much like a traditional Specialized full suspension trail bike but weighs more at ~50 lbs.
One thing I’ve been concerned about with the Brose motor system is chain, sprocket and derailleur wear because there’s no shift sensing mechanism. If you pedal hard and shift, gears mash (and that’s true on non-electric bikes as well) but when your pedal power is multiplied, even doubled, this damage can be more pronounced. Because the Brose motor listens for both cadence and torque to operate and cuts out extremely quickly when you stop pedaling, I found that easing off a bit during shifts worked very well. I haven’t spent enough time with this ebike to comment on long term wear but I trust Specialized and am so impressed that they not only offer four sizes in the Comp level but also have an Expert and several other off-road electric models for 2016. The larger tires offset some of the heavier weight and smooth the ride (which might last longer and deliver a higher average speed thanks to the electric assist). This is an electric bike that will take you further and ease the pain in your knees like the rest but won’t stick out so much visually or audibly.
Pros:
- The motor and battery are truly integrated into the frame which improves the aesthetic and sort of hides the fact that they offer assist, the battery is rated at IP67 against water and dirt
- Motor activation is very smooth and fluid (both powering up and cutting out), it’s much less noticeable than on some of the other mid-drive ebikes and it rides more like a bicycle in this sense but it also feels less powerful sometimes (at least to me)
- Tight tolerance on the battery pack alignment and locking system, you don’t hear it rattling around at higher speeds off-road, the sturdy thru-axle pin holds it in securely, can be charged on or off the bike
- The frame looks beautiful in part because the cables and wires are all internally routed but maintenance is still relatively easy because the wires can be accessed directly in the downtube once the battery is removed
- Available in two distinct frame colors (matte black and gloss green) as well as four sizes to accommodate different body types
- The Gx derailleur utilizes a stiffer spring to reduce slap, this is important given the 11 sprockets (wider range of chain lengths during operation)
- Built around the four bar Horst Link suspension arm to reduce bobbing when pedaling, the frame is made with light weight but sturdy mountain bike specific M5 Aluminum
- The Mission Control App works with iOS and Android, it offers turn by turn GPS, trip planning (to arrive with a set power level remaining) and has Strava integration for the electric bike section of the app, the app also monitors battery health and provides traditional ride stats
- The bike is extremely well balanced, we weighed it using a hook that connected just above the motor and it stayed straight, note that the wider tires help to distribute some of the extra weight of this bike given that it’s ~50 lbs (depending on size) and may be ridden over soft terrain
- Extremely responsive motor, since it measures cadence and torque I noticed that the chainring wasn’t spinning after I stopped pedaling and this is very important given that there are no brake lever inhibitors and you may be riding the Levo off-road in some precarious conditions with hazards like cliffs, trees and large rocks
- Proprietary M5 Aluminum alloy is sturdy and light, sloped top tube lowers standover height which makes the bike easier to hold given the extra weight
- Unique “6Fattie” 650b wheelset with 3″ diameter tires offers increased traction, reduced deflection (flex in the fork) and improved rolling momentum, floatation and gap spanning
- Fully enclosed cable routing, everything from shift wires, brake cables, electrical and the seat post dropper wires are hidden and protected from snags
- Autosag feature on the Fox Float rear suspension makes setup easy… pump it up with air then sit on the bike and let the pressure equalize using Autosag
- While many electric bikes forgo bottle cage bosses (and nearly every full suspension ebike) this one offers them! Specialized managed to work in bottle cage bosses right where you’d expect them on the downtube and they toss in a right mount Zee Cage
Cons:
- While the battery does lock in securely with the unique thru-axle pin, it does not rely on a locking core and key so in that sense it could be stolen more easily
- Limited display options without the app, you get 10 LED’s that show your power level and assist level (1-3) as you click up or down, to change levels you have to take your hand off the bar and reach down which isn’t as convenient as an independent button pad up on the bars but does reduce bar clutter and keeps the bike stealth while reducing potential for damage during crashes or tips
- Considering how minimal the integrated LED console is and how cool the advanced Mission Control App is, I think a USB charging port that feeds off of the main battery port would be a cool addition to help maintain your phone battery, this could be mounted near the head tube or top side of the downtube out of the way for pedaling but close enough for a short power cable to reach
- There’s no shift sensing built into the software or hardware (shift cables) as I’ve found on Bosch and Impulse drive systems, this could lead to more chain, sprocket and derailleur wear unless you’re conscious about how you ride (ease off when shifting gears)
- The included battery charger is very fast but also a bit large and heavy making it less pleasant to stow in your pack, Specialized offers a small light weight travel charger for ~$120 but it won’t charge as quickly
Resources:
- Official Site: https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/turbolevofsrcomp6fattie/113963
- More Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/adDoz2Xh64M28x117
Jack Tyler says
Court, quite a distinct & interesting choice and good discussion. I’m left wondering what we know about the Brose motor. It’s starting to appear on USA-imported ebikes…but haven’t seen much about its performance and/or longevity from the Euro scene. Any thoughts you can share?
Court Rye says
Great question Jack, my initial feeling was hesitation when I saw it on a demo model last year… no shift sensing, smooth “light” touch feel vs. zippy power. Now it’s growing on me because of the integrated look and my respect for Specialized. I assume they wouldn’t have chosen it if it didn’t hold up to some scrutiny. Their choice of using the Go SwissDrive on the street Turbo models seems to be working out. Lots of companies are looking at Brose because it’s cheaper than Bosch or Impulse and the battery can be integrated for a cool aesthetic. I tried a couple of Bulls bikes with it at the Ebike Expo in San Diego and enjoyed the experience.
jb says
“Lots of companies are looking at Brose because it’s cheaper than Bosch or Impulse and the battery can be integrated for a cool aesthetic.”
I do not believe the first part of this statement is accurate, people are using Brose because it is better than Bosch and Impulse, not because it is cheaper. The most expensive Euro brand (Rotwild) can afford to use Bosch and they are using Brose. The battery integration offered standard from Brose is way nicer than anything Bosch has released and are only surpassed by the new integrated look on the latest Kalkhoff models which start at $4800 and are not MTBs. I am not sure how your staff having rode both the Haibike and the Levo continues to list the Haibike as the Top Pick. Maybe we have different tastes, but I got off the Levo test ride and dropped $4k. I was not $4k impressed with the Haibike.
Court Rye says
Hey jb, the only staff here is me, Court Rye… I thought the Brose was less expensive to integrate but I could be wrong or perhaps there is a special “break into the market” thing happening in the US? I cannot place where I heard this or if maybe I misunderstood but either way I’m happy that they are here and while I wish they had some sort of shift sensing feature the low sound output and quick response is right on.
jb says
yeah, shift sensing would be nice, but my iZip didn’t have it either, so I’m used to letting off to shift. The more annoying thing is the speed limiter, which I hit often on the street which is set at 20mph. It is annoying because it makes for a jerky ride around 20mph when you are going long distances, with the motor cutting on and off. http://ebiketuning.com/ will have a Levo dongle available in about a week to solve that problem, but it is like $180.
Court Rye says
I agree, some ebikes cut out more promptly (and then jerk back on) while others are smooth. I feel like the Brose system and the controller for the Turbo Levo is smoother but I haven’t ridden with it as much as I’d like so I can’t say for sure. Thanks for the heads up on the speed dongle, they seem to work well on Bosch system, cut the reading in half and let the motor reach ~30 mph but are tracked and may void the warranty. I’ll keep an eye out and try to test one and see how it works on the Brose system at some point.
Bike_on says
Great review. I love the real world interview to add expertise. I want one! :)
Court Rye says
Hey, thanks! I enjoyed his perspective and it afforded more filming opportunities from the third person viewpoint. Got one more Levo review to do for the Expert and we dig into the app for that one. Should be here soon :)
jb says
The Brose motor is heads above anything else on the market. It produces 90nm of torque and is very efficient. I can ride 15 miles of pavement on my Levo Hardtail with 3″ tires and use 34% of the battery. Based on these numbers the range is about 45 miles at 20mph using range-based assist. I also own a iZip with the 350w mid drive, which has the same size battery as the Levo and it gets half the range. The Brose motor on the Levo is also dang quiet, maybe the most quiet mid-drive on the market. It uses the gates carbon drive internally to isolate vibrations from the frame. That adds up to making Brose the most powerful, most quiet, and most efficient motor on the market. I have also rode the Kalkhoffs and a bunch of Bosch models, not impressed at all. The $5k Kalkhoff was squeaky. If you can’t afford a Specialized Levo, buy a Bulls Evo from Europe, you will be about $2800 shipped (make sure they drop the 20% VAT). btw, the Bulls have massive 650wh batteries!! I have rode the Bulls and was very impressed, but the Levo is just plain awesome with the stock 3″ tires!
Court Rye says
Great feedback! Thanks for the details about how the Brose motor works and also how it performs for you. The Bulls bikes do look pretty cool, I tested one briefly at an Ebike Expo event here in the US and it performed quite well :)
jb says
I was just at a shop in Wolfsburg and they have the Bulls E-Stream 2 29″ with Brose and a 615wh battery for 2185 euros excluding VAT. The USA shops are up around $4k for the Bulls, which at that point you just buy the Levo. This is the shop and they speak English well: http://www.zweirad-schael.de/
Court Rye says
Cool, thanks jb. I’ve met a couple of people who bought ebikes from Europe and had them shipped to the US (including the speed dongles you mentioned earlier). That seems to have worked out well, but it feels like a big gamble for so much money so I can see why most people try to buy locally… plus they get the ongoing maintenance and support.
CW says
Thanks for the great reviews & resource, Court. I just picked this bike up today and its fantastic. I went into to my local specialized dealer with a great deal of knowledge and info, thanks to you. Your website is the de facto ebike website on the net! keep up the great work!
Court Rye says
That’s awesome! So glad it helped… I actually just ordered an Expert for myself, plan on testing the LEVO motor more thoroughly since lots of brands are going to be using it. Feels like I spent a TON of money even after they gave me a little discount since it’s going to be used for review. I love the look of this thing and feel that it’s one of the best examples of integration so far (noise, position and power wise). Updates on that review will be coming in the next several weeks, feel free to share your own thoughts on the bike ongoing!
MO says
Ordered one of these for my so I don’t have to wait so much for her on long rides. Hopefully it will be the “equalizer”. What’s a good pedal for this? I was thinking a downhill spd pedal, as I would like to stay with Shimano.
Court Rye says
Awesome! I bet she’s going to love it… I bought an ebike for my Mom and she uses it on roads just to keep up with her faster road bike friends and she appreciates the ergonomics and feeling that she can go further. Anyway, are you wanting platform or clipless pedals? I really like these large, grippy Magnesium platforms from Wellgo and they come in a bunch of colors to match your bike :)
Nicos Angeli says
thanks for the review.! mines here in a week.! does it have regenerate function? if not, how do you control the speed on long downhills?
Court Rye says
Hi Nicos! No, the only type of electric bikes with power regen or regenerative braking that I know of are the gearless hub motors which you can see on the Specialized Turbo (street models), the Stromer models and kits like BionX or Falco. For all other e-bikes (with geared hubs or mid-drives) you simply use your brakes as you would on a traditional bike. Either rubber pads will come into contact with your rims or metal composite pads will come into contact with a disc brake rotor.
RH says
Did you get your Levo Turbo FSR Expert and have you done a review yet?
Court Rye says
I did! Have been riding it around and testing different features on the bike. Since it’s very similar to the Comp, I wanted the next review to explore other aspects of the bike like the app and general reliability… It just takes more time to do :)
nicosangeli says
your review was spot on! great bike! I received 2 chargers, a large one which flashes a red light when it’s attached and a smaller travel one which works but gets quite hot! is the large one which says turbo on it a wrong charger? thanks!
Court Rye says
Hmm, I couldn’t say for sure without taking a look but Specialized does have a high power speed charger that’s larger and heavier as well as a more portable charger that is slower but much lighter and smaller. Sounds like maybe you got one of each? If both connect using the same interface and say Specialized then I don’t see why they wouldn’t work but this is definitely an area where double checking could pay off for you… like ask the dealer! If you wreck the battery it can cost over $800 and if you burn your house down that can cost a lot more :O
Jedediah says
I just purchased a Specialized Stump Jumper with the Fattie 360 tire setup about 3 months ago. I love my bike but then a couple of weeks ago I find out about this one! and I am like NOOO! At my local Specialized dealer the difference in retail between the stump-jumper ($3,800.00) & the Levo ($4,500.00 – I don’t know if they have lower the price or if my shop just sells them at a lower than average price) was only $700 bucks! So after test riding I definitely am feeling a bit of buyer remorse! Guess I will just have to start saving my pennies again!
Court Rye says
Ouch… yeah, it’s a lot to spend if you buy two bikes consecutively! Maybe you can list your non-electric stump-jumper for sale on Craigslist and recoup some of the money then get a Levo with a bit more savings? It’s an awesome bike but even the unpowered models are a blast to ride :D
John Thompson says
Hi Court, I really enjoy your videos and written reviews on the e-bikes. I have a question. I am interested in an e bike for mountain biking but I am worried that it will “ruin” me for riding my 3 regular mountain bikes. I am 65 years old so I can’t go as far as I used to or make the steeper climbs. An e bike would change that for me but I’m afraid I would no longer want to ride my regular bikes anymore. I did ride a touring e bike on a greenway trail and it was very nice, especially when I came back and the wind was in my face and all I had to do was raise the level of assist to maintain the same speed! I know you have some injuries that you deal with but what is your opinion of e bikes “ruining” it for regular biking?
Court Rye says
Hi John! I own two bikes right now and they are basically the same full suspension frame from Specialized but one is a Levo with assist and the other is a much lighter Stumpjumper. I still ride them both and enjoy the feeling of riding unpowered. It’s way different when you don’t have a 50 lb bike under you… and I suppose that will remain until technology advances significantly. I ride unpowered alone and sometimes with friends, often it’s easier to load that bike on my car and since it’s way less expensive I feel better about parking it in public places. The Levo definitely hasn’t ruined me and I look at it as a way to go further faster or still go out when my knee is sensitive, it’s just less convenient in some ways and more convenient in others :)
JJ says
I rode this bike for a full day, about 50 miles road commute and some rough dirt trail climbs. Went uphill over boulders the size of bowling balls for about 1/8 mile, something I just couldn’t do on my Intense Carbine 29.
I liked so much about this bike and now I’m in the market. I see the Bulls E-Stream Evo FS 3 27.5 Plus, as a fairly direct competitor to this Specialized bike. It has two features that make me think it might be a better fit for me:
Does anyone have direct ride compare experience between the Bulls and this Specialized? I ask because I can’t seem to locate a Bullls to ride closer than about 500 miles from my location, still looking.
Court Rye says
Hi JJ! I have ridden them both (but I’m also the guy who did both reviews here). I like Specialized as a company, their products are cool and this bike is amazing… but Bulls has created a worthy competitor and the display clicker is pretty neat. You won’t get the Mission Control mobile app and their little control pad could get broken more easily, but I like having quick access to assist vs. leaning down to click. I also like that the Bulls doesn’t have a big LED light ring on the side of the frame because I don’t want people asking me about the bike. I personally bought the Turbo Levo and loved it for a year but felt the same torn feeling when examining the Bulls. That’s a new company to the US but they have been doing great in Europe for years. Ride wise, I feel like they are very similar but Specialized emphasizes their own unique trail tuning. Maybe the Bulls is slightly zippier? I hope this helps, it might come down to local support, the clicker, the colors, the sizes, or the app… I’d love to hear what you choose and how you like it though :)
Scott says
Just wondering if you have any updated opinions of the Bulls E-Stream FS 3 27.5 Plus vs. this Specialized Levo. I do have a Specialized Turbo X and I do like to have the thumb controls on the handlebar to change the level of assist, see the battery level, etc (and I frequently change the level of assist so I can extend the battery life and also increase my heart-rate when I need a little more exercise). I wish the Specialized Levo had something similar because it’s pretty cumbersome to change the level of assist using the Levo buttons on the side of the downtube. I am in the market for a FS mountain bike and wondered if you had any new thoughts about these two bikes. Thanks.
Court Rye says
Hi Scott! I’m a big Specialized fan and enjoy working with my local shop… which is part of why I purchased a Levo (and also because the Bulls model wasn’t available yet). I agree that having a reachable remote is nice and it looks like there is an accessory that will allow you to do this. I found this remote on the Mike’s Bikes website, it appears to be made by Garmin and use wireless signals to allow for assist navigation. The downsides would be that it appears to run on an independent battery vs. being wired in and may not offer as much feedback about battery level, speed, odometer etc. that an integrated display might, like what Bulls offers. I hope this helps with your comparison and consideration of the two bikes, Bulls is definitely offering a wide range to choose from and it looks like 2018 has even more. Here’s a video I recently shot in Las Vegas at the Interbike trade show where we cover many of the new models.
dan says
I may be able to get my hands on a used levo ebike but am questioning myself about the size. The bike is a medium size but chart shows I’d need a large one. Would it be suitable? I’m 5’11” 165lbs :-)
Court says
Hi Dan, you’re probably best suited to a large frame, but there are things you could do to “enlarge” a medium if it felt too small. You could get a riser stem with extra length, upgrade the seat post length or just set the dropper post to the max position, you could swap out the crank arms for slightly longer (probably not necessary). Sure, the frames are going to differ by 5 to 10 centimeters in some direction, but it’s really not that much… the wheel size is the same and even the handlebars will likely be the same. If this is a great deal and you’re willing to give it a shot and make a few sub $50 swaps like the stem, then I think it could work well… especially if you’re not a professional rider trying to dial in the geometry perfectly to fully optimize performance ;)