The aim of the developers was to build the ultimate trail bike. Weight was a secondary consideration during development, as was the choice of components. At over 17 kilograms, the new Levo SL e-mountainbike is no longer one of the absolute lightweights. However, Specialized offers 160 millimetres of travel at the front and 150 millimetres of travel at the rear, which should respond extremely finely thanks to RxTune, ironing out big impacts well, but still not wasting any power in the suspension when pedalling.

Furthermore, the Levo SL comes with a 29-inch wheel at the front and a 27.5-inch wheel at the rear as standard. However, the configuration is not set in stone. Thanks to the flip chip, twentyniner purists can also install a large wheel at the rear without changing the geometry. Incidentally, the latter comes from the tried-and-tested Stumpjumper Evo and offers the option of adapting the steering angle to your riding style: 63 degrees for those who prefer a smooth ride, the golden mean with 64.25 degrees and 65.5 degrees for those who prefer a more agile ride.

The heart of this e-trail bike, however, is the new drive, the Turbo SL 1.2 system. This delivers 50 newton meters of torque and is fed by a 320 watt-hour battery. Overall, Specialized promises 43 percent more torque and 33 percent more power than the previous model and, depending on the support level, between 750 and 2300 metres in altitude, with a 160 watt-hour range extender even up to 3450 metres in altitude. The bike should also be significantly quieter.

With the MasterMind Turbo Control Unit (TCU), the Levo SL has an elegant solution that makes it possible to control the interaction between rider, bike, motor and battery. This includes over-the-air updates and the MicroTune function mounted on the handlebars. The latter enables fine-tuning of the support in 10 percent increments.

Specialized offers the new Turbo Levo SL in sizes S1 to S6, which correspond to the following reaches: 405, 425, 445, 470, 495 and 525 millimetres. The bikes are available from 7900 euros (Comp) to 14,000 euros (S-Works), or 15,000 euros for the S-Works Limited version.

The bike off-road

Uphill, the handling is similar to a normal bike without a motor. The assistance is extremely natural and pushes very smoothly but powerfully. As before, the power development of the drive is best at a high cadence, and this in all support levels. The turbo setting is particularly impressive with a lot of support without feeling overpowered like with large e-bike motors. However, the noise level is extremely low at full load. And should you ever run out of battery power, the Levo SL still rides very naturally even without motor support and feels as if it has a classic drive system.

On descents, the trail bike really comes into its own at higher speeds. Then the Levo SL rides very stable and true to the trail, conveys safety and is a lot of fun. In technically demanding passages where more handling is required, the weight under your buttocks makes you realize that you're not on a normal mountain bike. However, the ride is very different to that of a heavy e-mountainbike.

Various individual adjustments can also be made via the in-house app. For example, the use of motor support or which battery source should be tapped first for the attached range extender. Various individual settings are also possible, all of which can be saved and recalled. Another practical feature is the option to choose whether to record the rides manually or automatically, including uploading them to Strava, Garmin or other devices. Once saved, the rider no longer has to worry about anything.

An addition to the hardware: The mini-tool integrated into the stem has now become established on many new bikes. Specialized has gone one better and added a chain riveter and chain link.

Conclusion

Specialized didn't promise too much with the Levo SL. It is not one of the lightest of the emerging lightweight e-bikes. However, this factor is counteracted by the high and natural-feeling power of the drive plus, the bike packs a punch. Whether you're tackling an after-work ride or a day tour in the mountains, Specialized has succeeded in creating a great trail bike with the new Levo SL that covers a wide range of uses.

specialized.com